diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:29:05 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:29:05 -0700 |
| commit | a488bb5d85260fc45967c119c69ff1f27944fe66 (patch) | |
| tree | 32d5133b2f1cb11bb1c2495490572cf222d12778 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 7163-8.txt | 20294 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 7163-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 419149 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
5 files changed, 20310 insertions, 0 deletions
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/7163-8.txt b/7163-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f5ef7f3 --- /dev/null +++ b/7163-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,20294 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Australian Exploration from +1788 to 1888, by Ernest Favenc + +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: The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888 + +Author: Ernest Favenc + +Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7163] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on March 18, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat. + + + + + + +The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888. + +Complied from State Documents, Private Papers and the +most authentic sources of information. +Issued under the auspices of the Government of the +Australian Colonies. + +by + +Ernest Favenc. + +Sydney: +Turner and Henderson +1888 + + + + + +Dedication. + +TO + +THE HON. SIR HENRY PARKES, G.C.M.G., C.C.I., M.P., +AS +THE OLDEST RULING STATESMAN IN AUSTRALIA, +AND IN THE +PRESENT CENTENARY YEAR +THE PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES, +THE MOTHER COLONY, +FROM WHENCE FIRST STARTED THOSE EXPLORATIONS +BY LAND AND SEA, +WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN THROWING OPEN TO THE NATIONS OF THE +WORLD A NEW CONTINENT, +NOW RAPIDLY DEVELOPING, UNDER FREE CONSTITUTIONS, +A +PROSPEROUS, CONTENTED, AND SELF-GOVERNING COMMUNITY, +THIS +HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION +IS DEDICATED. + +ERNEST FAVENC, SYDNEY, 1888. + + + + + +PREFACE. + +A complete history of the exploration of Australia will never be written. +The story of the settlement of our continent is necessarily so intermixed +with the results of private travels and adventures, that all the +historian can do is to follow out the career of the public expeditions, +and those of private origin which extended to such a distance, and +embraced such important discoveries, as to render the results matters of +national history. + +That private individuals have done the bulk of the detail work there is +no denying; but that work, although every whit as useful to the community +as the more brilliant exploits that carried with them the publicity of +Government patronage, has not found the same careful preservation. + +To find the material to write such a history would necessitate the work +of a lifetime, and the co-operation of hundreds of old colonists; and, +when written, it would inevitably, from the nature of the subject, prove +most monotonous reading, and fill, I am afraid to think, how many +volumes. The reader has but to consider the immense area of country now +under pastoral occupation, and to remember that each countless +subordinate river and tributary creek was the result of some extended +research of the pioneer squatter, to realise this. + +Since the hope of finding an inland sea, or main central range, vanished +for ever, the explorer cannot hope to discover anything much more +exciting or interesting than country fitted for human habitation. The +attributes of the native tribes are very similar throughout. Since the +day when Captain Phillip and his little band settled down here and tried +to gain the friendship of the aboriginal, no startling difference has +been found in him throughout the continent. As he was when Dampier came +to our shores, so is he now in the yet untrodden parts of Australia, and +the explorer knows that from him he can only gain but a hazardous and +uncertain tale of what lies beyond. + +But, in this utter want of knowledge of the country to be explored, where +even the physical laws do not assimilate with those of other continents, +lies the great charm of Australian exploration. It is the spectacle of +one man pitted against the whole force of nature--not the equal struggle +of two human antagonists, but the old fable of the subtle dwarf and the +self-confident giant. + +When the battle commenced between Sturt and the interior, he was, as he +thought, vanquished, though in reality the victor. + +In the history of exploration are to be found some of the brightest +examples of courage and fortitude presented by any record. In the +succeeding pages I have tried to bring these episodes prominently to the +fore, and bestow upon them the meed of history. + +In compiling this book I have had the sympathy of many gentlemen, both in +this and the neighbouring colonies, and my best thanks are due to them, +especially as, owing to it, I have been able to make the work perfectly +authentic, and I trust, a thoroughly reliable work of reference. + +SYDNEY, 1888. + +ERNEST FAVENC. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +Part I +Rumours of the existence of a Southern Continent in the Sixteenth +Century--JAVE and JAVE LA GRANDE--Authentic Discoveries and visits of +the early Navigators--Torres sails between New Guinea and Terra +Australis--Voyage of the DUYFHEN in 1606--Dirk Hartog on the West Coast, +his inscribed plate--Restored by Vlaming--Afterwards by Hamelin--Nuyts on +the South Coast--Wreck of the BATAVIA on Houtman's Abrolhos--Mutiny of +Cornelis--Tasman's second voyage--Dampier with the Buccaneers--Second +Voyage in the ROEBUCK--Last visit of the Dutch--Captain Cook--Flinders; +his theory of a Dividing Strait--Plans for exploring the Interior--His +captivity--Captain King--Concluding remarks. + +Part II +The Continent of Australia--Its peculiar formation--The coast range and +the highest peaks thereof--The coastal rivers--The inland rivers-- +Difference of vegetation on the tableland and on the coast--Exception to +the rule--Valuable timber of the coast districts--Animals common to the +whole continent--Some birds the same--Distinct habits of others--The +Australian native and his unknown origin--Water supply--Upheaval. + + +PART I +LAND EXPLORATION + + +Chapter I [1788-1803] + +Expeditions of Governor Phillip--Mouth of the Hawkesbury found in Broken +Bay--Second expedition and ascent of the river--Expedition of Captain +Tench--Discovery of the Nepean River--Lieutenant Dawes sent to cross the +Nepean, and to try to penetrate the mountains--Attempt by Governor +Phillip to establish the confluence of the Nepean and Hawkesbury-- +Failure--The identity settled by Captain Tench--Escaped convicts try to +reach China--Captain Paterson finds and names the Grose River--Hacking +endeavours to cross the Blue Mountains--The lost cattle found on the +Cow Pastures--Bass attempts the passage of the range--Supposed settlement +of a white race in the interior--Attempt of the convicts to reach it-- +James Wilson--His life with the natives--Discovery of the Hunter River +by Lieutenant Shortland. + +Chapter II [1813-1824] + +The great drought of 1813--The development of country by stocking-- +Blaxland, Lawson, and Wentworth cross the Blue Mountains--Reach +the head of coast waters and return--Surveyor Evans sent out--Crosses the +watershed and finds the Macquarie River--Construction of road over the +range--Settlement of Bathurst--Visit of Governor Macquarie--Second +expedition under Evans--Discovery of the Lachlan River--Surveyor-General +Oxley explores the Lachlan--Finds the river terminates in swamps--Returns +by the Macquarie--His opinion of the interior--Second expedition down the +Macquarie--Disappointment again--Evans finds the Castlereagh--Liverpool +Plains discovered--Oxley descends the range and finds Port Macquarie-- +Returns to Newcastle-Currie and Ovens cross the Morumbidgee--Brisbane +Downs and Monaroo--Hume and Hovell cross to Port Phillip--Success of +the expedition. + +Chapter III [to 1830] + +Settlement of Moreton Bay--Cunningham in the field again--His discoveries +of the Gwydir, Dumaresque, and Condamine Rivers--The Darling Downs, and +Cunningham's Gap through the range to Moreton Bay--Description of the +Gap--Cunningham's death--Captain Sturt--His first expedition to follow +down the Macquarie--Failure of the river--Efforts of Sturt and Hume to +trace the channel--Discovery of New Year's Creek (the Bogan)--Come +suddenly on the Darling--Dismay at finding the water salt--Retreat to +Mount Harris--Meet the relief party--Renewed attempt down the Castlereagh +River--Trace it to the Darling--Find the water in that river still +salt--Return--Second expedition to follow the Morumbidgee--Favourable +anticipations--Launch of the boats and separation of the party--Unexpected +junction with the Murray--Threatened hostilities with the natives--Averted +in a most singular manner--Junction of large river from the North--Sturt's +conviction that it is the Darling--Continuation of the voyage--Final +arrival at Lake Alexandrina--Return voyage--Starvation and fatigue-- +Constant labour at the oars and stubborn courage of the men--Utter +exhaustion--Two men push forward to the relief party and return with +succour. + +Chapter IV [to 1836] + +Settlement at King George's Sound--The free colony of Swan River +founded--Governor Stirling--Captain Bannister crosses from Perth to King +George's Sound--Explorations by Lieutenant Roe--Disappointing nature of +the interior--Bunbury, Wilson, and Moore--Settlement on the North +Coast--Melville Island and Raffles Bay--An escaped convict's story--The +fabulous Kindur River--Major Mitchell starts in search of it--Discovery +of the Namoi--The Nundawar Range--Failure of the boats--Reach the Gwydir +River of Cunningham--The KARAULA--Its identity with the Darling--Murder +of the two bullock-drivers--Mitchell's return--Murder of Captain Barker +in Encounter Bay--Major Mitchell's second expedition to trace the course +of the Darling--Traces the Bogan to its junction with that river--Fort +Bourke--Progress down the river--Hostility of the natives--Skirmish with +them--Return--Mitchell's third expedition--The Lachlan followed--Junction +of the Darling and the Murray reached--Mitchell's discovery of Australia +Felix. + +Chapter V [to 1841] + +Lieutenants Grey and Lushington on the West Coast--Narrow escape--Start +with an equipment of Timor ponies--Grey wounded by the natives--Cave +drawings--Return, having discovered the Glenelg--Grey's second +expedition--Landed at Bernier Island, in Shark's Bay, with three +whale-boats--Cross to borne Island--Violent storm--Discovery of the +Gascoyne--Return to Bernier Island--Find their CACHÉ of provisions +destroyed by a hurricane--Hopeless position--Attempted landing at +Gautheaume Bay--Destruction of the boats--Walk to Perth--Great +sufferings--Death of Smith--Eyre and the overlanders--Discovery of Lake +Hindmarsh--Exploration of Gippsland--Eyre's explorations to the +north--Discovery of Lake Torrens--Disappointment in the country bordering +on it--Determines to go to King George's Sound--Repeated attempts to +reach the head of the Great Australian Bight--Loss of horses--Barren and +scrubby country--Final determination to send back most of the party-- +Starts with overseer and three natives--Hardship and suffering--Murder of +the overseer by two of the natives--Eyre continues his journey with the +remaining boy--Relieved by the MISSISSIPPI whaler--Reaches King George's +Sound. + +Chapter VI [to 1846] + +Explorations around Moreton Bay--Development of the Eastern Coast--The +first pioneers of the Darling Downs--Stuart and Sydenham Russell--The +Condamine River and Cecil Plains--Great interest taken in exploration at +this period--Renewed explorations around Lake Torrens--Surveyor-General +Frome--Death of Horrocks, the first explorer to introduce camels--Sturt's +last expedition--Route by the Darling chosen--Poole fancies that he sees +the inland sea--Discovery of Flood's Creek--The prison depôt--Impossible +to advance or retreat--Breaking up of the drought--Death of Poole--Fresh +attempts to the north--The desert--Eyre's Creek discovered--Return and +fresh attempt--Discoveries of Cooper and Strzelecki Creeks--Retreat to +the Depôt Glen--Final return to the Darling--Ludwig Leichhardt the lost +explorer--His great trip north--Finding of the Burdekin, the Mackenzie, +Isaacs and Suttor--Murder of the naturalist Gibert--Discovery of the Gulf +Rivers--Arrival at Port Essington--His return and reception-- +Surveyor-General Mitchell's last expedition--Follows up the Balonne-- +Crosses to the head of the Belyando--Disappointed in that river--Returns +and crosses to the head of the Victoria (Barcoo)--The beautiful Downs +country--First mention of the Mitchell grass--False hopes entertained +of the Victoria running into the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +Chapter VII [to 1854] + +Kennedy traces the Victoria in its final course south--Re-named the +Barcoo--First notice of the PITURI chewing natives--Leichhardt's second +Expedition--Failure and Return--Leichhardt's last Expedition--His +absolute disappearance--Conjectures as to his fate--Kennedy starts from +Rockingham Bay to Cape York--Scrubs and swamps--Great exertions--Hostile +natives--Insufficiency of supplies provided--Dying horses--Main party +left in Weymouth Bay--Another separation at Shelburne Bay--Murder of +Kennedy at the Escape River--Rescue of Jacky the black boy--His pathetic +tale of suffering--Failure to find the camp at Shelburne Bay--Rescue of +but two survivors at Weymouth Bay--The remainder starved to death--Von +Mueller in the Australian Alps--Western Australia--Landor and Lefroy, in +1843--First expedition of the brothers Gregory, in 1846--Salt lakes and +scrub--Lieutenant Helpman sent to examine the coal seam discovered--Roe, +in 1848--His journey to the east and to the south--A. C. Gregory attempts +to reach the Gascoyne--Foiled by the nature of the country--Discovers +silver ore on the Murchison--Governor Fitzgerald visits the mine--Wounded +by the natives--Rumour of Leichhardt having been murdered by the +blacks--Hely's expedition in quest of him--Story unfounded--Austin's +explorations in Western Australia--Terrible scrubs--Poison camp-- +Determined efforts to the north--Heat and thirst--Forced to return. + +Chapter VIII [to 1861] + +A. C. Gregory's North Australian expedition in 1855-56, accompanied by +Baron Von Mueller and Dr. Elsey--Disappointment in the length of 'the +Victoria--Journey to the Westward--Discovery of Sturt's Creek--Its course +followed south--Termination in a salt lake--Return to Victoria River +--Start homeward, overland--The Albert identified--The Leichhardt +christened--Return by the Burdekin and Suttor--Visit of Babbage to Lake +Torrens--Expedition by Goyder--Deceived by mirage--Excitement in +Adelaide--Freeling sent out--Discovers the error--Hack explores the +Gawler Range--Discovers Lake Gairdner--Warburton in the same +direction--Swinden and party west of Lake Torrens--Babbage in the Lake +District--His long delay--Warburton sent to supersede him--Rival claims +to discovery--Frank Gregory explores the Gascoyne in Western Australia +--A. C. Gregory follows the Barcoo in search of Leichhardt--Discovery +of a marked tree--Arrival in Adelaide--The early explorations of M'Dowall +Stuart--Frank Gregory at Nickol Bay--Discovers the Ashburton--Fine +pastoral country--Discovers the De Grey and Oakover Rivers--Turned back +by the desert--Narrow escape. + +Chapter IX [to 1861] + +Across the continent, from south to north--M'Dowall Stuart's first +attempt to reach the north coast--Native warfare--Chambers' Pillar-- +Central Mount Stuart--Singularfootprint--Sufferings from thirst-- +Aboriginal Freemasons--Attack Creek--Return--Stuart's second departure-- +The Victorian expedition--Costly equipment--Selection of a leader--Burke, +and his qualifications for the post--Wills--Resignation of Landells-- +Wright left in charge of the main party--Burke and Wills, with six +men, push on to Cooper's Creek--Delay of Wright--Burke's final +determination to push on to the north coast--Starts with Wills and two +men--Progress across the continent--Arrival at the salt water--Wills' +account--Homeward journey--The depôt deserted--Resolve to make for Mount +Hopeless--Failure and return--Wills revisits the depôt--Kindness of the +natives--Burke and King start in search of the blacks--Death of +Burke--King finds Wills dead on his return--Wright and Brahe visit the +depôt--Fail to see traces of Burke's return--Consternation in +Melbourne--Immediate despatch of search parties--Howitt finds +King--Narrow escape of trooper Lyons--Stuart in the north--Hedgewood +scrub first seen--Discovery of Newcastle waters--All attempts to the +north fruitless--Return of Stuart. + + +Chapter X [to 1863] + +Stuart's last Expedition--Frew's Pond--Daly Waters--Arrival at the +Sea--The flag at last hoisted on the northern shore--Return--Serious +illness of the Leader--The Burke relief Expedition--John M'Kinlay--Native +rumours--Discovery of Gray's body--Hodgkinson sent to Blanche Water with +the news--Returns with the information of King's rescue by Howitt-- +M'Kinlay starts north--Reaches the Gulf coast--Makes for the new +Queensland settlements on the Burdekin--Reaches the Bowen River in +safety--Mystery of the camel's tracks--Landsborough's expedition-- +Discovery of the Gregory River--The Herbert--Return to the Albert depôt-- +News of Burke and Wills--Landsborough reduces his party and starts home +overland--Returns by way of the Barcoo--Landsborough and his critics--His +work as an Explorer--Walker starts from Rockhampton--Another L tree +found on the Barcoo--Walker crosses the head of the Flinders--Finds the +tracks of Burke and Wills--Tries to follow them up--Returns to +Queensland--Abandonment of the desert theory--Private expeditions-- +Dalrymple and others. + +Chapter XI [to 1870] + +Settlement formed at Somerset, Cape York, by the Queensland +Government--Expedition of the Brothers Jardine--Start from Carpentaria +Downs Station--Disaster by fire--Reduced resources--Arrive at the coast +of the Gulf--Hostility of the blacks--Continual attacks--Horses mad +through drinking salt water--Poison country--An unfortunate camp--Still +followed by the natives--Rain and bog--Dense scrub--Efforts of the two +brothers to reach Somerset--Final Success--Lull in exploration--Private +parties--Settlement at Escape Cliffs by South Australia--J. M'Kinlay sent +up--Narrow escape from floods--Removal of the settlement to Port +Darwin--M'Intyre's expedition in search of Leichhardt--His death--Hunt in +Western Australia--False reports about traces of Leichhardt--Forrest's +first expedition--Sent to investigate the report of the murder of white +men in the interior--Convinced of its want of truth--Unpromising +country--Second expedition to Eucla--The cliffs of the Great +Bight--Excursion to the north--Safe arrival at Eucla. + +Chapter XII [to 1875] + +The first expeditions of Ernest Giles--Lake Amadens--Determined attempts +to cross the desert--Death of Gibson--Return-Warburton's expedition-- +Messrs. Elder and Hughes--Outfit of camels--Departure from Alice +Springs--Amongst the glens--Waterloo Well--No continuation to +Sturt's Creek--Sufferings from starvation--Fortunate relief from death +by thirst--Arrive at the head of the Oakover--Lewis starts to obtain +succour--His return--Gosse sent out by the South Australian Government-- +Exploring bullocks--Ayre's rock--Obliged to retreat--Forrest's expedition +from west to east--Good pastoral country--Windich Springs--The Weld +Springs--Attacked by the natives--Lake Augusta--Dry country--Relieved by +a shower--Safe arrival and great success of the expedition--Ernest +Giles in the field--Elder supplies camels--The longest march ever +made in Australia--Wonderful endurance of the camels--The lonely +desert--Strange discovery of water--Queen Victoria's Spring--The march +renewed--Attacked by blacks--Approach the well-known country in Western +Australia--Safe arrival--Giles returns overland, north of Forrest's +track--Little or no result--Great drought--The western interior. + +Chapter XIII [to 1884] + +Further explorations around Lake Eyre--Lewis equipped by Sir Thomas +Elder--He traces the lower course of the Diamantina--Expedition to +Charlotte Bay under W. Hann--A survivor of the wreck of the +MARIA--Discovery of the Palmer--Gold prospects found--Arrival on the east +coast--Dense scrub--Return--The Palmer rush--Hodgkinson sent out--Follows +down the Diamantina--Discovery of the Mulligan--Mistaken for the +Herbert--Private expedition--The Messrs. Prout--Buchanan--F. Scarr--The +QUEENSLANDER expedition--A dry belt of country--Native rites--A good game +bag--Arrival at the telegraph line--Alexander Forrest--The Leopold +Range--Caught between the cliffs and the sea--Fine pastoral country +found--Arrival at the Katherine--The Northern Territory and its future. + +Chapter XIV [to 1888] + +The exploration of the Continent by land almost completed--Minor +expeditions--The Macarthur and other rivers running into Carpentaria +traced--Good country discovered and opened up--Sir Edward Pellew Group +revisited--Lindsay sent out by the S.A. Government to explore Arnheim's +Land--Rough country and great loss of horses--O'Donnell makes an +expedition to the Kimberley district--Sturt and Mitchell's different +experiences with the blacks--Difference in the East and West Coasts--Use +of camels--Opinions about them--The future of the water supply-- +Adaptability of the country for irrigation--The great springs of +the Continent--Some peculiarities of them--Hot springs and mound springs. + + +PART II +MARITIME EXPLORATION + +Chapter XV +Maritime Discoveries + +Chapter XVI +Captain Cook compared to former Visitors--Point Hicks--Botany Bay-First +natives seen--Indifference to Overtures--Abundant flora--Entrance to Port +Jackson missed--Endeavour on a reef--Careened--Strange animals--Hostile +natives--A sailor's devil--Possession Island-Territory of New South +Wales--Torres Straits a passage--La Perouse--Probable fate discovered by +Captain Dillon--M'Cluer touches Arnheim's Land--Bligh and Portlock--Wreck +of the Pandora--Vancouver in the south--The D'Entrecasteaux +quest--Recherche Archipelago--Bass and Flinders--Navigation and +exploration extraordinary--The Tom Thumb--Bass explores south--Flinders +in the Great Bight--Bass's Straits--Flinders in the Investigator--Special +instructions--King George's Sound--Lossof boat's crew--Memory +Cove--Baudin's courtesy--Port Phillip--Investigator and Lady Nelson on +East Coast--The Gulf of Carpentaria and early Dutch navigators--Duyfhen +Point--Cape Keer-Weer--Mythical rivers charted--Difficulty in recognising +their landmarks--Flinders' great disappointment--A rotten ship--Return by +way of West Coast--Cape Vanderlin--Dutch Charts--Malay proas, +Pobassoo--Return to Port Jackson--Wreck of the Porpoise--Prisoner by the +French--General de Caen--Private papers and journals +appropriated--Prepares his charts and logs for press--Death--Sympathy by +strangers--Forgotten by Australia--The fate of Bass--Mysterious +disappearance--Supposed Death. + + +Chapter XVII +The French Expedition--Buonaparte's lavish outfitting--Baudin in the +Géographe--Coast casualties--Sterile and barren appearance--Privations of +the crew--Sails for Timor--Hamelin in the Naturaliste--Explores +North-Western coast--Swan River--Isle of Rottnest--Joins her consort at +Coepang--Sails for Van Dieman's Land--Examination of the South-East coast +of Australia--Flinders' prior visit ignored--French names +substituted--Discontent among crew--Baudin's unpopularity--Bad food--Port +Jackson--Captain King's Voyages--Adventures in the Mermaid--An extensive +commission--Allan Cunningham, botanist--Search at Seal Islands for +memorial of Flinders' visit--Seed sowing--Jeopardy to voyage--Giant +anthills--An aboriginal Stoic--Cape Arnhem and west coast +exploration--Macquarie Strait--Audacity of natives--Botanical results +satisfactory--Malay Fleet--Raffles Bay--Port Essington--Attack by +natives--Cape Van Dieman--Malay Teachings--Timor and its Rajah--Return to +Port--Second Voyage--Mermaid and Lady Nelson--East Coast--Cleveland +Bay--Cocoa-nuts and pumice stones--Endeavour River--Thieving +natives--Geological formation of adjacent country--Remarkable +coincidences--Across Gulf of Carpentaria--Inland excursion--Cambridge +Gulf--Ophthalmia amongst crew--Mermaid returns to port. + +Chapter XVIII +King's Third Voyage--Early misadventures--Examines North-West coast +closely--The Mermaid careened--Unforeseen result--Return to Sydney--The +Bathurst--King's Fourth Voyage--Last of the Mermaid--Love's +stratagem--Remarkable cavern--Extraordinary drawings--Chasm +Island--South-West explorations--Revisits his old camp--Rich +vegetation--Greville Island--Skirmish at Hanover Bay--Reminiscence of +Dampier--His notes on the natives and their mode of living--Cape +Levêque--Buccaneers' Archipelago--Provisions run out--Sails for the +Mauritius--Survey of South-West re-commenced--Cape Chatham--Oyster +Harbour anchorage--A native's toilet--Seal hunt--Friendly +intercourse--Cape Inscription--Vandalism--Point Cloates not an +island--Vlaming Head--Rowley Shoals--Cunningham--Botanical +success--Rogers Island closely examined--Mainland traced further--An +amazing escape from destruction--Relinquishment of survey--Sails for +Sydney--Value of King's work--Settlement on Melville Island--Port +Essington--Colonisation--Fort building--A waif--Roguish +visitors--Garrison life--Change of scene--Raffles Bay--Dismal +reports--Failure of attempt. + +Chapter XIX +Cruise of H.M.S. Beagle--Passengers Grey and Lushington--Swan +River--Northern coast survey commenced--Supposed channel at Dampier's +Land non-existent--Lieutenant Usborne accidentally shot--King's +Sound--Effects of a rainy season--Point Cunningham--Skeleton of a native +found--New discoveries--Fitzroy River explored--Exciting incident--Boat +excursion to Collier Bay--Swan River--Native steward "Miago"--Amusing +inspection--Meeting with the explorers at Hanover Bay--Lieutenant Grey's +description of native tribes--Miago's memory--Fremantle--Needed +communication--Beagle at Hobart Town--Survey work at Cape +Otway--Exploration of northwest coast--Reminiscences of +colonisation--Discovery of the Adelaide River--A serious comedy--Port +Essington and Clarence Straits--Harbour of Port Darwin named--The +Victoria River--Extravagant hopes--Land party organized--Captain Stokes +speared--Return to Swan River--Beagle again North--Examination of Sweer's +Island--Flinders and Albert Rivers discovered--Inland navigation--Gun +accident--Native mode of burial--Fallacious Theorising--The Beagle's +surveying concluded--Maritime exploration closes. + +Chapter XX +Nationality of the first finders of Australia--Knowledge of the +Malays--The bamboo introduced--Traces of smallpox amongst the natives in +the north-west--Tribal rites--Antipathy to pork--Evidence of admixture in +origin--Influence of Asiatic civilisation partly visible--Coast +appearance repelling--Want of indigenous food plants--Lack of intercourse +with other nations--Little now left of unexplored country--Conclusions +respecting various geological formations--Extent of continental +divisions--Development of coastal towns--Inducements for +population--Necessity of the first explorings--Pioneer squatters' +efforts--First Australian-born explorer--Desert theory exploded--Fertile +downs everywhere--Want of water apparently insurmountable--Heroism of +explorers--Inexperience of the early settlers--Grazing possible--Rapid +stocking of country--The barrenness of the "Great Bight"--Sturt, the Penn +of Australia--Results--Mitchell's work--Baron von Mueller's researches--A +salt lake--Stuart first man across the continent--Burke and Wills' +heroism--Services of McKinlay and Landsborough--John Forrest's +journeys--Camel expedition by Giles--The Brisbane Courier +expedition--Further explorations--Stockdale at Cambridge Gulf--Carr-Boyd +and O'Donnell open good country in Western Australia--Work done by +explorers--Their characteristics--Conclusion. + + + + + +APPENDIX + +The Pandora Pass +Death of Surveyor-General Oxley +List of Men Comprising Sir Thomas Mitchell's Party in 1846 +Richard Cunningham's Fate +Cave Drawings +Smith, a Lad of Eighteen, Found Dead, May 8th, 1839 +Eyre's Letters +Extract of Letter from Major Mitchell +Extract of a Letter from Mr. Walter Bagot +The Last Letter Received from Dr. Leichhardt +The Nardoo Plant +The Finding of John King +Poison Plants + +Index of Names, Dates and Incidents + +Chronological Summary + + + + + +MAPS AND FAC-SIMILES (Not included in this eBook) + +Exploratory Map of Australia +Dauphin Map +Map of Tasman's Track, 1644 +Captain Flinders' Letter to Sir J. Banks +Map of Australia in 1818 +Extract from Letters--E. J. Eyre, Sir G. Gipps and Sir Thomas Mitchell +Fac-simile of Signatures +Fac-simile of Cave Paintings and Drawings, discovered by + Lieutenant George Grey, 1838 + + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + + +Part I + + +Rumours of the existence of a Southern Continent in the Sixteenth +Century--JAVE and JAVE LA GRANDE--Authentic Discoveries and visits of +the early Navigators--Torres sails between New Guinea and Terra +Australis--Voyage of the DUYFHEN in 1606--Dirk Hartog on the West Coast, +his inscribed plate--Restored by Vlaming--Afterwards by Hamelin--Nuyts on +the South Coast--Wreck of the BATAVIA on Houtman's Abrolhos--Mutiny of +Cornelis--Tasman's second voyage--Dampier with the Buccaneers--Second +Voyage in the ROEBUCK--Last visit of the Dutch--Captain Cook--Flinders; +his theory of a Dividing Strait--Plans for exploring the Interior--His +captivity--Captain King--Concluding remarks. + + +The charm of romance and adventure surrounding the discovery of hitherto +unknown lands has from the earliest ages been the lure that has tempted +men to prosecute voyages and travels of exploration. Whether under the +pretext of science, religion or conquest, hardship and danger have alike +been undergone with fortitude and cheerfulness, in the hope of being the +first to find things strange and new, and return to civilized communities +with the tidings. + +In the days of Spain's supremacy, after the eyes of Europe had been +dazzled with the sight of riches brought from the New World, and men's +ears filled with fairy-like tales of the wondrous races discovered, it +was but natural that the adventurous gallants of that age should roam in +search of seas yet to be won. + +Some such hope of finding a land wherein the glorious conquests of Cortes +and Pizarro could be repeated, brought De Quiros on a quest that led him +almost within hail of our shores. What little realization of his dreams +of cities rich with temples, blazing with barbaric gold, inhabited by +semi-civilized people skilled in strange arts he would have found in the +naked nomads of Terra Australis, and their rude shelters of boughs and +bark we now know; and perhaps, it was as well for the skilful pilot that +he died with his mission unfulfilled, save in fancy. His lieutenant, +Torres, came nearer solving the secret of the Southern Seas, and, in +fact, reports sighting hills to the southward, which--on slight +foundation--are supposed to have been the present Cape York, but more +probably were the higher lands of Prince of Wales Island. In all +likelihood he saw enough of the natives of the Straits to convince him +that no such rich pickings were to be had, as had fallen to the lot of +the lucky conquerors of Mexico and Peru. He came across none of the +legendary canoes from the land of gold, deep laden with the precious +metal, nor sandy beaches strewn with jewels, to be had for the gathering. +He puts on record what he thought of the islanders in the few terse +words, that they were "black, naked and corpulent," beyond that, they do +not seem to have impressed him. + +Apparently they, on their part, were not impressed at being informed that +they were thenceforth subjects of the King of Spain, for their dislike to +Europeans appears to have increased as the unfortunate Dutch captains, +Carstens and Poole, afterwards found to their cost. Even the gracious act +of His Holiness the Pope in partitioning these unknown lands between +Spain and Portugal did not meet with the favourable consideration at +their hands that it deserved. + +The jealousy with which the maritime nations of Europe guarded their +discoveries from each other has been the means of putting great +difficulties in the way of tracing out the early traditions of the great +South Land. The domineering Spaniard looked upon the Portugese navigator +as a formidable rival in the race for trade; and the sturdy Hollander +they regarded as a natural enemy and a rebel. The generous emulation of +fellow-workers in the cause of scientific discovery was unknown, and the +secrets of the sea were scrupulously kept. + +On behalf of Dutch reticence, it may be said that the cause of the +merited hatred they bore to Spain was still too fresh in their memory to +allow them to divulge anything that might possibly benefit a Spaniard. + +Sir William Temple, ambassador at the Hague in the time of Charles II., +gives it as his opinion that "a southern continent has long since been +found out." He avers that, according to descriptions he has gathered, "it +is as long as Java, and is marked on the maps by the name of New Holland, +but to what extent the land extends either to the south, the east, or the +west, none know." He states, that he has heard it said among the Dutch +that their East India Company "have long since forbidden, and under the +greatest penalties, any further attempts at discovering that continent, +having already more trade than they can turn to account, and fearing some +more populous nation of Europe might make great establishments of trade +in some of these unknown regions, which might ruin or impair what they +already have in the Indies." + +But although no documentary evidence has been brought to light, proving +beyond all doubt the certain discovery of the South Land in the sixteenth +century, we find on the old charts of the world various tracings +indicating a knowledge of the existence of this continent, which would +appear to have been derived from other than fabulous sources. + +A shadowy claim to the honour of being the first discoverer of Terra +Australis has been advanced on behalf of the Frenchman Gonneville, who +sailed from Honfleur in 1503, on a voyage to the East Indies. He is said +to have doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and being driven by stress of +weather into an unknown sea, found a land inhabited by friendly people, +with whom he stayed some time, being accompanied back to France by one of +the king's sons who was desirous of studying the precepts of +Christianity. The general belief, however, is that it was probably +Madagascar whereon De Gonneville landed. + +Another claim, based upon the authority of an ancient map, is put forward +for the noted Portugese navigator Magalhaens, when in the service of the +Emperor Charles V. of Spain; but there is little appertaining to the +arguments advanced on behalf of this belief to render it credible. + +In some of the old charts, dating back to the middle of the sixteenth +century, a large country south of Java is portrayed, which from its +position appears to be intended for the conjectural South Land. In all +these maps the outlines of this TERRA INCOGNITA are so nearly identical +that it is evident various hydrographers drew their inspirations from the +same sources. The annexed tracing is a copy of a portion of one of the +most ancient of these maps; the original was presented to the British +Museum by Sir Joseph Banks in 1790. It is most carefully drawn, the coast +line being elaborately filled in with names in French, and it is +embellished with drawings of animals and men, being also ornamented with +two shields bearing the arms of France. The map is undated, but was +probably designed in the latter part of the reign of Francis L, for his +son, the Dauphin, afterwards Henry II. + +It has been alleged that Captain Cook was guided by these charts to the +eastern shore of New Holland, and the similarity of some of the names +thereon, such as COSTE DES HERBAIGES, and COSTE DANGEROUSE, to names +given by him, has been pointed out. This allegation, however, will not +stand criticism. Botany Bay, for instance, is about the last place that +any one would select to bestow such a name on as COSTE DES HERBAIGES, +which name would signify a rich and fertile spot, certainly not such a +desolate place as Botany Bay was in Captain Cook's time. Captain Tench, +one of the survey party sent there in 1789, writes in his journal:--"We +were unanimously of the opinion that had not the nautical part of Mr. +Cook's description been so accurately laid down, there would exist the +utmost reason to believe that those who have described the contiguous +country had never seen it. On the side of the harbour, a line of sea +coast more than thirty miles long, we did not find two hundred acres +which could be cultivated." Any approximation then in position between +Botany Bay and the fabulous COSTE DES HERBAIGES must be considered as +accidental. + +The generally received opinion of this and the other charts is, that Java +(JAVE) is fairly well laid down, and that Great Java stands for the +supposed South Land. Plausible as this theory reads, it is, however, open +to objection. If it be accepted, and the narrow strait the river GRANDE +be looked upon as that portion of the Indian Ocean dividing Java from the +north-west coast of Australia, any resemblance to the present known shape +of our continent is very hard to trace, unless after a most distorted +fashion. If, however, we make the necessary allowances for the many +errors that would creep in from one transcription to another, and look +upon JAVE and JAVE LA GRANDE as one continent intersected by a +mediterranean sea, we have a fair, if rude, conception of the north coast +of Australia. Moreover, let the reader imagine a south coast line drawn +from BAYE PERDUE on the east to HAVRE DE SYLLA on the west, doing away +with the conjectural east and west coast continuations south of those +points; the deep inlet between JAVE and JAVE LA GRANDE standing for the +Gulf of Carpentaria, a very passable outline of the whole continent is +obtained. And it is more than probable that this view was originally +suggested by this map, and from it sprang the belief current, even to the +beginning of this century, that an open passage existed from the west +coast, either into the Gulf of Carpentaria, or to the head of Spencer's +Gulf. The other maps give no more information than this one, and the +identity of their origin is obvious. One, however, has been found in the +British Museum the features of which are different. It is a rough copy of +an old map showing the north west portion of a continent to the south of +"Java Major." It bears a legend in Portugese, of which the following is a +translation:--"Nuca Antara was discovered in the year 1601 by Manoel +Godinho Eredia, by command of the Viceroy Ayres de Soldanha." This would +point to a Portugese discovery of Australia immediately preceding the +Dutch one. + +In Cornelius Wytfliet's "Descriptionis Ptolemaicae Augmentum," Louvain, +1598, the following passage is to be found:-- + + "The Australis Terra is the most southern of all lands; it is +separated from New Guinea by a narrow strait; its shores are hitherto +but little known, since, after one voyage and another, that route has +been deserted, and seldom is the country visited unless when sailors +are driven there by storms. The Australis Terra begins at two or three +degrees from the equator, and is maintained by some to be of so great +an extent that if it were thoroughly explored it would be regarded as +a fifth part of the world." + +The above is so vague and suppositious that it would scarcely be worth +quoting, were it not for the singular mention of the narrow strait +separating Australis Terra from New Guinea; for at this time Torres had +not sailed through the straits, nor was the fact of his having done so +known to the world until the end of the eighteenth century, when +Dalrymple discovered his report amongst the archives of Manila, and did +justice to his memory. + +In 1605, Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, having for his second in command Luis +Vaez de Torres, sailed from Callao with two well-armed vessels and a +corvette. After the discovery of several islands, they came to a land +which Quiros supposed to be the continent he was in search of, and +therefore named it Australia del Espiritu Santo. "At one hour past +midnight," says Torres, in his account of the voyage, "the CAPITANA" +(Quiros' vessel) "departed without any notice given to us, and without +making any signal." This extraordinary conduct was supposed to be the +result of discontent and mutiny amongst the sailors, an outbreak having +already taken place which was not quelled quite so firmly as Torres +advocated. After vainly waiting for many days, Torres set sail, and first +ascertaining that it was only an island where they had been anchored, he +made his way by the dangerous south coast of New Guinea to Manila, where +he arrived in 1607. + +Up to the preceding year popular knowledge concerning the South Land must +be looked upon as being mixed up with much that is both doubtful and +hazardous. We now, however, reach the period which may be regarded as the +beginning of the authentic history of the discovery of New Holland. In +1606 the yacht DUYFHEN sailed from Bantam, and, coasting along the +south-west shore of New Guinea, her commander unknowingly crossed the +entrance of Torres Straits, and continued his voyage along the eastern +side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, under the impression that it was part of +the same country. They sailed nearly to latitude 14 degrees south, when +want of provisions and other necessaries compelled them to turn back. +Cape Keer-Weer (Turn Again) they named the furthest point reached by them. +Their report of the country was most unfavourable. They described it as +being "for the greatest part desert, but in some places inhabited by +wild, cruel, black savages, by whom some of the crew were murdered, for +which reason they could not learn anything of the land or waters as had +been desired of them." + +The name of the captain of the DUYFHEN--the Columbus of the south--has +not been preserved. Ten years after this visit, in 1616, Captain Dirk +Hartog, in command of the ship ENDRACHT, from Amsterdam, discovered the +west coast of Australia. He left a tin plate on an island in Dirk +Hartog's Roads bearing the following inscription:-- + +"Ao 1616, den 25sten October, is hier vangecommen het schip de ENDRACHT +van Amsterdam, den Oppercoopmen Gilles Mibais van Luyck; schipper Dirk +Hartog, van Amsterdam, den 27sten, dito t' zeijl gegaen na Bantam, den +Ondercoopman Jan Stoyn, Opperstierman Pieter Dockes, van Bil, Ao 1616." + +[Translation.--On the 25th October, arrived here the ship Endraght of +Amsterdam; the first merchant, Gilles Mibais, of Luyck; Captain Dirk +Hartog; of Amsterdam; the 27th ditto set sail for Bantam; undermerchant +Jan Stoyn, upper steersman, Pieter Dockes, from Bil, Ao, 1616.] + +Captain Vlaming, of the ship GEELVINK, found this plate in 1697, and +replaced it with another, on which he copied the original inscription, +and added to it as follows:-- + +"1697. Den 4den Februaij is hier vangecommen het schip de GEELVINK van +Amsterdam, den Commandeur schipper, Williem de Vlamingh, van Vlielandt, +Adsistent Joan van Bremen, van Coppenhage; Opperstierman Michiel Blom van +Estight, van Bremen. De Hoecker de NYPTANG, schipper Gerrit Collaert van +Amsterdam; Adsistent Theodorus Heermans van de; d`Opperstierman Gerrit +Gerritz, van Bremen, 't Galjoot t' WESELTJE, Gezaghabber Cornelis de +Vlamingh van Vlielandt; Stierman Coert Gerritz, van Bremen, en van hier +gezeilt met ons vloot den 12do voorts net Zuijtland te ondersoecken en +gedestineert voor Batavia." + +[Translation.--On the 4th of February, 1697, arrived here the ship +GEELVINCK, of Amsterdam; Commandant Wilhelm de Vlamingh, of Welandt; +assistant, Jan van Bremen, of Copenhagen; first pilot, Michiel Bloem van +Estight, of Bremen. The hooker, the NYPTANGH, Captain Gerrit Collaert, of +Amsterdam, Assistant Theodorus Heermans, of the same place; first pilot, +Gerrit Gerritz, of Bremen; then the galliot WESELTJE, Commander Cornelis +de Vlaming, of Vlielandt; Pilot Coert Gerritz, from Bremen. Sailed from +here with our fleet on the 12th, to explore the South Land, and +afterwards bound for Batavia.] + +In 1801, the boatswain of the NATURALISTE found this plate half buried in +sand, lying near an oaken post to which it had been nailed. Captain +Hamelin, with rare good taste, had a new post made, and the plate erected +in the old spot. Another outward bound ship, the MAURITIUS, touched on +the west coast in 1618, and discovered and named the Willems River, near +the Northwest Cape, probably the present Ashburton. The LEEUWIN +(Lioness), visited the west coast in 1622, and the well-known reef of +Houtman's Abrolhos was so-called after Frederick Houtman, a Dutch +navigator of distinction who, however, never personally visited +Australian shores. The next navigator to the South Land met with an +untimely end. In the year 1623, Governor Coen dispatched two yachts, the +PERA and the ARNHEM, on a voyage of discovery. Landing on the coast of +New Guinea, Captain Jan Carstens, of the ARNHEM, and eight of his crew +were murdered by the natives, but the vessels proceeded, and touched upon +the north coast of New Holland, west of the Gulf of Carpentaria, still +known as Arnhem's Land. A river, the Spult, is here laid down in the old +charts, in the vicinity of the present Liverpool River, and there is also +another opening marked the "Speult," on the eastern side of the Gulf, +since determined to be the Endeavour Strait of Captain Cook, + +At Arnhem's Land the yachts parted, the Pera continuing the voyage alone. +Crossing the head of the Gulf she followed the course of the DUYFHEN, and +passing Cape Keer-Weer, made as far south as 17 degrees, where the +Staaten River is laid down. Their report was also unfavourable, and is +summed up in the official dispatches of the company, thus:--"In this +discovery were found everywhere shallow waters and barren coasts, islands +altogether thinly peopled by divers cruel, poor, and brutal nations, and +of very little use to the Dutch East India Company." Pera Head, in the +Gulf, is another memorial of this voyage. + +Now came the turn of the south coast of New Holland. In 1627, Captain +Pieter Nuyts, in his ship the GULDE ZEEPARD, accidentally touched on the +south coast. He followed it along for seven or eight hundred miles, and +bestowed on it the name of Pieter Nuyts' Land. The VIANEN sighted the +west coast in 1628, and kept in sight of it for some two hundred miles, +reporting "a foul and barren shore, green fields; and very wild, black, +barbarous inhabitants." + +The wreck of the BATAVIA on Houtman's Abrolhos, in 1629, is one of the +most tragic incidents in early Australian history. The BATAVIA, commanded +by Commodore Francis Pelsart, was separated from her consorts by a storm, +and during the night of the 4th of June struck on the rocks of Frederick +Houtman. The crew and passengers were landed on one island, and two small +islets in the neighbourhood, and the ship broke up. No fresh water was +found, and Pelsart sailed in one of the boats in search of some on the +mainland. He was unsuccessful, and finally steered for Batavia. +Meanwhile, a terrible scene of riot and murder was enacted. Jerome +Cornelis, the supercargo, headed a mutiny, and those refusing to join his +band were in part cruelly assassinated. One company however, on one of +the islets, in charge of Weybehays defended themselves valiantly, finally +taking Cornelis prisoner. Fresh water was found, and the two hostile +camps awaited the reappearance of Pelsart. The design of the mutineers +had been to surprise Pelsart on his return, capture his vessel, and sail +away on a piratical cruise. The determined front shown by Weybehays and +his party, who, although unarmed, had twice defeated them with some +slaughter, disarranged their plans. + +When the SARDAM, with Pelsart on board, hove in sight of the Abrolhos, +the smoke rising from the islands assured the captain, who was naturally +tormented with anxiety, that some, at any rate survived. To their +surprise, a boat came off to meet them, pulled by men dressed in rich +uniforms, made from the silks and stuffs that had formed part of the +BATAVIA'S cargo. Pelsart's suspicions were at once aroused, knowing as he +did, that insubordination had &hewn itself even before his departure. +These men were ordered to come on board unarmed, with the alternative of +being sunk, and Weybehays coming off at the same time, they had no choice +but to obey, and the whole of the mutineers were soon in irons. After +recovering most of the treasure, with the exception of one chest, +containing eight' thousand rix dollars, a consultation was held as to the +fate of the murderers. It was unanimously decided that, having in view +the overcrowded state of the ship, and the temptation presented by the +recovered treasure, the presence of such turbulent spirits on board would +be dangerous to the safety of the company. Therefore, it was thought best +to try the offenders there and then, instead of taking them to Batavia. +This was done, and the sentences at once carried into effect. Two men, +however, were condemned to the more lingering punishment of being +marooned on the mainland, there to meet a cruel death at the hands of the +savages. These two blood-stained criminals were the first Europeans to +leave their bones in Australia, an unhappy omen of the future. According +to the instructions issued to Tasman, on his second voyage, he was +directed to "enquire at the continent thereabout" (i.e., the +neighbourhood of the Abrolhos) "after two Dutchmen, who, having by the +enormity of their crimes forfeited their lives, were put on shore by the +Commodore Francisco Pelsart, if still alive. In such case, you may make +inquiries of them about the situation of those countries, and if they +entreat you to that purpose, give them passage thither." He was also +instructed to recover, if possible, the chest of rix dollars. +Unfortunately Tasman's journal has never been discovered, and it is not +known how he fared on his mission. + +Captain Gerrit Tomaz Poole sailed from Banda in 1636, with the yachts +KLYN, AMSTERDAM, and WESEL, to meet his death on the New Guinea coast, in +the same place that had been fatal to Carstens, and in a like manner. The +supercargo took charge, and prosecuted the voyage, revisiting Arnhem's +Land. + +A name familiar to all is that of Abel Janz Tasman. In 1644, after his +discovery of Van Dieman's Land, he was sent out on a second voyage of +exploration. His instructions were: "To discover whether Nova Guinea is +one continent with the Great South Land, or separated by channels and +islands lying between them, and also whether that New Van Dieman's Land" +(Arnhem's Land) "is the same continent with these two great countries, or +with one of them." He was also directed to search for the strait between +New Guinea and New Holland, in a large opening said to exist in that +locality. Apparently, this portion of his instructions was, for some +reasons, not thoroughly carried out. + +Although Tasman's journal of this voyage has never been found, we have +pretty good evidence that he safely accomplished it. Dampier, in his +volume of voyages, mentions having in his possession a chart laid down by +Tasman, and an outline copy of the same was inlaid in the floor of the +Groote Zaal, in the Stadhuys in Amsterdam. The annexed tracing is from a +fairly authenticated copy of Tasman's map, with the discoveries of former +navigators attached, soundings being given along that portion of the +north-west coast that would have embraced Tasman's proposed track. Many +of the names still retained in the Gulf of Carpentaria are significant of +Tasman's visit. Vanderlin Island, after Cornelis Van der Lyn; Sweer's +Island, after Salamon Sweers; Maria Island, after his supposed +sweetheart, Maria Van Dieman; and Limmen Bight, after his ship, the +LIMMEN. This chart may be looked on as being the first one to give a +reliable and good outline of the Australian coast as then known--namely, +from Endeavour Strait, in the extreme north, to the eastern limit of +Pieter Nuvt's Land, on the south. The two placer, where "Ffresh" water is +marked would be the Batavia River, near Cape York, and the present +Macarthur River, at the head of the Gulf, the well defined headlands +shown there having been resolved by Captain Flinders into a group of +islands, now known as the Sir Edward Pellew Group. Tasman's ships were +the LIMMEN, the ZEEMEUW, and the tender DE BRAK. + +The first Englishman to land on New Holland was William Dampier in 1688. +In very bad company, namely, a crew of buccaneers who left Captain Sharpe +and travelled across the Isthmus of Darien, he visited the west coast of +New Holland, where they remained over a month refitting and cleaning +their ship. Dampier does not seem to have been on the best of terms with +his shipmates, for some difference of opinion arising as to the final +destination of their voyage, he "was threatened to be turned ashore on +New Holland for it, which made me desist, intending, by God's blessing, +to make my escape the first place I came near." His notes on this +occasion refer chiefly to the natives seen, whose personal appearance and +habits he considers alike equally disgusting and repulsive. + +Towards the end of the year 1696, William de Vlaming, in search of the +RIDDERSCHAP, a missing ship supposed to have been wrecked on the coast of +New Holland, came to the Great South Land. He found and named the Swan +River, this being the first mention ever made of black swans, two +specimens of which were captured and taken to Batavia. At Dirk Hartog's +Road, he found, as before-mentioned, the tin plate left by that captain, +and after a careful examination of the coast so far as the North-west +Cape, left for Batavia. + +Dampier now reappears on the scene in charge of the ROEBUCK--a ship sent +out by the English Government in 1699. His account of his voyage is very +minute and circumstantial, but he still retains his aversion to the +unfortunate natives, of whom he always speaks with the greatest scorn. +Some of his statements are slightly doubtful, to say the least of it, as, +for instance, one concerning the capture of a large shark, "in which we +found the head and bones of a hippopotamus, [Note, below] the hairy lips +of which were still sound and not putrified, and the jaw was also firm, +out of which we pluckt a great many teeth, two of them eight inches long +and as big as a man's thumb, small at one end and a little crooked, the +rest not above half so long." + +[Note: M. Malte Brun calls him "the learned and faithful Dampier," and, +in corroboration of the hippopotamus story, mentions that Bailly, when +exploring the Swan River, "heard a bellowing much louder than that of an +ox from among the reeds on the river side, which made him suspect that a +large quadruped lay somewhere near him." It is remarkable that in the +several accounts of the early Dutch visits to the northern coast no +mention is made of alligators, although they are so common to all the +inlets and rivers of that region, the name CROCODILS EYLANDEN on one old +chart being the sole exception.] + +Dampier disputes the accuracy of the "draught of Tasman's" that he had +with him in many particulars, and constantly advances his theory of the +existence of a strait dividing New Holland into two parts, probably +taking this idea, as before indicated, from the old map of the DAUPHIN. + +In 1705, the ships VOSSENBACH, WAYER, and NOVA HOLLANDIA were sent out to +investigate the north coast, under the command of Martin van Delft. The +journals of the voyage have not been found, although a report of the +notable events that happened was laid before the Governor-General of the +East India Council. This was the last voyage of exploration undertaken by +the Dutch, and closes the history of the early discovery of New Holland. +The existence of the Southern Land was definitely established, and it +remained for the English and French nations to determine its size and +formation with accuracy, and fill up the gaps on the coast line. + +Sixty-five years passed before Captain Cook sailed through the Endeavour +Strait, finally settling the question of the separation of this continent +from New Guinea, and during that period New Holland, so far as we know, +was unvisited. + +The association of Captain Cook with this continent is too well-known to +need more than a passing reference in this introduction. He proved the +insularity of the South Land, and examined the long-neglected east coast. + +In. 1777, Mons. de St. Alouarn anchored near Cape Leeuwin, but no details +of his visit have been preserved. + +In 1791, Captain George Vancouver touched on the south coast, and gave +the name of King George's Sound to that well-known harbour; thence he +sailed eastward. In the following year Rear-Admiral Bruny +D'Entrecasteaux, in search of the hapless La Perouse, who so narrowly +missed appropriating New Holland for the French, made an elaborate survey +of part of our south coast. + +Before the close of the century, Bass and Flinders--fit companions--had +commenced their daring exploits in the little TOM THUMB, and finally, +with the sloop NORFOLK, established the existence of the strait named +after the enterprising young surgeon. + +In the year 1799, Flinders went north in the NORFOLK sloop, and followed +up Cook's discoveries in Moreton Bay. In 18oi he was appointed to the +INVESTIGATOR (formerly the XENOPHON), and sailed from Spithead on the +voyage which was to render him one of the leading figures in Australian +history. + +Reaching Cape Leeuwin he commenced his survey of the south coast, +discovering and naming the two Gulfs of Spencer and St. Vincent. The +former he at one time thought would lead him through the continent into +the Carpentarian Gulf. He reached Port Jackson in May, the year after he +left England, and active preparations were soon afterwards commenced to +prepare the ship for her long northern cruise. + +In July, 1802, the INVESTIGATOR, with the LADY NELSON as tender, left +Sydney Cove; the object of the voyage being to thoroughly survey the +eastern and northern coasts. Flinders rounded Cape York, and after a +close examination of the Gulf of Carpentaria, which, like Spencer's Gulf +in the south, deluded him for a time with the false hope of affording an +inlet into the interior, brought his work to an end at Cape Wessel, in +consequence of the rotten state of his ship. He called at Coepang in +Timor, whence, after obtaining some supplies, he made for Port Jackson by +way of the west coast. + +Throughout this cruise it is evident that Flinders was much impressed by +the notion advanced by Dampier, that New Holland (meaning the north-west +portion) was separated from the land to the south by a strait opening +north of Shark's Bay. "Unless," says Dampier, "the high tides and +indraught thereabout should be occasioned by the mouth of some large +river, which hath often low lands on each side of the outlet, and many +islands and shoals lying at its entrance; but I rather thought it a +channel or strait than a river." To quote the words of Flinders:-- + +"This opinion he supports by a fair induction from facts, and the opening +of twelve miles wide, seen by Vlaming's two vessels, near the same place, +and in which they could find no anchorage, strongly corroborated +Dampier's supposition." + +Later information had demonstrated that the supposed strait could not +lead into the great ocean eastward, as the English navigator (Dampier) +had conjectured, but it was thought possible that it might communicate +with the Gulf of Carpentaria, and even probable that a passage existed +from thence to the unknown parts of the south coast beyond the Isles of +St. Francis and St. Peters. + +"In the case of penetrating the interior of TERRA AUSTRALIS, either by a +great river, or a strait leading to an inland sea, a superior country, +and perhaps, a different race of people might be found, the knowledge of +which could not fail to be very interesting, and might prove advantageous +to the nation making the discovery." + +This was the goal of Flinders' ambition, the vision that haunted him +always--the discovery of a mediterranean sea. + +There being no ship in Port Jackson fit to continue the survey work left +uncompleted by the INVESTIGATOR, Flinders determined to return to +England, and obtain a suitable vessel from the Admiralty. He and +twenty-two of his men and officers embarked as passengers in the PORPOISE, +and left Port Jackson in company with the Batavian-bound ships CATO and +BRIDGEWATER. + +They sailed on the 10th of August, 1803, and on the night of the 17th, +the PORPOISE and CATO struck on a reef, and became complete wrecks. The +crews escaped to a sand-bank adjoining the reef, and here they were left +to their fate by the third ship, the BRIDGEWATER, the captain of which +vessel sailed away to Batavia, without any attempt being made to save +them. + +Discipline and order were, however, maintained on Wreck Reef Bank, as it +was called, and Flinders, who took command after the vessel struck, +proceeded to Sydney in the cutter, to obtain assistance for the remainder +of the crews, who were to employ the time in constructing two decked +boats from the timbers of the PORPOISE. This perilous voyage in an open +boat, Flinders accomplished safely, and returned in six weeks, with two +colonial schooners, the CUMBERLAND and the FRANCIS, and the ship ROLLA, +bound for Canton. The shipwrecked men were taken off the bank, and +Flinders started for England in the CUMBERLAND, a small schooner of but +twenty-nine tons. On his way homeward he was forced to put into the +Mauritius, to refit his little craft, before venturing round the Cape of +Good Hope; and on the pretext that the passport he carried did not afford +safe conduct to the CUMBERLAND, having been made out for the +INVESTIGATOR, he was detained a prisoner in the Isle of France for over +six years. + +The conduct of General de Caen in this matter has been severely commented +on, as it was entirely due to his personal pique and jealousy in the +affair that this indignity was put upon Flinders. The generous +hospitality extended by the British settlement to the French navigators +at Port Jackson found no response in this rough specimen of a soldier of +the revolution, who throughout the period of Flinders' detention, treated +him with studied rudeness and unnecessary harshness. + +For three months Flinders was kept close prisoner as a spy, and for +twenty months as an ordinary prisoner of war. Still during his captivity +in the Isle of France, his thoughts were constantly busied with projects +for the further exploration of the great southern continent he had lately +left. In addition to the chafing weariness of prolonged detention and +enforced inactivity, he was constantly haunted by the dread that the +French would, after examination of his papers, step in and forestall him +in the matter. In a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, dated March 20th, 1806, +[See fac-simile of original letter (not included in this eBook)] he +mentions this fear, and adding, that disappointment and deferred hope of +release have in no way damped his ardour in the cause of science, +advances for consideration a scheme for exploring the interior of +Australia. Though now, after more than eighty years of discovery have +given us an intimate knowledge of the nature of the difficulties he would +have encountered, we may smile at the somewhat crude notions of the +daring navigator, we cannot refuse to recognise that a good deal of +thoroughness was mixed up with his plan, simple as it reads. An incursion +of five hundred miles north and south, respectively, would without doubt, +if possible, have done much towards an earlier knowledge of the interior. + +His dream of sailing up a deep estuary--some great water way--leading to +more fertile lands than those of the coast inhabited by a superior race +of natives, had vanished. As the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria +rounded his course from south to west, and from west to north, so the +picture his fancy had painted faded; and he found himself compelled to +fall back upon the conception of a mode of transit patriarchal in its +simplicity. + +He writes:-- + +"With five or six asses to carry provisions (and they can be obtained +here), expeditions might be made into the interior of Australia from the +head of the Gulph of Carpentaria in 18 deg., and from the head of the +great gulph on the south coast in 32 deg., until the courses should +nearly meet, five hundred miles each way would most probably be +sufficient, since the country does not appear to be mountainous: a view +of my general chart will exemplify this. In case of being again sent to +Australia, I should much wish that this was a part of my instructions." +[Note: Referring to Flinders' scheme for exploring Australia, it may be +amusing to the reader to contrast it with one projected some years later +by M. Malte Brun. In his case, the amount of material the eminent +geographer considered necessary for the expedition is as excessive as +that of Captain Flinders' was simple. His method for exploring the +continent is this: "In order to determine these questions" (namely the +different theories propounded as to the nature of the interior) "it has +been proposed to send an expedition to penetrate the country from +Spencer's Gulf. For such an expedition, men of science and courage ought +to be selected. They ought to be provided with all sorts of implements +and stores, and with different animals, from the powers and instincts of +which they may derive assistance. They should have oxen from Buenos +Ayres, or from the English settlements, mules from Senegal, and +dromedaries from Africa or Arabia. The oxen would traverse the woods and +the thickets; the mules would walk securely among rugged rocks and hilly +countries; the dromedaries would cross the sandy deserts. Thus the +expedition would be prepared for any kind of territory that the interior +might present. Dogs also should be taken to raise game, and to discover +springs of water; and it has even been proposed to take pigs, for the +sake of finding out esculent roots in the soil. When no kangaroos and +game are to be found the party would subsist on the flesh of their own +flocks. They should be provided with a balloon for spying at a distance +any serious obstacle to their progress in particular directions, and for +extending the range of observations which the eye would take of such +level lands as are too wide to allow any heights beyond them to come +within the compass of their view. The journey might be allowed a year or +eighteen months, which would be only at the rate of four or five miles +per day. . . . The author of the present work" ("Universal Geography") +"has discoursed this project in conversation with the enlightened and +indefatigable traveller, M. Péron, who saw no insuperable obstacle to its +probability, except the existence of an immense ocean of sand occupying +the whole of the interior of the continent, which to him appeared +extremely probable."] + +But Flinders was never fated to see the interior of Terra Australis, +either from the deck of a ship, or from any point of vantage; he surveyed +its shores, suggested the name it now bears--Australia, and left the work +of discovery, not even to this day quite completed, to other hands. But +though the name of Flinders has not received the world-wide recognition +that has been bestowed upon that of Cook, in Australia it should be +equally honoured. The land that witnessed his long labours and heroic +courage ought not to repay him with forgetfulness. + +The crazy state of the INVESTIGATOR having compelled Flinders to +terminate his voyage abruptly, a considerable space of coast line was +still left on the north, and north-west, that had not been minutely +examined. Lieutenant Phillip King, between the years 1818 and 1822, +completed the survey left unfinished by Flinders, and the work of marine +exploration temporarily ceased. + +In looking back over the early history of Australia, the apparently +careless manner in which the English became possessed of the whole of the +continent is very noticeable. Although the Dutch had so long been +acquainted with our shores, and the neighbourhood of their possessions in +Java would have afforded them greater facilities for exploration than +were held by any other nation, no attempt at colonisation was ever made +by them. The apparent poverty, both of the country and the natives, +offered the East India Company no inducement to extend their operations. +Still, in a vague kind of way, the Dutch claim to the western portion of +Australia was recognized. In the patent to the first governor at Port +Jackson, the western limit of New South Wales is fixed at 13.5 deg. E. +longitude, a position approximating to the boundary of New Holland as +fixed by the Dutch, whereby the country was divided into New Holland and +Terra Australis. This line of demarcation would bisect the present colony +of South Australia. In the early part of this century, the French +evidently considered that they had a well-founded claim, both to the +discovery and possession of the south coast, west of Nuyts' "Island of +St. Peters." The name of "Terre Napoleon" was given to it, Spencer's Gulf +becoming "Golfe Bonaparte," and the Gulf of St. Vincent "Golfe +Josephine." Malte Brun remarks:-- + +"The claims of the English have no fixed boundaries; they seem desirous +of confounding the whole of New Holland under the modern name which they +have given to the east coast, which was minutely explored by Captain +Cook. It is worthy of remark that the French geographers had, from a +comparison of the tracks navigated by Abel Tasman, previously concluded +on the existence and direction of this coast itself." + +But neither Dutch nor French claims were ever seriously advanced, and the +whole of the continent and adjacent islands were ceded to the English in +much the same happy-go-lucky fashion that we recently let slip a large +portion of New Guinea. One cause of the apathy displayed was without +doubt the forbidding nature of the reports published by all the +navigators. The coast line had been examined, and the various inlets +followed up without any important or navigable river having been brought +to light, and the absence of fresh water streams in such a large +continent naturally led thinking men to the conclusion that the inland +slope was nothing but an arid desert, parched beneath a rainless sky. The +hot winds that had been experienced on the southern coast aided this +belief, and the natives when interviewed professed no knowledge beyond +the limits of their tribal hunting grounds. The little colony clustered +around Rose Hill, and on the shore of Sydney Cove, was shut in by the +gloomy gorges and unscaleable precipices of the Caermarthen Hills, that +stayed all progress to the westward, and the same frowning barrier had +been found to extend north and south. + +Men's imaginations were exhausted in picturing the physical appearance of +the mysterious interior. Some thought it a vast level plain, where the +few and sluggish rivers were lost in shallow lakes, to disappear by +evaporation; others again, believed it to be an immense bed of sand where +no rivers formed, and the thirsty sands absorbed the scanty rainfall; and +many imagined an inland sea connected with the ocean by subterranean +outlets: one and all agreed in its inhospitable nature. + +There was nothing hopeful nor inspiriting in the outlook to induce men to +attempt to penetrate this silent desert, save the love of adventure, and +the gratification of a laudable curiosity. + +The convicts, who in efforts to regain their liberty, from time to time +made desperate attempts to escape, either perished miserably or, daunted +by the sterile nature of the land and the hostility of the natives, +returned to give themselves up, before reaching any distance from the +settlement. The work of exploration was toilsome and difficult, from the +lack of beasts of burden. Each member of the party had a heavy pack to +carry, and when to that was added the cumbrous firearms and ammunition of +those times, a day's journey was no light labour. The weary system of +counting the paces all day must have considerably added to the monotony +of the march. Two thousand and two hundred paces over good ground were +allowed to a mile. When too, nature had barred the way with an apparently +insurmountable range, it is not to be wondered at that the area of +explored country was not very widely extended during the first twenty +years of settlement. + +In striking contrast to other portions of the world's surface that have +been slowly explored and examined by the European nations, Australia has +throughout retained a character of its own. From the coastal formation of +most lands, fair indications could be obtained of the character of the +interior. Large rivers gave evidence of a defined system of drainage, the +crests of snow-topped mountain ranges in the distance were proof of +whence these rivers sprang. The native tribes were of higher +intelligence, had a partial knowledge of what lay beyond their immediate +ken, and could show articles of barter and commerce that they had +obtained from more inland residents. + +Australia was a silent and sullen blank, and for a century of exploration +nature has resisted, step by step, the encroachments on her stronghold, +making the invaders pay toll with many a gallant life. + + + +PART II. + + +The Continent of Australia--Its peculiar formation--The coast range and +the highest peaks thereof--The coastal rivers--The inland rivers-- +Difference of vegetation on the tableland and on the coast--Exception to +the rule--Valuable timber of the coast districts--Animals common to the +whole continent--Some birds the same--Distinct habits of others--The +Australian native and his unknown origin--Water supply--Upheaval. + + +It was comparatively at a late period in the world's history when +Australia was opened up as a field for geographical research; but, +notwithstanding that the accumulated knowledge of centuries was thus +brought to bear upon it, the characteristic and unique formation of the +country set at naught all the approved deductions and theories of the +scientific world. A paradox, or, as a clever writer recently put it, "a +surviving fragment of the primitive world," with a nature contradictory +and inconsistent, as compared even with itself, cut off from the rest of +the globe, and left to work out the problem of its existence alone; no +wonder it was only after successive generations had toiled at it, that +Australia was, even in part, understood. + +The interior of Australia is, as is well-known, an immense plain, having +an average height of fifteen hundred to two thousand feet, with a decided +tilt, or slope, towards the south-west. Round the foot of this tableland, +is a terrace of lower country, varying greatly in width. The river +systems of the coastal lands, lying between the sea and the foot of the +tableland, were easily understood and traced, that of the interior was +far more difficult. + +Starting from Cape York, in the extreme north, and following down the +eastern coast, the edge of the tableland is formed of ranges, often of +considerable height, the gullies and spurs of which are mostly clothed +with scrub and jungle of tropical growth and luxuriance; amongst the +peaks of this range there are Distant Peak, 3,573 feet; Pieter Botte +Mountain, 3,311 feet; Grey Peak, 3,357 feet; and the Bellender Kerr +Hills, 5,433 feet high. Further south, the level is more uniform; the +isolated peak of Mount Elliott--which attains a height Of 4,075 +feet--forming the exception, until further south again the elevations +approach to 4,250 feet. An average height of a little over two thousand +feet is then maintained until the border line of Queensland is reached, +and here--in Mount Lindesay--5,500 feet is met with. The New England +Range maintains this altitude in many peaks, including Mount +Seaview--from which point Oxley sighted the ocean-6,000 feet high. Still +to the south, the mountains on the border of the plateau keep up an +average of between three and four thousand feet until, at the south-east +extremity of our continent, the greatest height is attained in Mount +Kosciusko, falling some 700 feet short of the limit of perpetual snow, +its elevation being 7,308 feet. + +To the westward, many of the peaks reach altitudes of over 5,000 and +6,000 feet, until the large depression is encountered through which the +great body of interior waters find their way to the sea by means of the +Murray Channel. + +West of this gap, the edge of the tableland is broken, and depressed, the +highest crests of the coastal range rarely reaching to 3,000 feet in +height, and along the shore line, facing the Great Australian Bight, it +is almost non-existent. + +On reaching the south-west corner of Australia, the elevated edge reforms +in the Russell and Darling Ranges, and trending northward, skirting the +coast, culminates in Mount Bruce, 4,000 feet above sea level. From hence, +the range following the sea line is broken, rugged and precipitous, but +of inconsiderable height, and when the centre of the Gulf of Carpentaria +is reached, it falls away into highlands and slopes, joining the eastern +ranges. + +On the great plateau encircled by this range, no elevations of any moment +are to be found; a kind of chain traverses the centre from north to +south, but though in places presenting a bold formation, the highest +altitude attained is in the Macdonnell Ranges--4,000 feet. + +From the coastal range, the edge of the tableland, flow the rivers that +run direct to the sea on the seaward face; but in many instances a false +tableland occurs, the streams that drain which unite in forcing their way +through deep gorges to the lowlands of the coast. This false tableland is +conspicuous in the valley of the Upper Burdekin River on the east coast, +and on the head waters of the Fitzroy, The country drained by the top +tributaries of these rivers being only divided from the real tableland by +a gentle ascent, whereas the descent to the coast is steep and abrupt. +Most of the northern rivers, too, take their rise in a plateau that is +almost on a level with the great plain, but cut their way down to the sea +through gorges, instead of being lost in the interior. + +It follows then, that the drainage and character of the terrace +surrounding the continent, keeping to natural and known laws was at once +understood, but the drainage of the plateau was more difficult to +comprehend, and it is now known to be confined to two river systems only, +first, that of the Darling and Murray, which rivers receive all the +waters flowing to the westward of the eastern coast range, and secondly, +the lake system further to the westward; the great salt lakes to the +north of Spencer's Gulf receiving Cooper's Creek and its many +tributaries, and also the Diamantina and Herbert; their waters being +dissipated by soakage and evaporation. Westward, again, there is little +doubt that no system exists, the level nature of the country and +intermittent rainfall shortening the existence of the creeks before they +have time to unite their flood waters in one large permanent channel. + +The rivers of the eastern coast are the Kennedy, the Endeavour, the +Barron, the Burdekin with its many tributaries, the Clark, the Perry, the +Star, the Keelbottom, the Fanning, the Suttor (which last brings down the +united waters of the Cape and Belyando), and finally after passing +through the Leichhardt Range the Bowen, and the Bogie. The Fitzroy, +another river of many tributaries, the Mackenzie, the Isaacs, the Nogoa, +and the Dawson. Then come the Boyne, the Kolan, the Burnett (which +receives another Boyne), the Mary, the Brisbane, all in the Colony of +Queensland. On this coast in New South Wales, come next the Tweed, the +Richmond, and the Clarence; the Macleay, the Hastings, and the Hunter. +The Hawkesbury the Shoalhaven and the Clyde. The Snowy River, though +rising in New South Wales, discharges itself into the sea in Victorian +waters; thence we come to the Latrobe and the many minor streams that +flow into the ocean instead of into the great receiver the Murray. The +Glenelg and the Wannon. Then comes the Murray, the outlet of the inland +waters. Westward, the rivers of the coast become smaller and less +frequent, until at last they cease to exist; but on the western +shore--where the coast range once more reasserts itself--we find in +Western Australia, the Swan, the Irwin, the Greenough, the Murchison, and +the Gascoyne, the Ashburton, the Fortescue, the De Grey, and another +Fitzroy. On the north coast, we meet with the Victoria, the Daly, the +Adelaide, the Alligator, the Liverpool, the Roper, the Limmen Bight, the +Macarthur, the Robinson and the Calvert, the Albert--which is the outlet +for the Nicholson and the Gregory--the Leichhardt and the Flinders, the +Norman, the Gilbert, the Einesleigh, the Mitchell, the Archer, the +Jardine, and the Batavia, which brings us back to our starting point at +Cape York. + +Now come the inland arteries, the streams running through the tableland +and feeding the Darling and the Murray. These are the Murrumbidgee, which +equals the Murray almost in importance, the Lachlan and the Darling, +which brings down the waters of a hundred streams, the Macquarie, the +Castlereagh, and the Bogan, the Namoi and Gwydir, the Dumaresque, the +Condamine, the Maranoa, the Moonie, and the Warrego. And falling into the +Murray itself, from the south are, the Ovens, the Goulburn, the Mitta +Mitta, the Campaspe and the Loddon. + +The other rivers of' the inland slope are the Barcoo and Thomson, forming +Cooper's Creek, the Diamentina, the Burke and the Hamilton, the Herbert +or Georgina, and Eyre Creek, all these end in the flats and shallows of +the Great Salt Lake District. + +The remaining watercourses to the westward cannot be classed in any way, +their course is apparently determined by local inequalities of the +surface, and although some are very considerable in appearance, their +flow is so brief that it is impossible to consider them as at all forming +parts of one system; the longest and most important is Sturt's Creek. + +The coast country, meaning the land watered by the rivers first +enumerated, has the advantage over the tableland in the matter of +rainfall, and the rivers therefore possess more of the characteristics of +running streams, than the chains of isolated ponds that are known as +rivers in the inland slope. The climatic influence is especially +noticeable in the indigenous grasses and herbage of the two regions. Mr. +George Ranken, in one of his essays on Australian subjects ["The +Squatting System of Australia," by "Capricornus."] draws an excellent +picture of the reclamation and transformation of the forest primeval. + +"The first comers in 1788, found before them, as their ships came to +anchor, sandstone bluffs covered with scraggy trees and heath-like +plants, with a bright blue sky above, and an elastic, buoyant atmosphere +around. As they went inland, they found an endless open forest, the +ground being clothed with a light, tufty grass, but it was the starved +outline of European woodland scenery, for the trees rose bare and +branchless from a thirsty soil, and the grass covered only half, the +surface of the earth. Except the grass, and that was thin enough, though +it grew everywhere, the country seemed poor in products, and looked as if +it were involved in a constant struggle between droughts and floods. They +would have judged it to be poor in capability also, if, on further +experience, a vitality had not appeared which seemed to electrify the +soil on the touch of colonisation. Imported animals, trees, and plants +lived and flourished among the dingy forests, which barely yielded food +enough for a few wandering savages. + +"The farther they went, the greater contrast appeared, more drought and +better country; and in later times, as the last of enigmas, a change of +vegetation and climate seemed to follow the settler with his flocks and +herds. After a few years' feeding with stock, water has been found +permanently standing in country where it never stood before, and +sometimes the tufty herbage has changed into a sward. The flats that used +in one season to show a succession of swamps, and in another a surface of +bare dusty soil, rifted with yawning cracks, has often become good level +turf, intersected with runnels cut by the hoofs of the sheep and cattle." + +The first invasion of the new territory across the range led to a +terrible feeling of disappointment; true, that on at once crossing the +crest of the watershed country was found, which being partly within the +influence of the heavier fall of rain, approached in every way the +perfection dreamt of by the explorers; but as progress inland was made, a +change was found to take place, and, above all, the familiar indigenous +grasses were lost, and replaced by what the settlers took to be nothing +but worthless weeds. All the now prized edible shrubs, such as the many +kinds of saltbush, the cotton-bush, &c., were amongst these despised +plants; and even the very stock did not take to them, until some years of +use had rendered them familiar. These drought-resisting plants were at +first supposed to be confined to the inner slope of the range, but the +extended exploration of the continent shows us that where the coast range +loses its character of a pronounced range, and is only represented by an +insignificant rise, the characteristics of the plain are continued right +down to within a short distance of the sea. + +This is notably the case on the north, where the Flinders River and its +tributaries drain country that bears all the distinctive growth of the +interior. On the south coast, west of the Murray, this is also the case, +and in these parts, through the depression of the range, the climate is +much drier. On the eastern coast, however, the distinction between the +uplands and lowlands is strongly marked both in Queensland and New South +Wales, even in those cases where the rivers rise in uplands approaching +in elevation to the level of the tableland. The eastern coast of northern +Queensland is, from its situation and the superior height of the coast +range combined, the tropical garden of Australia, the luxuriant growth of +vegetation, taking the form of dense scrubs and jungles springing from a +deep, rich soil. These scrubs, of slightly varying character, form a +characteristic of the whole length of the eastern seaboard, and amongst +them we find much valuable timber. The cedar tree is one important +feature, and the kauri pine is found in one small tract in the north of +Queensland. + +Further south, however, the trees grow to an enormous height in the +elevated forest lands. Victoria and Western Australia are particularly +noted for the giant growth of some of their trees. In Victoria the white +gum (EUCALYPTUS AMYGDALINA) has been found growing to a height of over +four hundred feet; the red gum (EUCALYPTUS ROSTRATA), and the blue gum +(EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS) also attain a great size in our southern colonies. +In Western Australia the jarrah (EUCALYPTUS MARGINATA) and the karri +(EUCALYPTUS DIVERSICOLOR) have become noted in the world as being most +valuable hardwoods. + +Right through the continent, from east to west, the box tree (EUCALYPTUS +MALLIODORA) is to be found. On the tableland the timber is altogether of +a different growth. The giants of the slopes of the seaward range are +replaced by low, stunted, and crooked trees, some of them, however, +possessing edible foliage. Most of the acacias are of this kind--the +ACACIA PENDULA or myall, the brigalow, the mulga, and yarran. The +CAESARIANSAE common all over Australia, under the name of the oak tree. + +The difference between the products of the interior upland and the +coastal lowland is mainly induced by the difference of climate, those +grasses and herbs growing on the tableland, while repellent in appearance +and colour, compared to the richer herbage of the coast, possess +qualities that render them invaluable as fodder plants. Once let the +grasses of the coast lose their moisture from drought, and they become +sapless and worthless, but it is not so in the tableland. Months of dry +weather have no effect upon the fattening properties of the shrubs; the +stock, however, have to become used to feeding on them before their full +value is attained. + +Amongst the fauna of Australia the distinction between coast and +tableland is not so well marked, most of the well-known species ranging +indifferently over the whole continent. In the kangaroos, differences in +size, colour and appearance can easily be detected in widely separated +localities, but they do not amount to anything very noticeable to the +ordinary observer. The smaller kinds, the wallaby and kangaroo rat, are +common everywhere on the continent. In birds, however, the difference is +great, the seeds and fruit on which some birds exist being only found in +either the coastal scrubs or lowland country, whilst many of the parrots +and pigeons of the interior could not live on the coast. So sharply is +the line drawn in some places, that on the dividing watersheds of the +east coast flocks of galar parrots and plain-pigeons will be found +feeding on the western slope of a ridge, but never by any chance crossing +on to the eastern. + +Australia is rich in waders, and they are found all over the continent. +The beautiful jabiru, or gigantic crane, is equally at home in some +lonely waterhole in the far west and at the head of a coast swamp; so, +too, the GRUS AUSTRALIS, or native companion, and the quaint and +rich-plumaged ibis. The familiar laughing-jackass is to be found +everywhere, but his peculiar note differs somewhat in different parts; a +blackfellow from the south says that the laugh of the northern bird makes +him feel sick, whilst the northern native says the same of the southern +kingfisher. The great inland plains are the haunt of the flock-pigeon; in +countless myriads, these beautiful birds come at some seasons of the +year, and in the morning when flying in to the water they look like +distant clouds. + +The fish of the tableland differ greatly from those of the coast. In some +of the inland lakes and permanent lagoons they are so fat as to be almost +uneatable, and at times so plentiful and easily caught that the +blackfellows scarcely trouble to get them, which is rarely the case +elsewhere. The Australian native is a man with an unknown history whether +he is an improvement on his remote ancestors or a degenerate descendant +it is impossible to form any idea. + +Whoever they were they left nothing behind them, except this wandering +savage, and he has neither traditions nor customs that tell us anything +of the past. The language is a perfect confusion of tongues, and +dialects, words of similar sound and meaning are often found in places +hundreds of miles apart; in distinct tribes wherein the rest of the +language is altogether different. Their physique does not differ greatly. +Perhaps in the north an admixture of Malay blood gives a handsomer cast +to the features in individual cases, but the Australian native is +unmistakable wherever you meet him, north, south, east or west. + +The geological formation of Australia is, as is well-known very old, one +third of the continent being desert sandstone with no marine fossils, but +although, scantily supplied with water on the surface, there is little +doubt of the immensity of the subterranean supply. + +Water has been struck by boring five hundred and seventy-two feet, and +risen to within ten feet of the surface, and on the Kallara run at one +hundred and forty-four, where it rose twenty-six feet above the surface. +Water then, will probably be found almost anywhere at a depth of six +hundred feet, and a vast portion of the lightly watered plains of the +interior will be worked up to their fullest capabilities by means of +boring. + +It is generally supposed that the first portion of Australia that rose +above the sea was the south-east corner where the largest and probably +the most active of our volcanoes existed; the rise of the whole continent +which subsequently took place would have then left the interior a shallow +inland sea, girt round with a broken chain of more or less active +volcanoes. In time, these grew extinct, the sea evaporated and we were +left with our present coast range, with its now lifeless peaks, and our +depressed inland plateau, with its saline flats and lakes. + + + + + +PART I. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + +Expeditions of Governor Phillip--Mouth of the Hawkesbury found in Broken +Bay--Second expedition and ascent of the river--Expedition of Captain +Tench--Discovery of the Nepean River--Lieutenant Dawes sent to cross the +Nepean, and to try to penetrate the mountains--Attempt by Governor +Phillip to establish the confluence of the Nepean and Hawkesbury-- +Failure--The identity settled by Captain Tench--Escaped convicts try to +reach China--Captain Paterson finds and names the Grose River--Hacking +endeavours to cross the Blue Mountains--The lost cattle found on the +Cow Pastures--Bass attempts the passage of the range--Supposed settlement +of a white race in the interior--Attempt of the convicts to reach it-- +James Wilson--His life with the natives--Discovery of the Hunter River +by Lieutenant Shortland. + + +As may be well supposed, the men who arrived in Australia in charge of +the first party of convicts had more pressing work on hand than devoting +their time to scientific exploration. Separated by half the world from +the source of their supplies, in charge of a body of criminals of the +most dangerous type, Arthur Phillip and his officers had no light task to +perform, and every credit must be given to the little band of pilgrims +who, beset by danger from within and without, brought the colony through +its infancy without any tragedy happening. Apparently, these early +adventurers were no whit behind travellers of the present day in bringing +back wonderful tales of their discoveries whenever they essayed a trip +into the unknown. One of the officers writes:-- + +"We found the convicts particularly happy in fertility of invention and +exaggerated descriptions; hence, large fresh-water rivers, valuable ores, +and quarries of limestone, chalk, and marble were daily proclaimed soon +after we had landed. At first we hearkened with avidity to such accounts, +but perpetual disappointments taught us to listen with caution, and to +believe from demonstration only." + +Amongst these gentry was a convict named Daly, afterwards banged for +burglary, who distinguished himself by instigating the first gold +prospecting party in Australia. Having broken up a pair of brass buckles, +he mixed the fragments with sand and stones, and represented the result +as specimens of ore he had found. A party was sent out under his guidance +to examine the locality, but, needless to say, failed in the endeavour, +the perpetrator of the hoax confessing to it in the end, and suffering +the punishment common at that period. + +The discovery of the Hawkesbury River, in the year following the +settlement, may be looked upon as the first effort emanating from the +colony to push exploration to any appreciable distance. + +On the 6th of June, 1789, Governor Phillip, accompanied by a large party +in two boats, proceeded to Broken Bay. After spending some time without +result, they pulled into an inlet, and suddenly found themselves at the +entrance of a fresh-water river, up which they rowed twenty miles in a +westerly direction, but provisions failing, they turned back. + +A second expedition was then undertaken, and this time the boats +penetrated between sixty and seventy miles, inclusive of the windings of +the river. Further progress was stayed by a fall. The party examined the +surrounding country, but opinions differed greatly as to its value; some +reporting rich and beautiful land, others low-lying flats subject to +floods. A hill close by the fall was ascended, and christened Richmond +Hill, and the river was named the Hawkesbury. + +On the 26th of the same month, Captain Tench, then in charge of the +newly-formed outpost of Rose Hill, started on an expedition to the +westward. He was accompanied by Mr. Arndell, assistant-surgeon of the +settlement, Mr. Lowes, surgeon's mate of the SIRIUS, two marines, and a +convict. His relation of his trip is interesting, as being the earliest +record of land exploration, and also as containing the account of the +discovery of the Nepean River. An extract from his journal runs as +follows:-- + +"I left the redoubt at daybreak, pointing our march to a hill distant +five miles, in a westerly or inland direction, which commands a view of +the great chain of mountains called the Caermarthen Hills, extending from +north to south farther than the eye can reach. Here we paused, surveying +'the wild abyss, pondering over our voyage.' Before us lay the trackless, +immeasurable desert in awful silence. At length, after consultation, we +determined to steer west and by north by compass, the make of the land +indicating the existence of a river. We continued to march all day +through a country untrodden before by an European foot. Save that a +melancholy crow now and then flew croaking overhead, or a kangaroo was +seen to bound at a distance, the picture of solitude was complete and +undisturbed. At four o'clock in the afternoon we halted near a small pond +of water, where we took up our residence for the night, lighted a fire, +and prepared to cook our supper-that was to broil over a couple of +ramrods a few slices of salt pork, and a crow which we had shot. At +daylight we renewed our peregrination, and in an hour after, we found +ourselves on the banks of a river nearly as broad as the Thames at +Putney, and apparently of great depth, the current running very slowly in +a northerly direction. Vast flocks of wild ducks were swimming in the +stream, but, after being once fired at, they grew so shy that we could +not get near them a second time. Nothing is more certain than that the +sound of a gun had never before been heard within many a mile of this +spot." + +A short description of the hunting practices of the natives here follows, +and the explorer then continues:-- + +"Having remained out three days, we returned to our quarters at Rose Hill +with the pleasing intelligence of our discovery. The country we had +passed through we found tolerably plain, and little encumbered with +underwood, except near the riverside. It is entirely covered with the +same sort of trees as grow near Sydney; and in some places grass springs +up luxuriantly; other places are quite bare of it. The soil is various; +in many places a stiff, arid clay, covered with small pebbles; in other +places, of a soft, loamy nature; but invariably in every part near the +river it is a coarse, sterile sand. Our observations on it (particularly +mine, from carrying the compass with which we steered) were not so +numerous as might have been wished. But, certainly, if the qualities of +it be such as to deserve future cultivation, no impediment of surface but +that of cutting down and burning the trees exists to prevent its being +tilled. + +"To this river the Governor gave the name of Nepean (after Captain +Nepean, of the New South Wales corps). The distance of the part of the +river which was first hit upon from the sea coast is about thirty-nine +miles, in a direct line, almost due west." + +In December, 1789, Governor Phillip dispatched a party, under Lieutenant +Dawes, of the Marines, accompanied by Lieutenant Johnson and Mr. Lowes, +to cross the Nepean and try to penetrate the range beyond. They +discovered a ford in the river, and crossing, proceeded in a westerly +direction. So rugged and difficult, however, did they find the country +that in three days they had only covered fifteen miles. At a bill that +they called Mount Twiss they turned back, having penetrated fifty-four +miles in a direct line from the sea coast. + +In August, 1790, Messrs. Tench, Dawes, and Morgan explored south and west +of Rose Hill. They struck the Nepean higher up, nearer its source than on +the former occasion, and remained out seven days, penetrating to a +considerable distance in a south-west direction. Near the end of the same +month, the same party made an excursion to the north-west of Rose Hill, +and traced the Nepean to where it was first discovered by Tench's party +in 1789. + +In April, 1791, Governor Phillip, attended by a large company, numbering +in all twenty-one persons, including two natives, set out on an +expedition from Rose Hill to determine the identity, or not, of the +Nepean and the Hawkesbury. On the 12th of the month they struck the +river, and followed it down for some distance, but did not accomplish the +object they had in view. + +In the following month, however, Messrs. Tench, Dawes, and two soldiers, +again went out, and settled the vexed question. + +About this time, although scarcely to be included in the tale of +exploration, a number of convicts made a desperate attempt to proceed +overland to China. They, however, only managed a very short stage of the +journey--namely, to Broken Bay. Here they were attacked by the natives, +and returned in a demoralised condition to Rose Hill and gave themselves +up. + +The impression these deluded men set out under was, that at a +considerable distance to the northward there was a large river which +separated this country from China, and when it was crossed they would +find themselves amongst a copper-coloured people, who would receive and +treat them kindly. + +In 1793, Captain Paterson, who had already had some experience as an +African traveller, started on an expedition to the Caermarthen Hills (by +this time beginning to be known as the Blue Mountains), intending, if +possible, to cross the range, or at any rate, penetrate some distance +into it, He was accompanied by Captain Johnstone, and Messrs. Palmer and +Lang. The party was well equipped, and provisioned for six weeks. Pulling +up the Hawkesbury, they left the heavy boats at the fall that had +formerly stayed the progress of Governor Phillip, and taking two light +ones with them, they tried to ascend higher up the river. They managed to +reach ten miles beyond the furthest point ever before visited, and then, +their boats having suffered some damage, and there being a slight fresh +in the river, they returned. The highest part of the river where they +were they named the "Grose," and Paterson, who was a botanist, discovered +several new kinds of plants. + +Another determined effort to cross the range that seemed to defy all the +attempts of the colonists was made by quarter-master Hacking, in 1794. +The party succeeded in pushing out twenty miles further than any European +had been, but their report was unfavourable. They reached the foot of the +range, and after climbing over some eighteen or twenty ridges, formed of +little else but precipitous rocks, they saw before them nothing but the +same savage and inaccessible country. Tier after tier of ranges rose in +view, divided by abrupt and impassable chasms and gorges. The only +natives they saw fled at their approach, and, saving for the presence of +some large red kangaroos, little sign of animal life was met with. Away +to both north and south, the same iron range could be traced, showing no +prospect of gap or pass, and they returned dispirited. The colonists now +began to look upon the Blue Mountains as their western limit, and the +extension of settlement in that direction was regarded as chimerical. + +The cattle that had escaped from the settlement had, with their usual +instinct, wandered on until they had found suitable grazing land on the +Nepean, and there had settled down. When discovered they had thriven +well, and increased into a small herd. By the Governor's direction they +were left unmolested, being but occasionally visited, and their run +became known as the Cow Pastures. + +Mr. Bass, the bold explorer of Bass Strait, in company with some other +gentlemen, visited these pasture lands in 1797, and from Mount Taurus, on +the Nepean River, took a straight course to the coast, where a whale boat +was sent to meet them. Their .experience was of the usual kind. After +leaving the fertile grazing lands appropriated by the cattle, they +crossed a succession of barren ridges, gradually growing worse and worse +until the sea was reached. + +Bass had, before this, attempted to cross the range in 1796. His attempt +was of the same character as all the others, failure and disappointment +attending his steps, although the endeavour to obtain success was carried +through, as might be expected, with his usual untiring energy and +contempt for danger. It is sad to think that a career that opened so +brilliantly should have been doomed to close miserably in the mines of +South America. + +Having become partially convinced that there was no high road to be found +between Port Jackson and the Chinese Empire, some of the convicts +(principally the Irish prisoners) became possessed with the notion that a +colony of white people existed three or four hundred miles in the +interior, south-west of the settlement. This tale, highly embellished, +was sufficient to inflame the imaginations of men condemned to servitude, +and panting for liberty. The existing rumour being found out by the +authorities, it proved on investigation that so far had this preposterous +legend gained ground that written instructions had been issued for +guidance to this Arcadia, accompanied with a paper having the figure of a +compass drawn on it. The Governor, wishing to save these foolish dupes +from the punishment and probable loss of life that would necessarily +ensue in carrying out such a wild project, wrote to a magistrate at +Parramatta the following instructions. He was to go to Toongabbie, where +most of these infatuated men were employed, and, knowing how impossible +it would be to reason them out of their belief, he was to inform them +that four picked men would be allowed to start out and satisfy themselves +of the impossibility of any show of success attending their search, and +that in order to ensure their safe return three experienced men would be +sent as guides with them. + +On receipt of this information so many assembled that stricter measures +had to be taken, and sixteen of the number were arrested and sent to +Sydney for punishment. Four men were then selected by the malcontents +themselves, and were about to depart in search of the supposed colony +when a treacherous plot was discovered. A scheme was on foot for a +stronger party of convicts to abscond, and these meeting the explorers at +a pre-arranged spot, should there murder the guides, and having possessed +themselves of their weapons, the prisoners would be at liberty to +prosecute their researches alone. Four soldiers were added to the party +to resist any attempt of this sort, and on the 14th January, 1798, they +left Parramatta in search of El Dorada. + +Amongst the men chosen to act as guides was one James Wilson, who had for +some time previously been living in the bush with the natives, and had +even submitted to his body being marked and scarred after their fashion. +On his return from this nomadic existence, he stated that he had +traversed the country for nearly one hundred miles in every direction +around the settlement, and discoursed at length upon having seen large +tracts of open country, and many strange birds and animals, unknown to +the settlers. His stories were for the most part discredited, but it was +thought that his experiences would be most useful to the party, and he +was therefore selected. + +Ten days after the explorers left, the soldiers returned with three of +the delegates. On reaching the foot of the mountains, where it was +arranged that the soldiers were to leave the party and return home, these +three men were so thoroughly tired of their quest, and convinced of their +folly, that they had begged to be allowed to go back. + +On the 9th February the remainder of the expedition reached Prospect Hill +more dead than alive. Wilson alone had kept heart, and managed to sustain +the flagging spirits of his companions sufficiently to enable them to +stagger in to the settlement. + +Their report of the surroundings of the colony contained little more than +what was already known or guessed at. They described the country passed +over as alternating between barren, rocky ridges and spacious meadows. +Running creeks had been crossed, and they turned back on the bank of a +river which they described as being as large as the Hawkesbury, with +level country in view on the opposite side. + +They had seen but few natives, and those they saw were clothed in skins +from head to foot. Amongst other novelties they had noticed the blue-gum +trees, the mountain wallaroo, which had drawn their attention from being +larger and fatter than those formerly familiar to them, a kind of +pheasant, as they described it, now known as the lyre-bird, a specimen of +which the brought back with them, and a kind of mole, the modern wombat, +one of which formed their last meal before reaching the settlement. These +accounts corroborated the former reports made by Wilson. This expedition +was, however, of not much service from a geographical point of view, from +the unreliability of the course kept. + +The party also reported coming across a hill of salt, and in the month of +March, Henry Hacking was sent out to inspect it. He was accompanied by +Wilson and another man, who were supplied with provisions and directed to +penetrate as far into the country as their supplies would permit. Hacking +found that several veins of salt existed, and the two men stated that +they had succeeded in getting 140 miles S.W. by W. from Prospect Hill. +During their journey they had travelled over many varieties of country, +crossing a number of narrow creeks and rivers with which the land was +intersected. They passed through much promising country and much that was +unpromising. From the summits of some of the higher hills that they +ascended, they had extensive views to the westward, and as usual, saw +mountain rising upon mountain in that direction. They brought back +another specimen of the lyre-bird. + +In the year '97 preceding this trip, some convicts had boarded and seized +a colonial-built boat, called the CUMBERLAND, during her passage to the +Hawkesbury. The crew were landed at Pitt Water, and making their way from +there overland gave information of the piracy. Two boats under Lieutenant +Shortland started in pursuit. One returned in a few days, but Shortland +with the other went as far north as Port Stephens without, however, +seeing anything of the pirates. His voyage was not by any means destitute +of result, as on his return he found a river; "into which he carried +three fathoms of water in the shoalest part of its entrance, finding deep +water and good anchorage within. The entrance of this river was but +narrow, and covered by a high rocky island, lying right off, so as to +leave a good passage round the north end of the island between that and +the shore. A reef connects the south part of the island with the south +shore of the entrance of the river. In this harbour was found a very +considerable quantity of coal of a very good sort, and lying so near the +water's side as to be conveniently shipped; which gave it, in this +particular, manifest advantage over that discovered to the southward. +Some specimens of this coal were brought up in the boat." In the +foregoing description, the Hunter River and the present harbour of +Newcastle will be easily recognised. + +In July, of the year '99, Flinders was instructed by the Governor to +examine the two large openings marked by Cook on the east coast, namely, +Glass House Bay and Hervey Bay. Glass House Bay--now Moreton Bay--was so +called after some remarkable peaks that were visible on the north side. +These peaks Captain Flinders made an excursion to examine, and from the +summit of one obtained an extended view over the surrounding country, +nothing novel, however, being seen. At Hervey's Bay, too, the only +additional information gained, was of a nautical character, the natives +seeming to be the most interesting objects met with. + +Wilson, whose career amongst the natives, and as an explorer is most +notable, now met his death in a sufficiently tragic, if appropriate, +manner. This man had served the term of his transportation, and both as a +convict and a free man had passed a great part of his time wandering +through the bush with the aboriginals. He had been suspected, justly or +unjustly, of prompting the blacks to attack the settlers; aiding them +with his knowledge of the habits of the whites, and the best season for +carrying out their designs. At any rate, his long intercourse with the +natives had rendered him careless of consequences, and a flagrant +violation of their customs led to his being speared. + +During the governorship of Captain King, Ensign Barraillier came to the +front as an explorer. He was notably an accurate and painstaking +surveyor, and although his expeditions were circumscribed by the ever +present barrier of the Blue Mountains, he was evidently an indefatigable +worker in the cause of science. From a letter of Governor King's, +addressed to Sir Joseph Banks in May, 1803, we learn something of +Barraillier, and also of the petty private squabbles that prevailed +amongst the colonists, even in the highest quarters. Governor King +writes:-- + +"As our maritime surveying is now turned over to Captain Flinders, who +has the LADY NELSON with him, by the Admiralty's direction, I had begun +making discoveries in the interior by means of Ensign Barraillier. He has +been one journey, and went twenty miles from the first range of hills, +till his further course was interrupted by a river running north, which +is a curious circumstance, being in the mountains. He described it as +wide as the Thames at Kingston. Some native iron he found, and also an +imperfect limestone, and the dung of an unknown animal. Samples of +everything he there found will be sent by the GREENWICH (whaler), and I +did hope to have been able to add something farther from another journey +he was about undertaking, and for which purpose I had established a chain +of depôts of provisions, to further his return. + +"Cayley is just gone on an excursion, and you will see by his letters he +is undertaking a still longer one. As he keeps all his knowledge to +himself, I am hopeful you are benefited by it, and I hope much good will +result from his journeys, which he is now determined on persevering in. I +informed you of the refusal he gave me and Mr. Brown to his going in the +INVESTIGATOR." + + +George Cayley was a botanist sent out by Sir Joseph Banks to collect for +Kew Gardens. He was industrious and painstaking in his vocation, but +sadly overburdened with vanity. He made one important journey to the Blue +Mountains, with the usual result. He erected a cairn of stones at the +furthest point he reached, which Governor Macquarie afterwards christened +"Cayley's Repulse." + +To return to Barraillier. Governor King, in the same, letter, further +writes:-- + + +"I have informed you in my several letters of the great use Ensign +Barraillier, of the New South Wales Corps, was to me and the public. +First, in going to the southward, and surveying the coast from Wilson's +Promontory to Western Port, next, in surveying. Hunter's River, where he +went twice, and since then in making useful observations about the +settlement, and in making a partial journey to the mountains, which was +introductory to his undertaking the journey he afterwards performed, but +which I was obliged to effect by a ruse, as Col. Paterson had very +ill-naturedly informed me that officers being at all detached from their +regimental duty was contrary to some instructions he had from the Duke of +York. In consequence I was obliged to give up his services after this +unhandsome claim, but claimed him as my AIDE-DE-CAMP, and that the object +of discovery should not be relinquished, I sent him on an embassy to the +King of the Mountains." + +This idea of an embassy to the King of the Mountains is about as unique +an incident in the history of exploration as can be imagined. Whether +Barraillier reached this fancied potentate or not we are left in +ignorance. Governor King says:-- + +"He was gone six weeks, and penetrated one hundred and thirty-seven miles +among the mountains beyond the Nepean. His journal being wrote in such an +unintelligible hand, I have not been able to get it translated or copied, +but have sent it open under your address to Lord Hobart. . . . I have not +had time to decipher and read it, but am satisfied from what M. +Barraillier has done and seen, that passing these barriers, if at all +practicable, is of no great moment to attempt any further at present, as +it is now well ascertained that the cattle have not, nor cannot, make any +progress to the westward, unless they find a passage to the northward or +southward of those extensive and stupendous barriers. I intend sending M. +Barraillier to Port Jarvis very soon, to penetrate into the interior from +thence, if Col. Paterson is not advised to prevent it." + +From this it will plainly be seen how completely the colonists had given +themselves up to the dominion of the overshadowing range that stayed +their western progress. It required the stern hand of necessity to compel +them to at last force that "stupendous barrier," as King terms it. + +Meanwhile, the presence of the French ships under Baudin, had created +uneasiness in Governor King's mind, rumour and gossip had magnified their +intentions into a sinister claim being about to be established upon Van +Dieman's Land or the south coast of New Holland. In 1802, King had sent +home to Sir Joseph Banks his idea of the importance of King's Island, and +the adjacent harbour of Port Phillip. + + +"Port Phillip is also a great acquisition, and as I have urged the fixing +of a settlement in the latter place, I am anxious to begin it, but +unfortunately I have no person I can send there equal to the charge. +Policy certainly requires our having a settlement in these Straits." + + +No lack of zeal for the future supremacy of the British flag in these +seas can be charged upon the founders of the colony, in fact, Governor +King sent a small schooner under command of a midshipman after M. Baudin, +with secret orders to watch their movements, and, if necessary, hoist the +King's colours and land a corporal's guard at any place where the French +appeared likely to make a demonstration. + +Port Phillip was discovered by Lieutenant Murray, of the Lady Nelson, in +1802. Surveyor-General Grimes went there with him, and during the survey +he made, is reported to have camped on the spot where Melbourne now +stands. The port was discovered three times independently in the same +year. First by Murray, next by Baudin, and again by Flinders. Colonel +Collins, formerly of Norfolk Island, was dispatched in the year that +Governor King wrote his letter (1803) to found a township. He at once +declared the country unfit for settlement, with scarcely any examination; +and it was immediately abandoned in favour of Van Dieman's Land. + +The results of efforts at inland discovery were now but slight. Flinders +on the south coast had sailed up Spencer's Gulf, and from Mount Brown at +the head a fine view was obtained, but nothing more. + + +"Neither rivers nor lakes could be perceived, nor anything of the sea to +the south-eastward. In almost every direction the eye traversed over an +uninterruptedly flat, woody country; the sole exceptions being the ridge +of mountains extending north and south, and the water of the gulph to the +south-westward." + + +Compared with the great size of the island continent, it will be seen +that but an insignificant portion had, by the end of the eighteenth +century come under the sway of colonisation. The rivers Hawkesbury, +Nepean, and Grose, with other minor tributaries in the neighbourhood of +Sydney. To the north, the river Hunter, and to the south, the district +now known as the Illawarra. This was the sum total of the known country +inside the coastal line; and with all the wish to extend their knowledge +of their wide domain, the administrative demands of the little colony +pressed too heavily on the authorities to permit them to devote much time +to extended exploration. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + + +The great drought of 1813--The development of country by stocking-- +Blaxland, Lawson, and Wentworth cross the Blue Mountains--Reach +the head of coast waters and return--Surveyor Evans sent out--Crosses the +watershed and finds the Macquarie River--Construction of road over the +range--Settlement of Bathurst--Visit of Governor Macquarie--Second +expedition under Evans--Discovery of the Lachlan River--Surveyor-General +Oxley explores the Lachlan--Finds the river terminates in swamps--Returns +by the Macquarie--His opinion of the interior--Second expedition down the +Macquarie--Disappointment again--Evans finds the Castlereagh--Liverpool +Plains discovered--Oxley descends the range and finds Port Macquarie-- +Returns to Newcastle-Currie and Ovens cross the Morumbidgee--Brisbane +Downs and Monaroo--Hume and Hovell cross to Port Phillip--Success of +the expedition. + + +The first ten years of the present century were singularly devoid of +excursions inland. The strip of country between the range and the sea, +sufficing for the immediate wants of the settlers, and the discovery of +the Hunter River having opened so much new country for their use, no +actual necessity compelled them at this period to go further a-field. +This lack of urgent need, combined with the bad success that had attended +all efforts to penetrate the mountains, had somewhat damped the ardour of +the colonists. + +But throughout these years the stock steadily increased, and the severe +drought in 1813 led some of the settlers to make another attempt to find +out new pasture lands. + +The victory that at last crowned the struggle may be said to have at once +inaugurated a new phase of exploration The days of expeditions on foot, +when each man carried his own supply of provisions, and the limit of +their journey only extended a little over a hundred miles, were past. +Horses were now destined to play an important part in the outfit of the +explorer, and take their share of sacrificing their lives in the cause. + +The results gained by these first journeys were far from promising; +always hoping to find a navigable river, or rivers, through the interior, +the colonists found themselves most unexpectedly baffled. Having +discovered the head waters of large streams flowing on a western course, +with a sufficient depth of water for boat navigation, it appeared +conclusive that to follow them down would in course of time lead the +party doing so to the sea; the only probable obstacle which would come in +the way would be falls. But the rivers led them into shallow stagnant +swamps, with no limit within ken; the outskirts, so they deemed, of an +inland sea. + +Across here Oxley wrote, DESERT; unfitted ever to sustain settlement, and +in doing this he did not err more glaringly than many later pioneers. It +must be borne in mind that the characteristics of the inland plain were +all new to the travellers who first ventured to enter its confines. They +had not won the key of the desert; the fashion in which nature adapted +herself to climatic decrees was a lesson still to be learnt. Oxley spoke +honestly when, in bitter disappointment, he prophesied the future of the +great plain to be that of an unprofitable waste, wherein the work of +men's hands and the cunning of their brains would avail nothing; but he +spoke hastily and almost thoughtlessly. The great plain had its glorious +mission to fulfil, but the secret, like all things worth knowing, was one +that took time and labour to solve; not in one or two generations was it +to be done. + +There was one great factor in the reclamation of the desert that Oxley +could not take into his calculations--for he did not know its power--the +sure, if gradual change wrought by stocking. Under the ceaseless tread of +myriad hoofs, the loose, open soil was to become firm and hard, whilst +fresh growths of herb and grass followed the footsteps of the invading +herds. The shaking bogs and morasses were to become solidified, and the +waters that permeated them to retreat into well defined chains of ponds +and lagoons. This the first explorer could not foresee, he was +disheartened by what he found, and unwitting of the change that was to +follow he gave a hostile verdict. But although it did not fall to his lot +to trace out the great system of the Murray watershed, he had, at any +rate, the proud satisfaction of achieving the first stage. + +Governor Macquarie, whose name has been sown broadcast over so much of +New South Wales, was a man bent on the development of the colony as +rapidly as possible, and although the defects in his administration have +been severely criticised, exploration received at his hands every +encouragement, and during his tenure of office, the first steps were +taken to open up the vast field of inland discovery. We must now remember +that the adaptability of the country to pastoral occupation was fully +recognised. The days when famine was imminent if the fleet from England +did not duly arrive had passed away. The future of the colony was +assured, provided fresh outlets could be opened up. + +In 1813, the prolonged drought to which the little settlement had been +subjected, led to a most serious view being taken of the future. The +stock had now attained dimensions, when the yearly increase was something +considerable, compared to the narrow strip of grazing lands that +supported the herds. It was an evident necessity to find fresh territory +speedily, or great loss would inevitably ensue. Three of the settlers +interested in stock-breeding, made another attempt to cross the range +during this year. They were: William Charles Wentworth, whose name is so +familiar to Australians, Lieutenant Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, +and Mr. Gregory Blaxland. They crossed the Nepean at Emu Plains, and +attempted to follow up a main spur forming the watershed of the Grose, +and for a time successfully pursued its twists and windings, keeping to +the crown of the ridge. At last, like all their predecessors, they began +to get entangled in the intricate net-work of deep gullies that rendered +straightforward travelling so difficult in this region. Like them, they +commenced to think advance impossible, and to speak of turning back. +Passages had to be cut through the thick brushwood for their pack horses, +circuitous roads found around steeps too precipitous to scale, and the +purpose of the journey seemed hopelessly lost. They had succeeded in +crossing the first outwork of the mountains, but the Main Range had yet +to be won. At length they fortunately hit upon a dividing spur, leading +to the westward, and this they perseveringly followed, until they were +rewarded by reaching the summit, and seeing below them a comparatively +open valley, and beyond, chains of hills, broken it is true, but only +trifling compared to what they had passed over. It was a work of time and +much labour to gain access to this valley. The mountain they had ascended +was steep and rugged, and great care had to be exercised in descending. +But fatigue was not much thought of with their hopes so happily +fulfilled. + +At the bottom of the valley they found a running stream and good pasture, +beyond this point they proceeded about six or eight miles in order to +ascertain the extent of their discoveries, and then returned, having been +absent one month. + +The creek found by Blaxland and party was one of the tributaries of the +Nepean, so that granted that a range had been crossed, access had been +only obtained to the higher waters of a coast river. But although this +important journey fell short of one of the great aims of western +exploration, namely the discovery of a river flowing to the west, it was +the immediate cause of the expedition being undertaken that led to the +finding of the Macquarie. + +George William Evans, Deputy-Surveyor of Lands, can certainly claim the +honour of first discovering an Australian inland river; but Blaxland and +his companions led the way across the hardest portion of the course. + +As may well be believed, the tidings brought back by the exploring party +created great excitement in the small community. No longer would the +mountainous barrier frown defiance at them; for over thirty years it had +successfully resisted all their attempts, but its time had come; the +march to the west had at last commenced. On receipt of the news, Governor +Macquarie sent out Mr. Evans with a party to at once follow up this +discovery and find out what lay beyond. Evans crossed the Nepean on the +20th of November, and in six days arrived at the spot where the last +party had turned back. Striking westward, he found a broken, hilly +country, which was, however, well grassed and watered, presenting little +hindrance to his progress, and on the 30th of the month, he struck the +head of a stream holding a distinctly western course. Following this +down, he found it joined by another from the south, and below the +junction he gave the new found river the name of the Macquarie. + +So promising was the country that he continued his course until the 18th +December, when finding the river, now of a fair magnitude, still flowing +steadily north-west, and not being prepared for a very prolonged absence, +he turned back and retraced his steps, arriving at the Nepean on the 8th +January, 1814. Strange to say, during the whole time of his absence in +this hitherto untrodden waste, the only natives seen by the party were +four women and two children. + +This most successful termination of the work commenced by Messrs. +Blaxland, Lawson, and Wentworth, and the confirmation of the hopes that +had been entertained, led to more active steps being at once initiated. + +Mr. Cox was entrusted with the superintendence of the work of +constructing a public road across the range, following much the same +route as that taken by the first explorers; and this work was completed +early in the year 1815, and on the 26th April of the same year the +Governor and a large staff set out to visit the new territory, and +arrived there on the 4th May. + +Meantime, Mr. Evans was again sent out to the south-west, and once more +he was successful, returning with tidings of the discovery of the Lachlan +River. He was absent nearly a month, and met the Governor and suite on +their arrival at Bathurst Plains. + +The course of the Lachlan being nearly due west, it was selected as +the most likely river of the two to lead immediately to the navigable +waters of the interior, which everybody now firmly believed in; but a +delay of nearly two years occurred before an expedition was formed to +carry into effect the purpose of following it down with boats. + +Meantime, the settlers took every advantage of this new outlet for their +energies. Cattle and sheep were pushed out, and some of the land put +under tillage. Buildings rapidly sprang up, and, favoured by a beautiful +site, the township of Bathurst soon presented an orderly appearance. +Private enterprise had also been at work elsewhere, and the early pioneer +graziers were now making south from the settlement towards the Shoalhaven +River and the intermediate country. It was down here that young Hamilton +Hume, the first native-born explorer to take the field, was then gaining +his bushcraft. Hume was a son of the Rev. Andrew Hume, who held an +appointment in the Commissariat Department, and came to the colony in the +LADY JULIAN. + +The future explorer was born at Parramatta in 1797, so that he was but +seventeen when, in 1814, he made his maiden effort in the country around +Berrima, in company with his brother and a black boy; and-in the year +following he again made an excursion in this district. In 1816 his father +conducted Dr. Throsby to new country that the energy of his sons had +discovered; and in March, 1817, at the time when Oxley was about starting +on his Lachlan expedition, Hume, at the request of Governor Macquarie, +went with Mr. Surveyor Meehan and Mr. Throsby on an expedition as far as +the Shoalhaven River. Here, in consequence of some dispute with Mr. +Meehan, Mr. Throsby left the party, and, accompanied by a black boy, made +his way to Port Jarvis. + +Meehan and Hume continued their journey, and discovered Lake George, Lake +Bathurst, and the country called Goulburn Plains. + +But the trip undertaken by Mr. Oxley at this time, leading as it did to +such unexpected results, claims our first attention. As the party were to +take boats with them, boat builders were sent up to Bathurst, thence to +proceed to the river and build the necessary craft. A depôt having been +formed on the Lachlan River, on the 6th of April, 1817, Mr. Oxley left +Sydney to join his party there, and arrived at this depôt on the 25th of +the same month, having been detained a short time at Bathurst. On the 1st +of May, Mr. Oxley reached the limit of Mr. Evans' journey in 1815, a +small creek which they christened Byrne Creek; from here the work of +exploration commenced. + +The following is a list of the men comprising, this, the first most +important expedition in the annals of exploration:-- + +"John Oxley, chief of the expedition; George William Evans, second in +command; Allan Cunningham, King's botanist; Charles Fraser, colonial +botanist; William Parr, mineralogist; George Hubbard, boat builder; James +King, 1st boatman and sailor; James King, 2nd horseshoer; William Meggs, +butcher; Patrick Byrne, guide and horse leader; William Blake, harness +mender; George Simpson, for chaining with surveyors; William Warner, +servant to Mr. Oxley." + +They had with them two boats and fourteen bât (pack) and riding horses. + +Following the bank of the river the party met with no obstruction to +their progress for twelve days, save the usual accidents and delays +incidental to travelling in an unexplored region. Oxley's opinion of the +value of the new district had, as is evident from his journal, been +steadily decreasing since leaving the depôt. The flatness of the country, +the numerous branches of the river and the want of height visible in +its banks, seemingly depressed him very much. On the 6th of May he +writes:-- + +"I have reason to believe that the whole of the extensive tract of +country, named Princess Charlotte's Crescent" (about 130 miles west of +Bathurst), "is at times drowned by the overflowing of the river; the +marks of floods were observed in all directions, and the waters in the +marshes and lagoons were all traced as being derived from the river. +During a course of upwards of seventy miles, not a single running stream +emptied itself into the river on either side; and, I am forced to +conclude, that in common seasons this whole tract is extremely badly +watered, and that it derives its principal, if not only supply, from the +river within the bounding ranges of Princess Charlotte's Crescent. There +are doubtless many small eminences which might afford a retreat from the +inundations, but those which were observed by us were too trifling and +distant from each other to stand out distinct from the vast level surface +which the crescent presents to the view. The soil of the country we passed +over was a poor and cold clay; but there are many rich levels which, could +they be drained and defended from the inundations of the river, would +amply repay the cultivation. These flats are certainly not adapted for +cattle; the grass is too swampy, and the bushes, swamps, and lagoons are +too thickly intermingled with the better portions, to render it a safe or +desirable grazing country. The timber is universally bad and small; a few +misshapen gum trees on the immediate banks of the river may be considered +as exceptions." + + +On the 12th of May, their, as yet, uninterrupted course down the river +received an abrupt check. + + +"We had scarcely proceeded a mile from the last branch before it became +evident that it would be impossible to advance farther in the direction +in which we were travelling. The stream here overflowed both banks, and +its course was lost among marshes, its channel not being distinguishable +from the surrounding waters. + +"Observing an eminence about half a mile from the south side, we crossed +over the horses and baggage" (by aid of the boats) "at a place where the +water was level with the banks, and which, when within its usual channel, +did not exceed thirty or forty feet in width; its depth even now being +only twelve feet. + +"We ascended the hill, and had the mortification to perceive the +termination of our research, at least down this branch of the river. The +whole country from the west, north-west, round to the north, was either a +complete marsh or lay under water, and this for a distance of twenty-five +or thirty miles in those directions. To the south and south-west the +country appeared more elevated, but low, marshy grounds lay between us +and it, which rendered it impossible for us to proceed thither from our +present situation. I therefore determined to return back to the place +where the two branches of the principal river separated, and follow the +south-west branch as far as it should be navigable. Our fears were, +however, stronger than our hopes, lest it would end in a similar manner +to, the one we had already traced, until it became no longer navigable +for boats. + +"In pursuance of this intention we descended the hill, which was named +Farewell Hill, from its being the termination of our journey in a +north-west direction, at least for the present, and proceeded up the +south bank of the stream." + + +The investigation of the south-west branch proving equally +unsatisfactory, Oxley determined to leave the river and strike for the +coast in the neighbourhood of Cape Northumberland, anticipating that on +this course he would intersect any river rising in these marshes and +falling into the sea between Spencer's Gulf and Cape Otway. The boats +were hauled up on the south bank and secured, together with such articles +as they could not take with them; and at nine o'clock on May 18th, the +journey to the coast commenced. + +From having too much water the party now found themselves straitened for +want of it, and the journey, too, began to tell upon the horses. Thick +scrubs of eucalyptus brush, overrun with creepers and prickly acacia +bushes, soon helped to bar the way, and when they at last reached the +point of a range, which they named Peel Range, Oxley reluctantly +abandoned his idea of making for the coast in a south-west direction, and +turned north. Wearily he writes:-- + + +"June 4. Weather as usual fine and clear, which is the greatest comfort +we enjoy in these deserts abandoned by every living creature capable of +getting out of them. I was obliged to send the horses back to our former +halting place for water, a distance of near eight miles this is terrible +for the horses, who are in general extremely reduced but two in +particular cannot, I think, endure this miserable existence much longer. + +"At five o'clock, two men whom I had sent to explore the country to the +south-west and see if any water could be found, returned after proceeding +six or seven miles; they found it impossible to go any farther in that +direction or even south, from the thick bushes that intersected their +course on every side; and no water (nor, in fact, the least sign of any) +was discovered either by them or by those who were sent in search of it +nearer our little camp." + +* * * * * + +"June 5. From everything I can see of the country to the south-west, it +appears, upon the most mature deliberation, highly imprudent to persevere +longer in that direction, as the consequences to the horses of want of +grass and water might be most serious; and we are well assured that +within forty miles on that point the country is the same as before passed +over. In adopting a north-westerly course, it is my intention to be +entirely guided by the possibility of procuring subsistence for the +horses, that being the main point on which all our ulterior proceedings +must hinge. It is, however, to be expected that as the country is +certainly lower to the west and north-west than from south-east to +south-west, there is a greater probability of finding water in this +latter direction. In our present perplexing situation, however, it is +impossible to lay down any fixed plan, as (be it what it may) +circumstances after all must guide us. Our horses are unable to go more +than eight or ten miles a day, but even then they must be assured of +finding food, of which, in these deserts, the chances are against the +existence. + +"Yesterday being the King's birthday, Mr. Cunningham planted under Mount +Brogden acorns, peach and apricot stones, and quince seeds, with the +hope, rather than the expectation, that they would grow and serve to +commemorate the day and situation, should these desolate plains be ever +again visited by civilised man, of which, however, I think there is very +little probability. + +"June 6. A mild pleasant morning: set forward on our journey to the +westward and north-west, in hopes of finding a better country." + +* * * * * + +"June 8th. The whole country in these directions, as far as the eye could +reach, was one continued thicket of eucalyptus scrub. It was physically +impossible to proceed that way, and our situation was too critical to +admit of delay; it was therefore resolved to return back to our last +station on the 6th, under Peel's Range, if for no other purpose than that +of giving the horses water. I felt that by attempting to proceed westerly +I should endanger the safety of every man composing the expedition, +without any practical good arising from such perseverance, It was +therefore deemed more prudent to keep along the base of Peel's Range to +its termination, having some chance of finding water in its rocky +ravines, whilst there was none at all in attempting to keep the level +country." + + +We have now seen how Oxley, prevented from following the river down by an +overflow amongst the marshes, turned south-west, only to be driven back +by impenetrable scrubs and general aridity. He struck north, with the +hope of shortly regaining the too well watered country he had left. The +fixed idea of the utterly useless nature of the country is ever present +in his mind as he proceeds. On the 21st June he writes:-- + + +"The farther we proceed north-westerly the more convinced I am hat for +all the practical purposes of civilised man the interior of this country, +westward of a certain meridian, is uninhabitable, deprived as it 5 of +wood, water and grass." + + +A sweeping and hasty condemnation this, considering that he threshold of +the interior had been scarcely more than crossed. + +On the 23rd of June the travellers suddenly and unexpectedly came upon +the river again, an incident, as the leader says, little expected by any +one. + +The next day they started once more to follow down the stream, with +brighter hopes of better success, until, on the 7th of July, progress was +once more arrested, and Oxley turned back recording in his journal:-- + + +"It is with infinite regret and pain that I was forced to come to the +conclusion that the interior of this vast country is a marsh, and +uninhabitable." + + +The party now retraced their steps to the eastward, disgusted with the +want of success that had attended their efforts, and the dreary monotony +of their surroundings. + + +"There is a uniformity in the barren desolateness of this country which +wearies one more than I am able to express. One tree, one soil, one +water, and one description of bird, fish, or animal prevails alike for +ten miles and for one hundred. A variety of wretchedness is at all times +preferable to one unvarying cause of pain or distress." + + +On the 4th of August, being then satisfied of their position on the +river, and knowing that a further course along its bank would only lead +them amongst the swamps that had stayed their downward journey, it was +determined to strike to the northeastward, in order to avoid this low +country and, if possible, reach the Macquarie River and follow it up to +the settlement of Bathurst. After experiencing some difficulty in +manufacturing a raft out of pine logs, whereby to cross their baggage +over, Oxley and his party left the Lachlan. + +They endured for some time a repetition of their struggles in the south +for grass and water, and then the explorers reached fertile and +well-watered country; and, on the 19th of August, halted on the bank of +the Macquarie, which river Oxley found to equal his fondest hopes. They +now turned their steps homeward, and arrived at Bathurst on the evening +of the 29th of August. + +Convinced that, in the Macquarie, he had now discovered the highway into +the interior, Oxley writes:-- + + +"Nothing can afford a stronger contrast than the two rivers, Lachlan and +Macquarie; different in their habit, their appearance, and the sources +from which they derive their waters, but, above all, differing in the +country bordering on them; the one constantly receiving great accession +of water from four streams, and as liberally rendering fertile a great +extent of country, whilst the other, from its source to its termination, +is constantly diffusing and diminishing the waters it originally receives +over low and barren deserts, creating only wet flats and uninhabitable +morasses, and during its protracted and sinuous course, is never indebted +to a single tributary stream." + + +Oxley having successfully carried through the Lachlan expedition, was at +once selected to command a similar one down the Macquarie, on which, now +that the former river had so disappointed expectations, men's hopes were +fixed. Oxley seems to have been particularly unhappy in his deductions, +every guess hazarded by him as to the future utility of the country he +passed over, or the probable nature of the farther interior, was +incorrect; and now the Macquarie was to refuse to bear his boat's keel to +the westward; after the same manner as the Lachlan. + +In those days men had not yet mastered the idea that the physical +formation of Australia was not to be worked out on the same lines as that +of other countries; they looked vainly for a river with a wide and noble +opening, and none being found on the surveyed coast, conjecture placed it +far away in a few leagues of unexplored shore line on the north-west. The +constancy with which the southern coast had been examined, precluded all +idea from men's minds that the entrance to this long sought river was +there. No, it must be yet undiscovered to the westward. Wentworth says:-- + + +"If the sanguine hopes to which the discovery of this river (the +Macquarie) has given birth, should be realised, and it should be found to +empty itself into the ocean on the north-west coast, which is the only +part of this vast island that has not been accurately surveyed, in what +mighty conceptions of the future greatness and power of this colony, may +we not reasonably indulge? The nearest distance from the point at which +Mr. Oxley left off, to any part of the western coast, is very little +short of two thousand miles. If this river, therefore, be already of the +size of the Hawkesbury at Windsor, which is not less than two hundred and +fifty yards in breadth, and of sufficient depth to float a seventy-four +gun ship, it is not difficult to imagine what must be its magnitude at +its confluence with the ocean: before it can arrive at which it has to +traverse a country nearly two thousand miles in extent. If it possess the +usual sinuosities of rivers, its course to the sea cannot be less than +from five to six thousand miles, and the endless accession of tributary +streams which it must receive in its passage through so great an extent +of country will without doubt enable it to vie in point of magnitude with +any river in the world." + + +It may, therefore, well be imagined that it was in a most sanguine spirit +that Oxley undertook his second journey. + +As before, a party had been sent ahead to build boats, and get everything +in readiness, and, on the 6th June, 1818, he started on his second +expedition into the interior. He had with him, as next in command, the +indefatigable Evans, Dr. Harris, who volunteered, Charles Frazer, +botanist, and twelve men, eighteen horses, two boats, and provisions for +twenty-four weeks. + +On the 23rd of the month, having reached a distance of nearly 125 miles +from the depôt in Wellington Valley, without the travellers experiencing +more obstruction than might have been expected, two men, Thomas Thatcher +and John Hall, were sent back to Bathurst with a report to Governor +Macquarie, as had been previously arranged. + +No sooner had the two parties separated, one with high hopes of their +future success, the others bearing back tidings of these confident hopes, +than doubt and distrust entered the mind of the leader. In his journal, +written not twenty-four hours after the departure of his messengers, he +says:-- + + +"For four or five miles there was no material change in the general +appearance of the country from what it had been on the preceding days, +but for the fast six miles the land was very considerably lower, +interspersed with plains clear of timber, and dry. On the banks it was +still lower, and in many parts it was evident that the river floods swept +over them, though this did not appear to be universally the case. . . . +These unfavourable appearances threw a damp upon our hopes, and we +feared that our anticipations had been too sanguine." + + +In his after report to the Governor, forwarded by Mr. Evans to Newcastle, +he writes:-- + + +"My letter, dated the 22nd June last, will have made your Excellency +acquainted with the sanguine hopes I entertained from the appearance of +the river, that its termination would be either in interior waters or +coastwise. When I wrote that letter to your Excellency, I certainly did +not anticipate the possibility that a very few days farther travelling +would lead us to its termination as an accessible river." + + +So short-lived were the hopes he had entertained. + +On the 30th June, after, for many days, finding the country becoming +flatter and more liable to floods, Oxley found himself almost hemmed in +by water, and had to return with the whole party to a safer encampment, +where a consultation was held. It was decided to send the horses and +baggage back to Mount Harris, a small elevation some fifteen miles higher +up the river, whilst Oxley himself, with four volunteers and the large +boat, proceeded down the river, taking with them a month's provisions. +During his absence, Mr. Evans was to proceed to the north-east some sixty +miles, and return upon a more northerly course, this being the direction +the party intended taking if the river failed them. + +Let us see how Oxley fared. + + +"July 2. I proceeded down the river, during one of the wettest and most +stormy days we had yet experienced. About twenty miles from where I set +out, there was, properly speaking, no country; the river overflowing its +banks, and dividing into streams, which I found had no permanent +separation from the main branch, but united themselves to it on a +multitude of points. We went seven or eight miles farther, when we +stopped for the night, upon a space of ground scarcely large enough to +enable us to kindle a fire. The principal stream ran with great rapidity +and its banks and neighbourhood as far as we could see, were covered with +wood, inclosing us within a margin or bank, vast spaces of country clear +of timber were under water, and covered with the common reed, which grew +to the height of six or seven feet above the surface. The course and +distance by the river was estimated to be from twenty-seven to thirty +miles, on a north-west line. + +"July 3rd. Towards the morning the storm abated, and at daylight we +proceeded on our voyage. The main bed of the river was much contracted, +but very deep, the waters spreading to a depth of a foot or eighteen +inches over the banks, but all running on the same point of bearing. We +met with considerable interruption from fallen timber, which in places +nearly choked up the channel. After going about twenty miles we lost the +land and trees: the channel of the river, which lay through reeds, and +was from one to three feet deep, ran northerly. This continued for three +or four miles further, when although there had been no previous change in +the breadth, depth, and rapidity of the stream for several miles, and I +was sanguine in my expectations of soon entering the long sought for +Australian sea, it all at once eluded our further search by spreading on +every point from northwest to northeast, amongst the ocean of reeds that +surrounded us still running with the same rapidity as before. There was +no channel whatever amongst these reeds, and the depth varied from five +to three feet. This astonishing change (for I cannot call it a +termination of the river), of course, left me no alternative but to +endeavour to return to some spot on which we could effect a landing +before dark. I estimated that on this day we had gone about twenty-four +miles, on nearly the same point of bearing as yesterday. To assert +positively that we were on the margin of the lake or sea into which this +great body of water is discharged might reasonably be deemed a conclusion +which has nothing but conjecture for its basis; but if an opinion may be +permitted to be hazarded from actual appearances, mine is decidedly in +favour of our being in the vicinity of an inland sea or lake, most +probably a shoal one, and gradually filling up by immense depositions +from the higher lands, left by the waters which flow into it. It is most +singular that the high lands on this continent seem to be confined to the +sea coast or not to extend to any distance from it." + +Satisfied that to the westward nothing more could be done in the way of +exploration, Oxley returned to Mount Harris, where a temporary depôt was +formed. Mr. Evans immediately started on a trip to the north-east; he was +absent ten days, during which time he discovered the Castlereagh River. + +The weather had set in wet and stormy, the rivers kept rising and +falling, and the level country was soft and boggy, excessively tiring to +their jaded horses; moreover, in consequence of the boats being now left +behind, the packs were greatly increased in weight. + +On the 20th July, the whole of the party bade adieu to the Macquarie, +which they had once trusted to so fondly, and commenced their journey to +the eastern coast, making in the first place for Arbuthnot's Range. +Before leaving, a bottle was buried on Mount Harris, containing a written +scheme of their proposed route and intentions, with some silver coin. + +On July 27th, they reached the bank of the Castlereagh, after a hard +struggle through the bogs and swamps. The river was flooded, and must +have risen almost directly after Mr. Evans crossed it on his homeward +route. It was not until the 2nd of August that the waters fell +sufficiently to allow them to cross. Still steering for the range, their +course lay across shaking quagmires, or wading through miles of water; +constantly having to unload and reload the unfortunate horses, who could +scarcely get through the bog without their packs. Before reaching the +range, the party camped at the small hill, previously ascended by Mr. +Evans. Here they found the compass strangely affected: on placing it on a +rock the card flew round with extreme velocity, and then suddenly settled +at opposite points, the north point becoming the south. A short distance +from the base of the hill the needle regained its proper position. This +hill received the name of Loadstone Hill. + +Crossing Arbuthnot Range round the northern base of Mount Exmouth, the +explorers, although still terribly harassed by the boggy state of the +country, found themselves in splendid pastoral land. Hills, dales, and +plains of the richest description lay before them, and from the +elevations the view presented was of the most varied kind; this tract of +country was called by Oxley Liverpool Plains. On Mount Tetley, and many +of the hills about, the same variations of the compass were observed as +had formerly been noticed on Loadstone Hill. Through this beautiful +district the party now had a less arduous journey than before, and their +horses were able to regain some of their lost strength. + +On the 2nd of September, they crossed a river which they named the Peel +River, and here one of their number narrowly escaped drowning. Still +pushing eastward, and continuing to travel through beautiful grazing +country Oxley was suddenly stopped by a deep glen running across his +track:-- + + +"This tremendous ravine runs near north and south, its breadth at the +bottom does not apparently exceed one hundred or two hundred feet, whilst +the separation of the outer edges is from two to three miles. I am +certain that in perpendicular depth it exceeds three thousand feet. The +slopes from the edges were so steep and covered with loose stones that +any attempt to descend even on foot was impracticable. From either side +of this abyss, smaller ravines of similar character diverged, the +distance between which seldom exceeded half-a-mile. Down them trickled +small rills of water, derived from the range on which we were. We could +not, however, discern which way the water in the main valley ran, as the +bottom was concealed by a thicket of vines and creeping plants." + + +This barrier turned them to the south, and afterwards to the west again; +on the way, they met with a grand fall one hundred and fifty feet in +height, which they named Becket's Cataract. At the head of the glen they +found another fall which they estimated at two hundred and thirty feet in +height; crossing above this cataract, which was called Bathurst's Fall, +the eastern course was once more resumed, and tempests and storms found +them wandering amongst the deep ravines and gloomy forests of the coast +range, seeking for a descent to the lower lands. + +On the 23rd of September, Oxley, accompanied by Evans, ascended a +mountain to try and discover a practicable route, and from there caught +sight of the sea. + + +"Bilboa's ecstasy at the first sight of the South Sea could not have been +greater than ours when, on gaining the summit of this mountain, we beheld +Old Ocean at our feet: it inspired us with new life: every difficulty +vanished, and in imagination we were already home." + + +Now commenced the final descent, and a perilous one it was:-- + + +"How the horses descended I scarcely know; and the bare recollection of +the imminent dangers which they escaped makes me tremble. At one period +of the descent I would willingly have compromised for a loss of one third +of them to ensure the safety of the remainder. It is to the exertions and +steadiness of the men, under Providence, that their safety must be +ascribed. The thick tufts of grass and the loose soil also gave them a +surer footing, of which the men skilfully availed themselves." + + +They were now on a river running direct to the sea, which was named the +Hastings River, and which the party followed down with more or less +trouble until they reached a port at the mouth of it, which the explorer, +after the fashion of the day, immediately dubbed Port Macquarie. It is an +unfortunate thing for New South Wales that such an absence of originality +with regard to naming newly discovered places was displayed by the +travellers of that time. + +On the 12th of October, the wanderers made a final start for home, +commencing a toilsome march along the coast south. Stopped and +interrupted for a time by many inlets and creeks, they at last came upon +a boat buried in the sand, which had belonged to a Hawkesbury vessel, +lost some time before; this boat they carried with them as far as Port +Stephens, where they arrived on the 1st of November, using it to +facilitate the passage of the salt water arms. During the latter part of +this wearisome journey, they were much harassed by unprovoked attacks by +the natives, and one of the men, William Black, was dangerously wounded, +being speared through the back and in the lower part of the body. + +Oxley had thus, after innumerable hardships and dangers, brought his +party, with the exception of the wounded man, back in safety to the +settlements. True he had not fulfilled the mission he was dispatched on, +but he had discovered large tracts of valuable land fit for settlement; +he had crossed the formidable coast range far away to the north, and +established the fact that communication between his newly discovered port +and the interior was practicable. Oxley's expeditions were both well +equipped and well carried out, he also had the assistance of able and +zealous coadjutors, each or any of them being capable of assuming the +leadership in case of misfortune. His travels may be said to inaugurate +the series of brilliant exploits in the field of exploration that we are +about to enter on. + +In 1819, Messrs. Oxley and Meehan, accompanied by young Hume, made a +short excursion to Jarvis Bay, Oxley returning by sea, his companions +overland. + +The era of the pioneer squatter had now commenced henceforth exploration +and pastoral enterprise went hand in hand. North and south of the new +town of Bathurst, the advance of the flocks and herds went on; Oxley's +report may have somewhat checked a westerly migration, but the stay in +that direction was not doomed to last long. Northward, to and beyond the +Cugeegong River and the fertile valley of the Upper Hunter, southward, +towards the mysterious Morumbidgee, which was now reported as having been +found by the settlers, pressed the pioneers. It is not known who was the +first discoverer of this river. Hume, in company with Throsby, must have +been close to it during their various excursions, and in 1821 Hume +discovered Yass Plains, almost on its bank. It was, however, destined to +be the future highway to the undiscovered land of the west. + +In 1822 Messrs. Lawson and Scott attempted to reach Liverpool Plains, +Oxley's great discovery, from Bathurst; they were, however, unable to +penetrate the range that formed the southern boundary of the Plains, and +returned, having discovered a new river at the foot of the range, which +they named the Goulburn. + +In 1823, Oxley, Cunningham, and Currie were all in the field in different +directions. + +On the 22nd of May, Captain Mark John Currie, R.N., accompanied by +Brigade-Major Ovens, and having with them Joseph Wild, a notable bushman, +started on an exploratory trip south of Lake George. On the 1st of June, +they came to the Morumbidgee, as it was then called, and followed up the +bank of it, looking for a crossing. The day before they had caught sight +of a high range of mountains to the southward, partially snow-topped. In +their progress along the river they came to fine open downs and plains, +which, with the singularly bad taste, which still, unfortunately, holds +sway, Currie immediately named after the then Governor, "Brisbane Downs;" +although but a short time before they had learnt from the aborigines the +native name of Monaroo. Fortunately, in this instance, Monaroo has been +preserved, and Brisbane Downs forgotten. + +On the 6th June they crossed the river, and found the open country still +stretching south, bounded to the west by the snowy mountains they had +formerly seen, and to the east by a range that they took to be the coast +range. Their provisions being limited, they turned back, and reached +Throsby's farm of Bong-Bong on the 14th of the same month. + +Cunningham, meantime, during the months of April, May, and June, was +busily engaged in the country north of Bathurst. He had two purposes in +view--his pursuit as a botanist, and the discovery of a pass through the +northern range on to Liverpool Plains, which Lieutenant Lawson had been +unable to find. On reaching the range he searched vainly to the eastward +for any valley that would enable him to pierce the barrier, and had to +retrace his steps and seek more to the west. Here he came upon a pass, +which he called Pandora's Pass, [See Appendix.] and which he found to be +practicable as a stock route to the plains. He returned to Bathurst on +the 27th of June. + +In October, Oxley started from Sydney on a very different kind of +expedition to those lately undertaken by him. His mission now was to +examine the inlets of Port Curtis, Moreton Bay, and Port Bowen, with a +view to forming penal establishments there. On the 21st of October, +therefore, 1823, he left in the colonial cutter MERMAID, accompanied by +Messrs. Stirling and Uniacke. At Port Macquarie, Oxley had the pleasure +of seeing the settlement that had so rapidly sprung up on his +recommendation of the suitability of the port. Further on, they +discovered and named the Tweed River. On the 6th November, the MERMAID +anchored in Port Curtis. Here the party remained for some time, and found +and christened the Boyne River. Oxley's report was unfavourable. + + +"Having," he says, "viewed and examined with the most anxious attention +every point that afforded the least promise of being eligible for the +site of a settlement, I respectfully submit it as my opinion, that Port +Curtis and its vicinity do not afford such a site; and I do not think +that any convict establishment could be formed there that would return +either from the natural productions of the country, or as arising from +agricultural labour, any portion of the great expense which would +necessarily attend its first formation." + + +As it was too late in the season to examine Port Bowen, the MERMAID went +south, entered Moreton Bay, and anchored off the river that Flinders had +christened Pumice Stone River, heading from the Glass House Peaks. Here a +singular adventure occurred:-- + + +"Scarcely was the anchor let go," writes Mr. Uniacke, "when we perceived +a number of natives, at the distance of about a mile, advancing rapidly +towards the vessel; and on looking at them with the glass from the +masthead, I observed one who appeared much larger than the rest, and of a +lighter colour, being a light copper, while all the others were black." + + +This light-coloured native turned out to be a white man, one Thomas +Pamphlet. In company with three others he had left Sydney in an open +boat, to bring cedar from the Five Islands, but, being driven out to sea +by a gale, they had suffered terrible hardships, being (so he stated) at +one time twenty-one days without water, during which time one man had +died of thirst. Finally they were wrecked on Moreton Island, and had +lived with the blacks ever since--a period of seven months. Pamphlet +informed them that his two companions were named Finnegan and Parsons, +and that they had started to make for Sydney, overland, but, after going +some fifty miles, he (Pamphlet) returned, and shortly afterwards was +joined by Finnigan, who had quarrelled with Parsons. The latter was never +heard of. + +Next day Finnegan turned up, and both he and Pamphlet, agreeing that at +the south end of the bay there was a large river. Messrs. Oxley and +Stirling started the following morning in the whale boat to look for it; +taking Finnegan with them. They found the river, and pulled up it about +fifty miles, being greatly satisfied with the discovery. Not being +provided for a longer trip, Oxley turned back at a point he named +Termination Hill, which he ascended and from which he obtained a fine +view of the further course of the river. Still haunted by his inland lake +theory, and as usual drawing erroneous deductions, he writes:-- + + +"The nature of the country, and a consideration of all the circumstances +connected with the appearance of the river, justify me in entertaining a +strong belief that the sources of the river will not be found in +mountainous country, but rather that it flows from some lake, which will +prove to be the receptacle of those interior streams crossed by me during +an expedition of discovery in 1818." + + +This river Oxley named the Brisbane, and taking with them the two rescued +men, the MERMAID set sail for Sydney, where the party arrived on December +13th. With regard to the shipwrecked men, it may be here mentioned that +their conviction at the time they were found was, that they were to the +south of Sydney, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Jarvis Bay. + +Oxley's work and his life too were now almost at a close. He died at +Kirkham, his private residence, near Sydney, on the 25th of May, 1828. He +had been essentially a successful explorer, for although he had not in +every case attained the issue aimed at, he had always brought his men +back in safety, and had opened up vast tracts of new country. [See +Appendix.] + +The journey made by Messrs. Hume and Hovell across to Port Phillip has a +character of its own, being the first successful trip undertaken from +shore to shore, from the eastern to the southern coast. The expedition +originated from a somewhat wild idea that entered the head of that +unpopular governor Sir Thomas Brisbane. + +Surveyor-General Oxley, not having determined the question as to whether +any large rivers entered the sea between Cape Otway and Spencer's Gulf, +excepting to his own satisfaction, Sir Thomas Brisbane bit upon the +scheme of landing a party of prisoners near Wilson's Promontory, and +inducing them, by the offer of a free pardon and a land grant, to find +their way to Sydney overland; and that they should have a better chance +of eventually turning up, it was recommended that an experienced bushman +should be put in charge of them. The flattering, if somewhat dangerous, +offer of this position was made to Mr. Hume, who, on consideration, +declined it; he, however, offered to conduct a party from Lake George, +then the outermost station, or nearly so, to Western Port, if the +Government provided necessary assistance. The Government accepted h is +offer, but forgot to provide the assistance. This caused much delay and +vexation, and Mr. Hovell, offering to join the party and find half the +necessary men and cattle, the Government agreed to do something in the +matter. This something amounted to six pack-saddles and gear, one tent of +Parramatta cloth, two tarpaulins, a suit of slop clothes each for the +men, two skeleton charts for tracing their journey, a few bush utensils, +and the following promise: a cash payment for the hire of the cattle +should any important discovery be made. This money was refused on the +return of the party, and Mr. Hume states that he had even much difficulty +in obtaining tickets-of-leave for the men, and an order to select 1,200 +acres of land for himself. Mr. Hovell was a retired shipmaster, who had +been for some time settled in Australia. Each of the leaders brought with +them three men, so that the strength of the expedition was eight men in +all. They had with them two carts, five bullocks, and three horses. + +On October 14th, 1824, the party left Lake George. On reaching the +Murrumbidgee they found it flooded, and after waiting three days, and the +river continuing the same, an attempt was made to cross, and by means of +the body of a cart rigged up as a punt with a tarpaulin, they succeeded. + +On the south side of the river they found the country broken, and +somewhat difficult to make good progress through, but it was all well +grassed and adapted to grazing purposes. Here, as might have been +anticipated, they soon had to leave their carts behind, and pack their +cattle for the remainder of their journey. Following the Murrumbidgee, +after a short distance they left it for a south-west course, which still +led them through hills and valleys rich with good grass and running +water. + +On November 8th, they were destined to enjoy a sight never before +witnessed by white men in Australia. Ascending a range, in order to get a +view of the country ahead of them, they suddenly came in front of +snowcapped mountains. There, under the brilliant sun of an Australian +summer's day, rose lofty peaks that might have found a fitting home in +some far polar clime, covered as they were for nearly one-fourth of their +height with glistening snow. + +Skirting this range, which was called the Australian Alps, the +travellers, after eight days wandering through the spurs of the lofty +mountains they had just seen, came on a fine flowing river, which Mr. +Hume named after his father the "Hume," destined to be afterwards called +the Murray when visited lower down. + +Failing to find a ford, a makeshift boat was constructed by the aid of +the useful tarpaulin, and the passage of the Hume safely accomplished. +Still passing through good available country watered by fine flowing +streams, on the 24th they crossed the Ovens River, and on the 3rd of +December they came to another river, which they called the Hovell (now +the Goulburn), and on the 16th of the same month reached the sea shore, +near where Geelong now stands. Two days afterwards they commenced their +return, and on the 18th January arrived at Lake George. + +This exploration had a great and lasting bearing on the extension of +Australian settlement. A few years after one of the highest authorities +then in the colony had deemed the western interior, beyond a certain +limit, unfitted for human habitation; and expressed his opinion that the +monotonous flats over which he vainly looked for any rise, extended +almost to the sea coast--snow-clad mountains, feeding innumerable +streams, were discovered to the south of his track. + +The successful and arduous expedition led by the young native-born +explorer, had the twofold effect of exposing Oxley's fallacies, and +teaching a lesson of caution to future explorers not to indulge hastily +in general condemnation. This lesson, however, has not been heeded; the +history of Australian exploration being a history of conclusions drawn +one year, to be falsified the next. Hume's journey to Port Phillip at +once added to the British-Colonial Empire millions of acres of arable land +watered by never-failing rivers, with a climate calculated to foster the +growth of almost any species of fruit or grain. + +It is a pity that in concluding the review of an expedition, fraught with +so much benefit to the colony, and carried out with so much courage, +hardihood, and facility of resource, that it cannot also be said, and +marked with the same cheerful spirit that pervaded those of Oxley's, but +unfortunately, the evil feeling of jealously that would arise from the +presence of two leaders, showed plainly throughout in petty and +undignified squabbles, which, in after days, led to paper warfare between +the two explorers. It is painful, if amusing, to read of the disagreement +as to their course in very sight of the lately discovered Australian +Alps, and how, on agreeing to separate and divide the outfit, it was +proposed to cut the tent in half, and the only frying-pan was broken by +both parties pulling at it. + +Thomas Boyd, the only survivor of the party in 1883, who was then +eighty-six years old, was the first white man to cross the Murray, which +he did, swimming it with a line in his mouth. In the year named he signed +a document, giving the credit of taking the party through in safety to +Hume. Boyd himself was one of the most active members of the expedition, +and always to the front when there was any work to be done. + +The training that Hume received in this, and his former journey, +admirably qualified him to become the companion of Sturt in his first +expedition when he discovered the other great artery of the Murray +system, the Darling. The young explorer was thus singularly fortunate in +having his name connected with the discovery of two of the most important +rivers in Australia. In the trip just narrated he and his companion, +Hovell, had arrested the hasty conclusion that was being formed as to the +aridity of the interior. The result of their expedition held out high +hopes for any future explorer, and the report they brought in was +afterwards fully confirmed by Major Mitchell. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + + +Settlement of Moreton Bay--Cunningham in the field again--His discoveries +of the Gwydir, Dumaresque, and Condamine Rivers--The Darling Downs, and +Cunningham's Gap through the range to Moreton Bay--Description of the +Gap--Cunningham's death--Captain Sturt--His first expedition to follow +down the Macquarie--Failure of the river--Efforts of Sturt and Hume to +trace the channel--Discovery of New Year's Creek (the Bogan)--Come +suddenly on the Darling--Dismay at finding the water salt--Retreat to +Mount Harris--Meet the relief party--Renewed attempt down the Castlereagh +River--Trace it to the Darling--Find the water in that river still +salt--Return--Second expedition to follow the Morumbidgee--Favourable +anticipations--Launch of the boats and separation of the party--Unexpected +junction with the Murray--Threatened hostilities with the natives--Averted +in a most singular manner--Junction of large river from the North--Sturt's +conviction that it is the Darling--Continuation of the voyage--Final +arrival at Lake Alexandrina--Return voyage--Starvation and fatigue-- +Constant labour at the oars and stubborn courage of the men--Utter +exhaustion--Two men push forward to the relief party and return with +succour. + + +In 1824, in consequence of the favourable report of Surveyor Oxley, a +penal settlement was formed at Moreton Bay, but it was speedily removed +to a better site on the Brisbane River, where the capital of Queensland +now stands. The natives bestowed upon the abandoned settlement the name +of "Umpie Bong," [Literally, dead houses] which name is still preserved +as Humpybong. + +In 1825 Major Lockyer made a long boat excursion up the Brisbane River, +and the stream being somewhat swollen by floods, he was able to +penetrate, according to his own account, nearly one hundred and fifty +miles. + +He was much taken with the promising nature of the country, both on the +Brisbane and its tributary, the Bremer, and great hopes, happily +fulfilled, were entertained of the success of the new settlement. During +this year Mr. Cunningham had undertaken another journey to Liverpool +Plains. Threading the pass he had formerly discovered and named Pandora's +Pass, he crossed the plains, and ascended and examined the table land to +the north, returning to Bathurst. + +In 1827 this explorer, whose industry never flagged, started on the most +eventful trip he ever made, destined to considerably affect the immediate +progress of the new colony established at Moreton Bay. On the 30th of +April he left Segenhoe Station, on the Upper Hunter, and on crossing +Oxley's 1818 track to Port Macquarie, at once entered on the unexplored +northern region. On the 19th May, after traversing a good deal of +unpromising country, a fertile valley was entered, which led the +travellers on to the banks of the Gwydir River, one of Cunningham's most +important discoveries. He next found and named the Dumaresque River, and +finally emerged on the beautiful plateau, thenceforth known as the +Darling Downs, where the Condamine River received its name, after the +Governor's aide-de-camp. Cunningham's description of this tract of +pastoral country is very glowing:-- + + +"Deep ponds, supported by streams from the highlands immediately to the +eastward, extend along their central lower flats. The lower grounds thus +permanently watered present flats which furnish an almost inexhaustible +range of cattle pasture at all seasons of the year; the grass and +herbage generally exhibiting in the depth of winter an extreme luxuriance +of growth. From these central grounds rise downs of a rich black and dry +soil, and very ample surface; and as they furnish abundance of grass and +are conveniently watered, yet perfectly beyond the reach of those floods +which take place on the flats in a season of rain, they constitute a +sound and valuable sheep pasture." + + +Here Cunningham halted for some time, with the view of ascertaining the +practicability of a passage across the range to Moreton Bay. + +In exploring the mountains immediately above the tents of the encampment, +a remarkably excavated part of the main range was discovered, which +appeared likely to prove available as a pass. Upon examination, the gap +was found to be rugged and broken, partially blocked with fallen masses +of rocks, and overgrown by scrub and jungle. Beyond these impediments, +which could soon be removed, the gap now known as Cunningham's Gap was +apparently available as affording a descent to the lower coast lands. +Relinquishing any further attempts for the present, either through the +mountains or to the western interior, Cunningham returned to the Hunter, +crossing and re-crossing his outward track. He was absent oil this +expedition thirteen weeks. + +The following year the discoverer of the Darling Downs, accompanied by +his old companion, Charles Frazer, Colonial Botanist, proceeded by sea to +Moreton Bay with the intention of starting from the settlement and +connecting with his camp on the Darling Downs by way of Cunningham's Gap. +In this attempt he was also accompanied by the Commandant, Captain Logan. +The party followed up the Logan River, and partly ascended Mount Lindsay, +a lofty and remarkable mountain on the Dividing Range. They were, +however, unsuccessful in finding the Gap on this occasion. Cunningham, +however, immediately started from Limestone Station on the Bremer, now +the town of Ipswich, and this time was quite successful. On the 24th Of +August he writes:-- + +"About one o'clock we passed a mile to the southward of our last +position, and, entering a valley, we pitched our tents within three miles +of the gap we now suspected to be the Pass of last year's journey. + +"It being early in the afternoon, I sent one of my people (who, having +been one of my party on that long tour, knew well the features of the +country lying to the westward of the Dividing Range) to trace a series of +forest ridges, which appeared to lead directly up to the foot of the +hollow-back of the range. + +"To my utmost gratification he returned at dusk, having traced the ridge +about two and a-half miles to the foot of the Dividing Range, whence he +ascended into the Pass and, from a grassy head immediately above it, +beheld the extensive country lying west of the Main Range. He recognised +Darling and Canning Downs, patches of Peel's Plains, and several +remarkable points of the forest hills on that side, fully identifying +this hollow-back with the pass discovered last year at the head of +Miller's Valley, notwithstanding its very different appearance when +viewed from the eastern country." + + +The next day, accompanied by one man, Cunningham ascended the pass that +bears his name. Following the ridges, they arrived in about two and +three-quarter miles to the foot of the Gap. + + +"Immediately the summit of the pass appeared broad before us, bounded on +each side by most stupendous heads, towering at least two thousand feet +above it. + +"Here the difficulties of the Pass commenced. We had now penetrated to +the actual foot of the Pass without the smallest difficulty, it now +remained to ascend by a steep slope to the level of its entrance. This +slope is occupied by a very close wood, in which red cedar, sassafras, +palms, and other ornamental inter-tropical trees are frequent. Through +this shaded wood lye penetrated, climbing up a steep bank of a very rich +loose earth, in which large fragments of a very compact rock are embedded. +At length we gained the foot of a wall of bare rock, which we found +stretching from the southward of the Pass. + +"This face of naked rock we perceived (by tracing its course northerly) +gradually to fall to the common level, so that, without the smallest +difficulty, and to my utmost surprise, we found ourselves in the highest +part of the Pass, having fully ascertained the extent of the difficult +part, from the entrance into the wood to this point, not to exceed four +hundred yards." + + +In this comparatively easy manner was the main range crossed, and access +at once obtained from the coastal districts to the rich inland slope--a +startling result when compared with the years of labour and baffled hope +wasted on the Blue Mountains before victory was won. + +In the following year (1829) Cunningham went on his last expedition, to +the source of the Brisbane River, and this work concluded ten years of +constant and unceasing labour in the cause of exploration. He died in +Sydney ten years afterwards, on the 27th of June, leaving behind an +undying name, both as a botanist and ardent explorer. During his own +travels, and whilst sailing with Captain King, he had seen more of the +continent than any man then living. + +Captain Charles Sturt, of the 39th Regiment! What visions are conjured up +when this name comes on the scene! Cracked and gaping plains, desolate, +desert and abandoned of life, scorched beneath a lurid sun of burning +fire, waterless, hopeless, relentless, and accursed: that is the picture +he draws of the great interior. He had followed up Oxley's footsteps and +exposed the fallacies into which that explorer had fallen, and erred just +as egregiously himself. True, like Oxley, he was the sport of the +seasons. Oxley had followed the rivers down when, year after year, the +regular rainfall had made them navigable for his boats, and had finally +lost them in oceans of reeds. Sturt came when the land was smitten with +drought, and the rivers had dwindled down to the tiniest trickle. + +"In the creeks weeds had grown and withered, and grown again and young +saplings were now rising in their beds, nourished by the moisture that +still remained; but the large forest trees were drooping and many were +dead. The emus, with outstretched necks, gasping for breath, searched the +channels of the rivers for water, in vain; and the native dog, so thin +that he could hardly walk, seemed to implore some merciful hand to +dispatch him." + +Such was Sturt's description of the state of the country. + +In 1828, the year that witnessed his first expedition, no rain had fallen +for two years, and it seemed as though it would never fall again. The +thoughts of the colonists turned to that shallow ocean of reeds to the +westward wherein Oxley had lost the Macquarie, and it was thought that +now would be the time to verify its existence or find out what lay +beyond. Captain Sturt was appointed to take command, and with him went +Hamilton Hume, who had so successfully crossed to Port Phillip. The party +consisted, besides, of two soldiers and eight prisoners of the crown, two +of whom were to return with dispatches. They had with them eight riding +and seven pack horses, two draught and eight pack bullocks. They had also +with them a small boat rigged up on a wheeled carriage. + +It would be uninteresting to follow the party over the already known +ground to Mount Harris where Oxley had camped in 1818; this place Sturt +and his men reached on the 20th December, 1828. + + +"As soon as the camp was fixed, Mr. Hume and I rode to Mount Harris, over +ground subject to flood and covered for the most part by the polygonum, +being too anxious to defer our examination of the neighbourhood even a +few hours. Nearly ten years had elapsed since Mr. Oxley pitched his tents +under the smallest of the two hills into which Mount Harris is broken. +There was no difficulty in hitting upon his position. The trenches that +had been cut round the tents were still perfect, and the marks of the +fire places distinguishable; while the trees in the neighbourhood had +been felled, and round about them the staves of casks, and a few tent +pegs were scattered. Mr. Oxley had selected a place at some distance from +the river on account of its then swollen state. I looked upon it from the +same ground and could not discern the waters in the channel, so much had +they fallen below their ordinary level. On the summit of the great +eminence which we ascended, there remained the half-burnt planks of a +boat, some clenched and rusty nails, and an old trunk; but my search for +the bottle Mr. Oxley had left was unsuccessful. + +"A reflection arose to my mind, on examining these decaying vestiges of a +former expedition, whether I should be more fortunate than the leader of +it, and how far I should be enabled to penetrate beyond the point which +had conquered his perseverance. Only a week before I left Sydney I had +followed Mr. Oxley to the tomb. A man of uncommon quickness and of great +ability. The task of following up his discoveries was not less enviable +than arduous; but, arrived at that point at which his journey may be said +to have terminated and mine only to commence, I knew not how soon I +should be obliged, like him, to retreat from the marshes and exhalations +of so depressed a country. My eye turned instinctively to the north-west, +and the view extended over an apparently endless forest. I could trace +the river line of trees by their superior height, but saw no appearance +of reeds save the few that grew on the banks of the stream." + + +Satisfied, after consultation with his companion Hume, that there was no +obstacle to their onward march, they left their position, intending, as +Sturt says, "to close with the marshes." + +The night of the first day found them camped amongst the reeds, which +they came upon sooner than they expected, and the next day they halted +for the purpose of preparing the dispatches for the Governor. On the +morning of the 26th, the journey was resumed, the two messengers leaving +for Bathurst, the rest proceeding onward until checked by finding +themselves in the great body of the marsh, which spread in boundless +extent around them. + + +"It was evidently," says the leader, "lower than the ground on which we +stood; we had, therefore, a complete view of the whole expanse, and there +was a dreariness and desolation pervading the scene which strengthened as +we gazed upon it." + + +Under the circumstances, an advance with the main body of the party was +considered unwise, and it was determined to launch the boat, and try and +follow the course of the river, whilst a simultaneous attempt was made to +penetrate the reed bed to the north. Accordingly Sturt, with two men, +started in the boat, and Hume and two more struck north. + +Sturt's boating expedition came very quickly to a close. In the afternoon +of the day he started:-- + + +" . . . the channel which had promised so well, without any change in +its breadth or depth, ceased altogether, and while we were yet lost in +astonishment at so abrupt a termination of it the boat grounded." + + +All search was fruitless, and mysteriously and completely baffled as +Oxley had been, so was his successor, and there was nothing for it but to +return to camp. + +Hume had been more successful. He reported finding a serpentine sheet of +water to the northward, which he did not doubt was the channel of the +river. He had pushed on, but was checked by another of the seemingly +inevitable marshes. + +On the 28th the camp was shifted to this lagoon, and the boat was +launched once more; without result. The new-found channel was soon lost +in reeds and shallows. Forced to halt again, Hume went to the north-east +to scout, and Sturt went north-west, each accompanied, as before, by two +men. They left the camp on the last day of the year. + +After sunset on the first day, Sturt struck a creek of considerable size +leading northerly, having good water in its bed. The next day, after +passing through alternate plain and brush for eighteen miles, a second +creek was found, inferior to the first both in size and the quality of +the water; it too ran northerly. Crossing this creek, after a short halt, +they travelled through stony ridges and open forest, and at night camped +on the edge of a waterless plain, after a hot and thirsty ride; here one +of the men, noticing the flight of a pigeon, found a small puddle of rain +water that just sufficed them. Next day, the country steadily improving +in appearance, they made west by south for an isolated mountain with +perpendicular sides, from the top of which Sturt trusted to see something +hopeful ahead. He was disappointed, the country was monotonous and level, +and no sign of a river could be seen. They camped that night at a small +swamp, and next morning Sturt turned back, like Oxley, coming to the +conclusion that:-- + + +"Yet upon the whole, the space I traversed is unlikely to become the +haunt of civilised man, or will become so in isolated spots, as a chain +of connection to a more fertile country; if such a country exist to the +westward." + + +Hume had not returned when the party reached the main camp on the 5th of +January; the next day he made his appearance. He reported having +travelled, on various courses, about thirty miles N.N.W. over an +indifferent country. He had anticipated meeting with the Castlereagh, but +had been forced to conclude that that river had taken a more northerly +course than Mr. Oxley had supposed. He went westward, and across fine +far-stretching plains, but saw no sign of the Macquarie River having +re-formed, crossing nothing but small 'reeks or chains of ponds. + +Most of the men, including Hume, complaining of sickness, he camp was +shifted four miles to the north, on to a chain of ponds reported by Hume. +This creek they followed down, when it disappointed them by disappearing +in the marsh. Without water, they continued skirting the low country +until fatigue compelled them to stop, when, by digging shallow wells in +the reeds, they obtained a small supply. From here they made their way by +a different route to the hill that had terminated Sturt's late trip, and +which he had christened Oxley's Tableland. Here they rested a few days, +and Sturt and Hume, with two men, made another excursion westward, but +without result. + +Their only resource now was to make north to a creek that they had +followed down on their way to Oxley's tableland, and see where it would +lead them. + +On the 31st January they came upon this creek, which was called by them +New Year's Creek, now the Bogan, and the next day they suddenly found +themselves on the brink of a noble river:-- + + +"The party drew up upon a bank that was from forty to forty-five feet +above the level of the stream. The channel of the river was from seventy +to eighty yards broad, and enclosed an unbroken sheet of water, evidently +very deep, and literally covered with pelicans and other wild fowl. Our +surprise and delight may better be imagined than described. Our +difficulties seemed to be at an end, for here was a river that promised +to reward all our exertions, and which appeared every moment to increase +in importance to our imaginations. Coming from the N.E. and flowing to +the S.W., it had a capacity of channel that proved that we were as far +from its source as from its termination. The paths of the natives on +either side of it were like trodden roads, and the trees that overhung it +were of beautiful and gigantic growth. + +"The banks were too precipitous to 'allow of our watering the cattle, but +the men descended eagerly to quench their thirst, which a powerful sun +had contributed to increase; nor shall I ever forget the cry of amazement +that followed their doing so, or the looks of terror and disappointment +with which they called out to inform me that the water was so salt as to +be unfit to drink. This was indeed too true. On tasting it, I found it +extremely nauseous, and strongly impregnated with salt, being apparently +a mixture of sea and fresh water. . . Our hopes were annihilated at the +moment of their apparent realisation. The cup of joy was dashed out of +our hands before we had time to raise it to our lips." + + +Finding fresh feed lower down the river, the party halted for the benefit +of the cattle, who, unable to drink the water, soaked their bodies in it. +Meantime, although the tracks of the natives were abundant, they looked +in vain for any of them. Fortunately, that night Hume found a pond of +fresh water, and the party were refreshed once more. The phenomena of the +salt river was puzzling to Sturt, though too familiar now to excite +wonder; the long continued drought having lowered the river so that the +brine springs in the banks preponderated over the fresh water, was of +course the explanation, and it is a common characteristic of inland +watercourses. The size of the river and the saltness of its water, +however, partly convinced Sturt that he was near its confluence with an +inland sea; so for six days they moved slowly down the river, finding, +however, no change in its formation, until the discovery of saline +springs in the bank convinced the leader that the saltness was of local +origin. + +Leaving the party encamped at a small pool of fresh water, Sturt and Hume +pushed ahead to look for more, but without success. Before leaving they +were startled, one afternoon, by a loud report like a distant cannon, for +which they could in noway account, as the sky was clear and without a +cloud. [These strange reports have since been frequently heard, often at +the same moment, at places more than a hundred miles apart. The cause is +generally ascribed to atmospheric disturbances.] + +The advance was now checked, no fresh water could be found on ahead, and +their animals were weak and exhausted. Sturt christened the river the +Darling, and gave the order to retreat. + +As they again approached Mount Harris on the Macquarie, where they +expected to find a relief party with fresh supplies, fears began to be +entertained regarding the safety of those who might be awaiting them at +the depôt. The reed beds were in flames in all parts, and the few natives +they met displayed a guilty timidity, and one was observed with a jacket +in his possession. Their fears were, however, fortunately vain, the +natives had made one attempt to surprise the camp, but it had been +frustrated, and the relief party had now been some three weeks awaiting +the return of the explorers. + +Sturt rested for some days, during which time Hume made a short western +trip.. to the south of the marsh land. He reported that for thirty miles +the country was superior to anything they had yet seen, and exceedingly +well watered; beyond that distance the plains and brush of the remote +interior again resumed their sway. + +On the 7th March the party struck camp and made for the Castlereagh, the +relief going back to Bathurst. On the 10th they reached the Castlereagh, +and found it apparently without a drop of water in its bed. From here +downwards the old harassing hunt for water commenced once more, and as +they descended the river they were further puzzled by the intricate +windings of its course and the number of channels that intersected the +depressed country they were travelling through. On the 29th they again +struck the Darling, ninety miles above the spot where they had discovered +it: + +"This singular river still preserved its character so strikingly that it +was impossible not to have recognised it in a moment. The same steep +banks and lofty timber, the same deep reaches, alive with fish, were here +visible as when we left it. A hope naturally arose to our minds, that if +it was unchanged in other respects, it might have lost the saltness that +rendered its waters unfit for use; but in this we were disappointed-even +its waters continued the same." + +Fortunately the adventurers were not this time in such unhappy straits +for water as before, so that the disappointment was less intense. Knowing +what they might expect if they followed the Darling down south, the party +at once halted. It was evident that to the east and north-east, the +rigorous drought had put its mark on the land, from the fact that large +bodies of natives driven in from that direction were congregated round +the few permanent waters left. A reconnoitring expedition across the +Darling to the N.W. was accordingly determined on, to see if any advance +into the interior was possible, and after a camp had been formed Sturt +and Hume started on the quest. No encouragement to proceed resulted. By +four p.m. they found themselves on a plain that stretched far away and +bounded the horizon. + + +"It was dismally brown, a few trees only served to mark the distance. Up +one of the highest I sent Hopkins on, who reported that he could not see +the end of it, and that all around looked blank and desolate. It is a +singular fact that during the whole day we had not seen a drop of water +or a blade of grass. + +"To have stopped where we were would, therefore, have been impossible; +to have advanced would probably have been ruin. Had there been one +favourable circumstance to have encouraged me with the hope of success I +would have proceeded. Had we picked up a stone, as indicating our +approach to high land, I would have gone on; or had there been a break in +the country, or even a change in the vegetation; but we had left all +traces of the natives behind us, and this seemed a desert they never +entered--that not even a bird inhabited. I could not encourage a hope of +success, and therefore gave up the point, not from want of means, but a +conviction of the inutility of any further efforts. If there is any blame +to be attached to the measure it is I who am in fault; but none who had +not like me traversed the interior at such a season would believe the +state of the country over which I had wandered. During the short interval +I had been out, I had seen rivers cease to flow before me and sheets of +water disappear, and had it not been for a merciful Providence should, +ere reaching the Darling, have been overwhelmed by misfortune. + +"I am giving no false picture of the reality. So long had the drought +continued that the vegetable kingdom was almost annihilated, and minor +vegetation had disappeared." + + +Once more the order to retreat from the inhospitable Darling was given, +and the weary march home recommenced. On their way they traced and +followed a defined channel, or depression, formerly crossed by Hume, and +ascertained it to be the outflow of the Macquarie Marshes. On the 7th of +April, 1829, they reached Mount Harris. + +The mystery of the Macquarie was now, to a certain extent, cleared up, +but there still remained another riddle to solve in the course and outlet +of the Darling. Sturt, the discoverer of this river, was destined to find +the answer to this problem as well. + +We have now traced the gradual extension of exploration to the westward, +and seen a river system growing up, as it were, piece by piece, as the +result of these expeditions; it may, therefore, be as well to continue to +follow up Captain Sturt's expeditions, and note how the Murray and its +tributary streams were gradually elaborated, before touching upon events +at this time occurring afar on the south-west coast of the continent. + +The desire to ascertain the course of the Darling naturally became a +subject of great interest so soon as the result of Captain Sturt's +expedition was known; and the Macquarie and Lachlan rivers having failed +to afford a means of reaching the interior, it was determined to try the +Morumbidgee. The fact that this river derived its supply from the highest +known mountains, and was independent, to a large extent, of the +periodical rainfall, was a great inducement to hope for success. + +Almost exactly a year after he had started on his journey down the +Macquarie, Captain Sturt left Sydney, on his Morumbidgee expedition, on +the 3rd of November, 1829. + +Hume, was not, on this occasion, able to accompany the party, his own +affairs on his farm needing his attention; doubtless in spirit he was +often with them, and it would have been but fitting had the discoverer of +the Murray or Hume, been one of the party to first trace its downward +course. In Hume's place went George M'Leay, the son of the then Colonial +Secretary, Alexander M'Leay; with them also went Harris, Hopkinson, and +Fraser, members of the Macquarie expedition, + +To our modern eyes the appearance of the troop that marched out of +Sydney, early that summer morning, would have looked strange indeed. + + +"At a quarter before seven the party filed through the turnpike gate, and +thus commenced its journey with the greatest regularity. I have the scene +even at this distance of time, vividly impressed upon my mind, and I have +no doubt the kind friend who was with me on the occasion bears it as +strongly on his recollection. My servant Harris, who had shared my +wanderings, and had continued in my service for eighteen years, led the +advance with his companion Hopkinson; nearly abreast of them the +eccentric Frazer stalked along, wholly lost in thought. The two former +had laid aside their military habits, and had substituted the +broad-brimmed hat, and the bushman's dress in their place, but it was +impossible to guess how Frazer intended to protect himself from the heat +or damp, so little were his habiliments suited for the occasion. He had +his gun over his shoulder, and his double shot belt as full as it could +be of shot, although there was not a chance of his expending a grain +during the day. Some dogs Mr. Maxwell had kindly sent me followed close +at his heels, as if they knew his interest in them, and they really +seemed as if they were aware that they were about to exchange their late +confinement for the freedom of the woods. The whole of these formed a +kind of advanced guard. At some distance in the rear the drays moved +slowly along, on one of which rode the black boy; Robert Harris, whom I +had appointed to superintend the animals generally, kept his place near +the horses, and the heavy Clayton, my carpenter, brought up the rear." + + +It will be needless to follow the progress of the party through the +settled districts that now extended to the banks of the Morumbidgee: on +the 27th, we find them preparing to start from Mr. Whaby's station, the +last outpost of civilization. From thence they followed the river down, +maintaining constant and friendly intercourse with the natives on the +banks. For some time they passed through rich available country, and at +one point they made a slight excursion to the north to connect with +Oxley's most southerly limit; although they did not actually verify it, +Sturt was of the opinion that they were within at least twenty miles of +the range seen by Oxley. Still following the river they now found its +course leading them amongst the plains and flat country with which they +were so well acquainted, and naturally travelled in the constant dread of +the stream conducting them to the lame and impotent conclusions of the +Macquarie and Lachlan. + + +"OUR ROUTE WAS OVER AS MELANCHOLY A TRACT AS EVER WAS TRAVELLED. THE +PLAINS TO THE N. AND N.W. BOUNDED THE HORIZON; NOT A TREE OF ANY KIND WAS +VISIBLE UPON THEM. IT WAS EQUALLY OPEN TO THE SOUTH, AND IT APPEARED AS +IF THE RIVER WAS DECOYING US INTO A DESERT, THERE TO LEAVE US IN +DIFFICULTY AND IN DISTRESS." + + +Sturt now was constantly haunted with the thought of once more finding +himself baffled and perplexed in some vast region of flooded country, +without a defined system of channels. Every time he looked at the river +he imagined that it had fallen off in appearance, feeling certain that +the flooded spaces over which he was travelling would soon be succeeded +by a country overgrown with reeds. The flats of polygonum stretched away +to the N.W., and to the S., and the soil itself bore testimony to its +flooded origin. Some natives here met with spoke of the COLARE, a name +which Sturt had beard before, and which he took to mean the Lachlan, from +the direction in which the blacks pointed. These men indicated that they +were but one day's journey from it. Sturt and M'Leay, therefore, rode to +the north to examine the country; they found a creek of considerable +size, and from its appearance and the nature of the surrounding flats, +deemed it to be a similar channel from the Lachlan marshes to the +Morumbidgee, as the one Sturt and Hume had formerly noticed to the north, +leading from the great marsh of the Macquarie to the Darling. In point of +fact they actually crossed the Lachlan, and went some distance beyond it, +passing close to Oxley's lowest camp, as the natives afterwards testified +to Major Mitchell. + +The extract from the Major's journal bearing on the subject runs thus:-- + + +"The natives further informed me that three men on horseback, who had +canoes (boats) on the Murrumbidgee, had visited the Lachlan thereabouts +since, and that after crossing it, and going a little way beyond, they +had returned." + + +Sturt mentioned seeing the fires of the natives during this trip, but he +did not see them, although it was evident that they had a good look at +him. + +On the 26th of December, it seemed that their gloomiest hopes were to be +realised. Traversing plains like those described before, Sturt says:-- + + +"The wheels of the drays sank up to their axle-trees, and the horses +above their fetlocks at every step. The fields of polygonum spread on +every side of us, like a dark sea, and the only green object within range +of our vision was the river line of trees. In several instances the force +of both teams was put to one dray, to extricate it from the bed into +which it had sunk, and the labour was considerably increased from the +nature of the weather. The wind was blowing as if through a furnace, from +the N.N.E., and the dust was flying in clouds, so as to render it almost +suffocating to remain exposed to it. This was the only occasion upon +which we felt the hot winds in the interior. We were, about noon, +endeavouring to gain a point of a wood at which I expected to come upon +the river again, but it was impossible for the teams to reach it without +assistance. I therefore sent M'Leay forward with orders to unload the +pack animals as soon as he should make the river, and send them back to +help the teams. He had scarcely been separated from me twenty minutes, +when one of the men came galloping back to inform me that no river was to +be found--that the country beyond the woods was covered with reeds as far +as the eye could reach, and that Mr. M'Leay had sent him back for +instructions. This intelligence stunned me for a moment or two, and I am +sure its effect upon the men was very great. They had unexpectedly +arrived at a part of the interior similar to one they held in dread, and +conjured up a thousand difficulties and privations. I desired the man to +recall Mr. M'Leay; and, after gaining the wood, moved outside of it at +right angles to my former course, and reached the river, after a day of +severe toil and exposure at half-past five. The country, indeed, bore +every resemblance to that around the marshes of the Macquarie, but I was +too weary to make any further effort; indeed it was too late for one to +undertake anything until the morning." + + +The following day, accompanied by his friend, Sturt proceeded to examine +the river. He found it still running strong, without any sign of +diminution in its flow, but the reedy flats were so dense and thick that +no passage for the teams was practicable. At noon the leader halted, and +announced his intention of returning to camp. He had come to the +determination to construct the whaleboat he had with him in sections, to +send the teams back, and, with six men and Mr. M'Leay, to start down the +river, and follow it wherever it went; whether ever to return again or +not was for the future to determine. + +Clayton, the carpenter, was at once set to work upon the boat, or boats, +for a tree was felled, a sawpit rigged up, and a small boat half the size +of the whaleboat built. Everybody worked hard, and in seven days the +boats were afloat, moored alongside a temporary wharf, ready for loading. +Six men were then chosen to form the crew, who were about to undertake +one of the most eventful and important voyages in Australia's history. +They were Clayton, the carpenter, Mulholland and Macnamee, the three +soldiers, Harris, Hopkinson and Fraser, the leader, and M'Leay--eight in +all. The remainder of the party, under Robert Harris, were to remain +stationary one week, in case of accident, then to proceed to Goulburn +Plains and await instructions from Sydney. + +On the 7th of January, 1830, the voyagers started, towing the smaller +boat, the men all in high spirits at the wide prospect of adventure +before them. + +Going with the stream they made rapid progress, using only two oars, but +the first day did not suffice to carry them clear of the reeds, in fact, +at night when they landed to camp, they could scarcely find room to pitch +their tents. On the second day, an accident happened to the skiff they +were towing; she struck on a log, and immediately sank with all the +valuable cargo she carried. Two days were spent in recovering the things, +as the boat had gone down in twelve feet of water, and during the time +they were so employed, the blacks robbed the camp of many articles. + +Once more on the move, they found the river still winding its way through +a flat expanse of reeds, and threatening to end as the other rivers had +done. On the afternoon of the next day a change for the better took +place; the reeds on both sides of the river terminated, and the country +became more elevated, and bore the appearance of open forest pasture +land; a tributary creek of considerable size joined the river from the +S.E., and the spirits of the voyagers rose again. More tributaries now +came in from the south-east, and the dangers of navigation increased, the +river being full of snags and fallen timber, and the utmost care had to +be used to keep the boat clear. On the second day of this distressing +work, they were destined to meet with a surprise. + + +"About one we again started. The men looked anxiously ahead, for the +singular change in the river had impressed on them the idea that we were +approaching its termination, or near some adventure. On a sudden the +river took a general southern direction, but, in its tortuous course, +swept round to every point of the compass with the greatest irregularity. +We were carried at a fearful rate down its gloomy and contracted banks, +and in such a moment of excitement, had little time to pay attention to +the country through which we were passing. It was, however, observed that +chalybeate springs were numerous close to the water's edge. At three +p.m., Hopkinson called out that we were approaching a junction, and in +less than a minute afterwards we were hurried into a broad and noble +river. + +"It is impossible to describe the effect of so instantaneous a change +upon us. The boats were allowed to drift along at pleasure, and such was +the force with which we had been shot out of the Morumbidgee, that we +were carried nearly to the bank opposite its embouchure, whilst we +continued to gaze in silent astonishment on the capacious channel we had +entered; and when we looked for that by which we had been led into it, we +could hardly believe that the insignificant gap that presented itself to +us was indeed the termination of the beautiful and noble stream whose +course we had thus successfully followed." + + +Sturt had now succeeded beyond his hopes--his bold adventure had been +rewarded even sooner than he could have expected. He felt assured that at +last he floated on the stream destined to bear him to the sea. The key to +the river system of the south-east portion of the continent was in his +grasp, and all former fallacies and fanciful theories were answered for +good. The voyage down the Murray, as this river was named, after Sir +George Murray, then the bead of the Colonial Department, now continued +free from some of the difficulties that had beset them in the +Morumbidgee. The natives again made their appearance, and were constantly +seen every day, some betraying great timidity, others appearing more +curious than frightened. Four of these natives accompanied them for two +days, during which time the explorers narrowly suffered wreck in a rapid +in the river. + +They now approached the confluence of the Darling, although of course +they were not then able to verify the supposition that it was their old +friend, and at this point one of the most singular adventures ever +narrated in the intercourse with native tribes happened. + +The wind was fair, and with the sail set, the boat was making rapid way +when, at the termination of a long reach, they observed a line of +magnificent trees, of green and dense foliage. A large number of blacks +were here assembled, and apparently with no friendly intentions, armed, +painted, and shouting defiance. Anxious to avert hostilities, Sturt +steered straight for them, thinking to make friends; but when almost too +close to avoid a meeting, he could see that the matter was serious. The +blacks had their spears poised for throwing, and their women were behind +with a fresh supply. The sail was lowered and the helm put about, and the +boat passed down the stream, the natives running along the bank, keeping +pace with them, shouting and attempting to take aim. + +To add to their danger the river shoaled rapidly, and a sandspit appeared +ahead, projecting nearly two thirds of the way across the channel, and on +this spit the blacks now gathered with tremendous uproar, evidently +determined to make an assault on the boat as she ran the gauntlet through +the narrow passage. Amongst the four blacks who had accompanied them for +two days was one of superior personal strength and stature. These men had +left the camp of the whites the night before, and it was believing in +their presence in the crowd before them that led Sturt to disregard the +hostile demonstrations. + +A battle now seemed inevitable. Arms were distributed to the crew, and +orders given how to act when the emergency arose. + +We will let Sturt tell his own story:-- + + +"The men assured me they would follow my instructions, and thus prepared, +having already lowered the sail, we drifted onwards with the current. As +we neared the sand-bank, I stood up and made signs to the natives to +desist, but without success. I took up my gun, therefore, and cocking it, +had already brought it down to a level; a few seconds more would have +closed the life of the nearest savage. The distance was too trifling for +me to doubt the fatal effects of the discharge; for I was determined to +take deadly aim, in hopes that the fall of one man might save the lives +of many. But at the very moment when my hand was on the trigger, and my +eye was along the barrel, my purpose was checked by M'Leay, who called to +me that another party of blacks had made their appearance upon the left +bank of the river. Turning round, I observed four men at the top of their +speed. The foremost of them, as soon as he got ahead of the boat, threw +himself from a considerable height into the water. He struggled across +the channel to the sandbank, and in an incredibly short space of time +stood in front of the savage, against whom my aim had been directed. +Seizing him by the throat, he pushed him backwards, and forcing all who +were in the water upon the bank, he trod its margin with a vehemence and +an agitation that were exceedingly striking. At one moment pointing to +the boat, at another shaking his clenched hand in the faces of the most +forward, and stamping with passion on the sand; his voice, that was at +first distinct, was lost in hoarse murmurs. Two of the four natives +remained on the left bank of the river, the third followed his leader +(who proved to be the remarkable savage I have previously noticed) to the +scene of action. The reader will imagine our feelings on this occasion; +it is impossible to describe them. We were so wholly lost in interest at +the scene that was passing, that the boat was allowed to drift at +pleasure. + +"We were again aroused to action by the boat suddenly striking upon a +shoal, which reached from one side of the river to the other. To jump out +and push her into deep water was but the work of a moment with the men, +and it was just as she floated again that our attention was withdrawn to +a new and beautiful stream, coming apparently from the north. . . . A +party of about seventy blacks were upon the right bank of the newly +discovered river, and I thought that by landing amongst them I might make +a diversion in favour of our late guest, and in this I succeeded. The +blacks no sooner observed that we had landed than curiosity took the +place of anger. All wrangling ceased, and they came swimming over to us +like a parcels of seals . . . It was not until after we had returned to +the boat, and had surveyed the multitude on the sloping bank above us +that we became fully aware of the extent of our danger, and of the almost +miraculous intervention of Providence in our favour. There could not have +been less than six hundred natives upon that blackened sward." + + +After presenting their friend who had acted so effectively on their +behalf, and whose energetic conduct and prompt interference to preserve +peace is unparalleled in native annals, with suitable gifts and refusing +them to the other chiefs, the boat's crew proceeded to examine the new +river they had discovered at such a critical moment. + +Pulling easily up for a short distance they found it preserved a breadth +of one hundred yards, and a depth of rather more than twelve feet, The +banks were sloping and grassy, crowned with fine trees, and the men +exclaimed that they had got into an English river. + +To Sturt himself the moment was a supreme one; was it, or was it not that +mysterious Darling, whose course through the far interior had been a +subject of speculation ever since its discovery? He felt sure that it +was. + + +"An irresistible conviction impressed me that we were now sailing on the +bosom of that very stream from whose banks I had been twice forced to +retire. I directed the Union jack to be hoisted, and giving way to our +satisfaction we all stood up in the boat and gave three distinct cheers. +It was an English feeling, an ebullition, an overflow, which I am ready +to admit that our circumstances and situation will alone excuse. The eve +of every native had been fixed upon that noble flag, at all times a +beautiful object, and to them a novel one, as it waved over us in the +heart of the desert. They had until that moment been particularly +loquacious, but the sight of that flag and the sound of our voices hushed +the tumult, and while they were still lost in astonishment, the boat's +head was turned, the sail was sheeted home, both wind and current were in +our favour, and we vanished from them with a rapidity that surprised even +ourselves, and which precluded every hope of the most adventurous among +them to keep up with us." + + +Once Pore down the now united streams of the Murray and the Darling the +party made rapid progress, landing occasionally to inspect the country, +but finding always a boundless flat on either side of them. + +Provisions now began to get scarce with them, the barrels of salt pork +that had been in the skiff when she sank in the Morumbidgee had their +contents damaged by the admission of the fresh water. The fish, though +abundant, were more than unattractive to their palates, and the men took +no trouble to set the night lines. The strictest economy had, therefore, +to become the order of the day. The skiff being only a drag to them, she +was broken up, and burnt for the sake of the nails and iron-work. + +On the 24th of January, the whale-boat continued its voyage alone, and +the record from day to day was only broken by their intercourse with the +different tribes, with whom a regular system of communication was now +established. Deputies were sent ahead, from one tribe to another, to +prepare them for the visit of the strangers. These deputies, by cutting +off the numerous bends of the river, were enabled to travel much quicker +than did Sturt, frequently doing easily in one day what it took the boat +two to accomplish. Their black friends were, however, becoming rather a +nuisance; little or no information could be obtained from them, and the +constant handling and embracing, which they had from policy to submit to, +became horribly distasteful to all of them, particularly as Sturt +describes all the tribes he met with as being beyond the average filthily +dirty, and eaten up with skin diseases. + +On the 25th, the wanderers thought they sighted a range to the N.W., and +the blacks confirmed it, pointing in that direction when Hopkinson piled +up some clay in imitation of mountains. + +On the 29th, the leader calculated that they were still one hundred and +fifteen miles from the coast, and as they had been now twenty-two days on +the river, their return began to be a matter for serious thought. From +what he saw of the country, Sturt imagined that it was, for the most +part, barren and sandy, and would never be utilised. But, of course, he +had little or no opportunities, travelling as he did, of forming a +correct judgment. + +The cliffs on the river bank now showed fossilized sea shells in their +strata; chains of hills, too, became visible, and one of the natives, +[This old native, after the settlement of the country, was shot in cold +blood by one of the South Australian police.] an old man who had taken a +strange fancy to Hopkinson, described the roaring of the sea and the +height of the waves, showing that he had visited the coast. None, it may +be certain, were more glad than the leader to hear of their proximity, +for his thoughts were always busy with the failing condition of his men, +and the accumulating difficulties of his return. + +True, it had been partly arranged that a vessel should proceed to the +south coast, but Sturt had little hope of meeting her, even if one had +been sent. The frequent bends in the river greatly delayed their advance, +but they were cheered by the flight of sea-gulls over their heads. The +river, too, widened day after day, and a constant strong wind from the +S.W., raised a chopping sea that almost stopped their way; the blacks they +met all assured them that the ocean was at hand. On the 9th February, +Sturt landing to examine the country, saw before him the lake that +terminated the Murray. He had reached his goal, thirty-three days after +separating from his party, at the Morumbidgee. Crossing the lake the +little band landed on the southern shore, and ascertained that the +communication between it and the sea was impracticable on account of its +extreme shallowness; they found their position to be in Encounter Bay, +east of Spencer's Gulf, and from what they saw it was evident that no +ship could enter it during the prevalence of the S.W. winds. All hope of +a safe return centred in themselves. The thunder of the surf, that they +had so longed for, brought no message of succour, but rather warned the +lonely men to hasten back, while yet some strength remained to them; and +above all they were surrounded by hostile blacks. Sturt had now a +terrible task before him. His men were weakened and on half rations; +there was every probability that the fickle natives might be troublesome +on their homeward route, and worst of all they would have to fight the +steady current of the river the whole way; nor would their spirits be +cheered by any hope of novelty or discovery. Under these gloomy auspices +Sturt re-entered the Murray on his return on the 13th February. + +The homeward journey is simply a record of unrelaxed toil day after day, +Sturt and M'Leay taking their turn at the oar like the rest; added to +which the blacks gave them far more trouble than before. At the fall +above the junction of the Darling they once more met the friend who had +saved them from coming into conflict with the natives on the 24th +January; he and some of his tribe assisted them to get the boat up the +rapids. On the 20th of March they reached the camp on the Morumbidgee +from whence they had started, but it was now abandoned, and the hope that +the relief party had pushed down there to meet them was destroyed; there +was nothing for it but to pull on, but human nature was rapidly giving +way; the men though falling asleep at their oars never grumbled, but +worked steadily, if moodily, faithful to their duty to the last. Then the +river rose, and for days they struggled vainly against it. One man went +mad, and had to be relieved from the oars. At last, when ninety miles +from Pontebadgery, the place where Sturt believed the relief party to be +camped, he determined to dispatch two men for provisions and await their +return. + +After six days, when the last ounce of flour had been served out, the men +came back with horses and drays, and all trouble was at an end. This was +on the 18th April, eighty-eight days after their departure from the +depôt, during which they had voyaged two thousand miles. + +This expedition, from whatever light it is regarded, either as the most +important contribution ever made to Australian geography, or as an +example of most wonderful endurance, and patient heroism is equally one +of the most glorious records in this history. The leader and his men were +alike worthy of each other. + +We have now had in review the opinion of many men on the future of the +great interior, and seen how they all alike predicted for it barrenness +and desolation. Even the satisfaction that Sturt felt at accomplishing +the descent of the Murray was qualified by a consideration of the +valueless country it flowed through. The question will naturally be +asked, how could men of such ability and more than average shrewdness +make such a gross mistake as the succeeding years have proved their +opinion to be? The principal reason will be found in their want of +experience in witnessing the development and improvement of land by +stocking, and their ignorance of the value of the vegetation they +condemned as worthless. Hume was the only man amongst them exceptionally +fitted by training to judge of the capability of the land, and we do not +often get at his direct opinion, nor is it likely that, with the memory +of the green meadow lands and sparkling waters of the Morumbidgee fresh +in his mind, it would be a very favourable one. Oxley and Sturt both +wrote smarting under disappointment, and both had been suddenly +confronted with a new and strange experience which they could associate +with nothing but the idea of a desert. That all this seemingly desolate +waste should one day have a distinctive value of its own was what they +could hardly dream of. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + + +Settlement at King George's Sound--The free colony of Swan River +founded--Governor Stirling--Captain Bannister crosses from Perth to King +George's Sound--Explorations by Lieutenant Roe--Disappointing nature of +the interior--Bunbury, Wilson, and Moore--Settlement on the North +Coast--Melville Island and Raffles Bay--An escaped convict's story--The +fabulous Kindur River--Major Mitchell starts in search of it--Discovery +of the Namoi--The Nundawar Range--Failure of the boats--Reach the Gwydir +River of Cunningham--The KARAULA--Its identity with the Darling--Murder +of the two bullock-drivers--Mitchell's return--Murder of Captain Barker +in Encounter Bay--Major Mitchell's second expedition to trace the course +of the Darling--Traces the Bogan to its junction with that river--Fort +Bourke--Progress down the river--Hostility of the natives--Skirmish with +them--Return--Mitchell's third expedition--The Lachlan followed--Junction +of the Darling and the Murray reached--Mitchell's discovery of Australia +Felix. + + +During the time that Oxley, Sturt, and Hume had been tracing out and +painfully discovering the watershed of the Murray, a settlement had been +formed at King George's Sound, in Western Australia, and some slight +attempts at exploration made, but of inconsiderable extent. The +settlement was entrusted to Major Lockyer, who was succeeded by Captain +Barker, destined to meet a violent death at the mouth of the Murray. In +1828, Captain Stirling, in the SUCCESS, visited the coast, and made a +close examination of the Swan River. He was accompanied by Frazer the +botanist, who had now been present at the opening of a great deal of new +country. Stirling's report was a favourable one, and the Home Government +determined to form a free colony there. In 1831, we find a communication +to the Colonial Government, notifying that the ISABELLA be dispatched to +Hobart Town, to bring up a detachment of the 63rd regiment to relieve +those of the 39th, at King George's Sound. Also, directing the withdrawal +from the present settlement of both prisoners and troops. + +Stirling was then appointed Lieutenant-Governor, and to induce +immigration and settlement, the colonists were promised land in +proportion to the capital they brought into the country, and for every +labourer they brought out they received two hundred acres of land +additional. + +At first, the prospects of this new colony seemed most hopeful, +exploration was pushed out to the eastward for one hundred miles, as far +as Mount Stirling, and northward for some sixty miles or so, and the +country discovered gave every promise of being fitted for both pasture +and agriculture. + +Captain Bannister made a trip in 1831 from Perth, the new settlement, to +the old one of King George's Sound; and, although he made no important +discoveries, he passed through fairly available country nearly the whole +of the way. + +For some reason or other, however, a period of stagnation set in, and +little more was done in the way of exploring until Lieutenant Grey took +the field in 1837. In this new settlement, so entirely opposed to Port +Jackson in situation, no difficulties of any magnitude were experienced +in passing the coast range, as had been the great obstacle of the early +explorers in New South Wales. Unfortunately, however, the comparatively +lower altitude of the Darling Range led to there being no such flow of +water inland as even those disappointing rivers the Macquarie and Lachlan +had afforded. Consequently, exploration and the ensuing occupation were, +as in the parent colony, strictly confined to the immediate neighbourhood +of the township, to the Swan River, and its tributaries, the Avon and the +Canning. + +Lieutenant Roe attempted several journeys to the eastward, and discovered +many salt lakes on the tableland of the interior. Messrs. Bunbury, +Wilson, and Moore made other explorations, more or less succeeding in the +purposes they had in view; but they all embraced so small an area, and so +little details have been preserved, that they cannot take any important +rank in the history of continental explorations. + +During the twenties another settlement had been formed on the northern +coast of Australia; but one not destined to drag out a very long +existence. + +Captain Gordon Bremer, in the TAMAR, accompanied by two transports, +sailed through Torres Straits and anchored in Port Essington, in 1824. +The port was, however, at that time condemned as a site for a settlement, +the supply of fresh water did not come up to expectations, and the dry +months of the year had set in. Bremer sailed for Melville Island, one of +twin islands lying off the coast. These islands, Melville and Bathurst, +are separated from each other by a narrow strait that Captain King, the +discoverer, mistook for a river. On Melville Island a favourable site +with abundance of fresh water was found, and the usual routine of taking +possession and forming an encampment gone through, and for a time things +seemed to prosper; the soil of the island is good, and tropical fruits +would flourish with little trouble; but hostilities commenced with the +blacks, sickness broke out, and in 1829 it was determined to abandon the +settlement, and since that date no attempt has been made to colonise this +island, although it is now stocked with the increase of the buffaloes +left behind by the TAMAR'S people. + +Fort Wellington, in Raffles Bay, founded in 1826, fared no better, +although controlled during its last year by the gifted and unfortunate +Captain Barker. A blight of stagnation seemed in those days to hang over +all attempts at settlement in the tropical regions, and in three years' +time Fort Wellington was abandoned, and with it the northern coast. + +Once more we must turn our attention to the southern watershed of the +Darling, and the additional links of discovery in the great network of +its tributaries. + +Rumour, always busy with tales of the unknown interior, now spread a +story of a mysterious river called the Kindur, running to the north-west. +A runaway convict named Clarke, alias "the barber," brought the story up +first. He said that he had long heard of the river from the natives, and +at last determined to make his escape and follow it down to see if it +would lead him to any other country. He, therefore, took to the bush, and +started on this adventurous trip. The imaginative and highly-coloured +fabrication that he related on his return, was probably invented in order +to save his back, but at any rate it was plausible enough to induce the +Government to dispatch an expedition to investigate the matter. This was +his story. He started from Liverpool Plains, and followed a river called +by the natives the GNAMOI or NAMMOY, into which he said that Oxley's +river Peel flowed. Crossing this he struck another river, the KINDUR, and +down this stream he travelled no less than four hundred miles before it +was joined by the GNAMOI. Nothing daunted he stuck to the KINDUR, which +was broad and navigable, flowing through level country and spreading into +occasional lakes, until at last he reached the sea, but he acknowledged +that he had lost his reckoning, and whether it was five hundred or five +thousand miles he went he could not truthfully say, but he was as quite +sure upon one point, that he had never travelled south of west. + +When at the mouth of the river he ascended a hill and looked out to sea +where he saw an island, inhabited, the natives told him, by +copper-coloured men who came in large canoes to the mainland for scented +wood. In addition he introduced various details of large plains, BALYRAN, +that he had crossed, and a burning mountain named COURADA. As he saw no +prospect of getting away from Australia, Clarke decided on returning. + +This wild tale, and the expedition it led to, brings on the scene one of +the most noted figures of the past, Oxley's successor, Surveyor-General +Major Mitchell. + +The Acting-Governor, Sir Patrick Lindesay, decided on sending out an +expedition to find out the truth of this story, thinking that, at any +rate, it would lead to the exploration of a great deal of new country. +Accordingly, Major Mitchell received instructions to take charge of the +party, and on the 21St of November, 1831, took his departure from +Liverpool Plains. On the 15th of December, he came to the Peel, and +crossing Oxley's Hardwicke Range, reached the Namoi River on the 16th. +After penetrating some distance into a range, which he called the +Nundawar Range, he made back for the Namoi, and proceeded to set up the +canvas boats he had with him, intending to try to follow the river in +them. His attempt was fruitless, one of the boats was soon snagged, and +it became evident that it would be much easier to follow the Namoi on +horseback. Leaving the river, after passing the range he had vainly tried +to cross, Mitchell, on the 9th of January, 1832, came to the river Gwydir +of Cunningham. Turning to the westward the party followed this river down +for eighty miles, when he again returned to his northern course, and came +to the largest river he had yet found. This was called, by the natives, +the KARAULA, and Mitchell descended it until convinced, by its southern +course and the junction of the Gwydir, that he was on the upper part of +Sturt's Darling. + +As the junction of the Namoi could not be far distant, Mitchell had thus +laid down the course and direction of these two large rivers, although he +had as yet seen nothing of the object of his search, the Kindur. + +He now prepared to move once more to the north, anxious to find a river +that did not belong to the Darling system. As, however, he was on the +point of starting, he was overtaken by his assistant-surveyor, Finch, who +was bringing on additional supplies, with the disastrous news that the +blacks had attacked his camp during a temporary absence, murdered the two +men, robbed the supplies, and dispersed the cattle. This misfortune put +a stop to the progress of the party. They returned, and having buried +the bodies of the victims, but failed to find the murderers, made their +way back to the settled districts. + +This journey of Major Mitchell's helped greatly to work out the courses +of the rivers crossed by Oxley, and more especially those discovered by +Cunningham during his trip to the Darling Downs. Mitchell travelled, as +it were, a more inland but parallel track, crossing the rivers much lower +down. Thus the Field River of Oxley is the NAMOI of Mitchell, +Cunningham's Gwydir is recognised by the Surveyor-General, and is +probably the mythical KINDUR or KEINDER, whilst the last found river, +Mitchell's KARAULA, is formed by the junction of Cunningham's Dumaresque +and Condamine. + +When we add to this the discovery of the Drummond Range, Mitchell's first +contribution to Australian geography was sufficiently important. + +This year, 1832, was marked by the murder of Captain Barker, already +mentioned as in turn Commandant of Fort Wellington and King George's +Sound. He was returning from the latter place, after handing over charge +to Captain Stirling, and on his way home landed on the eastern shore of +St. Vincent's Gulf, to see if the waters of Lake Alexandrina, the +termination of the Murray, had an outlet in the Gulf. Being unsuccessful +he crossed the range and paid a visit to the lake. Anxious to obtain some +bearings, he swam across the channel connecting the lake with the sea in +order to ascend the sandhills on the opposite side. His companions +watched him take several bearings from the top of the hill, descend out +of view on the other side, and he was never seen again. One of the +sealers from Kangaroo Island interrogated the blacks by means of a native +woman of the island, who could speak broken English, and her account was +that Barker met three natives as he descended the sand dune, who attacked +and speared him, unarmed and naked as he was, and then cast his body in +the breakers. These natives were of the same tribes that showed such +determined hostility to Sturt when he first found the lake. + +Although Sturt himself felt confident that the junction of the Murray and +Darling were satisfactorily proved by what he saw on his famous boat +excursion, he had not convinced all of the public. Major Mitchell, for +one, had an entirely different theory on the subject embracing the +existence of a. dividing range between the Macquarie and Lachlan rivers +which would entirely preclude the Darling and Murray from joining. +Time, however, proved that Sturt's instinct had not been at fault when +on reaching the junction of the two rivers in his whale-boat, he felt +convinced that he there saw the outflow of his old friend, the Darling. + +It must be remembered that the explorations conducted by Major Mitchell +were also surveys, superintended by him as Surveyor-General, which will +partly explain the presence of the large body of men and equipage which +it was his custom to take with him. The roll call of the members of one +of his expeditions reads like that of an invading army. [See Appendix.] + +In order to get some additional information concerning the elevated +country that Oxley had noticed to the westward between the Lachlan and +the Macquarie (on which slight foundation Major Mitchell had built his +theory of the two rivers running through distinctly different basins), +Mr. Dixon was sent out in 1833. This gentleman, however, for some reason +did not adhere to his instructions; he followed down the Macquarie for +some distance and crossed to the Bogan (Sturt's New Year's Creek), then +running strong, and having followed that river for sixty-seven miles, +returned to Bathurst; nothing new nor important came of this expedition. + +In March, 1833, the party formed under the superintendence of the +Surveyor-General left Parramatta to travel by easy stages to Buree, where +they were to be overtaken by their leader. The list of the members is a +long one. We who live in the days of well-equipped small parties, +composed of reliable, experienced men only, would feel considerably +handicapped with such a retinue. In addition to Major Mitchell, Richard +Cunningham, botanist (brother to Allan Cunningham), and Mr. Larmer, +assistant surveyor, there were twenty-one men; carpenters, bullock +drivers, blacksmith, shoemaker, &c. + +While still on the outskirts of settlement, an unhappy fate overtook +Cunningham, the botanist. Leaving the party, doubtless on some scientific +quest, during the morning of the 17th of April, whilst they were pushing +over a dry stage to the Bogan River, he lost his way, and was never seen +again. + +A long and painful search was immediately instituted for the missing man, +but unfortunately, through some accident, his tracks were overlooked on +the third day, and it was not until the 23rd of the month that the +footsteps were found. Mr. Larmer and three men were sent with an ample +supply of provisions to follow the tracks until they found Cunningham, +alive or dead. Three days later they returned, having found the horse he +had ridden, dead, with the saddle and bridle still on. Mitchell returned +to the search once more; the lost man's trail was again picked up, and he +was tracked to the Bogan River. They there met with some blacks who had +seen the white man's track in the bed of the river, and made the +searchers understand that he had gone to the west with the "Myall" [Wild +blacks who had not visited the settlements.] blackfellows. + +All hope of finding him alive was now almost abandoned, but the pursuit +was continued until May 5th, when the men brought back tidings that they +had followed his tracks to where it disappeared near some recent fires +where many natives had been encamped. Close to one of these fires they +found a portion of the skirt or selvage of Cunningham's coat, numerous +small fragments of his map of the colony, and, in the hollow of a tree, +some yellow printed paper in which he used to carry the map. His fate was +afterwards ascertained from the blacks. [ See Appendix.] + +As is unfortunately so usual in these cases, Cunningham had, by wandering +in eccentric and contradictory courses, accelerated his fate, by +rendering the work of the tracking party so much more tedious and +difficult. Had he, on finding how absolutely he was astray, remained at +the first water he reached, he would have been found. + +Having done all that man could do to find his lost friend, and even +jeopardised the final success of his own expedition by the long delay of +fourteen days, Mitchell resumed his journey by easy stages down the +Bogan, and on the 25th of May reached the Darling, which was at once +recognised by all the former members of the party as the "Karaula," from +the peculiar attributes that characterised it. On tasting the water, they +were agreeably surprised to find it fresh and sweet. The state of the +country now was very different from what it was when Sturt was forced to +retreat. With that explorer's graphic account of the barren solitude that +he met with, fresh in the reader's memory, let him contrast it with what +Mitchell writes, remembering that one was encamped beside a salt stream, +and the latter writer beside a fresh water river. + + +"We were extremely fortunate, however, in the place to which the bounteous +hand of Providence had led us. Abundance of pasture, indeed such +excellent grass as we had not seen in the whole journey, covered the fine +forest ground on the bank of the river. There were four kinds, but the +cattle appeared to relish most a strong species of AUTHISTIRIA, or +kangaroo grass." + + +Finding the place eligible in every respect for the formation of a depôt, +a stockade of logs was erected and the encampment christened Fort Bourke. + +The boats were launched, but the navigation of the river was found to be +impeded by shallow rapids, so the party returned to Fort Bourke, and +Mitchell with four men made an excursion down the river to the point +where Sturt and Hume turned back. D'Urbans group was also 'Visited, and +bearings taken to whatever elevations were in sight. On returning to the +depôt the camp was broken up and the whole party started down the Darling +(the CALLA-WATTA of the natives) on the 8th June. During their progress +they found the tree marked H. H. by Hume, at Sturt's limit, and they now +noticed that in places the river water was salt or brackish. On the 11th +of July, after following the course of the river for three hundred miles, +and ascertaining beyond all doubt that it must be identical with the +junction in the Murray, noticed by Captain Sturt, Mitchell determined to +return; the unvarying sameness of the country they had travelled over +holding forth no hope of any important discovery being made, in the space +intervening between their lowest camp and Sturt's junction. The natives, +too, had been an incessant cause of annoyance to them; robbing the camp +at every opportunity, and keeping the leader in constant anxiety for the +safety of any of the members of his party, whom duty compelled to leave +the main body. On the very day, almost at the very hour, when Mitchell +made up his mind to return, the first hostile collision between the two +races occurred; a collision which had only been hitherto averted by the +admirable patience of the Major and his men. On the 29th June, he +wrote:-- + + +"I never saw such unfavourable specimens of the aborigines as these +children of the smoke, [Referring to their constant habit of burning the +grass.] they were so barbarously and implacably hostile, and shamelessly +dishonest, and so little influenced by reason that the more they saw of +our superior weapons and means of defence, the more they showed their +hatred and tokens of defiance." + + +On the morning of this day, when he had settled in his own mind the +futility of further progress, two of the men were away at the river, and +five of the the bullock drivers were also at another bend, collecting +their cattle. One of the blacks whom they had nick-named King Peter tried +to snatch the kettle of water from the hand of the man who was carrying +it; and on being resisted he struck him senseless with his nulla-nulla. +The companion of the wounded man shot King Peter in the groin, and his +majesty tumbled into the river and swam across. The tribe now advanced +against them, and two shots were fired in self defence, one of which +accidentally wounded a gin. Three men from the camp hearing the firing came +up, and one more native was shot, who was preparing to spear one of the +men. The natives retreating, the men went in search of the +bullock-drivers, whom they found endeavouring to raise a bogged bullock: +their timely arrival probably saved these men's lives, as they were +unarmed and unprepared. + +War being thus declared, a careful watch was kept up, but no attack was +made, and the explorers departed unmolested. + +In speaking of this skirmish, Mitchell, seemingly worked up to a +sentimental pitch by hearing some gins crying out across the river in the +night time, says:-- + + +"It was then that I regretted most bitterly the inconsiderate conduct of +some of the men. I was indeed liable to pay dear for geographical +discovery, when my honour and character were delivered over to convicts, +on whom, although I might confide as to courage, I could not always rely +for humanity." + + +By his own account, as given above, the affray was provoked by the +blacks, who compelled the men to use their weapons to save their own +lives; the reflections then, on their humanity, and the danger in which +his character stood in consequence, are slightly out of place. + +The travellers now retraced their steps, and beyond the delays caused by +some of the bullocks knocking up, their return journey to Fort Bourke was +unmarked by anything of interest. From Fort Bourke they returned, partly +along their outward track, to the head of the Bogan, and reached a +newly-formed cattle station belonging to Mr. Lee, of Bathurst, on the 9th +of September. + +The great fact added to the geographical knowledge of Australia by the +successful termination of this trip, was the identity of the Darling with +the KARAULA on the north, and with Sturt's Murray junction on the south. +It was now satisfactorily settled that this river was the channel that +received all the tributary streams flowing westward--so far north, at any +rate, as Cunningham's researches had extended, and that therefore their +final outlet was in Lake Alexandrina, and the idea of a river winding +through the interior to the north-west coast had to be finally +relinquished. + +This journey of Mitchell's was also instrumental in somewhat palliating +the view held of the uninhabitable nature of the far interior; although +the true character of the country had yet to be learnt and appreciated. +His stay on the banks of the Darling at least lifted from those plains +the stigma of a grassless, naked waste, intersected by a river of brine. + +Mitchell, too, was a keen observer of the habits and customs of the +blacks, he was remarkably quick at detecting tribal differences and +distinctions, and his record of his intercourse with them, which occupies +so large a portion of his journals, was interesting then, when so little +had been written on the subject, and is interesting now as the account of +the white man's first incursions into the hunting ground of a fast +vanishing race. + +Mitchell's next expedition took place in 1836, in the month of March. As +before, it was to be more of a connecting survey, confirming and +verifying previous discoveries, than a fresh departure into an utterly +new region; but it turned out to be productive of the most important +results. + +The Surveyor-General was informed that the survey of the Darling was to +be completed with the least possible delay, that having returned to the +point where his last journey terminated, he was to trace the Darling into +the Murray, and crossing his party over that river by means of his boats, +follow it up, and regain the colony somewhere at Yass Plains. This +programme was, however, departed from in many ways. + +The new ground broken by Mitchell would thus be the Murray River above +the junction with the Morumbidgee or Murrumbidgee, as it was now called, +and it was supposed that he would be able to identify it with the Hume +River of the explorer of that name. + +A long continued drought was in full force when Mitchell commenced his +preparations; horses and bullocks in good condition were in consequence +hard to obtain; but no expense was spared by the Government in providing +the animals required. On reaching Bathurst, he was informed that even the +Lachlan was dry. + +In spite of the state of the weather and country, Major Mitchell departed +in high spirits. He writes:-- + + +"I remembered that exactly that morning, twenty-four years before, I had +marched down the glacis of Elvas to the tune of 'St. Patrick's Day in the +Morning,' as the sun rose over the beleagured towers of Badajoz. Now, +without any of the 'pride, pomp, and circumstances of glorious war,' I +was proceeding on a service not very likely to be peaceful, for the +natives here assured me that the myalls were coming up 'murry coola' +[Very angry.] to meet us." + + +On March 17th, 1836, this start took place, but it was not until the end +of the month that he reached the limit of the cattle stations, and then +he was at the point where Oxley had left the river and turned south to +avoid the flooded marshes. Oxley wrote of a country that no living thing +would stop in if it could possibly get away; twenty years afterwards, +Mitchell writes of the same place:-- + + +"In no district have I seen cattle so numerous as all along the Lachlan, +and, notwithstanding the very dry season, they are nearly all in good +condition." + + +As might have been expected, he followed down the Lachlan riding dry-shod +over the swamps and flats that had barred Oxley's progress, and finding +his lakes only green and grassy plains. Such had been the effect of the +exceptional season during which the late Surveyor-General had conducted +his explorations, that the country, save for the few land-marks afforded +by the hills here and there, could scarcely be recognised from his +description. Mitchell seems to have been strongly imbued with two leading +ideas, one being the existence of well-defined mountain chains in the +interior, forming systematic watersheds in a country where we now know +there is no system; the other that former explorers, however reliable +they might have been in their main facts, were quite at sea in any +deductions they had drawn from them, and that his theories would be +confirmed to their discomfiture. + +The Surveyor-General had with him as second on this trip, Mr. Stapylton, +a surveyor, and his company consisted of Burnett, the overseer, and +twenty-two men, some of whom had been with him before. + +For some reason or other he seemed particularly anxious to upset Sturt's +positive belief that the junction of the large river with the Murray +discovered by him, was the confluence of the Darling and the Murray. +During his journey down the Lachlan he returns to this idea again, and +his remarks are decidedly inconsistent with his former statements. On +turning back from following the Darling down, his words were:-- + + +"The identity of this river with that which had been seen to enter the +Murray, now admitted of little doubt, and the continuation of the survey +to that point was scarcely an object worth the peril likely to attend +it." + + +On the Lachlan, he writes:-- + + +"I considered it necessary now to ascertain, if possible, and before the +heavy part of our equipment moved further, whether the Lachlan actually +joined the Murrumbidgee near the point where Mr. Oxley saw its waters +covering the country, or whether it pursued a course so much more to the +westward, as to have been taken for the Darling by Captain Sturt. Should +I succeed in reaching the Lachlan at about sixty miles west of my camp, I +might be satisfied that it was this river which Captain Sturt mistook for +the Darling, and then I might seek that river by crossing the range on +the north. Whereas, should I find sufficient reason to believe that the +Darling would join the Murray, I might continue my journey down the +Lachlan until I reduced the distance across to the Darling as much as the +scarcity of water might render necessary." + + +On the whole, then, Mitchell did not seem inclined to give Sturt any +credit for his discovery, until he had actually seen the two rivers +unite, and there could no longer be any room for doubt on the subject. + +A long excursion to the westward for some days, resulted in nothing but +thirsty nights, and having finally to turn back from country bounded only +by an unbroken horizon. The descent of the Lachlan was continued, and on +May 5th, they reached Oxley's lowest point on the river, where he had +given up the quest as hopeless amid the shallow, stagnant lagoons that +then covered the face of the country. The tree marked by Oxley himself +was not found, it having been, as was ascertained, burnt down by the +blacks, and the bottle buried by him, broken by a child. Two trees were +seen marked respectively W.W. and I.W., 1817. This was the place where +Oxley left the river the second time, after his fruitless trip to the +south, and from here he struck across to the Macquarie. + +Through level plains and by the beds of erstwhile lakes, the course of +the river continued, and as the party proceeded they found it abundantly +watered. From his intercourse with the native inhabitants, Mitchell was +now convinced that the Lachlan or Kalare would soon join the +Murrumbidgee, so that when on the 12th May he suddenly found himself on +the banks of a river that he thought surpassed all the Australian rivers +he had yet seen, he was not surprised. + +Soon afterwards, as the Major was anxious not to encumber himself with +all his heavy waggons to the junction of the Darling, as he would have to +return again, a depôt was formed, and the men divided. Mitchell, with a +lightly equipped party following down the river, leaving Stapylton in +charge of the camp. + +In a short time the advance party came to the Murray, and immediately +found themselves amongst their former enemies of the Darling, who hearing +of their approach, through the medium of other tribes, had come a +distance of over two hundred miles to settle the old score between them. +At first a kind of hollow truce was maintained, but this evidently could +not last long; for two days the natives followed the explorers, seeking +to cut off any stragglers; making the work of gathering and minding the +cattle and horses one of considerable danger. + +At last Mitchell was convinced that he must read them a lesson, or lose +some of his men, and have to fight his way back, with the whole country +roused. Half the party were then sent back, under the overseer, to +conceal themselves in the scrub and allow the natives to pass on in +pursuit of the tracks; this ambuscade, however, was scented out by the +dogs accompanying the blacks, and the natives halted, poising their +spears. One of the men hastily fired, and a retreat was made for the bank +of the river by the blacks. The scrub party followed them up firing, and +no sooner did those in advance hear the sound of the shots, than they +rushed down to join in the fray, leaving the black boy's gin the sole +protector of the drays, and equipment. On his return, the Major found her +standing erect at the head of the leading horse, with a drawn sword over +her shoulder. + +Her appearance was, above all, both laughable and interesting. She was a +tall, gaunt woman, with one disfigured eye, and her attitude, as she +stood there with the naked weapon in her hand, faithful guard of all +their belongings, was a picture that Mitchell did not soon forget. + +The fight was soon over; in a very short space of time the over-confident +warriors of the interior were driven ignominously across the river with +the loss of seven braves. This, after invading the territory of a +friendly tribe in order to provoke a battle with the whites, and boasting +that formerly they had driven them back from the Darling, was a blow that +they could not get over, and the result was that the whites were not +again molested. It turned out that this pugnacious tribe was the same +that threatened Sturt at the Darling junction, when the energetic +interference of one man was so effectual. This remarkable savage, it +seems, was dead and his influence lost. + +On the 31st May, Mitchell struck the Darling some distance above the +junction, and traced its course upwards a short way, until he again felt +convinced that it was the same river that he had been on before, He +returned and examined the junction, which he says he recognised from the +view given in Captain Sturt's work [Note, end of paragraph] and the +adjacent localities described by him. Full of anxiety for the safety of +his depôt, and considering that he had done enough to verify the outflow +of the Darling, he at once started up the Murray, and was happily +relieved by finding his camp in perfect quiet and safety. + +[Note Captain Sturt, writing in 1848, and speaking of Major Mitchell's +expedition, says:--"In due time he came to the disputed junction, which +he tells us he recognised from its resemblance to a drawing of it in my +first work. As I have since been on the spot, I am sorry to say that it +is not at all like the place, because it obliges me to reject the only +praise Sir Thomas Mitchell ever gave me." The original sketch of the +junction having been lost, Sturt, who was nearly blind at the time of the +publication of his work, got the assistance of a friend, who drew it from +his verbal description.] + +First fixing the junction of the Murray and Murrumbidgee, the boats were +launched, and the whole of the party crossed the Murray, and the journey +up the southern bank commenced. On the 20th of June, they reached Swan +Hill and camped at the foot of it. The country was in every way +desirable, and the progress of the party was unchecked. On the 8th of +July, the Loddon was discovered and named, and on the 10th, the Avoca. +Mitchell was now convinced that he had found the Eden of Australia, and +his enthusiasm in describing it is unbounded. On the 18th of July, he +discovered the Wimmera, and on the 31st, the Glenelg. Here he launched +his boat once more, but found his way stopped at the outset by a fall, +and the river had to be followed on land. On the 18th of August, after +many excursions, the river being now much broader, the boats were again +resorted to, and in two days they reached the coast a little to the east +of Cape Northumberland. + +Returning to the camp, the expedition made east, and reached Portland +Bay, where they found a farm established by the Messrs. Henty, who had +been there then nearly two years. Here they obtained some small supplies, +and again left on their homeward journey. On the 4th September Mitchell +abandoned one of his boats, in order to lighten his equipage, as the +draught work was excessively heavy for his cattle, and one boat would +answer the purpose of crossing rivers. On the 10th, he caught sight of a +range, and named it the Australian Pyrenees, and on the 19th the party +separated. + +The Major and some of the men pushed on with the freshest of the animals, +leaving Stapylton and the remainder of the party to spell for a while, +and bring the knocked-up beasts slowly on. + +On the 30th, Mitchell ascended Mount Macedon, and from the top recognised +Port Phillip. + + +"No stockyards nor cattle were visible, nor even smoke, although at the +highest northern point of the bay I saw a mass of white objects, which +might have been either tents or vessels." + + +But Mitchell was not to arrive home without another fatality amongst his +party. On October 13th, when looking for a crossing in a river, one of +the men, named James Taylor, was drowned. + +On the 17th, after passing through a forest, they recognised with great +satisfaction, the lofty "Yarra" trees, and the low verdant alluvial flats +of the Murray. Once across the river, the boat was sunk in a deep lagoon, +and the boat carriage left on the bank for the use of Stapylton. Three +volunteers went back to meet him, and assist in crossing the Ovens and +Goulburn. The advance party were now almost within the settled districts, +and with the safe arrival of Stapylton at the Murrumbidgee, on November +11th, the history of the discovery of AUSTRALIA FELIX ends. + +Sir Thomas Mitchell had been singularly favoured during this journey, his +route had led him through a country possessing every variety of feature, +from snow-topped mountains to level plains, watered by permanently-flowing +stream and rivers; fitted, as he says, for the immediate occupation of the +grazier, and the farmer. It, therefore, was of more real benefit to the +colony than the former exploratory journeys, that had met with only +partial success in this respect. + +He had well carried out his instructions, and obtained a full knowledge +of the country south of the Murray, and of the rivers there; flowing +either into that river, or into the sea; confirming the impression +already entertained of the great value of the district, and the report of +Hume and Hovell, who with their slender resources were unable to do much +in the way of extended examination. + +We have seen that the brothers Henty, of Tasmania, had formed a +settlement at Portland Bay, and in 1835 the historic founding of Port +Phillip settlement by Batman took place, so that the mere extension of +settlement would soon have thrown open for settlement the splendid area +that Mitchell was just in time to claim as his discovery. The story of +Batman's compact with the blacks, by which he asserted his right to a +princely territory is too well-known to require repetition; [Note, end of +paragraph] it is scarcely necessary to add that such a preposterous +demand was neither ratified by the government, nor recognised by the +settlers. + +[Note: The agreement was between Messrs. Batman, Gellibrand, Swanston, +and Simpson, on the one side, and the natives were represented by +Jagajaga, Cooloolook, Bungaree, Yanyan, Mowstrip, and Mommamala, the +price was fixed at an annuity of two hundred a year, in return for +750,000 acres of land. Mr. Gellibrand afterwards perished in the bush +with a companion, Mr. Hesse, having lost himself through persisting in +keeping in the wrong direction, although warned by a guide who left them +on finding Gellibrand determined to go wrong.] + +It was through the energy of the Tasmanian colonists that this settlement +of Port Phillip took place; as already noticed, Port Phillip was +abandoned, almost without the slightest examination, by Colonel Collins +in favour of Tasmania, and now, after thirty years had passed, the +abundant flocks and herds of the little island forced the owners to look +to the mainland for extended pastures. + +One of the incidents of the early settlement was also the discovery of +Buckley, a white man, who having escaped from Collins' party in 1803, had +been living with the natives ever since. + +In 1836 Colonel Light surveyed the shores of St. Vincent's Gulf, and +selected the site of the present city of Adelaide; Governor Hindmarsh and +a company of emigrants soon after arrived, and the colony of South +Australia was proclaimed. + +The continent was now being invaded on three sides. From Perth on the +western shore, from St. Vincent's Gulf and Port Phillip on the south, and +from the settled districts of New South Wales and from Moreton Bay on the +east. + +Henceforth, the tale of exploration embraces many simultaneous +expeditions; no longer is the whole of the narrative confined to the +struggle of one man, hopelessly endeavouring to surmount the coast range, +or toiling across the western plains, anxiously watched by the little +community at Port Jackson. Each new-formed centre had their members +pushing out, month after month, and continually adding to the knowledge +of Australia. + +As usual, the records of most of these private expeditions have not been +preserved, and the utmost the historian can do is to trace out the broad +lines of discovery, leaving the reader to consider the detail filled in +by the monotonous, if valuable, and untiring efforts of the pioneer +squatters. Already these men and their subordinates were close on the +footsteps of the explorers; should the adventurer remain some months +absent from civilization, he found, on his return, settlement far across +what had been the frontier line when he departed. Hundreds of lives have +been laid down in this service, under as strong a sense of duty, and +under circumstances as heroic as any of the deaths in the roll of martial +history, and the names of the victims unknown, and their graves +unhonoured. They have only been members of the great band ever forcing a +way, and smoothing a road for a commercial population, to whom their +deeds, their struggles, their hopes, and their fates are often but a +sealed book. But the feelings of a man who knows that he has founded +homes for future thousands, must be a greater recompense than any his +fellowmen could give him. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + + +Lieutenants Grey and Lushington on the West Coast--Narrow escape--Start +with an equipment of Timor ponies--Grey wounded by the natives--Cave +drawings--Return, having discovered the Glenelg--Grey's second +expedition--Landed at Bernier Island, in Shark's Bay, with three +whale-boats--Cross to borne Island--Violent storm--Discovery of the +Gascoyne--Return to Bernier Island--Find their CACHÉ of provisions +destroyed by a hurricane--Hopeless position--Attempted landing at +Gautheaume Bay--Destruction of the boats--Walk to Perth--Great +sufferings--Death of Smith--Eyre and the overlanders--Discovery of Lake +Hindmarsh--Exploration of Gippsland--Eyre's explorations to the +north--Discovery of Lake Torrens--Disappointment in the country bordering +on it--Determines to go to King George's Sound--Repeated attempts to +reach the head of the Great Australian Bight--Loss of horses--Barren and +scrubby country--Final determination to send back most of the party-- +Starts with overseer and three natives--Hardship and suffering--Murder of +the overseer by two of the natives--Eyre continues his journey with the +remaining boy--Relieved by the MISSISSIPPI whaler--Reaches King George's +Sound. + +An expedition, most unique in its composition, now made an attempt on the +west coast to penetrate inland, and also verify the existence or +non-existence of the large river, still currently supposed to find its +way into the sea at Dampier's Archipelago. The expedition was placed +under the command of Lieutenant Grey, Mr. Lushington acting as second in +command. It originated in England, and its members, with one exception, +were what would locally be called "new chums." The one exception was a +sailor, named Ruston, who had been with Captain King on one of his +surveying voyages; an experience that, under an older leader might have +made him a most serviceable man, but, otherwise, scarcely deserved the +stress that Grey laid upon his acquisition. Most of the equipment was +procured at the Cape of Good Hope, where a small vessel--the LYNHER--was +chartered, and the landing-place in Australia was at Hanover Bay, on the +extreme north-west coast, near the mouth of the Prince Regent's River; +though, why this particular point was chosen, does not appear quite +clear. Being becalmed a short distance from Hanover Bay, the foolish +impetuosity of the young explorers very nearly put an abrupt ending to +their journey. Grey, Lushington, and four men landed, and started to walk +across to Hanover Bay, there to be picked up again by the LYNHER. It was +December, the middle of a tropical summer, and they took with them two +pints of water. They all very soon knocked up. Grey swam across an inlet +to try and signal the schooner, and nearly lost his life doing so. +Fortunately, the the flashes of their guns, with which they kept firing +distress signals, were noticed on board, and a boat came to their rescue. +This was an inauspicious beginning. + +After landing the stores, the LYNHER sailed for Timor, to procure some +ponies and other live stock, and on the 17th of January, 1838, she +returned. At the end of January, Grey and his party started from the +coast with twenty-six half-broken Timor ponies as a baggage train, and +some sheep and goats. The rainy season had set in, and the stock began to +die almost before they had well started, added to which, the party were +entangled in steep ravines and spurs from the coast range, and their +strength worn out in useless ascents and descents. On the 11th of +February, they came into collision with the natives, and Grey was +severely wounded. + +On the leader recovering sufficiently to be lifted on one of the ponies, +a fresh start was made, and on the 2nd of March they were rewarded by +finding a river, which they called the Glenelg, unaware that Mitchell had +already usurped the name. The adventurers followed the course of this +river upward, traversing good country, well grassed and timbered, so far +as their limited experience allowed them to judge. Sometimes their route +was on the river's bank, and at other times by keeping to the foot of a +sandstone range that ran parallel with its course, they were enabled to +cut off some wearisome bends. + +The party continued on the Glenelg for many days until they were checked +by a large tributary coming from the north, causing them to fall back on +the range, both the river and its tributary being swollen and flooded. On +this range they discovered some curious paintings and drawings in the +caves scattered amongst the rocks, also a head in profile cut in the face +of a sandstone rock. [See Appendix.] Unable to find a pass through the +mountains, which barred their western progress, and greatly weakened by +his wound, Grey determined to return, but before doing so he sent Mr. +Lushington some distance ahead, who, however, could find no noticeable +change in the country. + +The expedition, therefore retraced their footsteps, and on the 15th of +April they reached Hanover Bay, and found the schooner at anchor, and +H.M.S. BEAGLE lying in the neighbouring Port George the Fourth. Thus +ended the first expedition; toil, danger, and hardships having been +incurred for little or no purpose, the discovery of the Glenelg River +being the only result obtained, and perhaps, some little experience. The +party having embarked, they sailed for the Isle of France in the +Mauritius, where they safely arrived. + +In August, Grey visited the Swan River, and endeavoured to get assistance +from Sir James Stirling, the Governor, to continue his explorations; no +vessel being available, he had to wait some time before making a start, +during which delay he made short excursions from Perth into the +surrounding country. + +On the 17th of February, 1839, he started once more in an American +whaler, taking with him three whale-boats. The objects of this expedition +are not very definite. The whaler was to land them and their boats at +Shark's Bay, or on one of the islands: there they intended to form a +depôt. After examining the bay, and making such incursions inland as they +found possible, they were to extend their operations to the north as long +as their provisions lasted, when they would return to the depôt and make +their way south. + +The party consisted of Grey himself, four of his former companions, a +young volunteer, Mr. Frederick Smith, five other men, and a native, +twelve in all. They were landed on Bernier Island, and at once their +troubles commenced. The whaler sailed away taking with her, by an +oversight, their whole supply of tobacco; there was no water on the +island, and on the first attempt to start one of the boats was smashed up +and nearly half a ton of stores lost. The next day they landed at Dorre +Island, and that night both their boats were driven ashore by a violent +storm. + +Two or three days were occupied repairing damages, and then they made the +mainland and obtained a supply of fresh water. + +They landed near the mouth of a river, which, however, was dry above +tidal influence, and Grey christened it the Gascoyne. After a short +examination of the surrounding country, they pulled up the coast to the +north, and effecting a landing one night, both boats were swamped, to the +great damage of their already spoiled provisions. Here Grey ascended a +hill to look upon the surrounding country, and was so deceived by the +mirage, that he believed he had discovered a great lake studded with +islands; in company with three of his men he started on a weary tramp +after the constantly shifting vision, needless to say without reaching +it. Returning to the boats they found themselves prisoners for a time, +until the wind dropped and the surf abated a little, and here they had to +remain for a week sick, hungry and weary, and at one time threatened and +attacked by the blacks. At last a slight cessation in the gale tempted +them, and they got the boats out and made for the mouth of the Gascoyne, +where they refilled their water breakers. On March 20th, they made an +effort to fetch their depôt on Bernier Island in the teeth of the foul +weather, and reached it to find that during their absence a hurricane had +swept the island, and their hoarded stores were scattered to the winds. + +Their position was now nearly desperate, the southerly winds had set in, +they had a surf-beaten shore to coast along, and no food of any sort +worth mentioning, added to which, as may be well supposed, they were all +weak and exhausted. + +There was nothing for it, however, but to put out to sea again, and they +managed to reach Gautheaume Bay on the 31st of March; in attempting a +landing, the boat Grey was in was dashed on a rock, and the other boat +too received such great damage that it was impossible to repair either of +them. Nothing was now left, but to walk to Perth, and so wearied had the +men become of fighting with the wind and sea, that they even welcomed +this hazardous prospect as a change. They were about three hundred miles +from the Swan River and had twenty pounds of damaged flour, and one pound +of salt pork per man, to carry them there. + +Soon after starting, a diversity of opinion sprang up about the best mode +of progressing. Grey wished to get over as much ground as possible while +their strength held out; most of the men, however, were in favour of +proceeding slowly, taking constant rests. This feeling increased so much +that, when within two hundred miles of Perth, Grey found it necessary to +take with him some picked men, and push on, leaving the others to follow +at their leisure. He reached Perth after terrible suffering and +privation, and a relief party was at once sent out, but they only found +one man, who had left the others, thinking they were travelling too slow. +Meanwhile, Walker, the second in charge, had come into Perth, and related +that, being the strongest, he had pushed on in order to get relief sent +back to the remainder. Another party, under Surveyor-General Roe, left in +search, and after some trouble in tracking the erratic wanderings of the +unfortunates, came upon them hopelessly gazing at a point of rocks, that +stopped their march along the beach, not having sufficient strength left +to climb it. They had been then three days without any water but sea +water, and a revolting substitute, which they still had in their +canteens. Poor young Smith, a lad of eighteen was dead. [ See Appendix.] +He had lain down and died two days before they were found. He was buried +in the wilderness. + +During these two expeditions Grey had faced death in every shape, and +shown great powers of endurance, but the results of all his toil were but +meagre, and of no very great importance. He had crossed and named the +rivers running into the west coast, between where he abandoned his boats +and the Moore River, but in the state he was in he knew little more than +the fact that they were there, having neither strength nor resources to +follow them up and determine their courses. Grey claims the discovery of +the Gascoyne, Murchison, Hutt, Bower, Buller, Chapman, Greenough, Irwin, +Arrowsmith, and Smith Rivers. This disastrous journey may be said to have +concluded his services to Australia as an explorer, although he +afterwards, when Governor of South Australia, made an excursion to the +south-east, but it was through comparatively stocked and well-known +country in the neighbourhood of the Glenelg and Mount Gambier. Before +being appointed Governor of South Australia, he was Acting Government +Resident at Albany, King George's Sound. + +Grey's mishaps, and the straits to which he reduced his party by his +occasional want of forethought and precaution, show plainly that +enthusiasm, courage, and a generous spirit of self-sacrifice are not the +only requisites in an explorer, more important even, being the long +training and teaching of experience. + +Grey had given a very glowing description of the fertile appearance of a +portion of the country he passed through, and some of the colonists were +eager to make use of such a promising district. The schooner CHAMPION was +therefore directed to examine the coast and see if any of the rivers had +navigable entrances. Mr. Moore, after whom the Moore River was named, was +on board of the vessel, but no entrance was effected, although the party +rather confirmed Grey's report. Captain Stokes, of the BEAGLE, however, +soon after made a thorough examination of this part of the coast, and his +report was so unfavourable that its immediate settlement was postponed. + +It follows now, that the unexplored country west of the Darling being so +much sooner reached from Adelaide than from Sydney, the former town +became the point of departure from which, in future, the expeditions for +the interior started. + +But the rush for country, and the constant influx of stock from the +mother colony, led to a series of petty explorations being continually +carried on throughout the rapidly-rising district south and east of the +Murray. Some of these were undertaken in quest of new runs, others in +order to find the best and shortest stock routes; and the record of most +of them is only preserved in the memoirs Of personal friends of the +pioneers. + +Edward John Eyre, who afterwards made the celebrated journey to Western +Australia round the head of the Great Bight, began his bush experiences +in this way. Messrs. Hawdon, Gardiner and Bonney, also about the same +time, made various trips from New South Wales to Port Phillip, and from +thence to Adelaide, and many minor discoveries were the result of those +journeys. The he outflow and courses of rivers being determined, and the +speculations of their first discoveries corrected or confirmed; as +instance of this, may be mentioned the discovery of Lake Hindmarsh, which +receives the Wimmera, River, the course of which had puzzled Mitchell +when he discovered it in July, 1836. + +Eyre left Port Phillip for Adelaide early in 1838. The usual course had +been to strike to the Murray, and then to follow that river down. He +intended to try a straighter route, and for a time did well; but, at +last, finding himself in a tract of dry country, across which he could +not take the cattle with safety, he determined to follow the Wimmera +north, thinking it would take him on to the banks of the Murray, and +would probably turn out to be the Lindsay junction of Sturt. From +Mitchell's furthest point he traced it some considerable distance to the +north-west, and at last found its termination in a large swampy lake, +which he named Lake Hindmarsh, after the first Governor of South +Australia. From this lake he found no outlet; so, leaving his cattle, and +taking with him two men, he made an effort to reach the Murray. But the +country was covered with an almost impenetrable scrub, and as there was +neither grass nor water for the horses, he was forced to turn back, +reaching his camp only after a weary tramp on foot, the horses having +died. According to Eyre's chart, they were within five and twenty miles +of the Murray when they turned back. Eyre was thus forced to retrace his +steps and make for the nearest available route to the Murray, and follow +that river down. + +Bonney's trip from Portland Bay to Adelaide was about a year +subsequently. He pursued a more southerly and westerly course, and +managed to get through in safety, but experienced great hardships on the +way. One of a series of lakes or marshes was found, and named Lake +Hawdon. + +At the end of November, 1839, Colonel Gawler, then Governor of South +Australia, made an excursion to the Murray, for the purpose of examining +the country around Lake Victoria, and to the westward of the great bend. +He was accompanied by Captain Sturt, then Surveyor-General of the +province. In the S.A. REGISTER of that date, the following paragraph +shows that by this time ladies had also taken up the task of exploration: + + +"His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Miss Gawler and Captain and +Mrs. Sturt, left town on Friday last week on an excursion to the Murray +and the interior to the north of that river. The party is expected to be +absent several weeks." + + +It is to be presumed that Miss Gawler and Mrs. Sturt accompanied the +party but a short distance; the Murray at that date affording anything +but a safe camping ground. This trip, of course, did not extend +sufficiently for any important geographical discoveries to be made, but +it was unfortunately marked by one of the fatalities that are bound to be +a feature of exploration. Leaving the river they penetrated into +waterless country, and the horses knocked up. Colonel Gawler and Mr. +Bryan pushed back on the freshest animals, intending to bring back water +for the others, but on the way Bryan gave in, and the Governor had to go +on alone. On coming back with relief Bryan was nowhere to be found, a +note was pinned to his coat, which was lying on the spot where he had +been left, stating that he had gone to the south-east, much exhausted; +but although all search was made he was never found. + +Meantime, we have lost sight entirely of the north coast, and the +attempts at settlement in that quarter. The little BEAGLE had been +working industriously up there; but the account of her voyage belongs to +the history of maritime discovery, where it will be found; however, on +this occasion she visited a newly-formed, or rather twice-formed, +settlement, Port Essington. This station, after the visit by Captain +Bremer, was, it will be remembered, abandoned. In 1838, its former +founder, now Sir Gordon Bremer, resettled it, and the nucleus of a +township was formed. This time it seemed, at first, more likely to +thrive; but very little was done in the way of exploration, and its +existence added nothing to our knowledge of the northern interior. From +a letter of one of the officers of the Beagle we learn that:-- + + +"A good substantial mole, overlooked by a small battery, with some +respectable-sized houses in the rear, gives the settlement rather an +imposing appearance from the water, which I imagine is the object at +present aimed at--to make an impression on the visiting Malays, the +success of the colony depending so much on them." + + +Apparently the dependence of the colony was misplaced as it is scarcely +necessary to tell the reader that it has long since passed out of +existence; we shall, however, have occasion to revisit it once before its +final abandonment. + +The time had now come for the completion of the work commenced by Hume +and Hovell sixteen years before, namely, the full exploration of the +south-east corner of Australia. + +In 1840, McMillan, the manager of a station near the Snowy Mountains, the +property of Messrs. Buckler and M'Allister, started on a search for +country in company with two companions, Messrs. Cameron and Mathew, one +stockman and a blackfellow. Making their way through the Snowy Mountains +to the southward, they found a river running through fine grazing +country, plains and forest, until its course brought them to a large +lake; here they were forced to turn westward, and although they made +several attempts to reach the coast they did not succeed, having +continually to turn back to the range to ford the numerous rivers they +kept coming to. + +Having only a fortnight's provisions with them, they were forced to +return, when within about fifty miles of Wilson's Promontory. This fine +addition to the already known territory was called Gippsland, after Sir +George Gipps, the Governor who had the disagreeable eccentricity of +insisting that all the towns laid out during his term of office should +have no public squares included in their boundaries, as he was convinced +that public squares encouraged the spread of democracy. + +The rivers discovered by McMillan were named by him, but afterwards +re-named by Count Strzelecki, whose titles were retained, whilst the +rightful ones bestowed by the real discoverer are forgotten. + +Doubtless Strzelecki's names, such as the La Trobe, &c., had a ring more +pleasing to the official ear. + +The celebrated count followed hard on McMillan's footsteps, in fact, the +latter met him before reaching home and directed him to the country he +had just left. McMillan, having his own interests to serve, said little +or nothing about the result of his journey, not wishing to be forestalled +in the occupation of the country. Strzelecki, not being interested in +squatting pursuits, made public the value of the province as soon as he +returned, which has led to his being often erroneously considered the +discoverer of Gippsland. + +Strzelecki's trip through Gippsland, in 1840, was part of the work he was +undertaking to gather materials for his now well-known book, "The +Physical Description of New South Wales, Victoria, and Van Die-man's +Land." He mounted the Alps, and named one of the highest peaks +Kosciusko, from the fancied resemblance of its outline to the patriot's +tomb at Cracow. He then pushed his way through to Western Port, crossing +the fine rivers and rich country just found by McMillan. They had to +abandon their horses and packs during the latter part of the journey, and +fight their way through a dense scrub on a scanty ration of one biscuit +and a slice of bacon per day. Here the count's exceeding hardihood stood +them in good stead; so weakened were his companions that it was only by +constant encouragement he got them along, and when forcing their way +through the matted scrub, he often threw himself bodily on it, breaking a +bath through for his weakened followers by the sheer weight of his body. +They reached Western Port in a most wretched condition, having subsisted +latterly on nothing but native bears. + +In 1841, a Mr. Orr landed at Corner Inlet and traversed part of the +country surveyed by Strzelecki; he traced the La Trobe and other rivers +into a large lake fifty miles from Wilson's Promontory, and confirmed the +glowing reports of the former travellers. + +We have now to bid a final farewell to the garden of Australia, where the +explorers' steps trod the alleys of shady forests of gigantic trees, or +followed the bank of some living, sparkling stream, rippling and bubbling +over its pebbly bed, amid verdant meadows and fertile valleys. No more +was the outlook to be over smiling downs backed up by the fleecy-topped +Alps, a scene that told of nothing but peace, prosperity, and all the +riches of a bountiful soil. The way of the pioneer was, in future, to +lead to the north, where the earth refused to afford him pasture for his +animals, the clouds to drop rain, and the very trees gave no shade to +protect him from the sun in its noontide wrath. Over the lonely plains of +the interior, searching for the inland sea, never to be found; for the +lofty mountain chain, the backbone of Australia, that had no existence. + +On the 5th of August, 1839, E. J. Eyre, and a party consisting of an +overseer, three men and two natives, left Port Lincoln, on the western +shore of Spencer's Gulf, on an excursion to examine the country to the +westward, as far as they could penetrate. Before this he had made an +expedition to the north of Adelaide terminating at Mount Arden, an +elevation to the N.N.E. of the head of Spencer's Gulf. From this mountain +he saw a depression which he took to be the bed of a lake, covered with +mud or sand, the future Lake Torrens. + +On the 25th of August, after leaving Port Lincoln, he arrived at Streaky +Bay, not having crossed a single stream or river, nor even a chain of +ponds, during a distance of nearly three hundred miles. Three springs +only had been found, and the country was covered with the dreaded +EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA scrub (mallee), and the melancholy ti-tree. It must be +remembered, however, that Eyre's track bordered closely on the sea coast, +and the country would, as is usual in Australia, be of a barren and +inhospitable character. Westward of Streaky Bay the scrub still +continued, so a depôt was formed, and taking only a black boy with him, +he reached within about fifty miles of the western limit of South +Australia. In appearance the country was more elevated, but there was +neither water nor grass, and to return was necessary; in fact, before he +got back to the depôt, he nearly lost three of his horses. + +From Streaky Bay he went east, to the head of Spencer's Gulf, finding the +country on his route a little better, but still devoid of water, the +party only getting through by means of the rain which luckily fell at the +time. On the 29th of September, he reached his old camp at Mount Arden. +Here he writes:-- + +"It was evident that what I had taken on my last journey to be the bed of +a dry lake now contained water, and was of a considerable size; but as my +time was very limited, and the lake at a considerable distance, I had to +forego my wish to visit it. I have, however, no doubt of its being salt, +from the nature of the country, and the fact of finding the water very +salt in one of the creeks draining into it from the hills. Beyond this +lake (which I distinguished with the name of Colonel Torrens), to the +westward, was a low, flat-topped range, extending northwesterly as far as +I could see." + + +From here Eyre pursued his old track homeward. + +The objects that now excited the attention of the colonists of South +Australia were, discovery to the northward, as to the extent of the +newfound lake, and the nature of the interior; and the possibility of the +existence of a stock route to Western Australia. Eyre, however, after his +recent experience, was convinced that the transit of stock round the head +of the Great Bight was impracticable, the sterile nature of the country +and the absence of watercourses being against it. Such a journey it was +true might be most interesting, from a geographical point of view, +showing the character of the country intervening between the two +settlements, and unfolding the secrets hidden behind the lofty and +singular cliffs at the head of the Great Bight, but for more immediate +practical results, Eyre favoured the extension of discovery to the north. +This was then the course adopted; subscriptions were raised, Eyre himself +finding one-third of the horses and expenses, and the Government and +colonists the remainder. Meantime, it turned out that the country in the +immediate neighbourhood of Port Lincoln was not altogether of of the +wretched character met with by Eyre between Streaky Bay and the head of +the Gulf. + +A Captain Hawson, in company with Mr. William Smith and three other +gentlemen, made an excursion for a short distance, and found well-grassed +country and abundance of water. Where they turned back they saw a fine +valley with a running stream through the centre. This valley they named +Rossitur Vale, and the stream the Mississippi, after Captain Rossitur, of +the French whaler MISSISSIPPI--the first foreign ship in Port Lincoln, +and the man who was afterwards destined to, afford such opportune aid and +succour to Eyre. + +Western Australia, however, did not seem to entertain the prospect of +overland communication with Adelaide with any degree of enthusiasm. The +PERTH GAZETTE of that time, indulges in a short article, which reads +ludicrously like an extract from the EATANSWILL GAZETTE:-- + + +"Overland from King George's Sound, we have received papers from +Adelaide, the mail having been obligingly conveyed by Dr. Harris. In +these papers we find the proposal to open a communication between this +and South Australia. The object, further than a general exploration of +the country, appears undefined; therefore, to us, it seems of little +interest, and the steady course of the country should not be disturbed by +such wild adventurers. What is South Australia to us? They have their +self-supporting system, they have revelled in MOONSHINE long enough; and +we ought not to be such fools as to be caught by a mere puffing document +appointing gentlemen here to co-operate with the South Australian +committee. If we wish to see them, we can soon find our way, and we +require no puffing advertisements from the neighbouring colony of +high-minded pretensions. We will not be licked by the dog that has bitten +us; and we must say that every honest mind should receive with caution +any approaches from such a quarter. We put this forward advisedly, and +with a desire that such a subject may be deliberately weighed and +considered. Their flummery about the existence of a jealous feeling is +discreditable to the minds inventing and prompting it for their own +private ends." + + +Evidently the editor of the Perth paper had had a bad time of it, for +further on we find him still more bitter against any communication being +opened up with the sister colony. It must he remembered that Western +Australia was a free colony, and consequently the bugbear of convict +contamination was one that was always raised when the subject of opening +up a stock route with the older colonies was on the board. + +On the 18th June, 1840, Eyre's preparations were ready, and he left +Adelaide after a breakfast at Government House, when Captain Sturt +presented him with a flag--the Union Jack--worked for the purpose by some +of the ladies of the colony. + +It is unnecessary to follow him in detail to his former camp at Mount +Arden. He trusted that the range of hills he had called Flinders Range, +and which he had seen stretching to the north-east, would continue far +enough to take him out of the depressed country around Lake Torrens, and +in fact, as he says, form a stepping-stone into the interior. His party +was a small one for those days, consisting of six white men and two black +boys. They had with them three horse drays, and a small vessel called the +WATERWITCH, was sent to the head of the Gulf, with the heaviest portion +of their supplies. + +On the arrival of this vessel, Eyre, with one black boy, made a short +trip to Lake Torrens, leaving the rest of the party to land the stores. + +He started without any great hopes, and, consequently, was not much +disappointed when he found this outpost of the inland sea to be:-- + + +" . . . the dry bed of a lake coated 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." + + +At this point Lake Torrens appeared to be about fifteen or twenty miles +across, having high land bounding it to the west. + +The prospect, although half expected, was dismal in the extreme. There +was no chance of crossing the lake, and to follow its shore to the north +was impossible on account of the absence of grass and water, the very +rain water turning salt after lying a short time on the saline ground. +The only chance was in Flinder's Range supplying them with a little feed +and rain water in its ravines, so to this range he struck. + +It was a cheerless outlook. On one side was an impracticable lake of +combined mud and salt; in another a desert of bare and barren plains; and +on 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." + + +Eyre steered for the most distant point of the northern range, which on +arrival he christened Mount Deception, as he had hoped from its +appearance that he would find water there, but in this he was deceived. +Subsisting as best they could on rain puddles on the plains, they at last +found a tolerably permanent hole in a small creek, and then returned to +the party at the head of the Gulf. + +Arrived at the depôt, the cutter returned to Adelaide with dispatches, +and the provisions having been concealed, the whole party made for the +pool of water that Eyre and the boy had discovered. From here the leader +and the native boy made another fruitless trip to the north-west, and +although they at times discovered a few creeks with a fair amount of +water in them, the 2nd of September found Eyre on the top of a small +hill, that he appropriately named Mount Hopeless, gazing at the +mysterious lake that, as he thought, hemmed him in on three sides, even +to the east. There was no prospect visible of getting across this bed of +mud and mirage, nothing to do but leave the interior unvisited by this +route, and return to the Mount Arden depôt. + +From the Mount Arden depôt he made his way down to Port Lincoln, having +finally decided to abandon his intended trip to the interior, and go +westward to King George's Sound, finding, perhaps, some outlet to the +north on the road. + +He divided his party at the head of the Gulf, sending the overseer with +most of the stores and men straight across to Streaky Bay, where he +formerly bad made a depôt. At Port Lincoln he could not obtain the +supplies he wanted without sending to Adelaide; so he was, therefore, +detained some time, and on the 24th of October started for Streaky Bay, +the Governor having placed the WATERWITCH at his disposal for use in +South Australian waters. At Streaky Bay he rejoined his overseer, who had +got across the desert safely, and was anxiously expecting him. Making +another rendezvous with the cutter at Fowler's Bay, they separated to +meet again on the 20th of November. + +Leaving his party encamped at Fowler's Bay, Eyre, with one native boy, +made an attempt to round the Bight, or rather to ascertain what chance he +had of taking his party round. He went two days' journey, and finding +neither grass nor water for his horses, had to return to his camp. On the +28th he made another attempt, taking with him a dray carrying seventy +gallons of water; and on the 30th they fell in with some natives, whom +they thought to induce to guide them to water; but the blacks made them +understand that there was none ahead, and so Eyre found to his cost, for, +still trying to discover some he reduced his horses so that it was only +with the greatest difficulty, and after the loss of three of the best of +them, that the party struggled back to some sandhills, where they could +obtain a little brackish water by digging; and on the 16th, having had to +send back for assistance, the explorers re-assembled at Fowler's Bay, +having done no good, and lost three valuable horses. The cutter, still in +attendance, was sent back to Adelaide for a supply of oats and bran, and +also to take back two of the men, for Eyre had determined to reduce the +number of his people, awed by the nature of the country he had met with +ahead. + +Tired out with the monotony of camp life, after the departure of the +cutter, he decided on another attempt, although one would have thought +the suffering his horses had already gone through would have induced him +to give them a longer rest. + +On the 30th December he left camp, and that evening reached the sandhills +where he had before obtained the brackish water. Next morning they found +some natives, who told them once again that there was no water ahead. On +the 2nd January he made an attempt to the north-west, undeterred by these +warnings, but only got fourteen miles when he had to send the horses +back, and on the 5th, making another effort from this point, only got on +another seven miles. Sending the dray and horses back, Eyre, with one +white man and the black boy, went on, having buried some casks of water +against their return. A terribly hot day set in, which so completely +exhausted the whole party, that they had to encamp on the sea shore until +night fell. The next morning he sent the man back, and pushing ahead came +upon some natives digging in the sand, and with their aid watered the +horses. They also showed them some more water further on, and accompanied +them to it. Beyond this point, they said, there was no water for a ten +days' journey. + +Eyre rode on some distance, and having ascertained all he could of the +nature of the country at the head of the Bight, which he had by this time +passed, he returned to the party, and they all shifted back to the old +depôt, at Fowler's Bay, on the 20th January. + +On the 25th the HERO, cutter, arrived (the WATERWITCH having sprung a +leak), but her charter did not extend beyond the boundary of South +Australia, so that Eyre was unable to use her to carry his heavy stores +any further. + + +Under the circumstances he resolved to send nearly the whole of his party +back by the vessel, and push his way through to King George's Sound, or +perish. + +In arriving at this determination, Eyre was evidently actuated by a sense +of such keen disappointment, at being baffled both to the north and the +west, that he could not bear the thought of returning to Adelaide a +beaten man. Whilst one can give a meed of admiration to the obstinate +courage that characterised this resolution, we are also astonished at his +persistence in a course that, whilst inevitably entailing the greatest +possible suffering on men and horses, could lead to no good nor useful +result. With his small party and equipment it would at best be only a +struggle for life round the coast, giving no more information than had +been acquired by the marine surveys. Even the wild attempts of Grey look +comparatively reasonable beside this march of Eyre's, Had he had any +object in view beyond the one of being the first white man to cross the +desert between the two colonies, his actions might have been excusable, +but as it was, his trip was bound to be profitless and resultless. + +On the 31st January the cutter departed, and Eyre, the overseer, Baxter, +and three native boys, one having come by the HERO, were left alone to +face the eight hundred miles of desert solitude before them. + +On the 24th, after a long spell, when they were about to start, the HERO +returned, bringing a request to Mr. Eyre to abandon his mad attempt and +embark himself and party on board the cutter. This he refused to do, and +on the 25th made another departure. After passing the water where they +had met the natives, they entered upon a dry and desolate tract over +which they crossed in safety, but with great suffering. Once more +relieved by a native well in the sandy beach, they pushed on, only to +encounter evil fortune; horse after horse knocked up, and it was after +six days' travelling they managed to get water once more, by digging in +the sand. + +They were now about six hundred miles from King George's Sound and in a +most unenviable position, with the prospect of another one hundred mile +stage without water, and the full knowledge that retreat was impossible. +Their horses, in consequence of the repeated sufferings from thirst that +they had been forced to undergo, were so spiritless and reduced that they +could travel scarcely any distance without giving in, and yet the worst +was to come. For some time the black boys had been very sullen and +discontented, the constant hardships and fatigue, added to what they +well-knew lay before them, told upon their spirits. Once they ran away, +but hunger forced them to return; even the scanty fare at the camp was +better than the slow starvation of the bush. The overseer, too, was +afflicted with low spirits, and impressed by the forbidding character of +their surroundings. Poor fellow, some foreboding of his fate hung over +him. + +The toil that had to be gone through may be conceived by the following +short extract from Eyre's diary on March 11th, just after accomplishing +their first terrible stage after leaving the depôt:-- + + +"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." + + +From this camp Eyre started in the hope of shortly coming to a second +supply of water that the natives had told him of, and lured on by this +idea, he got forty miles from his camp without having made the provision +that he should have done before entering on a very long stage. Coming to +the conclusion that he must have passed the water, he decided to send the +horses back to the last camp for a fresh supply before venturing further +on. At midnight the overseer and the natives started back, leaving Eyre +to mind the baggage with the scanty allowance of six pints of water to +last him for six days until their return. On the 26th of March they again +started, and at night reduced their baggage still more in the hope of +getting the tired horses through; and the next day everything was +abandoned, for still there was no prospect of water ahead. + +On the night of the 29th the last drop of water that they had with them +was consumed, and the next morning water was obtained by digging in the +sand drift--their seventh day out, after travelling, by Eyre's +computation, one hundred and sixty miles. It was not until the 27th of +April that they left the camp, to enter on the last fearful push that was +to decide their fate--and did too well decide the fate of three. + +Once more the line of cliffs that had for a time been broken by the +sandhills faced the ocean, and from experience Eyre knew well that he +might expect no relief when travelling along their summits. + +On the evening of the 29th, the third night from their last camp, Eyre +took the first watch to look after the horses, as this was necessary +every night to prevent them rambling too far. + +The night was cold, the wind blowing hard, and across the face of the +moon the scud kept rapidly driving. The horses wandered a good deal, and +kept separating in the scrub, giving the lonely man much trouble to keep +them together, and when his watch was nearly up he headed them for the +camp, intending to call the overseer to relieve him, Suddenly the +stillness of the desert was broken by the report of a gun. + +Eyre was not at first alarmed, thinking it a signal of Baxter's to show +him the position of the camp; he called out in reply, but no answer was +returned; and, hastening in the direction, was met by one of the boys +running towards him crying, "Oh massa, oh massa, come here!" but beyond +that could not speak for terror. + +Eyre was soon at the camp, and a glance told him that he was now indeed +alone. Baxter, wounded to death, was lying on the ground in his last +agony, and as Eyre raised his faithful companion, then in the convulsion +of death, the frightful and appalling truth burst upon him in its full +horror. + + +"At the dead hour of night, in the wildest and most inhospitable waste of +Australia, with the fierce wind raging in unison with the scene of +violence before me, I was left with a single native, whose fidelity I +could not rely upon, and who, for aught I knew, might be in league with +the other two, who, perhaps were, even now, lurking about to take my +life, as they had done that of the overseer. Three days had passed away +since we left the last water, and it was very doubtful when we might find +any more. Six hundred miles of country had to be traversed before I could +hope to obtain the slightest aid or assistance of any kind, whilst I knew +not that a single drop of water, or an ounce of flour, had been left by +these murderers, from a stock that had previously, been so small." + + +On examining the camp, Eyre found that the two boys had carried off both +double-barrelled guns, all the baked bread, and other stores, and a keg +of water. All he had left was a rifle with a ball jammed in the barrel, +four gallons of water, forty pounds of flour, and a little tea and sugar. + +When he had time to collect his thoughts, Eyre judged from the position +of the body, that Baxter must have been disturbed by the boys plundering +the camp, and getting up to stop them, had been immediately shot. His +next care was to put his rifle in serviceable condition, and then as +morning broke they hastened away from the fatal camp. It was impossible +even to bury the body of his murdered companion; one vast unbroken +surface of sheet rock extended for miles in every direction. Well might +Eyre exclaim:-- + + +"Though years have now passed away since the enactment of this tragedy, +the dreadful horrors of that time and scene are recalled before me with +frightful vividness, and make me shudder even now when I think of them. A +lifetime was crowded into those few short hours, and death alone may blot +out the impressions they produced." + + +That evening the two murderers re-appeared in the scrub, following the +white man and boy. Eyre attempted to get close to them, but they would +not come near, remaining at a distance, calling out to the remaining boy +(Wylie), who, however, refused to go to them. Finding himself unable to +get to close quarters with them, Eyre proceeded on his journey, and the +two boys were never seen again, and, without doubt, they soon perished +miserably of hunger and thirst. + +At last, after being again seven days without water for the horses, they +reached the end of the long line of cliffs, and amongst the sand dunes +came again to a native well, and got their poor tortured horses a drink. + +Moving on now in easier stages, and getting water by digging at the foot +of the different sand hills he encountered, Eyre proceeded on with better +hopes for the future; he felt confident that he was past the great belt +of and country, and that with every day the travelling would improve. + +On the 8th of May, another horse was killed, and a supply of meat dried +to carry with them. + +From this point water was more frequently met with, a decided change for +the better took place in the face of the country, and the wretched horses +they still had left began to pick up a little. At last, when their +rations were quite exhausted, they sighted a ship at anchor in Thistle +Cove. She turned out to be the MISSISSIPPI, whaler, Captain Rossitur, and +once more Eyre had to thank fortune for relief at a critical moment. + +For ten days he forgot his sufferings, and regained some of his lost +strength, under the hospitable care of Captain Rossitur, who, it will be +remembered, was the first foreigner to anchor in Port Lincoln. + +Provided with fresh clothes and provisions, with his horses newly shod, +Eyre recommenced his pilgrimage, and arrived in King George's Sound on +July 8th. Having successfully crossed from Port Lincoln to King George's +Sound, with incredible suffering, not alone to himself, but also to his +men and horses, so far as they accompanied him; added to which, his +obstinate persistence, led to the death of Baxter, who, against his own +convictions, went on with him, rather than leave him in his need. + +It is generally said with regard to this journey of Eyre's, that it any +rate established the fact that no considerable creek flowed from the +interior to the south coast. But this had been pretty well-known before +by the maritime surveys, for it must be borne in mind that this portion +of the Australian shore in no way resembles the general coast line of +Australia. Granted that numbers of the largest rivers in the continent +were overlooked by the navigators, we must also remember that the +conditions here were essentially different. No fringe of low mangrove +covered flats, studded with inlets and salt-water creeks, masking the +entrance of a river, was here to be found. A bold outline of barren +cliffs, or a clean-swept sandy shore, alone fronted the ocean, and +Flinders, constantly on the alert as he always was for anything +approaching an outlet or river mouth, would scarcely have missed one +here. As for any knowledge of the interior that was gained, of course +there was none, even the conjectures of a worn out, starving man, picking +his way painfully around the sea shore, would have scarcely been of much +value. Eyre has, however secured for himself a name for courage and +perseverance, under the most terrible circumstances that could well beset +a man, and this qualification leads us to overlook his errors of +judgment. The picture of the lonely man--not separated from his fellow +creatures by the sea, as has often been the case, but by countless miles +of weary, untrodden waste, in his plundered camp, beside his murdered +companion--is one that for peculiar horror, can never be surpassed. + +Eyre was warmly welcomed on his return to Adelaide, and he was +subsequently appointed police magistrate on the Murray, where his +experience and knowledge of the natives was of great service. When Sturt +started on his memorable trip to the central desert, he accompanied him +for a long distance; but his active nature found vent in other fields +than those of exploration in future. + +Eyre was a man who was thoroughly distinguished by his love for the +aborigines. In after life he was appointed their protector on the Murray, +at the time when the continual skirmishes between the natives and the +overlanders used to be a matter of almost daily occurrence. + +The courage that he had exemplified, and his wonderful march round the +Great Bight, was brought into force again and again, in efforts to keep +peace between the rival races. The blacks of the Murray Bend were always +notable for their warlike character, and Eyre was the most fitting man +that could have been selected for the post. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + + +Explorations around Moreton Bay--Development of the Eastern Coast--The +first pioneers of the Darling Downs--Stuart and Sydenham Russell--The +Condamine River and Cecil Plains--Great interest taken in exploration at +this period--Renewed explorations around Lake Torrens--Surveyor-General +Frome--Death of Horrocks, the first explorer to introduce camels--Sturt's +last expedition--Route by the Darling chosen--Poole fancies that he sees +the inland sea--Discovery of Flood's Creek--The prison depôt--Impossible +to advance or retreat--Breaking up of the drought--Death of Poole--Fresh +attempts to the north--The desert--Eyre's Creek discovered--Return and +fresh attempt--Discoveries of Cooper and Strzelecki Creeks--Retreat to +the Depôt Glen--Final return to the Darling--Ludwig Leichhardt the lost +explorer--His great trip north--Finding of the Burdekin, the Mackenzie, +Isaacs and Suttor--Murder of the naturalist Gibert--Discovery of the Gulf +Rivers--Arrival at Port Essington--His return and reception-- +Surveyor-General Mitchell's last expedition--Follows up the Balonne-- +Crosses to the head of the Belyando--Disappointed in that river--Returns +and crosses to the head of the Victoria (Barcoo)--The beautiful Downs +country--First mention of the Mitchell grass--False hopes entertained +of the Victoria running into the Gulf of Carpentaria. + + +Disappointing as all the attempts to penetrate to the north had been, the +South Australians did not by any means abandon their efforts, either +public or private, to ascertain the nature and value of the interior. The +supposed horseshoe formation of Lake Torrens, presenting thus an +impassable barrier, was discouraging, but hopes were entertained that +breaks in it would be found that would afford a passage across; and +beyond, the country might prove of a less repellent character than the +district immediately around the lake. + +But the east coast and the country at the back of the new settlement of +Moreton Bay, now commands our attention, Such an important discovery as +that made by Cunningham of the Darling Downs, needless to say, attracted +the attention of the graziers of the settled districts in search of fresh +pastures. The country west of the Darling having received such an +unfavourable name from the explorers who had made any efforts beyond it. +The westward march of the overlanders was checked in that direction, and +their stock spread to the north, south, and south-cast. + +In March 1840, Patrick Leslie, who has always been considered the father +of settlement on the Darling Downs, left an outside station in New +England, and after a short inspection of the scene of Cunningham's +discovery, finally, in the middle of the year, settled down on the +Condamine. + +In 1841 the Condamine River was followed for a hundred miles by Messrs. +Stuart and Sydenham Russell, from below Jimbour, the northernmost station +on a Darling Downs creek; and on the return journey some of the party +made an attempt to cross the range to the Wide Bay district, but were +prevented by the scrub. In the following month, November, the flow of the +Condamine was again picked up in the space below Turnmervil, the lowest +station on a creek above Jimbour, and the channel of the river +distinguished, where it was formerly supposed to have been for awhile +lost. An extensive tract of rich grazing country was found open and +well-watered by anabranches, with lagoons in their beds. This district +has ever since borne the well-known name of Cecil Plains, then bestowed +on it. + +In 1842 Stuart Russell went from Moreton Bay to Wide Bay in a boat, and +made an examination of some of the streams there emptying into the sea. +Amongst other adventures the party picked up with an escaped convict who +had been fourteen years with the blacks. During the same year Stuart +Russell explored the country from Wide Bay to the Boyne (not the river +named by Oxley in Port Curtis), and subsequently followed and laid down +this stream throughout, crossing from inland waters on to the head of it. +Russell's work in opening up so much available country, is a fair sample +of the private explorations before referred to, which fill up such a +large space of the record of discovery, and yet have received so little +recognition that the remembrance of most of them has been quite lost, or +preserved in such a way as to be hardly looked upon as reliable history. + +We are now approaching a period when the exploration of the continent was +an object of absorbing interest to all the settlements fast growing into +importance on the southern and eastern coasts. Three explorers, who may +be classed as the greatest, the most successful, and the one whose star +that rose so bright at this time was doomed to set in misfortune, were in +the field at the same time. Charles Sturt, fated once more to meet and be +defeated (if such a gallant struggle can be called defeat) by the +inexorable desert and the stern denial of its climate. Thomas Mitchell, +again the favoured of fortune, to wend his way by well-watered streams +and grassy downs and plains. And Ludwig Leichhardt, to accomplish his one +great journey through the country permeated by the rivers of the eastern +and northern coast. But before starting in company with these deathless +names, we must, for a while, return to Lake Torrens. + +Eyre, it will be remembered, reached, after much labour, a hill to the +north east at the termination of the range, which he named Mount +Hopeless. From the view he obtained from the summit, he concluded that +Lake Torrens completely enclosed the northern portion of the province of +South Australia; and in fact that the province had once been an island, +as the low-lying plains probably joined the flat country west of the +Darling. + +In 1843, the then Surveyor-General of the colony, Captain Frome, started +to the north to ascertain as much of this mysterious lake as he could. He +reached Mount Serle, and found the dry bed of the great lake to the +eastward, as described by Eyre, but discovered an error of thirty miles +in its position, Eyre having placed it too far to the eastward. Further +north than this, Frome did not proceed; on his way back lie made two +excursions to the eastward, but found nothing but sterile and unpromising +country. He confirmed then, the existence of a lake to the eastward of +the southern point of Lake Torrens, but his explorations did not go far +to determine the identity of the two, nor their uninterrupted continuity. +Prior to this, a series of explorations, followed by settlement, had +taken place east and west of Eyre's track, between Adelaide and the head +of Spencer's Gulf. One promising expedition was nipped in the bud by the +accidental death of the leader, a rising young explorer, who had already +won his spurs in opening up fresh country in the province. This was Mr. +J. Horrocks, who formed a plan for travelling up the western side of Lake +Torrens, and then, if possible, making westward and trying to reach the +Swan River. This expedition is especially noteworthy as being the first +one in which a camel was made use of, and to Horrocks, is due the credit +of first introducing these animals as baggage carriers. When at the head +of the Gulf, and about to grapple with the unknown land to the west, his +gun accidentally went off, and he received the charge in his face. He +lived to return to the station, but died a few days afterwards. + + +Amongst the other pioneers who contributed more or less to spread +settlement in the province, and succeeded, may be mentioned Messrs. +Hawker, Hughes, Campbell, Robinson, and Heywood. + +Perhaps, of all the journeys into the interior, none have excited more +sustained interest than Sturt's. It must be admitted that his account, +however truthful it may have appeared to him at the time, is misleading, +and overdrawn. But whilst saying this let us look at the circumstances +under which he received the impressions he has put on record. + +He was a thoroughly broken and disappointed man; for six months he had +been shut up in his weary depôt prison, debarred from making any attempt +to complete his work, watching his friend and companion die slowly before +his eyes. When the kindly rains released him, he was turned back and +constantly back by a strip of desert country, that seemed to dog him +whichever way he turned. No wonder he fairly hated the place, and looked +at all things through the heated, treacherous haze of the desert plains. + +When, therefore, he speaks of the awful temperature that rendered life +unbearable, and the inland slopes of Australia unfitted for human +habitation, it must be recalled that the party were weak and suffering, +liable to feel oppressive heat or extreme cold, more keenly than strong +and healthy men. In the ranges where Sturt spent his summer months of +detention, there is now one of the wonderful mining townships of +Australia, where men toil as laboriously as in a temperate zone, and the +fires of the battery and the smelting furnace burn steadily day and +night, in sight of the spot where Poole lies buried. And at the lower +levels of the shafts trickle the waters of subterranean streams that +Sturt never dreamt of. But though baffled, and unable to gain the goal he +strove for, never did man better deserve success. His instructions were +to reach the centre of the continent, to discover whether range or sea +existed there; and if the former, to note the flow of the northern +waters, but on no account to follow them down to the northern sea. As +usual, the Home Office, in their official wisdom, knew more than did the +colonists, and instructed him to proceed by way of Mount Arden; the +route already tried and abandoned by Eyre. + + +Sturt chose to proceed by the Darling. His plan was to follow that river +up as far as the Williorara or Laidley's Ponds, a small western tributary +of the Darling, opposite the point were Mitchell turned back, in 1835, +after his conflict with the natives. Thence he intended to strike +north-west, hoping thus to avoid the gloomy environs of Lake Torrens, and +its treacherous bed. + +At Moorundi, on the Murray, he was met by Eyre, then resident magistrate +at that place, and here the party mustered and made their start. + +Sturt was accompanied by Poole, as second in command, Browne, who was a +thorough bushman and an excellent surgeon, accompanied him as a friend; +with them also went McDouall Stuart, as draftsman, whose fame as an +explorer afterwards equalled that of his leader, besides twelve men, +eleven horses, thirty bullocks, one boat and boat carriage, one horse +dray, one spring cart, three bullock drays, two hundred sheep, four +kangaroo dogs, and two sheep dogs. + +Eyre accompanied the expedition as far as Lake Victoria, which point they +reached on the 10th of September, 1844. Here Eyre left them, and on the +11th of October the explorers arrived at Williorara, the place where +they intended leaving the Darling for the interior. The appearance of +this watercourse very much disappointed Sturt, he had hoped from the +account of the natives to find in it a fair-sized creek, heading from a +low range, distantly visible to the north-west; instead, he found it a +mere channel for the flood water of the Darling, distributing it into +some shallow lakes, back from the river, a distance of some eight or nine +miles, Sturt, as a first step dispatched Poole and Stuart to the range, +to see if they could obtain any view of the country to the north-west. +They were absent four days, and returned with the rather startling +intelligence, that from the top of a peak in the range, Poole had seen a +large lake studded with islands. + +Although in his published journal, written long afterwards, Sturt makes +light of Poole's fancied lake, which, of course, was the effect of +mirage, at that time his ardent fancy made him believe that he was on the +eve of a great discovery. In a letter to Mr. Morphett, of Adelaide, he +writes:-- + + +"Poole has just returned from the ranges. I have not time to write over +again. He says there are high ranges to the N. and N.W., and water, a sea +extending along the horizon from S.W. by S., and ten E. of N., in which +there are a number of islands and lofty ranges as far as the eye can +reach. What is all this? Are we to be prosperous? I hope so, and I am +sure you do. To-morrow we start for the ranges, and then for the waters, +the strange waters, on which boat never swam, and over which flag never +floated. But both shall ere long. We have the heart of the interior laid +open to us, and shall be off with a flowing, sheet in a few days. Poole +says the sea was a deep blue, and that in the midst of it was a conical +island of great height. When will you hear from me again?" + + +Poor Sturt! no boat of his was ever to float on that visionary sea, nor +his flag to wave over its dream waters. + +The whole of the party now removed to a small shallow lake, the +termination of the Williorara Channel. From here he started on an +excursion to the more distant ranges reported by Poole, accompanied by +Browne and two men, went ahead for the purpose of finding water of a +sufficient permanency to remove the whole of the party, as at the lake +where they were encamped there was always the chance of becoming +embroiled with the natives. He was successful in finding what he wanted, +and on the 4th of November the main body of the expedition removed there, +now finally leaving the waters of the Darling. + +The next day, Sturt and Browne, with three men and the cart, started on +another trip in search of water ahead. This they found in small +quantities, and rain coming on, Sturt returned and sent Poole out again +to search, whilst the camp was moved on. On his return he reported having +seen some shallow, brackish lakes, and caught sight of Eyre's Mount +Serle. They were now on the western slope of the Barrier Ranges, and but +for the providential discovery of a fine creek to the north, would have +been unable to retain their position. To this creek (Flood's Creek) they +removed the camp, and Sturt congratulated himself on the steady and +satisfactory progress he was making. They now left the Barrier Range, and +made for one further north, staying for some ten days at a small lagoon, +during which time an examination of the country ahead was made. + +On the 27th January, 1845, they removed to a creek, heading from a small +range; at the head of this creek was a fine supply of permanent water, +and here the explorers pitched their tents, little thinking that it would +be the 17th of July following before they would be struck. Perhaps a +short description from Sturt's pen will aid the reader's imagination in +picturing the situation of the party. + + + +"It was not, however, until after we had run down every creek in the +neighbourhood, and had traversed the country in every direction, that the +truth flashed across my mind, and it became evident to me that we were +locked up in the desolate and heated region into which we had penetrated +as effectually as if we had wintered at the Pole. It was long indeed ere +I could bring myself to believe that so great a misfortune had overtaken +us, but so it was. Providence had, in its all wise purposes, guided us to +the only spot in that wide-spread desert, where our wants could have been +permanently supplied, but had there stayed our further progress into a +region that almost appears to be forbidden ground." + +* * * * * + +"The creek was marked by a line of gum-trees, from the mouth of the glen +to its junction with the main branch, in which, excepting in isolated +spots, water was no longer to be found. The Red Hill (afterwards called +Mount Poole) bore N. N.W. from us, distant three and a-half miles; +between us and it there were undulating plains, covered with stones or +salsolaceous herbage, excepting in the hollows wherein there was a little +grass. Behind us were level stony plains, with small sandy undulations +bounded by brush, over which the Black Hill was visible, distant ten +miles, bearing S.S.E. from the Red Hill. To the eastward, the country was +as I have described it, hilly. Westward at a quarter of a mile the low +range, through which Depôt Creek forces itself, shut out from our view +the extensive plains on which it rises." + + +This then was Sturt's prison, although at first he had not realised that +in spite of every precaution, his retreat was cut off until the next +rainfall. + +Of Sturt's existence and occupation during this dreary period little can +be said. He tried in every direction, until convinced of the uselessness +of so doing, sometimes encouraged and led on by shallow pools in some +fragmentary creek bed, at others, seeing nothing before him but hopeless +aridity. Now, too, he found himself attacked with what he then thought +was rheumatism, but proved to be scurvy, and Poole and Browne too were +afflicted in the same way. + +We now come to one of the picturesque incidents that Sturt has introduced +in his narrative, and that help to fix on our memory the strangely weird +picture of the lonely band of men confronted with the unaccustomed forces +of nature in this wilderness. + + +"As we rode across the stony plain lying between us and the hills, the +heated and parching blasts that came upon us, were more than we could +bear. We were in the centre of the plain, when Mr. Browne drew my +attention to a number of small black specks in the upper air. These spots +increasing momentarily in size, were evidently approaching us rapidly. In +an incredibly short space of time, we were surrounded by hundreds of the +common kite, stooping down to within a few feet of us, and then turning +away after having eyed us steadily. Several approached us so closely, +that they threw themselves back to avoid contact, opening their beaks and +spreading out their talons. The long flight of these birds, reaching from +the ground into the heavens, put me strongly in mind of one of Martin's +beautiful designs, in which he produces the effect of distance by a +multitude of objects vanishing from the view." + + +Sturt, during his detention in the depôt, made one desperate attempt to +the north, when he succeeded in getting a mile above the 28th parallel, +but found nothing to repay him for his trouble. + +And so week after week of this fearful monotony passed on without hardly +a break or change. + +Once, an old native wandered to their camp. He was starving and thirsty, +looking a fit being to emerge from the gaunt waste around them. The dogs +attacked him when he approached, but he stood his ground and fought them +valiantly until they were called off; his whole demeanour was calm and +courageous, and he showed neither surprise nor timidity. He drank +greedily when water was given him, and ate voraciously, but whence he +came the men could not divine nor could he explain to them. He accepted +what was given to him, as a right expected by one fellow-being from +another, cut off in the desert from their own kin. While he stopped at +their camp he showed that he knew the use of the boat, explaining that it +was upside down, as of course it was, and pointing to the N.W. as the +place where they would want it, raising poor Sturt's hopes once more. +After a fortnight he departed as he came, saying he would come back, but +he never did. + + +"With him," says Sturt pathetically, "all our hopes vanished, for even +the presence of this savage was soothing to us, and so long as he +remained we indulged in anticipations as to the future. From the time of +his departure a gloomy silence pervaded the camp; we were, indeed, placed +under the most trying circumstances, everything combined to depress our +spirits and exhaust our patience. We had witnessed migration after +migration of the feathered tribes, to that point to which we were so +anxious to push our way. Flights of cockatoos, of parrots, of pigeons, +and of bitterns; birds, also, whose notes had cheered us in the +wilderness, all had taken the same high road to a better and more +hospitable region." + + +And now the water began to sink with frightful rapidity, and they all +thought that the end was surely coming. Hoping against hope, Sturt laid +his plans to start as soon as the drought broke up, himself to proceed +north and west whilst poor Poole, reduced to a frightful condition by +scurvy, was to be sent carefully back as the only means of saving his +life. + +On the 12th and 13th of July the rain commenced, and the siege was +raised, but Poole never lived to profit by it. Every arrangement for his +comfort was made that the circumstances permitted, but on the first day's +journey he died, and they brought his body back to the depôt and made his +lonely grave there. Sturt's way was now open. After burying his lamented +friend, he again dispatched the party that was selected to return home, +and, with renewed hope, made preparations for the northwest. He first, +however, removed the depôt to a better grassed locality, water being now +plentiful everywhere. During a short western trip, on the 4th August they +found themselves on the edge of an immense shallow and sandy basin, in +which were detached sheets of water, "as blue as indigo and as salt as +brine." This they took to be Lake Torrens, and returned to the depôt to +arrange matters for a final departure. + +Stuart was left in charge of the depôt, Browne accompanying Sturt; and on +the 14th a start was made. For some days, owing to the pools of surface +water left by the recent rain, they had no difficulty in keeping a +straightforward course. The country passed over consisted of large level +plains and long sand ridges, but they crossed numerous creeks and found +more or less water in all of them, and finally got into a well-grassed, +pleasing looking country, which greatly cheered them with a prospect of +success, when, suddenly, they were confronted by a wall of sand, and for +nearly twenty miles toiled over succeeding ridges. Fortunately, they +found both water and feed, but their hopes received a sudden and complete +downfall. Nor did a walk to the extremity of one of the sand ridges serve +to raise their spirits. Sturt saw before him an immense plain, of a +dark purple hue, with its horizon like that of the sea, boundless in the +direction in which he wished to proceed. This was the Stony Desert. That +night they camped in it, and the next morning came to an earthy plain, +with here and there a few bushes of polygonum growing beside some stray +channel, in some of which they, luckily, found a little muddy rain water +still left. When they camped at night they sighted, for a short time, +some hills to the north, and, on examining them through the telescope, +saw dark shadows on their faces as if produced by cliffs. Next day they +made for these hills, in the hope of finding a change of country and feed +for their horses; but they were disappointed. Sand ridges in terrible +array once more rose up before them. "Even the animals," says Sturt, +"appeared to regard them with dismay." + +Over plains and sand dunes, the former full of yawning cracks and holes, +the party pushed on, subsisting on precarious pools of muddy water and +fast-sinking native wells; until, on the 3rd of September, Flood, the +stockman, who was riding ahead, held up his hat and called aloud to them +that a large creek was in sight. + +On coming up the others saw a beautiful watercourse, the bed of which was +full of grass and water. This creek Sturt called Eyre's Creek, and it was +one of the most important discoveries he made in this region. Along this +watercourse they made easy stages until the 7th, when the creek was lost, +and the water in the lagoons near the bank was found to be intensely +salt. After repeated efforts to continue his journey, which only led him +amongst the everlasting sand hills, separated by plains encrusted with +salt, Sturt came to the erroneous conclusion that he was at the head of +the creek, and further progress impossible. Had he but known it, he was +within reach of permanently watered rivers, along which he could have +travelled as far north as he wished. But there was neither sign nor clue +afforded him; his men were sick, and his retreat to the depôt most +precarious; there was nothing for it but to fall back again, and after a +toilsome journey they reached the depôt, or Fort Grey as they had +christened it, on the 2nd October. + +Sturt now made up his mind for a final effort due north, and in company +with Stuart and two fresh men, he started on the 9th of October; and on +the second day reached Strzelecki Creek, which was the name they had +given to the first creek crossed on their late expedition. On the 13th, +they arrived at the banks of a magnificent channel with grassy banks, +fine trees and abundant water; this was the now well-known Cooper's +Creek, one of the most important rivers of the interior, its tributaries +draining the southern slopes of the dividing watershed in the north. + +Sturt on reaching this unexpected discovery was uncertain whether to +follow its course to the eastward, or persevere in his original intention +of pushing to the north. A thunder storm falling at the time made him +adhere to his original course, and defer the examination of the new river +until his return. In seven days after leaving Cooper's Creek, he had the +negative satisfaction, as he expected, of gazing over the dreary waste of +the stony desert, unchanged and forbidding as ever. They crossed it, and +were again turned back by sand hill and salt plain, and forced to retrace +their steps to Cooper's Creek. This creek Sturt followed upward for many +days, but finding it did not take him in the direction he desired to go, +and moreover, the large broad channel that they first came to, became +divided into many small ones, which ran through flooded plains, making +the travelling most tiring on their exhausted horses; he reluctantly +turned back. They had found the creek well populated with natives, and +the prospects of getting on were apparently better than they had ever met +with before, but both Sturt and his men were weak and ill, and his horses +thoroughly tired out, and also he was not sure of his retreat. + +Following Cooper's Creek back, they found that the water had dried up so +rapidly that grave fears were entertained that Strzelecki's Creek, their +main reliance in going back to the depôt, would be dry. Fortunately, they +were in time to find a little muddy fluid left, just enough to serve +them. Here they experienced a hot wind that forced them to camp the whole +day, although most anxious to get on. + + +"We had scarcely got there," writes Sturt, "when the wind, which had +been blowing all the morning hot from the north-east, increased to a +gale, and I shall never forget its withering effects. I sought shelter +behind a large gum tree, but the blasts of heat were so terrific, that I +wondered the very grass did not take fire. This really was nothing ideal; +everything, both animate and inanimate, gave way before it; the horses +stood with their backs to the wind, and their noses to the ground, +without the muscular strength to raise their heads; the birds were mute, +and the leaves of the tree under which we were sitting, fell like a snow +shower around us. At noon, I took a thermometer, graduated to 127 +degrees, out of my box, and observed that the mercury was up to 125. +Thinking that it had been unduly influenced, I put it in the fork of a +tree close to me, sheltered alike from the wind and the sun. In this +position I went to examine it about an hour afterwards, when I found that +the mercury had risen to the top of the instrument, and that its further +expansion had burst the bulb, a circumstance that, I believe, no +traveller has had to recount before." + + +Let the reader remember when reading the above description, which has +been so much quoted, that the man who wrote it was in such a weakened +condition, that he had no energy left to withstand the hot wind, and that +the shade they were cowering under was of the scantiest description. + +They had still a journey of eighty-six miles, back to Fort Grey, with +little prospect of any water being found on the way. After a long and +weary ride they reached it only to find that, owing to the bad state of +the water, Browne had been compelled to fall back on to their old camp at +the Depôt Glen. + + +"We reached the plain just as the sun was descending, without having +dismounted from our horses for fifteen hours, and as we rode down the +embankment into it, looked around for the cattle, but none were to be +seen. We looked towards the little sandy mound on which the tents had +stood, but no white objects there met our eye; we rode slowly up to the +stockade and found it silent and deserted. I was quite sure that Mr. +Browne had had urgent reasons for retiring. I had, indeed, anticipated +the measure. I hardly hoped to find him at the Fort, and had given him +instructions on the subject of his removal; yet, a sickening feeling came +over me when I saw that he was really gone; not on my own account, for, +with the bitter feelings of disappointment with which I was returning +home, I could calmly have laid my head on that desert, never to raise it +again." + + +Riding day and night, Sturt at last reached the encampment, so exhausted +as to be hardly able to stand:-- + + +"When I dismounted, I had nearly fallen forward. Thinking that one of the +kangaroo dogs, in his greeting, had pushed me between the legs, I turned +round to give him a slap, but no dog was there, and I soon found out that +what I had felt was nothing more than strong muscular action, brought on +by riding." + + +Now came the question of their final escape. The water in the Depôt Creek +was so much reduced that they feared that there would be none left in +Flood's Creek, and if so, they were once more imprisoned. Browne +undertook the long ride of one hundred and eighteen miles, which was to +decide the question. Preparations had to be made for his journey by +filling a bullock skin with water, and sending a dray with it as far as +possible; and on the eighth day he returned. + +"'Well Browne,' said Sturt, who was helpless in his tent, 'what news? Is +it to be good or bad?' 'there is still water in the creek,' replied +Browne, 'but that is all I can say; what there is, is as black as ink, +and we must make haste, for in a week it will be gone.'" + + +The boat that was to have floated on the inland sea, was left to rot at +the Depôt Glen, all the heaviest of the stores abandoned., and the +retreat of over two hundred miles to the Darling commenced. + +More bullock skins were fashioned into bags, to carry water for the +stock, and with their aid, and that of a kindly shower of rain, they +crossed the dry stage to Flood's Creek in safety. Here they found the +vegetation more advanced, and with care, and constant activity in looking +out for water on ahead, they gradually left behind them the scene of +their labours and approached the Darling; Sturt having to be carried on +one of the drays, and lifted on and off at each stoppage. + +On the 21st December, they arrived at the camp of the relief party, under +Piesse, at Williorara, and Sturt's last expedition came to an end. + +As he has often been termed the father of Australian exploration, it may +be as well to look back on the result of his life-long labours. His +burning desire to reach the heart of the continent had constantly led him +into dangers and difficulties that other explorers shunned, and +unfortunate as he always was in his seasons, he brought back a forbidding +report of the, usefulness of the country he had discovered, which led to +its gradual settlement, only after long years had passed, and men had +grown accustomed to the desert, and laughed at its terrors; finding that +experience robbed them of their first effect. + +Sturt found the Darling, and traced the Murray to its mouth, thus +discovering the great arteries of the water system of the most populated +part of Australia, leaving the details to be filled in by others. In the +interior he was the finder of Eyre's Creek and Cooper's Creek; one of the +tributaries of the latter was soon afterwards discovered by Mitchell, +and named by him the Victoria, now called the Barcoo. In these two +creeks, as he called them, on account of the absence of flowing water in +their beds, Sturt unwittingly crossed the second and only other great +inland river system of the continent. In the basin he traversed, in which +these creeks lost their character, he was riding over the united beds of +the Barcoo, the Thomson, the Diamentina, and the Herbert, west of whose +waters nothing in the shape of a defined system of drainage exists, until +the rivers of the western coast are reached. As a scientific explorer +then, whose object was to unravel the mystery of the interior, solve, if +possible, the question of its strange peculiarity, and trace out its +physical formation, Sturt may well be held the first and greatest. His +success, perhaps, was greater than he himself imagined, he came back +dispirited with failure but as before he had found the broad outlines of +the plan of the drainage of the great plains, to be afterwards completed +by the discoveries of the tributary streams. + +In addition to his longing to be the first to reach the centre of +Australia, Sturt fondly hoped that once past the southern zone of the +tropics, he would find himself in a country blessed with a heavier and +more constant rainfall; as it was impossible for him to know at that +time, that the force of the north-west monsoon was expended on the +northern coast, and none of the tropical deluge found its way with any +degree of regularity to the thirsty inland slope; this theory appeared +on the face of it, feasible. Although an after knowledge may have now +enabled us to see the mistakes he made, and to regard his descriptions of +the uninhabitable nature of the interior as exaggerated, it must be +admitted that others in the same place and circumstances would have made +similar errors, and drawn equally false conclusions. + +In taking leave of this explorer, another short extract from his journal +will best show the character of the man of whom Australians should be so +justly proud. + + +"Circumstances may yet arise to give a value to my recent labours, and my +name may be remembered by after generations in Australia, as the first +who tried to penetrate to its centre. If I failed in that great object, I +have one consolation in the retrospect of my past services. My path +amongst savage tribes has been a bloodless one, not but that I have +often been placed in situations of risk and danger, when I might have +been justified in shedding blood, but I trust I have ever made allowances +for human timidity, and respected the customs of the rudest people." + + +The next prominent figure in the history of this time is Leichhardt, +whose unknown fate has been the cause of so much sentiment clinging about +his name. + +Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt arrived in the colony in 1842, and travelled to +Moreton Bay overland, where he occupied himself for two years in short +excursions in the neighbourhood, pursuing his favourite study of physical +science. Leichhardt was born in Beskow, near Berlin, and studied in +Berlin. Through a neglect, he was excluded from the one-year military +service, and thereby induced to escape from the three-yearly service. The +consequence was, that he was pursued as a deserter and sentenced IN +CONTUMACIAM. + +Afterwards, Alexander Von Humboldt succeeded, by representing his +services to science on his first expedition in Australia, in obtaining a +pardon from the King. By a Cabinet order Leichhardt received permission +to return to Prussia unpunished. This order, whether of any value to +Leichhardt or not, came too late. When it arrived in Australia he had +already started on his last expedition. + +When the expedition was projected from Fort Bourke, on the Darling, to +the Gulf of Carpentaria or Port Essington, he was desirous of securing +the position of naturalist thereon; the delay in the starting of it +disappointed him, and he made up his mind to attempt one on his own +account, a project in which he received little encouragement. He +persevered, however, and eking out his own resources, by means of private +contributions he managed to get a party together, and on the 1st of +October, 1844, he left Jimbour, on the Darling Downs, with six whites and +two blacks, 17 horses, 16 head of cattle, and four kangaroo dogs; his +other supplies being proportionately meagre. + +As Leichhardt's journal of this trip has been so widely read, and as it +does not possess the same striking interest as that of Sturt's, from the +more accessible nature of the country travelled through, and the absence +of the constantly threatening dangers overhanging both Sturt and Eyre, a +shorter account of the progress of the expedition will be found most +acceptable. + +His plan of starting from the Moreton Bay district, and proceeding to +Port Essington, differed considerably from that proposed by Sir Thomas +Mitchell. The course adopted by Leichhardt, although longer and more +roundabout than that suggested from Fort Bourke, would be safer for his +little band, keeping as it would, more to the well-watered coastal +districts, and avoiding the constant separations entailed upon parties +traversing the interior. + +Leaving the head waters of the Condamine, the river which receives so +many of the tributary streams of the Darling Downs, Leichhardt struck a +river, which he named the Dawson, thence he passed westward, on to the +fine country of the Peak Downs, whereon he named the minor waters of the +Comet, Planet, and Zamia Creeks. + +On the 10th of January, 1845, the Mackenzie River was discovered, and +here the Doctor and the black boy, Charlie, managed to get lost for two +or three days, a faculty which apparently most of the party happily +possessed. Following up the Isaacs River, a tributary of the Fitzroy, +they crossed the head of it on to the Suttor; the only variation in the +monotonous record of the daily travel being the occasional capture of +game, and the mutinous conduct of the two black boys, who at various +times essayed to leave the party and shift for themselves, but were on +each occasion glad to return. + +Following down the Suttor, they arrived at the Burdekin, the largest +river on the east coast, discovered by Leichhardt, up the valley of which +they travelled, until they crossed the dividing watershed between the +waters of the east coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria, on to the head of +the Lynd, which river they followed to its junction with the Mitchell. +Finding the course of this river leading them too high north, on the +eastern shore of the Gulf, they left it, and struck to the sea coast, +intending to follow round the southern coast at a reasonable distance +inland. Up to this time they had been so little troubled by the natives, +that they had ceased almost to think of meeting with any hostility from +them. + +On the night of the 28th June, 1845, they were encamped at a chain of +shallow lagoons, when soon after seven o'clock, a shower of spears was +thrown into the camp, wounding Messrs. Roper and Calvert, and killing Mr. +Gilbert instantly. So unprepared were the party, that the guns were +uncapped, and it was some time before three or four discharges made the +blacks take to their heels. The body of the naturalist was buried at the +camp, but his grave was unmarked, as in order to prevent the blacks from +disinterring it, a large fire was lit over the grave to hide its site. + +From this unfortunate camp the party proceeded slowly with the two +wounded men for some days. A strange incident, scarcely credible, +happened during their tramp round the Gulf. One night a blackfellow +walked deliberately up to the fire round which the party were assembled, +having seemingly mistaken it for his own. On discovering his mistake, he +immediately climbed up a tree, and raised a horrible din, lamenting, +sobbing, and crying, until they all removed to a short distance and +afforded him a chance of which he eagerly availed himself, of escaping. + +Leichhardt followed round the Gulf shores, naming the many rivers he +crossed after friends or contributors to his expedition, or where he +could identify them, retaining the names of the coast surveys. On the 6th +of August, he reached a river which he mistook for the Albert, of Captain +Stokes, but which now bears his name, being so christened by A. C. +Gregory, who rectified his error. On this occasion, Leichhardt did not +err so widely as Burke and Wills did subsequently, when they mistook the +mouth of the Flinders for the Albert. With decreasing supplies and +increasing fatigue, they at last reached the large river in the +south-west corner of the Gulf, which he named the Roper, and here he had +the misfortune to lose four horses, and had to sacrifice the whole of his +botanical collection--a heavy loss. On the 17th December, when very near +the last of everything, they arrived at the settlement of Victoria, at +Port Essington, and their long journey of ten months was over. + +This expedition, successful as it was in opening up such a large area of +well watered country, attracted universal attention, and enthusiastic +poets broke forth into song at Leichhardt's return, as they already had +done at his reported death. He was heartily welcomed back to Sydney, and +dubbed by journalists the "Prince of Explorers." But, perhaps, better +still, a solid money reward was raised by both public and private +subscription, and shared amongst the party, in due proportions. During +his journey, Leichhardt had discovered many important rivers draining +large and fertile areas. The principal being the Dawson, the Mackenzie, +the Suttor, the Burdekin, and its many tributaries. The numerous streams +of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and others that have since become almost +household words in Australian geography. He was singularly fortunate on +this occasion; although, judging by his after career, the luck which had +carried him through from Moreton Bay to Port Essington deserted him +suddenly and completely. His route had been through a country so easy to +penetrate and well watered, that on one night only, had the party camped +without water. The blacks, with the exception of the time when Mr. +Gilbert was killed, were neither troublesome nor hostile, beyond +occasionally threatening them. Game was fairly plentiful, and compared +with the obstacles that beset Sturt, Eyre, and Mitchell, the footsteps of +the explorers had been through a garden of Eden. + +But what took the public fancy the most was a certain halo of romance +surrounding the journey, partly from the report of the death of the +traveller having been circulated, and partly from the trip having been +successful in reaching the goal aimed at, and attaining the results +desired, namely, an available and habitable route to the settlement at +Port Essington. All these circumstances, combined with the very slender +means which had enabled the young and enthusiastic explorer to succeed, +threw around Leichhardt's reputation a glamour, which, fortunately for +his reputation, the mystery surrounding the total and absolute +disappearance of himself and party, in 1848, has deepened, and kept alive +until this day. + +Leichhardt added a long string of discoveries to his name during this one +trip, and had his other attempts been as successful in proportion, he +would have taken the first place in the history of Australian discovery, +but it was not to be so, and on this undoubtedly fruitful expedition his +fame now stands. + +Before Leichhardt's return, Sir Thomas Mitchell had started on his +long-delayed journey, which, in the main, had the same purpose in view as +Leichhardt's. This expedition had been long talked of. In 1841, +communications between Governor Gipps and Captain Sturt had taken place +on the subject, and in December of the same year, Eyre, not long back +from his journey to King George's Sound, wrote, offering his services. +[See Appendix.] To this the Governor replied that he would be glad to +avail himself of Mr. Eyre's services, provided that no prior claim to the +post was advanced by Captain Sturt. He also desired Eyre's views as to +the expense of the party. + +Eyre estimated that the sum of five thousand pounds would, he thought, be +sufficient to fully cover every expense, including the hire of a vessel +(to meet the party on the north coast), and the payment of the wages of +the men and the salaries of the surveyor and draughtsman. But the colony +was not in a mood to indulge in such expense, and nothing was done just +then. + +In 1843, Major Mitchell submitted A plan of exploration to the Governor, +who promised to consult the Legislative Council who approved, and voted a +sum of one thousand pounds towards the expenses. The Governor referred +the matter to Lord Stanley, who gave a favourable reply; but still the +matter was delayed. + +In the beginning of the following year (1844), Eyre again made an offer +of his services, intimating that now the altered circumstances of the +colony would allow it to be carried through at a much cheaper rate. His +offer was, however, declined, on account of the Surveyor-General, to whom +the honour rightfully belonged, being in the field. + +In 1845, the Council increased the exploration fund to two thousand +pounds, and Sir George Gipps instructed Major Mitchell to start. + +The views of Sir Thomas were in favour of obtaining a road to the foot of +the Gulf, instead of Port Essington, on account of reducing the land +journey considerably, and also there being such a reasonable probability +that a large river would be found flowing northward into it. + +In a letter which the Surveyor-General received from Mr. Walter Bagot +[See Appendix.] about this time, mention is made of the blacks reporting +a large river west of the Darling, running to the north or north-west. +As, however, the natives do not seem very clear in their knowledge of the +difference between flowing from and flowing to, it was probable that +Cooper's Creek, not then discovered by Sturt, was the foundation of the +legend, or possibly the Paroo. + +During the earlier part of the year, Commissioner Mitchell (a son of Sir +Thomas) made an exploration towards the Darling, and the discoveries of +the Narran, the Balonne, and the Culgoa have been attributed to him; but, +as will be seen by Bagot's letter, they were known to the settlers a year +before; no special interest beyond this is to be found in the narrative +of the journey. + +On the 15th of December, 1845, Sir Thomas Mitchell started from Buree, +his old point of departure, at the head of the small army with which he +was once more going to vanquish the wilderness. Mounted videttes, +barometer carrier, carter, and pioneer, etc., etc., were amongst the list +of his subordinates. Well might poor Leichhardt say, when thinking over +his slender resources:-- + + +"Believe me, that one experienced and courageous bushman is worth more +than the eight soldiers Sir Thomas intends to take with him. They will be +an immense burthen, and of no use." + + +But Sir Thomas thought otherwise; without soldiers he considered that +certain failure awaited the rash explorer; discipline and method were the +sheet anchors of his exploratory existence, every tent in his camp was +pitched by line, and every dray had its station. With the fated Kennedy +as second, and Mr. W. Stephenson as surgeon and collector, he had also +with him twenty-eight men, eight bullock drays, three horse drays, and +two boats; and thus accompanied, he marched to the north. + +Sir Thomas Mitchell struck the Darling much higher than Fort Bourke, the +state of the country at this time of the year rendering this change in +his plan needful. It was not until he was across the Darling that he was +outside the settled districts, so rapidly had the country been stocked +since last he was there, and even then he was on territory that his son +had lately explored. + +The first river the party struck, west of the Darling, was the Narran, +and this was followed up until the Balonne was reached, which Mitchell +pronounced the finest river in Australia, with the exception of the +Murray. Beyond this, they made the Culgoa, and, crossing it, struck the +river again above the separation of the two streams, which from thence +upwards preserved the name of the Balonne. + +On the 12th April, they reached the natural bridge of rocks on the +Balonne, where the township of St. George now stands, long known as St. +George's Bridge; and from here Sir Thomas advanced with a light party, +leaving Kennedy to follow on his tracks with the remainder, after a rest +of three weeks. + +Soon after leaving the camp, Mitchell crossed the junction of the +Maranoa, but did not at that time like its appearance, and only followed +it a few miles, returning and keeping the course of the Balonne until +they reached the junction of the Cogoon from the westward, when they +followed the course of that river, which led them into a beautiful +pastoral district around a solitary hill, which the leader named Mount +Abundance, and here Mitchell first noticed the bottle tree. + +Passing over a low range from the Cogoon, after crossing some tributary +streams, Sir Thomas found a river with a northerly and southerly course, +full of fine reaches of water, which retained its native name of the +Maranoa, being supposed to be the same as the junction before noticed. +Here they awaited the arrival of Kennedy with the heavy waggons and main +body. + +On the 1st of June, the party was reunited, and the leader prepared for a +fresh excursion. Before Kennedy left the first depôt, at which, it will +be remembered, he was to remain six weeks, he received dispatches from +Commissioner Mitchell to Sir Thomas, by which that gentleman learnt of +the success of Leichhardt's expedition. + +Major Mitchell has been accused of regarding Leichhardt's success with +jealous eyes, but that can scarcely be the case; true, he was of a +slightly imperious temper, but he must have felt far too secure of his +own reputation to fear any man's rivalry. The hasty and 'impatient +remarks he was occasionally betrayed into would, no doubt, be the natural +result of a man of his temperament reading such paragraphs in the Sydney +newspapers as those he has quoted in his journal:-- + + +"Australia Felix and the discoveries of Sir Thomas Mitchell now dwindle +into comparative insignificance." + +"We understand the intrepid Dr. Leichhardt is about to start another +expedition to the Gulf, keeping to the westward of the coast ranges." + + +The last item would be especially annoying, as it would indicate an +intention of trespassing on Mitchell's then field of operation. + +On the 4th, the Surveyor-General started, intending to be away from the +depôt for at least four months. He followed up the Maranoa, and crossing +the broken tableland at its head, reached the Warrego, afterwards +explored by Kennedy. From this river Mitchell struck north, feeling +inclined to think that he was at last on the long looked for dividing +watershed that separated the northern from the southern flow. + +On the 2nd July, they discovered a fine running stream that soon +broadened into a river, and eventually into a lake, called by Mitchell +Lake Salvator, the river receiving the same name. Travelling along the +basin of the head-waters of the Nogoa, which, however, turned too much to +the eastward for his purpose, crossing the Claude and the fine country +known as Mantuan Downs, Mitchell ascended a dividing range, and struck +the head of the Belyando--one of the main tributaries of the Burdekin so +lately discovered by Leichhardt. Following it down through the thick +brigalow scrub, which is a marked feature of this river and its companion +the Suttor, of Leichhardt, the party crossed the southern tropic on the +25th July, being, as Mitchell says, the first to enter the interior +beyond that line. In this he rather overlooked the fact, which he must +have known, that Leichhardt's track was only a few miles to the eastward, +and also what he did not then know, that he was not in the interior but +still on coast waters. + +On the 10th August, the camp was visited by some natives, who did not +appear of the most friendly disposition. They apparently called the river +Belyando, which name was adopted. On their getting noisy and troublesome, +they were ignominiously put to flight by the dogs charging them. At this +point Mitchell had reluctantly to alter his preconceived opinions and +conjectures, and come to the conclusion that the northern fall of the +waters was still to be looked for to the westward, and that a further +continuance on his present course would lead him on to Leichhardt's +track. Disappointed, he gave the order to turn back, and on the last days +of August they were once again on the Nogoa tributaries. + +At the foot of the range Mitchell established a second depôt, and on the +10th September started with the black boy and two men for a month's trip +to the westward. On this trip, he must receive the credit of initiating +the now commonly used water-bag for carrying water. His, it must be +confessed, was a very crude one, being only a thick flour bag, covered +outside with melted mutton fat. + +The second day they met some natives, and from one old woman learnt the +names of some of the neighbouring streams, particularly the Warrego, +which river they had crossed on their outward way. The first river he +encountered was the Nive, and again he, as usual, flattered himself that +he was at the head of Gulf waters, little thinking that he was on the +most northern tributary of the Darling. A small tributary was called the +Nivelle. A short day's ride convinced him that this river ran too much to +the south-east, and he turned to the north through the scrub, and on the +morning of the 15th September, was rewarded with the splendid outlook +that has since greeted so many wayfarers on emerging from the Nive scrub. + +In his journal he says:-- + + +"I there beheld downs and plains extending westward beyond the reach of +vision, bounded on the S.W. by woods and low ranges, and on the N.E. by +higher ranges, the whole of these open downs declining to the N.W., in +which direction a line of trees marked the course of a river traceable to +the remotest verge of the horizon. There I found then, at last, the +realization of my long-cherished hopes--an interior river falling to the +N.W. in the heart of an open country, extending also in that direction. +. . . From the rock where I stood, the scene was so extensive, as to +leave no room for doubt as to the course of the river, which thus and +there revealed to me alone, seemed like a reward direct, from Heaven for +perseverance, and as a compensation for the many sacrifices I had made +in order to solve the question as to the interior rivers of tropical +Australia." + + +Once more the victim of a too sanguine belief, he followed tip his +discovery by at once commencing to trace down the river that ran through +this new-found paradise. He had made a great contribution to Australian +geography, as great as what he hoped for; but if he had been told the +truth he would scarcely have been satisfied. He had found the upper +tributaries of the second great river system of the interior, as Sturt +-had found its lower outflow, and he had thrown open the wonderful +western prairies, but he was as far from the Gulf as ever. + +Light-hearted and satisfied, the party rode on for days through the +beautiful undulating downs country. On the 22nd September, we find in his +journal a notice of the new kind of grass, which was in future to be so +highly prized and to bear his name: + + +"Two kinds of grass grew on these plains, one of them, a brome grass, +possessing the remarkable property of shooting up green from the old +stalk." + + +On the 23rd, they crossed and named the Alice, and on the 26th, being +fully satisfied, and their provisions running short turned back. + +Mitchell for once, in honour of such a discovery, departed from his usual +custom, which was the healthy plan of giving "good, sonorous native +names" to the most noticeable features, and called the river the +Victoria. On the 6th of October they reached the depôt camp, and found +all well. + +The return to the main depôt, left in charge of Kennedy, was soon +accomplished, and on the 19th this was reached, and the occupants found +safe and unmolested, although the absence of Mitchell had now extended +over the four months. As a proof of the capabilities of the country he +had travelled over, Mitchell brought back all his animals in first-rate +condition, having lost only one horse, and that was through an accident. + +The final return was made down the yet unexplored Maranoa, at the head of +which the depôt had been fixed so long; and on the 4th November they +arrived at the Balonne, having passed through splendidly-grassed and +well-watered country the whole way. The party took up their old camp at +St. George's Bridge, where they learnt from the natives that a party of +whites had been in the neighbourhood during their absence. Kennedy was +dispatched to inspect the Mooni ponds, or river, which they understood +was to the eastward of them. He found them occupied by cattle stations to +within a day's ride of the camp, so that the explorer's work may be +considered as at an end. + +This expedition, it may well be supposed, fully confirmed Mitchell's +reputation. Once more he had been the means of assuring the colonists +that away towards the setting sun the flocks and herds might advance +unchecked, so far as he had been, and as he thought, across the great +continent. Added to which, he felt convinced, and expected the public +also to feel the same, that along the banks of the Victoria was the great +high road to the north coast. + +This was the last expedition of the Surveyor-General, and the year before +concluded the active work of his old rival in the field, Charles Sturt. +Both men had done wonders in the cause of exploration; but the genii of +plentiful seasons and bountiful vegetation seems to have been the +forerunner of Sir Thomas, whilst a demon of drought and aridity stalked +in front of Sturt. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + + +Kennedy traces the Victoria in its final course south--Re-named the +Barcoo--First notice of the PITURI chewing natives--Leichhardt's second +Expedition--Failure and Return--Leichhardt's last Expedition--His +absolute disappearance--Conjectures as to his fate--Kennedy starts from +Rockingham Bay to Cape York--Scrubs and swamps--Great exertions--Hostile +natives--Insufficiency of supplies provided--Dying horses--Main party +left in Weymouth Bay--Another separation at Shelburne Bay--Murder of +Kennedy at the Escape River--Rescue of Jacky the black boy--His pathetic +tale of suffering--Failure to find the camp at Shelburne Bay--Rescue of +but two survivors at Weymouth Bay--The remainder starved to death--Von +Mueller in the Australian Alps--Western Australia--Landor and Lefroy, in +1843--First expedition of the brothers Gregory, in 1846--Salt lakes and +scrub--Lieutenant Helpman sent to examine the coal seam discovered--Roe, +in 1848--His journey to the east and to the south--A. C. Gregory attempts +to reach the Gascoyne--Foiled by the nature of the country--Discovers +silver ore on the Murchison--Governor Fitzgerald visits the mine--Wounded +by the natives--Rumour of Leichhardt having been murdered by the +blacks--Hely's expedition in quest of him--Story unfounded--Austin's +explorations in Western Australia--Terrible scrubs--Poison camp-- +Determined efforts to the north--Heat and thirst--Forced to return. + + +The importance of deciding the final course of the Victoria was at once +recognised, and Kennedy was chosen to lead a lightly equipped party. +However convinced Sir Thomas Mitchell was of the affluent of the Victoria +being in the Gulf of Carpentaria, others did not at once fall in with +the notion. It was evident that the vast flooded plains, and many +channels of Cooper's Creek absorbed immense quantities of water from the +interior, and apparently this water came from the north-east. What more +probable than that the Victoria was lost there. + +Kennedy followed the old track to the river, found by Mitchell, and +reaching his lowest camp on the 13th of August, commenced to run the +river down from there. On the first day's journey he met a native, from +whom he learnt the aboriginal name of the Victoria, the BARCOO. + +On the 15th Kennedy noticed with anxiety that the valley of the river +certainly fell to the south, and that ever since it had turned from its +northerly course, it was making for the point where Sturt turned back on +Cooper's Creek. He consequently began to dread that he might follow the +course of it, so far as not to be able to carry out the second part of +his instructions, namely, to look for a road to the Gulf, not having +enough means with him for both journeys. He decided to follow with two +men along the Barcoo, far enough to the south to leave no doubt about its +not being a north coast river. After two days' journey, the direction of +the Barcoo turned west, and even north of west, and the bed contained +fine reaches of water, one hundred, and one hundred and twenty yards +wide. Kennedy turned back for the whole of his party, considering that +his duty was to follow such a river, no matter in what direction it led +him. + +On the 30th August, they came upon a large tributary from the N.N.E., +which was named the Thomson, and they found the country very different +from the grassy plains of the upper reaches. + +Finally, the river led them amongst plains gaping with fissures, +grassless and waterless, where the only change in the flat character of +the country was the sandhill formation, that exactly agreed with Sturt's +description. In fact, it was now evident to Kennedy that the only result +of his journey would be to connect with that explorer's most northerly +and easterly point, and, however satisfactory or unsatisfactory this +might be, it was scarcely worth risking the lives of his party, and the +certain loss of his horses to attain. Grass, or feed of any sort, had now +failed them for several days, and at last they could find no more water. +They were confronted with the desert described by Sturt with such +terrible accuracy, and there was nothing to be gained by entering into a +struggle with it. Kennedy turned back quite satisfied that the end of the +Victoria was in Cooper's Creek. + +As the nomenclature of these watercourses is rather conflicting, and they +were the field of many subsequent explorations, it may be as well to +mention that the Victoria (now the Barcoo) joins Kennedy's Thomson, which +still retains its name, and below the junction the united stream is +always now called Cooper's Creek. Thus, as the residents out there tell +you, IT TAKES TWO RIVERS IN THAT PART OF AUSTRALIA TO MAKE A CREEK. + +A noticeable incident here occurs in Kennedy's journal. Writing on the +11th September, he says:-- + + +"A curious fact I observed here is, that the men chew tobacco; it is, of +course, in a green state, but it is strong and hot." + + +This was almost, certainly, the PITURI plant, which the natives of the +interior chew, and then bury in the sand, where the heat of the sun +causes it to ferment; it is then chewed as an intoxicant, the natives +carrying a plug behind their car in their hair. It is offered to a +stranger as an especial compliment, and great is the affront if this +toothsome morsel is declined. It only grows in certain localities, far +west of where Kennedy saw the natives using it, and the blacks of the +locality where it is found barter it away with other tribes, by which +means it is found at a considerable distance from where it grows. Amongst +the natives there are PITURI and NON-PITURI chewers. + +On his downward journey Kennedy, to ease his horses as much as possible, +had buried a great quantity of flour and sugar. On his return he found +that the natives had discovered it, and wantonly emptied it out of the +bags into the hole, reducing it to a mixture of earth and flour that was +completely useless. This loss prevented Kennedy from making his intended +excursion to the Gulf. The party started back, and on his way Kennedy +picked up his carts, which he had also buried. He was just in time; a +native, probably one of the burglars already mentioned, had been +examining and sounding the ground but a short time before the party +arrived. + +On reaching the head of the Warrego, Kennedy determined to follow it +down, and ascertain whether it was a southerly or westerly flowing river. +They followed the Warrego south, through fine grazing country, the river +being full of splendid reaches of water, but at last it failed them, +running out in flat country in waterless channels. From here they struck +across easterly to the Culgoa, which river they reached after a ride of +seventy miles without water, over a barren country, timbered with pine +and brigalow. Here they were delayed getting the carts across this dry +track, and lost six horses from heat and thirst. Thus vanished the high +hopes entertained of the Victoria River. + +Meantime, Leichhardt, encouraged by his first success, had received +liberal support from the public to enable him to start on a new +expedition, which at once was to settle the question of the nature of the +interior, the ambitious project being nothing less than to traverse the +continent from the eastern to the western shore, on much the same +parallel of latitude if possible. + +The party travelled overland from the Hunter River to the Darling Downs, +bringing with them their outfit of mules, cattle, and goats. On December +10th, 1846, the expedition left Mr. Stephens' station on the Condamine, +the members then consisting of seven whites and two blacks. Of stock, +they had two hundred and seventy goats, one hundred and eighty sheep, +forty bullocks, fifteen horses, and thirteen mules. This stock, with +their flour, tea, sugar, etc., was to last them on a two years' journey. + +It is almost needless to go into particulars concerning this unfortunate +trip. They never succeeded in getting away from the old Port Essington +track. The rains came down on them in the sickly brigalow scrubs of the +Dawson and Mackenzie. Fever was the result, and they had no medicines +with them--a strange omission. Their only coverings during the wet were +two miserable calico tents. Their life, as told by members of the party, +consisted of semi-starvation, varied by gorging and feasting on killing +days, in which the Doctor apparently set the example; in fact, his +character throughout comes out in anything but an amiable light, and one +is led to wonder how anyone so destitute of tact and readiness of +resource ever achieved the journey to Port Essington, favoured even as he +was on that occasion by circumstances and seasons. Suffice it to say, to +end the miserable story, that, having first lost their sheep and goats, +then their cattle and most of their horses and mules, they turned up on +the 6th of July at Chauvel's station on the Condamine, having done +nothing but wander about on the old track and eat their supplies. + +On reaching the station, Dr. Leichhardt was put in possession of the +finding of the Victoria, the Maranoa, &c., and being anxious to examine +the country between Sir Thomas Mitchell's track and his own, he, in +company with Mr. Isaacs and three of his late companions, left Stuart +Russell's station on a short excursion, during which he crossed to the +Balonne and back, making some subordinate discoveries. + +Still persisting in his idea of crossing the continent, and fearful that +he might be forestalled, he made great efforts to get together a small +party of some sort to make another attempt. He succeeded; but this time +his party was neither so well provided nor so large. In fact, very little +is known of the members constituting it. The Rev. W. B. Clarke, speaking +of this final trip, says:-- + + +"The parties who accompanied Leichhardt were, perhaps, little capable of +shifting for themselves in case of any accident to their leader. The +second in command, a brother-in-law of Leichhardt, came from Germany to +join him just before starting, and he told me, when I asked him what his +qualifications for the journey were, that he had been at sea, had +suffered shipwrecks, and was, therefore, well able to endure hardship. I +do not know what his other qualifications were." + + +For some inexplicable reason, this man, whose name was Classen or +Klausen, has always been selected as the hero of the many tales that have +been brought in of a solitary survivor of the party living in captivity +with the natives; probably, because his was the only name besides +Leichhardt's generally known and remembered. + +The lost expedition is supposed to have consisted of six whites and two +blacks. The names known are those of the Doctor himself, Classen, Hentig, +Stuart, and Kelly. He had with him fifty bullocks, thirteen mules, twelve +horses, and two hundred and seventy goats, beside the utterly inadequate +allowance of eight hundred pounds of flour, one hundred and twenty pounds +of tea, some sugar and salt, and two hundred and fifty pounds of shot and +forty of powder. + +His last letter [See Appendix.] is dated the 3rd of April, 1848, from +McPherson's station on the Cogoon, but in it he speaks only of the. +country traversed, and says nothing of his intended route. Since the +residents of this outlying station lost sight of him and his men, no clue +to his fate has ever been found. The total evanishment not only of his +men but of the animals (especially the goats) that accompanied him, is +one of the strangest mysteries of our mysterious interior. + +Leichhardt's expressed intention was to endeavour to skirt the edge of +the desert--which was then supposed to exist in the centre--to the +northward, seizing the first opportunity of penetrating it, and then +making for Perth. From what we now know, it is quite impossible to guess +how much or little of this programme was carried out, as the existence or +non-existence of what he would consider a desert would entirely depend +upon what the season had been like immediately before his arrival. + +The perusal of his journal to Port Essington, impresses one with the +opinion that, considering his scientific training, he was singularly +deficient in observation. In one place he writes that horses and bullocks +never showed that instinctive faculty of detecting water so often +mentioned by travellers, and that they seem to be guided entirely by +their sight when in search of it--an assertion which seems incredible on +the part of a man with any bush training at all. If Leichhardt had ever +had to steady a thirsty mob of cattle during a pitch dark night, with a +strong wind blowing from water, or even across the damp bed of a lagoon +or river, miles and miles away, he would soon have found out by what +sense cattle are guided in their search for water. + +Although one does not want to harshly criticise these obvious errors in +the very rudiments of bush-craft, they serve to indicate how likely he +would have been, if entrapped in dry country, to commit a mistake that +would sacrifice his men. And one cannot but believe that he relied quite +as much on the chapter of accidents to pull him through as upon his own +helpfulness or experience. Of the causes that led to the destruction or +dispersion of the whole of the party it is next to impossible to hazard a +guess. The completeness of the disappearance is the most the puzzling +part of the mystery. Had they been killed by the natives, relics of the +explorers would long since have been recovered from them. In some shape +the iron work of the implements they had with them would have survived. + +Many have tried to explain it by imagining them swept away by a flood +when camped on flat country, but this is scarcely likely, for even then, +on the subsidence of the waters, the blacks would have found something of +their belongings. Thirst was most likely the agent of their destruction, +and fire completed the work. + +Once across the waters that wend their sluggish way into the lake +district of South Australia, Leichhardt and his followers would be in the +great region of fragmentary watercourses; rivers and creeks, when met +with, pursuing no definite courses--now lost in miles of level country, +now reforming again for a brief existence, but always delusive and +disappointing. Here they would one day find themselves in a position that +left them no other chance but the slender one of still pushing forward +into the unknown. Probably it was during one of the cycles of rainless +years that periodically visit the continent. Led on mile after mile, +following the dry bed of one creek, to lose it in some barren flat, +whereon the withered stalks of blue-bush alone told of a time of past +vegetation; again picking up another creek, to lose it in like manner, +knowing that to retrace their steps was impossible; making at last for a +hazy, blue line in the distance that turned out to be spinifex and +stunted forest; trusting still that this might indicate a change that +would lead them to higher country and to water, they would struggle +forward, weak and disorganised. + +Then would come the beginning of the end. As they pressed on, the forest +became scantier, and the spinifex higher, spikier, and harder to march +through. One by one their animals had fallen and died, and the desperate +resort of drinking the blood had been tried by some. What little water +they had in their canteens was fast evaporating. Still some of them would +keep heart. The ground was getting stonier, and bare patches of rock were +constantly passed; surely they must be getting on higher country; they +were doubtless ascending the gradual rise of one of the inland +watersheds, and suddenly they hoped the ground would break away at their +feet in deep gullies and ravines; below they would see the tops of green +trees, shading some quiet waterhole. How anxiously they looked out for +any sign of life that might be a good augury of this, but none could be +seen. + +Since leaving the open country, even the tireless kites had deserted them; +all around was silent, still, and lifeless. It was useless to stop to +rest, the ground was blistering to the touch, and there was no shade +anywhere. Then came night, but no change; throughout the long watches, +the radiance of the stars was never blurred by clouds. Some of the men +slept and dreamt of streams of clear, cold water, awaking only to greet +the dawn of another day of blinding, stifling heat, heralded by the faint +sultry sigh of the hot wind. And as the day grew hotter and hotter some +lost their reason, and all lost hope. Then came the end; they separated +and straggled away in ones and twos and fell and died. Day after day the +terrible and pitiless sun .looked down at them lying there, and watched +them dry and shrivel into mummies, and still no rain fell on the earth. + +By day the sky was clear and bright, and by night the stars unclouded. +Years may have passed; higher and higher grew the spinifex, and its long +resinous needles entangled themselves in each other, unchecked by fire +for no black hunters came there in that season of drought, and the men's +bodies lay there, growing more and more unlike humanity, scorched by the +seven times heated earth beneath, and the glaring sun above untouched, +save by the ants, those scavengers of the desert, or the tiny bright-eyed +lizards. At last, the thunder clouds began to gather afar off, and when +they broke, a few wandering natives ventured into the woods, living for a +day or two on the uncertain rainfall. This failing, they retired again, +leaving perhaps, a trail of fire behind them. Then this fire, fed by the +huge banks of flammable spinifex, the growth of many years, spread into a +mighty conflagration, the black smoke covering half the heavens. The +hawks and the crows fled before it, swooping down on the vermin that were +forced to leave the shelter of log and bush. The great silence that had +reigned for so long was broken by the roar, and crash, and crackle of a +sea of flames; and beneath this fiery blast every vestige of the lost +explorers vanished for ever. + +When, on the blackened ground, fell heavy rain once more, the spinifex +sprang up, fresh and green to look at, only in spots here and there, +where a human body had fertilised the soil, it was greener than +elsewhere. + +So Leichhardt drops out of Australian history, and with every succeeding +year the chances of finding any trace grow more remote. + +Expeditions have been started in search of him, but without result, and +the tale of their efforts will be told in their proper order. + +As if the year 1848, when Europe seemed convulsed with some strange +tempest of riot and turmoil, should not be unmarked in Australia, two of +the most disastrous expeditions in the annals of exploration started +during its course. One, Leichhardt's, as we have just seen, vanished, and +all must have perished. Of the other, under Kennedy, two ghastly famished +spectres, that had once been white men, and a naked blackfellow, alone +were rescued out of thirteen. + +The same impulses that led to Mitchell's and Leichhardt's northern +journeys, started Kennedy on his fatal venture up the eastern slope of +the long peninsula that terminates in Cape York. The desire to find a +road to the north coast, so that an available chain of communication +should exist between the southern settlements and a northern seaport. + +Kennedy started from Sydney on board the barque TAM O'SHANTER, on the +29th of April, 1848. He had twelve men in his party, including Mr. Carron +as botanist, one of the survivors who published the account of the trip, +and Mr. Wall, naturalist. Their outfit consisted of twenty-eight horses +and one hundred sheep, besides the other necessary rations, carts, &c. +The instructions were to land at Rockingham Bay, and examine the eastern +coast of the peninsula, to Port Albany in the extreme north, where a ship +would meet and receive them. Such was the programme, alas for the +performance! + +On the 30th of May, they landed in Rockingham Bay, with the loss of one +horse, and Kennedy made his first acquaintanceship with the tropical +jungles of northern Queensland (that now is), including the terrible +lawyer vine [Calamus Australis.] and the stinging tree. The first, a vine +with long hooks and spurs on it, that once fast, seem determined never to +let go again; the stalk being as tenacious and tough as wire, and +binding the scrub trees together so as to render advance impossible +without first cutting a way. The other, a tree with broad leaves, the +sting produced by touching which is so painful that horses, who on first +being stung have plunged about and been stung all over, have died from +the fever and inflammation caused. + +These scrubs, marshy ground, salt water creeks, and high mountain ranges, +all inhabited by hostile natives, formed the pleasant prospect before +Kennedy. + +From the very commencement almost, the monotonous record of Carron's +journal commences day after day thus--"Cutting scrub all day." Through +these marshes and swamps Kennedy strove to make for the ranges, hoping at +least to find clearer country to travel through. Often during this time, +he must have thought of his last journey over the boundless prairies of +the Barcoo, and sighed at the contrast. The natives, too, began to annoy +the travellers, and at last they were fired on and four killed and +wounded. + +On the 18th July, the carts were abandoned, and they went on with +twenty-six pack horses, their sheep being reduced to fifty, and these +were rapidly falling away, as well as the horses, on the sour coast +grasses. They fared no better when they reached the range, or the spurs +of the Main Range, for the scrub still hemmed them in, and roads up and +down the rugged hills were hard to find; then to add to all, rain set +in. + +On the 14th August, Carron took charge of the stores instead of Niblet, +who had been very extravagant with them, and also sent in false returns; +the allowance of flour was now reduced, and hopes were entertained that +with care it would hold out; but at first the supply provided was +insufficient. The horses too, began to knock up, and one after another +they were left behind dead or dying. + +Crossing the dividing watershed, the party for some time travelled along +the heads of rivers running into the Gulf of Carpentaria, finding it a +great improvement in every way--thence they crossed back on to the +waters of the east coast once more, and their horses still giving in, one +by one, they fell back on them as an article of diet. + +On the 9th of November, Kennedy realised that struggling on with the +whole of his party meant death by starvation to all, so he determined to +push ahead with three men and the black boy to Port Albany, and send back +relief by water. Port Albany, in the Pass of that name, being the +rendezvous agreed upon with the relief vessel. The camp was selected on +the top of a hill, fully visible from Weymouth Bay, and Mr. Carron put in +charge of it. + +On the 13th, Kennedy started with the best seven of the horses leaving +the eight men in camp to await his return, or the relief boat. The only +account ever received of his journey came from the lips of the black boy +Jacky-Jacky, the sole survivor. + +His story ran that three weeks after leaving Weymouth Bay they reached +Shelburne Bay, after cutting through a great deal of scrub and crossing +many rivers and creeks. Here Costigan accidentally shot himself, and +became very weak from loss of blood, so Luff, [Luff; the man mentioned +here, was with Kennedy on his Barcoo expedition, and some of the trees on +the Warrego, marked "L," and ascribed to Leichhardt, were probably some +of his marking.] another of the men, being ill, Kennedy left the third +man, Dunn, to look after them, and one horse for food; he and the boy +making a desperate effort to reach Cape York and send back succour. But +it was in vain. They reached the Escape River, and were in sight of +Albany Island, when they met a number of blacks who were apparently +friendly, although Jacky mistrusted them. Then came the end. Jacky's +story has been often told, but it will bear repetition. + + +"I and Mr. Kennedy watched them that night, taking it in turns every hour +that night. By-and-by I saw the blackfellows. It was a moonlight night, +and I walked up to Mr. Kennedy and said, 'There is plenty of blackfellows +now.' This was in the middle of the night. Mr. Kennedy told rue to get my +gun ready. + +"The blacks did not know where we slept as we did not make a fire. We +both sat up all night. After this, daylight came, and I fetched the +horses and saddled them. Then we went on a good way up the river, and +then we sat down a little while, and then we saw three blacks coming +along our track, and then they saw us, and one ran back as hard as he +could run, and fetched up plenty more, like a flock of sheep almost. I +told Mr. Kennedy to put the saddles on the horses and go on; and the +blacks came up and they followed us all day. All along it was raining, +and I now told him to leave the horses, and come on without them, that +the horses made too much track. Mr. Kennedy was too weak, and would not +leave the horses. We went on this day until towards the evening; raining +hard, and the blacks followed us all day, some behind, some planted +before. In fact, blackfellows all around, following us. Now we went into +a little bit of scrub, and I told Mr. Kennedy to look behind always. +Sometimes he would do so, and sometimes he would not do so, to look out +for the blacks. Then a good many blackfellows came behind in the scrub, +and threw plenty of spears, and hit Mr. Kennedy in the back first. Mr. +Kennedy said to me, 'Oh, Jacky Jacky shoot 'em! shoot 'em!' Then I +pulled out my gun and fired, and hit one fellow all over the face with +buck shot. He tumbled down, and got up again, and again, and wheeled +right round, and two blacks picked him up and carried him away. They went +a little way and came back again, throwing spears all round, more than +they did before-very large spears. + +"I pulled out the spear at once from Mr. Kennedy's back, and cut the jag +with Mr. Kennedy's knife. Then Mr. Kennedy got his gun and snapped, but +the gun would not go off. The blacks sneaked all along by the trees, and +speared Mr. Kennedy again in the right leg, above the knee a little, and +I got speared in the eye, and the blacks were now throwing always, never +giving over, and shortly again speared Mr. Kennedy in the right side. +There were large jags to the spears, and I cut them out and put them in +my pocket. At the same time we got speared the horses got speared too, +and jumped and bucked about and got into the swamps. I now told Mr. +Kennedy to sit down while I looked after the saddle bags, which I did, +and when I came back again I saw blacks along with Mr. Kennedy. I then +asked him if he saw the blacks with him. He was stupid with the spear +wounds, and said, 'No.' I then asked him where was his watch? I saw the +blacks taking away watch and hat as I was returning to Mr. Kennedy. Then +I carried Mr. Kennedy into the scrub. He said 'Don't carry me a good +way.' Then Mr. Kennedy looked this way, very bad (Jacky rolling his +eyes). Then I said to him don't look far away, as I thought he would be +frightened. I asked him often, are you well now, and he said, 'I don't +care for the spear wound in my leg, Jacky, but for the other two spear +wounds in my side and back, and I am bad inside, Jacky.' I told him +blackfellow always die when he got spear in there (the back). He said, +'I am out of wind, Jacky.' I asked him (Mr. Kennedy), are you going to +leave me? And he said, 'Yes, my boy, I am going to leave you.' He said, +'I am very bad, Jacky you take the books, Jacky, to the Captain, but not +the big ones, the Governor will give you anything for them.' I then tied +up the papers. He then said, 'Jacky, you give me paper and I will write.' +I gave him paper and pencil and he tried to write, and he then fell back +and died, and I caught him as he fell back, and held him, and I then +turned round myself and cried. I was crying a good while until I got +well, that was about an hour, and then I buried him. + +"I digged up the ground with a tomahawk, and covered him over with logs +and grass and my shirt and trousers. That night I left him near dark. I +would go through the scrub, and the blacks threw spears at me, a good +many, and I went back again into the scrub. Then I went down the creek +which runs into Escape River, and I walked along the water in the creek, +very easy, with my head only above water to avoid the blacks and get out +of their way. In this way I went half a mile. Then I got out of the creek +and got clear of them, and walked on all night nearly, and slept in the +bush without a fire." + + +This was the sad tale. It took poor starving Jacky thirteen days to get +to Port Albany, short as the distance comparatively was. He lived on what +small vermin he could catch, climbing trees every now and again to look +for Port Albany and the ship. He carried the saddle bags, with Kennedy's +papers, for some distance, but had to leave them hidden in a log. + +Immediately that Jacky's story was told to the people of the ARIEL, the +schooner awaiting Kennedy's party at Port Albany, sail was made for +Shelburne Bay to rescue the three men left there. A canoe was captured +which contained articles that left little doubt of the fate of the +unfortunates. The camp, however, was too far inland to reach without a +very strong party, and as it seemed certain that help was too late, and +there were eight men, whom Jacky described as being scarcely able to +crawl, awaiting relief at Weymouth Bay, sail was again made there. + +The wretched men at Weymouth Bay had fared but badly. Douglas died first, +and he was buried; a rite which the party had afterwards to leave +unperformed, through sheer weakness. Taylor died next and was buried by +the side of Douglas. + +Meantime, the blacks behaved in an inexplicable manner, at times they +would approach and offer the whites tainted fish as if to make friends, +and then come up with spears poised, and every token of hostility, +compelling the weary watchers to stand on their guard, expecting an +attack. Carpenter was the next to die, and he was buried with the others. +On the 1st December a schooner was seen in the Bay; and joyfully the flag +was hoisted and some rockets let off after dark. But she sailed away, +never having seen the signals, and the agony of the disappointed men can +be imagined. On the 28th December, Niblet and Wall died, and the blacks +came and surrounded the camp and threatened the two helpless survivors, +hardly able to stand up and hold their guns. + +On the 30th, Goddard crawled out to try and shoot some pigeons, and +Carron sat with a pistol in his hand, to give him warning if the blacks +approached. Let him tell the end. + + +"About an hour after he was gone I could see some natives running over +the hill towards me. I fired a pistol immediately, but before Goddard +could get back they were into the camp, and handed me a piece of paper +very much dirtied and torn, but I was sure by their manner that there was +a vessel in the bay. It proved to be a note to me from Captain Dobson, +but I could only read part of it, it was so covered with dirt. I was for +a minute or two almost senseless from the hope of being relieved from our +miserable condition. I made them some presents, and wrote a note to +Captain Dobson and sent them away with it. I easily made them understand +what I wanted, but I soon saw that they had other intentions. I saw a +great number of natives coming in all directions, well armed. I saw two +from strange tribes amongst them. One man that I gave an old shirt to, +and put it on him, I saw him take it off and pick up his spears. We were +expecting every minute to be attacked by these treacherous villains, +when, to our great joy, we saw Captain Dobson, Dr. Vallack, Jacky (the +black boy), and another man who had received a spear wound in his arm +(Barrett), so that he could offer no resistance to the blacks, coming +across the creek. These men had risked their own lives by coming about +three miles through mangroves and thick scrub (surrounded by not less +than a hundred natives, well armed), with a hope of saving some of us +from starving." + + +The camp had to be vacated in such a hurry in consequence of the +threatened attack, that nothing was saved but a few instruments and +botanical specimens. + +This was the end of a most unfortunate expedition from the first landing. +Against the impassable nature of the line of march, and the hostile +inhabitants, the harassed explorers had to combat from the first. Their +horses were not acclimated, so they soon wasted away, and when sickness +laid its hand upon the men they were doomed. The one brightening touch in +the whole gloomy picture is the simple devotion shown by poor Jacky: "He +then fell back and died, and I caught him as he fell back and held him, +AND THEN I TURNED ROUND MYSELF AND CRIED," was the funeral oration over +the brave and unfortunate Kennedy. + +The brig FREAK was chartered by the Government to make another +examination of the coast. The remains of the men at Weymouth Bay were +reinterred, and search made for the missing men at Shelburne Bay, but +they were never found. Some of the papers secreted by Jacky were +recovered, but Kennedy's body had been taken away. This was all that was +ever discovered. + +In the south of Australia, in 1847, Baron von Mueller was engaged in many +explorations, in some still unknown parts of the continent down there. +These travels were undertaken for botanical and geographical purposes +combined, partly in the province of South Australia, and latterly amongst +the many unexplored recesses of the Australian Alps. The culminating +points of several of the highest mountains in Australia were fixed, and +their geographical positions accurately defined amongst them being Mount +Hotham. + +To the west coast once again. Still trusting that perseverance would be +finally rewarded, the colonists on Swan River kept making vigorous +attempts to penetrate what they would fain consider was only a desert +belt bounding their territory. + +In 1843 a small private party, consisting of Messrs. Landor and Lefroy, +made a short excursion from York, being absent a fortnight. They came +across several shallow lakes, both salt and fresh, but their journey was +not recompensed by the discovery of any good country. + +In 1846 we first come across the name of Gregory in the annals of +exploration. There were three brothers of this name, led by the eldest, +A. C. Gregory, who as a scientific explorer so greatly distinguished +himself in after life. On the 7th August, 1846, they started from Bolgart +Spring, the furthest stock station to the eastward. + +Their equipment was of the slenderest, and they only took about two +months supply of rations. On leaving the settled districts they at once +found themselves in the barren country, that had so often stopped the +outward march of the pioneers, and their first discovery was a swampy +lake (fresh) on the edge of a small patch of better country, but this +quickly passed, and they entered into the salt lake region, through which +they pushed until they reached a range of granite hills, forming the +watershed of the coast streams. Turning somewhat to the northward, they +kept along these hills for the sake of the rain water to be found amongst +the rocks, until, striking again to the east, they encountered an +extensive salt lake or swamp; attempting to cross which their horses were +bogged, and only extricated with difficulty. + +This lake was found afterwards to be of great size, and to fairly hem +them in to the eastward, so after several disappointments they turned to +the westward to examine some of the streams crossed by Grey during his +unfortunate expedition to Shark's Bay. On the head of one of these rivers +(the Arrowsmith), which from the uncertainty of Grey's chart, they were +unable to clearly identify; they found a seam of coal. This was the only +discovery of any importance that they made, the rest of their journey was +over very impoverished country, covered with scrub and sand, with here +and there salt flats and lakes. They returned to Bolgart Spring on the +22nd September. + +On hearing of the coal discovery the Government sent Lieutenant Helpman +in the schooner CHAMPION, to Champion Bay, which place he reached at the +end of the year, accompanied by one of the Gregorys. They landed the cart +and horses, and on the 12th December reached the scene of the coal find. +They soon filled their cart with coal, and returned by a somewhat +different track to the schooner. F. Gregory making a detour to the +northward without any noteworthy result. + +Not yet disappointed in the hope of finding country worth settling to the +eastward, Surveyor-General Roe started from York on the 14th September, +1848; he had with him six men, (including H. Gregory) and twelve horses, +with over three months' provisions. It will be unnecessary to follow them +over the salt lake country which they inevitably met with soon after +leaving civilization, or the outskirts of it Their first attempts beyond +were unsuccessful; they were successively turned from their course by +scrub of the densest character, and sandy plains, so they at last made +for the south coast, where they rested for a while at one of the small +settlements. + +On the 18th, they again started, following the upward course of the +Pallinup River, which was the last stream crossed by Eyre before reaching +Albany, on his Great Bight expedition. They ascended a branch coming from +the north-east, and for a time travelled through well grassed and +promising valleys, but afterwards found themselves once more in the +scrubs and sandy plains of the desert. Catching sight of a granite hill +to the eastward, they proceeded there, but from its summit the outlook +was as gloomy as ever. Fortunately the weather had been showery, and the +want of water was not felt so much as the total absence of feed. Still, +on to the eastward their difficulties increased at every step. To the +impassable thickets and desolate plains was now added the absence of +fresh water, and it was not until after days of privation that they +reached some elevated peaks, where a little grass and water were found. + +Their course was now to the south-east, towards the range sighted by +Eyre, and named the Russell Range, and a desperate struggle commenced +with the barren country through which they had to work their way. So +weakened were the horses, and such was the nature of the belts of scrub, +that it took them three days to accomplish fifty miles, and after being +four days and three nights without water for the horses, they reached a +rugged granite hill, called Mount Riley, where they got a scant supply. +From here, their journey to the Russell Range, fifty miles away, was but +a repetition of their former hardships. Nothing but continuous scrub; +sometimes the thickets were too dense to attempt a passage, even with +the axes, and long detours had to be made. At last, with worn-out horses, +they reached the Russell Range, and every hope they had entertained of a +change for the better was blasted. The range was a mass of naked rocks, +and from the summit nothing but the interminable sea of scrub and the +distant ocean, was visible. Fortunately, they got a little grass and +water, which saved the lives of their animals. + +From the Russell Range, Roe's homeward track was not far removed from +Eyre's, so that no fresh geographical features could be expected, or were +discovered, with the exception of another coal seam in one of the rivers +running into the south coast. On the 2nd February, 1849, the +Surveyor-General reached Perth. + +During the time this last expedition had been endeavouring to proceed +east, A. C. Gregory was put in charge of a party to make for the north, +and ascertain the value of the country reported by Grey as existing on +the Gascoyne. On his way, Gregory reported favourably of the country +around Champion Bay, which had been extolled by Gray, and subsequently +condemned by Captain Stokes. Beyond the Murchison, he did not succeed in +penetrating any considerable distance; being turned back at all points, +after repeated attempts, by the tract of impervious scrub that intervened +between the Murchison and the Gascoyne. He therefore returned, without +seeing the latter river, having attained a distance of three hundred and +fifty miles north of Perth. On their return to the Murchison, a vein of +galena was discovered, and the river traced upwards and downwards for a +considerable distance. They reached Perth on the 17th November. + +The following month Governor Fitzgerald, accompanied by A. C. Gregory, +Bland, and three soldiers, went by sea to Champion Bay, and landing some +horses, proceeded inland to examine the new mineral discovery. The lode +was found to be more important than was at first supposed. + +On their return journey to Champion Bay, an affray occurred with the +natives. The blacks followed them for some time, their numbers constantly +increasing, until fifty well-armed natives were present; in a thick scrub +they succeeded in surrounding the whites, and commenced hostilities. The +party found it necessary to resort to their firearms, and the Governor +fired the first shot, bringing down the leading native, who had just +thrown a spear at Gregory. A shower of spears then fell amongst the group +of explorers, and the Governor was speared through the leg. The natives +were, however, kept at bay, and that afternoon they reached the beach and +embarked on board the schooner. + +This was the second time an Australian Governor had been wounded by the +natives, the first occasion being when Captain Arthur Phillip was +speared. + +Fears now began to be entertained in the other colonies as to the safety +of Leichhardt and his party, and, in consequence of these fears being +augmented by the tales and rumours that drifted in from the outside +districts, gathered from the natives (referring to the murder of a party +of whites to the westward), it was decided to equip an expedition to try +and ascertain the truth of these reports. + +The party was put in charge of Mr. Hovenden Hely, a former companion of +Leichhardt on his second expedition, and in the beginning of 1852 he left +Sydney on the search, his instructions being to act as circumstances +should determine him. + +About forty miles from Mitchell's Mount Abundance he met with the first +of a series of native statements that were destined to keep luring him +forward on a false scent. The story, as usual, was most circumstantial, +and did credit to the imaginations of the authors; two blacks offered to +conduct Hely to the scene of the massacre, and under their guidance he +started, It was a very dry season, and when they reached Mitchell's old +depôt camp on the Maranoa, where, it will be remembered that his party +were encamped for four months, nothing of the fine sheet of water +mentioned by him was seen; it had shrunk to a shallow pool in a bed of +sand. Here the two guides insisted that the murder had taken place, +pointing to the remains of Mitchell's encampment as a proof thereof. This +naturally led Hely to disbelieve their statement, but the blacks added +such details to the original story as almost again convinced him. The +most minute search, however, resulted in nothing, and one of the natives +managed to make his escape. The other then altered his version of the +affair, and shifted the scene of the tragedy to the westward again, and +the party struck north-west to the Warrego. + +More blacks were met with who confirmed the tale, and one guided them to +a water hole in a brigalow scrub, which she said was the place where the +tragedy was enacted. She also stated that she was present, and entered +into a most minute description of the affair, describing the whole +attack. Not the vestige of a trace could be found to give any colour to +her story, but ten miles down the river an unmistakeable camping ground +was found. There was a tree marked L, the letter being roughly cut into +the bark, and inside the letter, X V A was carved; also there were +indications that proved that a party of whites had been camped there +during wet weather. + +Still led on by the natives, Hely at last reached the Nivelle River, when +his guides deserted him, and he returned. + +On the Warrego he found another camp with a marked tree, exactly similar +to the first one, the X V A being repeated, so that it could not have +been intended to mean any distinguishing number. He also noticed amongst +the natives some tomahawks formed from the battered gullet plates of +saddles. His search served only to deepen the mystery around Leichhardt's +fate. + +The meaning of the marked tree discovered on the Warrego is perplexing, +both on account of the recurring letters and its connection with an old +camping ground of some white party. Mitchell's party were camped in the +neighbourhood for some time; his camps were marked from XLI. to XLIll., +but the weather was fine and dry during his stay. Kennedy encamped twice +in the locality, and he had with him a man named Luff, whereas no name in +Mitchell's camp began with L; but he, too, crossed the river when the +weather was dry, and no bushman could possibly make a mistake about the +state of the country during the time a large party had remained +stationary in a certain position. + +The most likely explanation is that these marks had nothing whatever to +do with either Mitchell, Kennedy or Leichhardt, having probably been +made by some private party out run hunting. + +This futile effort to track up the lost explorer has led us away from +Western Australia, where again the desert country was to be encountered, +and again fruitlessly. + +In 1854, Mr. Robert Austin, Assistant Surveyor-General, was given charge +of a party to search for available pastoral country, and also (for now +the gold fever was at its height), to examine the interior for auriferous +deposits. + +They started from the head of the Swan River, on a northeasterly course, +and on the 16th of July, reached the Cow-cowing Lake, reported by the +aborigines, and hoped by the colonists, to be a sheet of fresh water in +the Gascoyne valley. The take proved to be dry, and the bed covered with +salt incrustation, showing its character when full. Thence Austin made +directly north, and passed through the wretchedly-repellent country that +seemed fated to always cross the path of the western explorer; he +directed his course to a distant range of table-topped hills and peaks. +Here they found feed and water, and named the highest point Mount +Kenneth, after one of the party, Mr. Kenneth Brown. From thence to the +north-east they traversed stony plains, broken by sandstone and ironstone +ridges, and intersected by the dry beds of sandy watercourses; and in +this country, one of the worst possible misfortunes happened to them. +Their horses got on to a patch of poison plant, and nearly the whole of +them were laid up in consequence, and unfit for work. Some few escaped, +but the greater number never recovered the effects of the weed, and many +died. Pushing hastily on to a safer place to recruit, Austin found +himself so crippled by this accident, that he had to abandon all but his +most necessary stores for no less than fourteen of the horses having +succumbed. + +They now turned north-west to make for Shark's Bay, where a vessel was to +be sent to render them assistance or bring them away, as should be +desired. + +Their course to Shark's Bay led them over country that offered them no +temptation to linger on the way. On the 21st September they found a cave +in the face of a cliff, in which were drawings similar to those seen by +Gray near the Prince Regent's River. Near this cave was a spring, and, +while resting at this camp, one of the party, a young man named Charles +Farmer, accidentally shot himself in the arm, and in spite of the most +careful attention, the poor fellow died of lock-jaw, in terrible agony. +He was buried at the cave spring camp, and the highest hill in the +neighbourhood called Mount Farmer after him. Thus two lonely mountains in +the desert interior watch over the graves of men who first saw them-Mount +Poole and Mount Farmer. + +They now got on to the head waters of the Murchison, or rather the dry +channels of these tributaries, and at last reached the Murchison itself; +a river with a deep-cut channel, but perfectly dry. Beyond this their +efforts were in vain, they fought their way to within a hundred miles of +Shark's Bay, but they had then been so long without water that it was +courting certain death to proceed. Even during the retreat to the +Murchison the lives of the horses were only saved by the party +accidentally finding a small native well in a most unexpected situation, +namely, in the middle of a bare ironstone plain. + +Pushing on ahead of his party, Austin reached the Murchison twenty-five +miles south-west of his former course, but the river was the same, or +worse, tantalising him with pools of salt water. + +A desperate search was made to the southward, during a day of fierce and +terrible heat, and when in utter despair they, on the second day, made +for some small hills that they sighted, providentially, they found both +water and grass. The whole of the party were then moved to this spot, +which out of gratitude was named Mount Welcome. + +Nothing daunted by the sufferings he had undergone, Austin now made +another attempt to reach Shark's Bay. On their way to the Murchison they +captured an old native, and took him with them to point out the watering +places of the blacks. At first he was able to show them one or two that +they would probably have missed, but after they had crossed the Murchison +and got some distance to the westward, the watering places the native had +relied on were found to be dry, and it was only after the most acute +sufferings from thirst, and the loss of some more horses, that they +managed to straggle back to Mount Welcome. Austin's conduct during these +terrible marches seems to have approached the heroic. When his companions +fell off one by one and laid down to die, and the native inhabitant of +the wilds was cowering weeping under a bush, he managed to reach the +little well that the blackfellow had formerly shown them, and without +resting, tramped back with water to revive his exhausted comrades. + +Arrived at Mount Welcome, they found the water there on the point of +giving out, and weak as they all were, an instant start had to be made +for the Geraldine mine, where a small settlement had been formed to work +the galena lode discovered by Gregory. The prospect before them was most +discouraging; to the mine the distance was one hundred and sixty miles, +and to the highest point on the Murchison, where Gregory had found water, +which would be their first stage, was ninety miles, but it had to be +done. They started at midnight, and by means of forced marches, +travelling day and night, reached Gregory's old camp on the river; having +fortunately found a small supply of water at one place on the way. From +this point they followed the river down, obtaining water from springs in +the banks, and on the 20th November arrived at the mine, where they were +warmly entertained. From thence they returned, some by sea and some by +land, to Perth. + +Austin's exploration had led to no profitable result. The large lake +(Moore), that had so hampered Gregory, was found to be an arm or outlet +of the still larger Cow-cowing, and that was about all. The upper +Murchison had not turned out at all well, and the whole summary of the +journal amounts to repetitions of daily struggles with a barren and +waterless district, under the fiery sun of the southern summer. + +Austin thought that eastward of his limit the country would improve, but +subsequent explorations have not borne this out. He had singularly hard +fortune to contend against; after the serious loss he sustained in +having his horses poisoned, an accident that the greatest care will not +always prevent, he was pitted against some of the worst country in +Australia--dry, impenetrably scrubby, and barren; and this, too, during +the hottest part of the year. That he succeeded in bringing his party +safely through such difficulties, was in itself a most wonderful +achievement. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + + +A. C. Gregory's North Australian expedition in 1855-56, accompanied by +Baron Von Mueller and Dr. Elsey--Disappointment in the length of 'the +Victoria--Journey to the Westward--Discovery of Sturt's Creek--Its course +followed south--Termination in a salt lake--Return to Victoria River +--Start homeward, overland--The Albert identified--The Leichhardt +christened--Return by the Burdekin and Suttor--Visit of Babbage to Lake +Torrens--Expedition by Goyder--Deceived by mirage--Excitement in +Adelaide--Freeling sent out--Discovers the error--Hack explores the +Gawler Range--Discovers Lake Gairdner--Warburton in the same +direction--Swinden and party west of Lake Torrens--Babbage in the Lake +District--His long delay--Warburton sent to supersede him--Rival claims +to discovery--Frank Gregory explores the Gascoyne in Western Australia +--A. C. Gregory follows the Barcoo in search of Leichhardt--Discovery +of a marked tree--Arrival in Adelaide--The early explorations of M'Dowall +Stuart--Frank Gregory at Nickol Bay--Discovers the Ashburton--Fine +pastoral country--Discovers the De Grey and Oakover Rivers--Turned back +by the desert--Narrow escape. + + +In 1855, public interest was once more excited in the mysterious +disappearance of Leichhardt; this brought forward the question of further +exploration in the interior, and some generous offers were made by +private individuals to provide money for the outfit of a party. The +English Government, however, working through New South Wales, took the +matter in hand and furnished the necessary funds. + +The command was given to A. C. Gregory, who had with him the celebrated +botanist, Dr. Mueller, and his brother H. C. Gregory. Mr. Elsey, surgeon +and naturalist, Mr. Baines, artist, and the requisite number of men made +the party up to a total of eighteen. Their live stock consisted of horses +and sheep. + +The plan of the expedition was to proceed north to the Victoria River, +which from the report of Captain Stokes was then considered an important +stream, and probably a means of easily gaining the interior. + +On the 18th July, 1855, they left Sydney for Moreton Bay, in the barque +MONARCH, attended by the schooner TOM TOUGH. At Moreton Bay they took on +board the remainder of the party, with fifty horses and two hundred +sheep, and after some accidents caused by the MONARCH running on a reef, +reached Point Pearce at the mouth of the Victoria River, on the 24th +September. Here the horses were landed, much weakened by their voyage, +and Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and seven men proceeded to the upper part of +the Victoria overland, leaving the schooner to work her way up the river +with the sheep on board. The land party first made the Macadam Range, so +named by Stokes, thence they went to the Fitzmaurice River, where their +horses were attacked by alligators and three of them severely wounded; +and on the 10th of October they reached the Victoria, and rejoined the +remainder of the party. Unfortunately, troubles had now set in, the +schooner was aground on a bank eight miles below the camp, and having +sprung a leak a considerable quantity of stores were damaged; the sheep, +too, had been foolishly kept penned up on board, and so many had died +that when finally landed the number was reduced to about forty. All this +considerably weakened Gregory's resources. + +An attempt to ascend the river in an india-rubber boat was a failure, the +craft not being adapted to surmount the obstacles encountered in the +shape of rocky bars. On the 24th of November, Gregory, with his brother, +Dr. Mueller, and Wilson, followed the Victoria to the south, on +horseback. The party reached latitude 161 south, finding the tributary +sources of the river to flow from fine open plains, and level forest +country, all well grassed. From this point they returned to camp. + +On the 3rd January, 1856, another start was made, with a much larger +party, consisting of eight men and thirty horses. On reaching their old +point below the 16th parallel, a depôt camp was formed, and accompanied +by Dr. Mueller, his brother, and one man, Gregory advanced south. The +head of the Victoria was found sooner than expected, and crossing the +watershed, and following down some small creeks running south through the +tableland, they reached a grassy plain in which these watercourses were +lost; beyond, the country was sandy and barren. A westerly course was +then kept, and on the 15th the head of a creek was reached, which +turning at first northerly, afterwards kept a distinct S.W. course for +about three hundred miles. The country passed through for a large portion +of the upper part was good available pastoral land, but as the lower part +of the creek was reached a more desert formation took its place, and at +last the creek terminated in extensive salt lakes. Beyond this point no +continuation of the channel could be found, and Gregory too easily +recognised the aspect of the desert country that had baffled him before. +The creek was named Sturt's Creek, and a prominent hill, parallel with +the lowest salt lake was called Mount Mueller. The party then retraced +their steps; the water on which they depended in Sturt's Creek drying up +so rapidly as to render more extended exploration very hazardous. They +rejoined their companions at the depôt camp on the Victoria, and making +a detour to the eastward, followed down the Wickham, a considerable +tributary of the Victoria, to its junction with that river. + +Arrangements were now made for the homeward journey by way of the Gulf of +Carpentaria; the TOM TOUGH having been repaired and caulked, started for +Timor, to obtain more provisions, and then return and meet the party at a +rendezvous appointed on the Albert River. The land party consisted of the +leader and his brother, Dr. Mueller, Elsey, and three men. They started +on the 21st June. + +Following up an eastern tributary of the Victoria, they crossed on to a +creek running into the Roper, which was called the Elsey, and on this +creek a camp was found, which suggested the idea that it had been +occupied by whites. It consisted of the framework of a substantial-looking +hut, of a different shape to that usually made by the natives; but no +marked trees were found, nor anything more seen to confirm the +supposition. Thence the party followed down the Roper for some distance, +and then crossing the head waters of the Limmen Bight River, skirted +the Gulf at some considerable way south of Leichhardt's track, crossing +the same rivers that he did, only higher up on their courses. They +struck the Nicholson far above where it had been so named by Leichhardt, +and following it down reached the rendezvous at the Albert River +(which is the outlet of the Nicholson), but the schooner had not arrived. + +Gregory determined not to wait, but to proceed home overland. He buried a +note at the foot of a marked tree for the information of the schooner +people when they should arrive, and on the 3rd of September started. Two +days' journey from the true Albert, they reached a stream which +Leichhardt had erroneously taken for that river, and many of the errors +in his map may be traced as being due to this cause. + +This also has led to a good deal of confusion about the Plains of Promise +so much vaunted by Captain Stokes, Leichhardt mistaking the level country +on the river that bears his name for the spot. Gregory, who rightly +identified the place, professes great disappointment with them compared +to what he had been led to expect. Since then many conflicting opinions +have been given as to their value. Settlement, however, as it generally +does, decided the question; they have been found to be very suitable for +cattle, but quite unadapted for sheep breeding. Stokes gave them a taking +name, which probably led to a false estimate being entertained, as the +country is in no way superior to the district to the eastward. + +On the morning Gregory left the Leichhardt his party was attacked by the +blacks, who were, however, easily repulsed, the leading native being shot +in the short struggle. The Flinders was crossed on the 9th of September, +but Gregory did not think that it gave promise of draining a very large +extent of country. Instead, therefore, of following it up, and thereby +lessening his journey, and discovering the beautiful pastoral downs that +this most important river flows through, he wandered away to the north, +and followed up the Gilbert River, thus duplicating, only further to the +south, the eccentric course of Leichhardt. The dividing watershed was +crossed on the basaltic plateau at the head of the Burdekin, and this +stream was traced to the Suttor junction, where Leichhardt first struck +it. They travelled on up the Suttor, and also up the Belyando, connecting +with Major Mitchell's track. Their course then lay through the country +traversed by Leichhardt on both his expeditions, watered by the Mackenzie +and the Comet, and on the 22nd November the party reached a station on +the Dawson owned by Messrs. Fitz and Connor. + +This successful conclusion to such an extensive expedition as he had +undertaken, stamped Gregory as possessing the highest qualifications for +an explorer. His travels embraced journeys extending over a distance of +nearly five thousand miles, and he was absent in all sixteen months. His +equipment certainly was of the very best, but a series of unfortunate +accidents, which could not have been prevented, left him nearly as short +as some of his brother explorers had been. One thing about this journey +of Gregory's has always been regretted--the short and scanty record which +he published, it being little more than a list of dates, and the +distances daily travelled. However we may lament this reticence from a +man of Gregory's ability and reputation, it is a pity that his example in +this respect had not been followed by some of the explorers of the last +two decades. + +During Gregory's absence Australia bad lost her renowned explorer Sir +Thomas Mitchell. He died on the 15th October, near Sydney. He had served +on the staff of the Duke of Wellington during the Peninsular War, and in +addition to his energy and activity in the field, was a well read and +accomplished scholar. + +The unsolved puzzle of the extent, direction, and boundaries of Lake +Torrens still occupied the attention and exercised the minds of the South +Australian colonists. It seemed almost like a region of enchantment, so +conflicting were the accounts brought in by different parties, and so +contradictory the statements made. + +In 1851, two squatters in search of a run, Messrs. Oakden and Hulkes, +pushed out to the western side of Lake Torrens, and according to their +account found a most favourable land. They discovered a lake of fresh +water, surrounded with good country; and the natives told them of other +lakes to the north-west; also 'introducing descriptions of strange +animals, whose appearance could have only been equalled by that of the +JIMBRA, or apes, of Western Australia, which ruthless animals, according +to blackfellows' legend, devoured the survivors of Leichhardt's party, as +they straggled into the confines of that colony. Their horses giving in, +Oakden and Hulkes returned; but although they applied for a squatting +license for the country they had visited, it was not then settled or +stocked. In 1856 Mr. Babbage made some explorations on the field to the +north, traversed by Eyre and Frome. He penetrated to the plains which +were supposed to occupy the central portion of the horseshoe; but, more +successful than his predecessors, he found permanent water in a gum +creek, and saw some fair-sized sheets of water, one of which he named +Blanche Water, or Lake Blanche. + +Some excursions to the south-east led to the discovery of some more fresh +water and well-grassed pastoral country, and the natives directed him to +a crossing-place in that portion of Lake Torrens that had been sighted in +1845, by Messrs. Poole and Browne, of Captain Sturt's party. Babbage, +however, failed to find the place, and lost his horse in the attempt to +cross. + +In 1857, a Mr. Campbell made an excursion to the west of Lake Torrens, +and discovered a creek with fresh water in it, which he called the +Elizabeth. He finally came to Lake Torrens which he found in the same +condition as other explorers had done--surrounded by barren country. + +In April of the same year, a survey in the country where Babbage had been +exploring was conducted by Deputy Surveyor-General Goyder, and he +certainly got into the land of enchantment. A few miles north of Blanche +Water he found many springs bubbling out of the ground, around a fine +lagoon, and north was an isolated hill, which he named Weathered Hill. +From the summit of this hill he had a fine specimen of the effect +produced by refraction. To the north, or thereabouts, he saw a belt of +gigantic gum-trees show out, beyond which appeared a sheet of water with +elevated lands on the far side, while to the east was another large lake; +all this, however, was but the glamourie of the desert. The gigantic +gum trees dwindled down to stunted bushes, and the rising ground to broken +clods of earth. + +But the greatest surprise was reserved for the time Goyder actually +reached Lake Torrens, for he found the water quite fresh. He described it +as stretching from fifteen to twenty miles to the north-west, with a +water horizon; an extensive bay forming to the southward, while to the +north a bluff headland and perpendicular cliffs were clearly discerned +with a telescope. From the appearance of the flood-marks, Goyder came to +the conclusion that there was little or no rise and fall in the lake, +inferring therefrom that its size would absorb the flood waters without +showing any variation of level. + +No wonder that the good people of Adelaide were overjoyed when they heard +the news. The threatening desert that hemmed in their fair province on +the north had been suddenly converted into the promised land. Colonel +Freeling, the Surveyor-General, immediately started out, taking with him +both a boat and an iron punt with which to float on these new-found +waters. + +What must have been the public feeling when a letter was received from +the Surveyor-General, saying that the cliffs the headlands, and the +grassy shores, where all built up on the basis of the mirage. The elfs +and sprites of this desolate region had been playing a hoax on the former +party. + +It will be remembered in Sturt's expedition, how Poole came back and +reported confidently having seen the inland sea, and how Gray on the west +coast led his companions a tramp, after a receding lake that they never +overtook, it is scarcely to be wondered at then, that Goyder was +deceived, more particularly after finding the water of Lake Torrens +fresh, when it had always been represented as salt. + +On reaching the lake, Freeling found the water almost fresh, but one of +Goyder's men who was with him said that the water had already receded +half a mile. An attempt to float the punt was made, but after dragging it +through mud and a few inches of water for a quarter of a mile; the idea +was abandoned. Freeling, and some of the party then started to wade +through the slush, but after getting three miles, found no water deeper +than six inches. Some of the more adventurous went further still, but +only to meet with a like result. The Surveyor-General returned a +disappointed man, and the unavailability of Lake Torrens was confirmed. + +During this time--1857--Mr. Hack started with a party from Streaky Bay to +examine the Gawler Ranges of Eyre, and investigate the country west of +Lake Torrens. He reached the Gawler Range and examined the country very +patiently, finding numerous springs, and large plains of both grass and +saltbush, also sighting a large salt lake (Lake Gairdner). On the whole, +his report was a very favourable one. + +Simultaneously with Hack's trip, a party under Major Warburton, was out +in the same direction, in fact Hack's party crossed Warburton's track on +one or two occasions. Warburton's account was contradictory of Hack's; he +reported the country dry and arid, and found very little to say in favour +of it. + +Of the two men, however, it is probable that Hack's experience enabled +him to judge with most truth of the value of land seen under unfavourable +conditions. + +This year of 1857 was rife with explorations in South Australia. A party +of settlers consisting of Messrs. Swinden, Campbell, Thompson, and Stock +set out, and at about seventy miles from the head of Spencer's Gulf, +found fine pastoral country, and a permanent waterhole, PERNATTY. To the +northward they came upon the Elizabeth, formerly discovered by Campbell, +and here from want of provisions they returned. A month afterwards +Swinden started again from PERNATTY, and found available pastoral land +north of the Gawler Ranges, which became known as Swinden's country. +During this year, also, Messrs. Miller and Dutton explored the country at +the back of Fowler's Bay. Forty miles to the north they saw treeless +plains stretching far inland, but they found no permanent water. +Warburton afterwards reported deprecatingly of this country, but Messrs. +Delisser and Hardwicke in their turn stated that it was first-class +pastoral land, if water could be obtained. Judging from Major Warburton's +career as an explorer, he seemed quite unable to judge correctly of the +value of country when seen under an adverse season, and it is only one of +the many instances of the necessity of a STATION training to adequately +fit a man to pronounce definite judgment on the availability or +non-availability of country. One of Warburton's suggestions to the South +Australian Government was to explore the interior-which had proved such a +difficult nut to crack--by means of the POLICE. One has to know the +country well to fully appreciate the exquisite humour of this suggestion. + +Before referring to two expeditions, both of great importance, one under +A. C. Gregory, and the other by Frank Gregory, it may be as well to +pursue the fortunes of the Lake Torrens explorers to the end. + +In 1858, the South Australian Government voted a sum of money to fit out +a party to continue the northern explorations. This party was put under +the leadership of Mr. Babbage, and his instructions were to examine the +country between Lake Torrens and the lately-discovered Lake Gairdner, and +to survey and map the respective western and eastern shores of the two +lakes, so as to remove for the future any doubts as to their true +formation and position. This alone, apart from any more extended +explorations, meant a work of considerable time; but, unfortunately for +Babbage, the survey work was generally regarded as but of secondary +importance, and the public looked eagerly forward to hearing of the +discovery of new pasture lands, especially as the outfit had been on a +most liberal scale. Considerable delay (whether avoidable or not, it is +scarcely worth while to discuss) happened during the outset of this +expedition; for, although the party was reported ready on the 11th +February, the end of August found Babbage back in Port Augusta having +passed the intervening months in surveying the shores of the two large +lakes, and making short excursions to the westward, over a country that +had been several times traversed by private parties looking for land. At +Port Augusta he was considerably surprised to find that his second in +command, Harris, had started south to Adelaide, with a great many of the +horses and drays. Babbage pursued, and overtook them at Mount Remarkable, +after riding one hundred and sixty miles. Here he found that fresh +instructions had been issued by the Government, and forwarded by Charles +Gregory, lately arrived with his brother from the north. + +The explanation was, that A. C. Gregory's expedition in search of +Leichhardt had arrived in Adelaide during Babbage's absence, and it +having been successfully conducted with the aid of packhorses only, the +South Australian Government came to the conclusion that Babbage would +manage just as well without the drays, and engaged, and sent Charles +Gregory to join him, and inform him that his expedition was in future to +be conducted in a like manner. Not finding Babbage at his camp, Gregory +had started the drays and draught horses home on his own authority. +Babbage ordered his men back, but they refused to go; so after writing +to the Government, complaining of the treatment he had received, he +returned north with a small party and six months' provisions. He arrived +at the boundary of his late surveys, and pushing on reached Chambers' +Creek, so named by Stuart, who had discovered it during Babbage's absence +at Lake Gairdner. + +This creek, which Babbage called Stuart's Creek, he traced to a large +salt lake, which he christened Lake Gregory, now known as Lake Eyre. From +here he made to a range which he called Hermit Range, but from its summit +could see no sign of Lake Torrens, and came to the just conclusion that +it did not extend so far. West of Lake Eyre the explorers found a hot +spring, and afterwards many more were discovered. + +Meantime, Major Warburton had been sent to supersede Babbage, and during +the time the latter gentleman was making these discoveries, Warburton was +searching for him. This result had come about partly through the +appearance of Babbage at Mount Remarkable, and partly through the return +of Messrs. Stuart and Forster, who reported good country beyond Babbage's +furthest, which naturally made the public think that that explorer should +have been the first to find it. + +On arriving at the camp on the Elizabeth, Warburton, who had C. Gregory +with him as a second, found Babbage absent, so he sent Gregory after him +to bring him back, and after waiting some time, determined to go himself, +and a comical sort of hunt commenced, ending in Warburton coming up with +Babbage at Lake Eyre, and there carrying out the duty imposed upon him, +in a manner that says little for his generosity of spirit. + +During this game of hunt-the-slipper, Warburton had made some minor +discoveries on his own account. He had come upon fairly good country west +of the lakes, and had found the springs which he christened Beresford +Springs; he also discovered the Douglas, a creek which afterwards +greatly assisted Stuart to push forward, and a range which he called the +Davenport Range. He had got north-west of where Babbage was, and in fact +afterwards disputed that explorer's claim to the discovery of Lake Eyre. + +It seems only in keeping with the paradoxical nature of our continent +that this blundering expedition should have been so conducive in +establishing the great geographical fact that had so long puzzled the +colonists, namely, the definite size and shape of Lake Torrens. No longer +was this terror of the north to extend its encircling arms against all +advancement. Henceforth, its isolated character was decided, and the +supposed continuations known under independent names. + +Of the whole conduct of the expedition, the less said the better; the +Government instructions were vacillating and contradictory; Babbage was +slow and apathetic, Warburton pompous and arbitrary; and in the end the +affair was further degraded by an old-womanish wrangle between the two +explorers as to the priority of certain discoveries. + +During this year, Surveyor Parry had advanced into what was then supposed +to be the horseshoe of Lake Torrens, and found in many places both fresh +water and fairly available country. + +This time it is with more cheering tidings that we turn once again to the +work of exploration in Western Australia. + +On the 16th April, during this same year of 1858, when some exploring +tarantula seemed to have bitten all the colonies, Frank Gregory left the +Geraldine mine on the Murchison, where it will be remembered the gallant +Austin and party arrived in such a critical state, to endeavour to reach +the Gascoyne and the upper reaches of the coast rivers. + +Following up the Murchison for some distance, Gregory, finding but little +feed, although the country was not quite so scrubby as usual, struck +north-east, and coming to a large channel with a due northern course, +followed it down, and on the 3rd of May, to his great joy, reached the +long-sought Gascoyne. It was flowing from the eastward and running west, +but soon changed its course to the north, thence north-west, thence west +and south until the junction of a large river from the north-west was +reached. From this junction the Gascoyne ran due west straight for +Shark's Bay, and on the 17th May, Gregory reached the mouth of the river. +Returning, he explored the tributary from the north-west, which he named +the Lyons, and which he followed for a considerable distance, until he +came to a high mountain, three thousand five hundred feet above sea +level, which he called Mount Augustus. From the summit he had a splendid +view north and east, and traced the course of the river far to the +eastward. Turning southeast, and crossing tributaries of the Gascoyne, +and the main river itself, they reached another lofty hill-Mount +Gould--from the top of which Gregory thought he could infer the course of +the Murchison for nearly one hundred miles. + +Following the Murchison down, they arrived at the Geraldine mine, having +in the space of a little over two months completed a trip which resulted +in the most favourable manner. Good pastoral country, well-watered, the +great want of the settlers, had been discovered, only awaiting the +finding of an available port to at once invite settlement. After so many +bitter disappointments this was a much-needed encouragement to the +colony. + +Still in the fruitful year of 1858, we must accompany the elder brother, +A. C. Gregory, on his Barcoo expedition. This expedition was organised in +order to search for some traces of the course of Leichhardt's party, and +although there was little hope of finding him, or any of his party, still +alive, there was a great probability of at least ascertaining the route +he had travelled, and possibly rescuing part of his journals. + +The freshly awakened interest in the fate of the lost party may or may +not have sprung from the story of a convict, in confinement in Sydney, +which has since been repeated with various alterations. + +This man, whose name was Garbut, started a wild and improbable legend +about the existence, in the interior, of a settlement of escaped +convicts, amongst whom Leichhardt and his band were held prisoners, lest +they should reveal the whereabouts of the runaways. Of course such a +story, which might have obtained credence in the very early days, was at +once scouted; but it, at any rate, turned public attention to the strange +fact that, in spite of the many explorations of the past ten years, no +sign nor token of the missing men had ever been seen. + +A. C. Gregory then with his brother and seven men started on the quest. +They were equipped for rapid travelling, taking with them only pack +horses to carry their provisions. The leader followed the now well-known +track to the Warrego, and crossing the head of the Nive, reached the +Barcoo waters on the 16th April. If the marked trees seen by Hely were +Leichhardt's there was a great probability that they would thus be on his +tracks to the west, and a sharp look-out was kept on both sides of river, +which resulted in the discovery in about 241 deg. south latitude, and 145 +deg. east longitude, of a tree marked L, on the eastern bank, and in the +neighbourhood were stumps of trees, felled by an axe. Although Leichhardt +could not have foreseen his fate, it is unfortunate that he did not mark +his trees in a more unmistakeable manner, for a mysterious L without date +seems to turn up in all parts of our continent. + +This memorial of the visit of some white men Gregory thought might be +Leichhardt's, especially as the letter was very large, after the manner +of some of the trees marked on that explorer's former journeys. It may be +as well to mention here that this was all that was found, and the journey +henceforth was only one of pure exploration. + +The travellers found the country suffering under a long-continued drought, +and feed for the horses very hard to get. Necessarily, Gregory's picture +of it is very different to Sir Thomas Mitchell's; but it would be +scarcely worth while to compare the two statements now, considering that +the reputation of the land as one of the best sheep-breeding districts in +Australia has long since been established. + +Knowing what Kennedy had encountered on the lower part of the river, and +anticipating finding more traces of Leichhardt to the westward. Gregory, +on reaching the Thomson, followed that river up for some distance, but +turned back disheartened at the want of grass, although the river was +running from recent rains. It must be remembered that he was there in the +beginning of the winter, when there is little or no spring in the grass, +even after heavy rain. + +Returning to the junction of the two rivers, he followed down the united +stream, and soon found himself involved in the same difficulties that had +beset Kennedy. The river broke up into countless channels, running +through barren, fissured plains. Toiling on over these, with an +occasional interlude of sand hills, Gregory at last reached that portion +of Cooper's Creek visited by Sturt. This he now followed down to where +Strzelecki's Creek left the main stream and carried off some of the +surplus flood water to the south. + +Gregory followed on the many channels trending west, but finally lost +them amongst sand hills and flooded plains. He turned back and once more +struck Strzelecki's Creek, which he thought he traced to Lake Torrens. +This lake he crossed on a firm sandy space, through which he could +distinguish no connecting channel, thus helping to rob Lake Torrens of +some more of its terrors. He soon arrived in the settled districts, +having safely accomplished a most successful journey. + +The main discovery that was the most valuable outcome of this trip was, +of course, the confirmation of the supposed identity of the Barcoo and +Cooper's Creek; as Gregory was otherwise on the tracks of former +explorers, no fresh discoveries could well be expected on the course he +followed. + +Thus, after many fruitless efforts and disappointments, the second great +inland river system was evolved. + +We now meet with an old friend in the field, in the person of J. M'Dowall +Stuart, formerly draughtsman for Captain Sturt, and one of the party who +bought experience of heat, thirst, and desolation, during their long +imprisonment in the depôt glen. + +On the 14th May, 1858, Stuart left Oratunga for an excursion to the +north-west of Swinden's country, west of Lake Torrens. He was delayed +some time before he finally got away from Octaina, on the 10th June. +Passing Mr. Babbage, he arrived at the Elizabeth on the 18th, but was +disappointed in the expectations he had formed. Soon afterwards he found +a large hole of permanent water, which he called Andamoka, and on the +23rd June caught sight of one of the arms of Lake Torrens. From here he +followed a creek (Yarraout) to the north-west, in search of the country +called Wingillpin that the blacks had told him of. This he was unable to +find, and came to the somewhat strange conclusion that Wingillpin and +Cooper's Creek were one and the same, although so widely separated, as he +well knew. He also seems to have entertained broad notions of the extent +of Cooper's Creek, as in one part of his journal at this period he +remarks:-- + + +"My only hope now of cutting Cooper's Creek is on the other side of the +range. The plain we crossed to-day resembles those of the Cooper, also +the grasses. If it is not there it must run to the north-west, and form +the Glenelg of Captain Grey." + + +Now although we know that Grey held rather extravagant notions of the +importance of the Glenelg River on the northwest coast, which time has +certainly not confirmed, even he would scarcely have imagined it possible +for it to be the outlet of such a mighty stream as Cooper's Creek would +have become by the time it reached there. + +Stuart's horses were now very lame, as the stony ground had worn out +their shoes, and they had no spare sets with them. Failing, therefore, to +find the promised land of Wingillpin, although he had passed over much +good and well-watered country, and had also found Chambers' Creek, he +turned south-west, and made some explorations in the neighbourhood and to +the west of Lake Gairdner. Thence he steered for Fowler's Bay, and his' +description of some of the country on his course is anything but +inviting. From a spur of the high peak that he named Mount Fincke he +saw-- + + +"A prospect gloomy in the extreme; I could see a long distance but +nothing met the eye save a dense scrub, as black and dismal as night." + + +From here they got fairly into a sandy, spinifex desert, which Stuart +says was worse than Sturt's, for there, there was a little salt-bush; +"here there was nothing but spinifex to be found and the horses were +foodless." + +Things were getting desperate with the little band, their provisions were +finished, but still the leader would not desist from looking for good +country; but at last he had to make back as fast as he could. Dense +scrub, and the same "dreary, dreadful, dismal desert," as he calls it, +accompanied them day after day. Tired out and half-starved, they reached +the coast, and then they had only two meals left to take them to Streaky +Bay, one hundred miles away, where they hoped to find relief, and where +they safely arrived at Mr. Gibson's station. Here they were laid up with +the sudden change from starvation to a full diet, and for some days +Stuart was very ill. They finally reached Mr. Thompson's station of Mount +Arden, which terminated Stuart's first expedition. + +This severe trip only gave Stuart a fresh taste for adventure. In April, +1859, he made another start, and on the 19th, after crossing over some of +the already known country, Hergott, one of his companions, discovered the +well-known springs that still bear his name. Stuart crossed Chambers' +Creek, and made for the Davenport Range, of Warburton, finding many of +the springs resembling those mound ones crowned with reeds already +mentioned. On the 6th June, he discovered a large creek, which he called +the Neale. It ran through very good country, and Stuart followed it down, +hoping to find its importance increase; and in this he was not +disappointed, as large plains covered with grass and salt bush were +crossed, and several more springs discovered. After satisfying himself of +the extent and value of the country he had found, Stuart started back, +his horse's shoes having again given out, and he had a lively remembrance +of the misery he suffered before from want of them. + +In November of the same year, he made a third expedition in the vicinity +of Lake Eyre, but there is very little of interest attaching to his +journal, as his course was mostly over much-trodden country. He reached +the Neale again, and instituted a survey of the good country he had +formerly traversed, occasionally approaching to within sight of what he +calls Lake Torrens, but which was in reality Lake Eyre. All these minor +expeditions of Stuart's may be considered as preparatory to his great +struggle to find a passage across the continent; for which work these +trips gave him a good knowledge of the country he had to face, and its +difficulties. Stuart's efforts to cross Australia from south to north, +and the expeditions made by others with a like object, will occupy the +undivided attention of the reader so much, that in order not to lose the +thread of the narrative of this peculiar and marked epoch in Australian +history, it may be better to here notice an important journey undertaken +in Western Australia, although slightly out of chronological order. + +It was an expedition organised partly by the Imperial, and partly by the +Colonial Governments, and was also aided by private subscription. Frank +Gregory, the successful explorer of the Gascoyne, was put in charge of +it. They left Perth in the DOLPHIN for Nickol Bay, on the north-west +coast, where they intended to land their horses and commence operations. +This was safely accomplished, and on 25th May, 1861, the party started. + +Their first important discovery on a westerly course was a large river +coming from the south, which they named the Fortescue. This stream they +followed up until impeded by a very narrow, precipitous gorge, when they +left the river, and made for a range they had sighted to the south. This +range, which was called Hammersley Range, they attempted to cross, +without success, so the explorers turned to the north-east, and came +again on the Fortescue, above the gorge, and after some difficulty traced +it to the range, through which it forced a passage. Crossing the range, +partly by the aid of the river-bed, and partly by a gap, they came to +fair average country stretching away to the southward. On this course the +large and important river, the Ashburton, was found, which was traced +upwards, flowing through a very large extent of good pastoral country. On +the 25th of June, from the top of a sandstone tableland, they sighted +Mount Augustus, at the head of the Lyons River. The view was most +promising. Open forest and undulating country took the place of the +everlasting scrubs and rocks, that had been such common objects with +them, and well satisfied with what they saw the explorers turned north. + +Mount Samson and Mount Bruce, two most prominent peaks of the Hammersley +Range, were named by Gregory on his return; the latter being considered +by him the highest point in Western Australia. From here they struck back +to the coast, their horses having become terribly foot-sore, and reached +the sea forty miles from Nickol Bay, and on the 19th arrived at their +rendezvous in that bay, where the ship was awaiting them. After a rest of +ten days, Gregory started again, and to the eastward found the Yule +River; thence they crossed to the Shaw, and still pushing east they +succeeded in penetrating a considerable way into the tableland, where +they found good grass and springs. On the 26th of August a fine stream +running to the north was discovered, and named the De Grey; and after +crossing ail immense plain they came to another river, which was +christened the Oakover. Up this river Gregory went, the men admiring the +rich foliage of the drooping ti-trees that bordered the long reaches of +water, and the horses appreciating the wide grassy flats on either bank. + +Finding the course of the river trending too much westerly, they crossed +to a tributary of the Oakover and thence passed easterly through a small +range. Here he was confronted by a most unwelcome sight. Before him were +the hills of drifted sand, the barren plains and the ominous red haze of +the desert. So far he had encountered fewer obstacles and made more +encouraging discoveries than had fallen to the lot of any other Western +Australian explorer; and now, the desert had drawn its forbidding hand +suddenly across his track, and sternly ordered him to halt. + +Gregory made one effort of eighteen miles across the red sand dunes, but +his 'horses were not equal to the task, and he returned to his camp at +the foot of the range. + +After resting for a day, he started with two companions for a final +attempt, leaving the remainder camped to await his return, with +instructions, if the water failed, to fall back on the Oakover. This +excursion nearly proved fatal; the heat was something terrible, and when +well advanced in the sand ridges, the horses gave in altogether. Afar to +the east, a distant range was faintly visible, and a granite range could +be seen to the south, about ten miles distant. These granite hills were +their only hope, and to them they turned. + +Across the sand hills now, instead of running parallel with them, the +horses at once gave up, and, leaving his comrades to drive them on as +best they could, Gregory pushed towards the goal on foot, but when he +reached it no sign of verdure or moisture greeted him. Blasted, scorched, +and barren the rocks and rugged ravines lay before him, and all his weary +searching resulted only in his completely breaking down with distress and +fatigue. When his companions came up with the dying horses there was +nothing to do but make preparations to get back as soon as they could to +the depôt, trusting that the want of water might not have compelled the +main party to abandon the camp. + +By dawn the wearied men commenced their retreat, but when the heat of the +day set in, the poor, thirsty horses of course began to fail; and +Gregory, too, was so completely exhausted with his previous day's efforts +that he could not keep up with the other two. One of the party, Brown, +started on ahead with the horses, the other remaining with Gregory to +follow more slowly. Brown had to abandon nearly everything to get the +wretched animals on, finally reaching the camp with only one; but +fortunately he found the party still there. He started back at once, with +fresh horses, to meet the others, and recover the equipment; but two of +the horses were never found. + +Gregory was now convinced that the sandy tract before him was not to be +crossed with the means at his command, so that, reluctantly, he had to +give way and turn to the northward, to follow down the Oakover. They +found the country fertile, and the river abounding with water; and on +the 18th September reached the junction of De Grey with the Oakover. Down +the united streams, henceforth bearing the name of the De Grey only, the +explorers travelled through fair, open land, the course of the river +flowing now to the westward, until the coast was reached on the 25th. + +From here the party made back to their rendezvous at Nickol Bay, crossing +once more the Yule and the Sherlock, rivers named on their outward +journey. On the 17th October the ship was reached, and they were taken on +board. + +Gregory had thus done good service to the colony during his last two +expeditions. The stigma of desolation was at any rate partially removed, +and it was with hopeful hearts that the colonists looked forward to the +future of the valleys of the Gascoyne, the Ashburton, and the De Grey. + +Another party, with less success, had been exploring to the eastward of +the settled districts, in the southern part of the colony, and as it will +be some time before we shall revisit Western Australia, it will be most +convenient to now follow out the fortunes of the little body of colonists +with the large territory. + +In 1861, whilst Gregory was opening up his new country, Messrs. Dempster, +Clarkson, and Harper started from Northam to make one more trial to the +east to get through the dense scrubs and the salt-lake country into a +more promising region. It was purely a private expedition; one of those +that have done so much of the work of discovery in Australia; each member +of the party found his own horses and equipment. + +They left on the 3rd July, and for many days met with nothing but the +usual alternations of scrub and sandy plains dotted with granite hills. +On the 19th, we find in their diary the first mention of the legend +amongst the blacks of white men having been murdered on a large lake to +the eastward. Their informant was a native who was with them for some +time as a guide, and his authority was a great traveller of the name of +Boodgin, who must have revelled in the possession of a singularly fertile +imagination. The account of Boodgin was to the effect that three white +men with horses had many years ago come to a large lake of salt water, a +long way to the eastward, and after travelling along the shore for some +time, they turned back, and were either killed by the JIMBRAS, or +perished from want of water. Thus ran Mr. Boodgin's story, which we shall +immediately have to refer to. + +Still endeavouring to reach to the east by various detours, on the 24th +they came to the largest hill they had yet seen--Mount Kennedy--and at +the end of the month found themselves still in the lake district. For +sixty miles they had traced the lakes, and from the hills could see a +continuation of the low range they were on. On one of them (Lake Grace) +they had speech with a few natives, who repeated what they had formerly +heard, as to the death of three white men, far away at some interior lake +or inland sea. They were also acquainted with the before-mentioned +Boodgin, who, unfortunately, had in some way offended them; so he was +not present, the others having announced an intention of spearing him on +the first opportunity. These men gave an account of the JIMBRA, or +JINGRA, a strange animal, male and female, which they described as +resembling a monkey, very fierce, and would attack men when it caught one +singly. Thinking there might be a confusion of names, the explorers asked +if the JIMBRA, or JINGRA, was the same as the GINKA--the native name for +devil. This, however, was not so, as the natives asserted that the devil, +or GINKA, was never seen, but that the JIMBRA was both seen and felt. + +From this point the party returned homeward, having, at any rate, +demonstrated the fact that the thickets to the eastward were not +impenetrable, and that no insurmountable obstacles existed to further +progress. + +Whatever may have been the origin of the native tradition about the +deaths of three white men, which Forrest afterwards investigated, it must +seem strange that the natives should in the JIMBRA have described an +animal (the ape) they could not possibly have ever seen. It may be +mentioned here that reports about the bones of cattle having been found +on the outskirts of Western Australia had been circulated in the Eastern +colonies before Leichhardt left. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + + +Across the continent, from south to north--M'Dowall Stuart's first +attempt to reach the north coast--Native warfare--Chambers' Pillar-- +Central Mount Stuart--Singular footprint--Sufferings from thirst-- +Aboriginal Freemasons--Attack Creek--Return--Stuart's second departure-- +The Victorian expedition--Costly equipment--Selection of a leader--Burke, +and his qualifications for the post--Wills--Resignation of Landells-- +Wright left in charge of the main party--Burke and Wills, with six +men, push on to Cooper's Creek--Delay of Wright--Burke's final +determination to push on to the north coast--Starts with Wills and two +men--Progress across the continent--Arrival at the salt water--Wills' +account--Homeward journey--The depôt deserted--Resolve to make for Mount +Hopeless--Failure and return--Wills revisits the depôt--Kindness of the +natives--Burke and King start in search of the blacks--Death of +Burke--King finds Wills dead on his return--Wright and Brahe visit the +depôt--Fail to see traces of Burke's return--Consternation in +Melbourne--Immediate dispatch of search parties--Howitt finds +King--Narrow escape of trooper Lyons--Stuart in the north--Hedgewood +scrub first seen--Discovery of Newcastle waters--All attempts to the +north fruitless--Return of Stuart. + + +We are now about to turn a page in the history of Australia which, +however marked by misfortune and disappointment, still embodies some of +the most fruitful achievements in the history of discovery. The +unfortunate result of one expedition led to so many minor ones, that an +immense area of new country was thrown open in a very short time. + +An extraordinary craze had seized on the imaginations of the southern +colonies to send out expeditions to strive to be the first to cross the +continent from the southern shore to the northern one. The South +Australian Government had for a time a standing reward of £10,000 offered +for the man who should accomplish this gigantic task with private means. + +M'Dowall Stuart has been recognised as the one to whom most honour is due +for successfully spanning the gap, and there are many reasons for +awarding the chief praise to him. He was the first to attempt the feat, +and although he was not the first to reach salt water on the north, he +was the first to sight the open sea, and actually cross from sea to sea. +Nor in so doing was he aided by the former successes of other explorers. +He also was the one who crossed fairly in the centre of Australia, and +his track extends further north, as the others made for the southern +shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, while Stuart came out at the head of +Arnhem's Land. + +Burke and Wills were, according to the journal of Wills, at the northern +coast in February, 1861, so they could claim the honour of first +crossing; next came M'Kinlay, in May, 1862. Landsborough reached the +Darling from the north in June of the same year, and then Stuart on the +north coast comes but a few weeks afterwards in July. On Stuart's track +however, has been built the overland telegraph line, an enduring monument +to his indomitable perseverance. His was but a small party when he +started to reach the spot so ardently longed for by his former leader +Sturt. Less than a handful of men, three in all, with thirteen horses, +left on this eventful trip, a strange company to contrast with the +princely cavalcade that a few months later was to leave Melbourne on a +like journey. + +The starting point was from Chambers' Creek, but naturally from here +their course for a time was over much-trodden ground. + +At Beresford Springs there were unmistakable traces of recent native +warfare. Lying on his back was the corpse of a tall native, the skull +broken, and both feet and hands missing. Near the place was a handful of +human hair, and some emu feathers, placed between two charred pieces of +wood, as a sign or token of some sort, but nothing to be interpreted by +the whites as to the meaning of this strange neglect of burial rites, so +unusual amongst the aborigines. + +After passing the Neale, the little band commenced their march into the +unknown. Their journey was, for the most part, through good pastoral +country, crossing numerous well-watered creeks, which they named, +respectively, the Frew, the Fincke, and the Stevenson, and on the 6th +they reached a remarkable hill, which they had observed for some time. It +proved to be a pillar of sandstone on a hill about one hundred feet high. +The pillar itself, in addition, is one hundred and fifty feet in height, +and twenty feet in width. Stuart christened it Chambers' Pillar. This +freak of nature was surrounded by numerous other remarkable bills, +resembling ruined castles. + +Passing through a range, which was called the Waterhouse Range, and again +striking a creek, christened the Hugh, they made for one of two +remarkable bluffs, first sighted on the 9th of April, and reached the +range of which these two bluff cliffs formed the centre on the 12th. This +was the highest range Stuart had yet found, and he named it MacDonnell +Range, after the then Governor of South Australia; the east bluff was +called Brinkley Bluff and the west one Hanson Bluff. Crossing this range, +which, although rough, was very well-grassed, the party got among +spinifex and scrub, and, after being two nights without water, made for a +high peak in the distance (Mount Freeling), where they found a small +supply. + +It was evident that they had now reached the limit of the rainfall, and +were trespassing on dry country. + +A search for permanent water was made before going on, and a large +reservoir found in a ledge of rocks, that promised to supply their wants +on their return. + +On the 22nd of April, Stuart camped in the centre of Australia, and one +of his hopes was accomplished; about two miles and a-half to the N.N.E. +was a tolerable high mount, which he called Central Mount Stuart. The +next morning, with his tried companion, Kekwick, he climbed this mount, +and on the top erected a cairn of stones, and hoisted the Union Jack. +What must have been his thoughts at having, with such a feeble party, so +comparatively easily accomplished what others had striven in vain for? +Surely he must have thought with regret that his old leader, dauntless +Sturt, was not standing beside him. + +The first night after leaving Mount Stuart, they camped without water, +and the next day found a permanent supply under a high peak, which he +called Mount Leichhardt; and while mentioning this fact, he notices that +he has found no trace of that explorer having ever passed to the +westward. + +On the first of May they came to a small gum creek, which Stuart called +the Fisher, and in which the only water they could get was in a native +well. Crossing this creek they got into a dead level country, covered +with spinifex and stunted gum trees. Here they came across the track of a +blackfellow which differed considerably from the ordinary mark made by +the foot of a native:-- + + +"The spinifex in many places has been burnt, and the track of the native +was peculiar-not broad and flat as they generally are, but long and +narrow, with a deep hollow in the foot, and the large toe projecting a +good deal; in some respects more like the print of a white man than a +native. Had I crossed it the day before, I would have followed it. My +horses are now suffering too much from the want of water to allow me to +do so. If I did, and we were not to find water to-night, I should lose +the whole of the horses and our lives into the bargain." + + +As it was, they had a hard struggle to get back to the native well at the +Fisher. + +After a week's interval Stuart tried again to the' east of north, but +found things no better; mulga scrub and spinifex again surrounded them, +and after travelling twenty-seven miles they had to camp without water. +The next day was the same, Stuart getting a nasty fall, being pulled off +by some scrub and dragged for a short distance. There was nothing for it +but to retreat once more. Scurvy had now laid its hand upon the leader, +and he began to suffer severely. + +After much trouble and delay, Stuart, by working to the eastward, at last +got forward again, and on the 1st of June found a large creek, the best +he had yet seen, which he called the Bonney, and on the second of the +month reached the range christened by him the Murchison Range. On the 6th +he came to a gum creek, which he called Tennant's Creek, destined to be +the site of one of the telegraph stations of the overland line. He now +made an effort to the west of north to reach the head waters of the +Victoria, and got into a dry strip of country that nearly put an end to +the expedition. When they at last, with some losses, got the horses back +to water, the animals had travelled one hundred and twelve miles, and +been one hundred and one hours without a drink. Some of them had gone +mad. "Thus," says Stuart, "ends my last attempt, at present, to make the +Victoria River. Three times I have tried it, and been forced to retreat." + +After many days' rest, he started again, this time to the eastward of +north, and in ten miles came to a well-watered creek, which he named +Phillips' Creek. Once more he had another two or three days of useless +efforts to force his way through a dry belt, vainly flattering himself +that he was approaching the watershed of the Gulf; but had to fall back +on the Phillips again. Whilst camping here some natives visited them, two +of them wearing a kind of helmet made of net work and feathers, tightly +bound together:-- + + +"One was an old man, and seemed to be the father of these two fine young +men. He was very talkative, but I could make nothing of him. I have +endeavoured, by signs, to get information from him as to where the next +water is, but we cannot understand each other. After some time, and +having conferred with his two sons, he turned round, and surprised me by +giving me one of the Masonic signs. I looked at him steadily; he repeated +it; and so did his two sons. I then returned it, which seemed to please +them much, the old man patting me on the shoulder and stroking down my +beard." + + +Whether Stuart's imagination here led him astray, it is impossible to +say, but very shortly afterwards they encountered a tribe who displayed +anything but the friendly feelings that should have been shown by brother +masons. + +On the next start they came in fourteen miles to a large gum creek, with +very fair-sized sheets of water in it, and as they followed it down they +passed the encampment of some natives, but did not take any notice of +them, keeping steadily on their course. Finding no water lower down the +creek, they had to return. When close to the place where they crossed the +creek in the morning, and the evening rapidly closing in, they were +suddenly surrounded by a number of well-armed natives, who started out of +a scrub they were passing through. All signs of friendship, masonic or +otherwise, were thrown away on them, and at last, after receiving two or +three showers of boomerangs and waddies they had to turn and fire on +them. So bold and determined were they in their attack upon the three +men, that Stuart had to return to his camp of the night before still +followed by them. Here he had to make up his mind to abandon his further +progress for the present. He had too small a party to stand a pitched +battle with the aboriginal proprietors; the water behind them was +failing, and they had suffered considerable loss in their horses. Most +wisely Stuart determined to return. + +On the 27th June he commenced his retreat. On reaching the Bonney he +halted for a few days, during which time the cloudy aspect of the sky +made him entertain the idea of another effort to reach the Victoria +River; but no rain fell, and he had to keep on his way. On the 26th of +August the party arrived at Mr. Brodie's camp at Hamilton Springs, all of +them very weak and reduced. + +After the result of Stuart's expedition had been reported in Adelaide, +and it was seen how inadequate means alone had led to the retreat of the +explorer, the Government voted £2,500 to equip a larger and +better-organized party, of which he was to take command. Meanwhile, such +a report of the results of the journey as the Government thought might +prove useful to the leaders of the Victorian expedition, then on the +march, was forwarded, but, as will be seen, shared the same chapter of +accidents that beset that unfortunate expedition, and never reached them. + +This time Stuart's party numbered at the final start, ten men and +forty-seven horses; and by the end of January, 1861, they were fairly on +their way outside the settled districts, and here we must leave them to +turn to that other expedition, the issue of which attracted so much +attention throughout the world. + +Public opinion is notably fickle, and never more so than when dealing +with the memories of distinguished men. No guide, no standard is followed +in the matter; the recognition of their services is made solely a matter +of sentiment. + +Poor Kennedy, who, confronted with almost insurmountable difficulties, +harassed by hostile natives, and ill-provisioned at the start, lost his +life, and the majority of his party, in a gallant effort to fulfil his +task, is almost forgotten, save by the few who take an interest in the +history of our country. Whilst Burke--who left the settlements, equipped +with everything that a generous people could provide, and that the +experience of others could suggest, to make the journey safe and ensure +its success--travelled through a country that is now a vast sheep and +cattle walk; and frittered away his magnificent resources, wantonly +sacrificing his own life and those of his men, is elevated into a hero. +It may truly be said that for the fate of the two leaders, the mistakes +of others must be greatly held accountable; but at the same time it must +be also kept strongly in view that, for the want of judgment that placed +Burke in such a position that the mistake of a subordinate could entail +such fatal results, he alone was responsible. + +The action of Victoria in sending out the expedition of discovery under +Burke and Wills, was, without doubt, exceptional in the annals of +exploration; it was an instance of a public body emulating the generous +act of a private individual. The colony itself had no territory left to +explore. Her rich and compact little province was known from end to end, +and it was not with her, as with others, a case of necessity to send her +sons into the wilderness, to open fresh fields for emigration. + +Whatever then was the upshot of the expedition, and whatever the guilty +mismanagement attaching to its progress, the colony must ever look back +with pride upon the noble and unselfish motives that prompted its +inauguration. + +Without counting the cost of the relief parties, seven lives were laid +down, and over £12,000 expended, and it was all cheerfully rendered; and +Victoria, in her one expedition, had the satisfaction of knowing that her +representatives carried off the coveted prize, and were the first to +cross the continent from south to north. + +The money for the expenses was subscribed as follows:-- +£6,000 voted by Government, £1,000 subscribed by Mr. Ambrose Kyte, and +the balance of the £12,000 made up by public subscription. + +The outfit was on a most lavish scale; camels were imported from +Peshawar, with native drivers; provisions and stores for twelve months +provided, and no expense spared to render the whole appointments the most +complete ever provided for an exploring expedition. When the party was +organised, it consisted of the leader, R. O'Hara Burke; second in +command, G. J. Landells, who had brought the camels from India; third, W. +J. Wills, astronomical and meteorological observer., Dr. Hermann Beckler, +medical officer and botanist; Dr. Ludwig Becker, artist, naturalist, and +geologist; ten white men, and three camel drivers. + +It was a gala day when they left Melbourne, and their progress through +the settled districts was a triumphant march; it almost seemed that Fate +was playing with them in very mockery, smiling at the thought of the +return. + +The choice of the leader has always been a puzzle to most men, and it can +only be accounted for in two ways. First, that the committee of +management did not wish (as was only natural) to go outside of the colony +for a man, and the tried and experienced explorers were all residents in +other colonies; secondly, that the committee was, with two notable +exceptions, composed of men quite unable to judge of the qualities +essential in a leader; for the man of their choice, the unfortunate +Burke, was most singularly unfitted for the position. + +Burke was an Irishman, from the county of Galway. He had been in the +Austrian service, and also in the Irish mounted constabulary. At the time +when he applied for the post, which unhappily was awarded to him, he was +an inspector of mounted police at Castlemaine. His appointment as leader +was strongly supported by the chairman of the committee, Sir William +Stawell, and it appears to have been backed up by those kind of general +testimonials as to ability which recommend a man almost equally for any +grade or position. Of special aptitude or scientific training he +possessed no pretension, and his selection was a fatal blunder. In saying +this, there is no reflection on the private character of the mistaken +leader; he paid for the wrong estimation he held of his own fitness with +his life, and the fault rests with those who placed him in a position +where he also was responsible for the lives of others. After passing in +review the different expeditions that have added so much lustre to our +history, and striving to judge dispassionately of the characters of the +men who, with good and evil fortune, have commanded them, one cannot help +being struck by the exaggerated and misplaced stress laid upon the +reputation Burke possessed for personal bravery. The calm and simple +courage of Sturt, the cool judgment and forethought of Mitchell, the +devotion of Austin, seem all to have been lost sight of by writers, who +extol Burke in a way that would lead men to believe that every other +Australian leader must have been an abject craven. This mistaken +laudation has done more to glaringly parade Burke's many failings than +more modest and judicious praise would have done. + +Of his second, W. J. Wills (who shared the fate of his leader), he +appears to have been a man eminently possessed of most of the qualities +that would fit him for the position he held, but apparently tempered with +an amiability of disposition that led him to give way completely to the +rash judgment of his superior, without striving to temper that rashness. + +Before the expedition travelled outside of the settled country, trouble +appeared. First, Landells resigned in consequence of a quarrel with the +leader. On returning to Melbourne, he expressed publicly an opinion that, +under Burke's management, the expedition would be attended by most +disastrous results. + +Wright was then appointed third in charge, and he apparently had not the +most remote idea of any of the functions entailed on him by his position, +and has since been blamed as having caused the final catastrophe. He +joined the party at Menindie, which, for the purpose of explanation, may +be said to occupy the same position on the Darling as Laidley's Ponds, +whence Sturt started for the interior. + +The foregoing estimate of the men holding the principal commands is +essential to enable the reader to understand how the astonishing blunders +were so constantly perpetrated, that brought the whole campaign to such +utter grief. + +From Menindie to Cooper's Creek was the next stage, but the country now +being fairly well known, they did not follow the route of Sturt the +explorer. The main body of the party was left behind. Burke took with him +Wills, six men, five horses, and sixteen camels, leaving the others to +follow afterwards under the guidance of Wright, who went two hundred +miles with them to point out the best route. They left Menindie on the +19th of October, 1860. On the 11th of November they arrived at Cooper's +Creek, and here they camped, waiting for the arrival of Wright with the +main body, and making short excursions to the northward. Grass and water +were both plentiful, and up to their arrival at Cooper's Creek the +journey had not been so arduous as an ordinary overlanding trip with +cattle. + +Wright's non-arrival, and the delay caused thereby, seemed to have worked +upon Burke's impatient temper, and the extraordinary notion came into his +head to divide his party of eight, and with three men to start across the +continent to the Gulf of Carpentaria, leaving the others in charge of +Brahe, to await his return, and also Wright's long-delayed arrival. On +the 16th December, 1860, Burke, having with him Wills, King, and Gray, +six camels, two horses, and three months' provisions, started on this +tramp, which for perverse absurdity stands unequalled. The first duty of +a man entrusted with such a large party, was to have carried out its +chief aim and mission of reporting on the geographical features and +formation of the country he was sent to explore, and bringing back the +fullest and most minute account of it, and its productions. Burke, during +the most important part of his journey, left behind him his botanist, +naturalist, and geologist, and started without even the means at his +disposal of following up any discoveries he might make. His sole thought +evidently was to cross to Carpentaria and back, and be able to say that +he had done so--a most unworthy ambition on the part of the leader of +such a party, containing within itself all the elements of geographical +research, and one that could certainly not have been anticipated by the +promoters. After all the pains and cost expended in the organisation of +this expedition, we have now the spectacle of the main body, including +two of the scientific members, loitering on the outskirts of the settled +districts; four men killing time on the banks of Cooper's Creek, and the +leader and three others racing headlong across the country ahead, all +four of them being utterly inexperienced men. As might be expected, the +results of the journey are most barren. Burke scarcely troubled to keep +any journal at all. + +Wills' diary, too, is sadly uninteresting--it is but the baldest record +of the day's doings, and destitute of the sympathetic style which is so +essential in an explorer's log. From it we find that their first point +was to make Eyre's Creek, but, before reaching it, they discovered a fine +water-course coming from the north that took them a long distance on +their way, there being abundance of both water and grass along its banks. +From where this creek turned to the eastward they kept steadily north, +the rivers, fortunately for them, keeping mostly a north and south +course. They crossed the dividing range at the head of the Cloncurry +River, and by following that river down reached the Flinders, and, +finally, the mangroves and salt water in February, 1861. At the end of +his scanty notes, Burke says:-- + + +"28th March. At the conclusion of report, it would be as well to say that +we reached the sea, but we could not obtain a view of the open ocean, +although we made every endeavour to do so." + + +Wills' description of their arrival is as follows: + + +"Finding the ground in such a state from the heavy falls of rain that the +camels could scarcely be got along, it was decided to leave them at camp +119, and for Mr. Burke and I to proceed towards the sea on foot, After +breakfast, we accordingly started, taking with us the horse and three +days' provisions. Our first difficulty was in crossing Billy's Creek, +which we had to do where it enters the river, a few hundred yards below +the camp. In getting the horse in here he got bogged in a quicksand so +deeply as to be unable to stir, and we only succeeded in extricating him +by undermining him on the creek side, and then lunging him into the +water. Having got all the things in safety, we continued down the river +bank, which bent about from east to west, but kept a general north +course. A great deal of the land was so soft and rotten that the horse, +with only one saddle on and twenty-five pounds on his back, could +scarcely walk over it. At a distance of about five miles we again had him +bogged, in crossing a small creek, after which he seemed so weak that we +had some doubts about getting him on. We, however, found some better +ground close to the water's edge, where the sandstone rock runs out, and +we stuck to it as far as possible. Finding that the river was bending +about so much that we were making very little progress in a northerly +direction, we struck off due north, and soon came on some tableland, +where the soil is shallow and gravelly, and clothed with box and swamp +gums. Patches of the land were very boggy, but the main portion was sound +enough. Beyond this we came on an open plain, covered with water up to +one's ankles. The soil here was a stiff clay, and the surface very +uneven, so that between the tufts of grass one was frequently knee-deep +in water. The bottom, however, was sound, and no fear of bogging. After +floundering through this for several miles, we came to a path formed by +the blacks, and there were distinct signs of a recent migration in a +southerly direction. By making use of this path we got on much better, +for the ground was well-trodden and hard. At rather more than a mile the +path entered a forest, through which flowed a nice watercourse, and we +had not gone far before we found places where the blacks had been +camping. The forest was intersected by little pebbly rises, on which they +made their fires, and in the sandy ground adjoining some of the former +had been digging yams, [The DIOS-COREA of Carpentaria.] which seemed to +be so numerous that they could afford to leave plenty of them behind, +probably having selected only the very best. We were not so particular, +but ate many of those that they had rejected, and found them very good. +About half a mile further we came close on a blackfellow who was coiling +by a camp fire, whilst his gin and piccaninny were yabbering alongside. +We stopped for a short time to take out some of the pistols that were on +the horse, and that they might see us before we were so near as to +frighten them. Just after we stopped, the black got up to stretch his +limbs, and after a few seconds looked in our direction. It was very +amusing to see the way in which he stared, standing for some time as if +he thought he must be dreaming, and then, having signalled to the others, +they dropped on their haunches and shuffled off in the quietest manner +possible." + + +It will be, however, tedious to continue the quotation, suffice it to say +that they reached a channel with tidal waters, and had to return without +actually seeing the open sea. Then comes a blank in Wills' diary, and +when he next writes they were on their way back. + +Having accomplished their task, but with little profit, for they did not +actually know their position on the Gulf, being strangely out in their +reckoning; mistaking the river they were on for the Albert, over a +hundred miles to the westward, the retreat commenced. Short rations and +hardship now began to tell, and during the struggle back to the depôt +there seems to have been an absence of that kindly spirit of self +sacrifice which is so distinguishing a feature in nearly all the other +expeditions whose lines have fallen disastrously. Gray fell sick, and +stole some flour to make some gruel with; for this Burke beat him +severely. Wills writes on one occasion that they had to wait, and send +back for Gray, who was "gammoning" that he could not walk. Nine days +afterwards the unfortunate man dies--an act which at any rate is not +often successfully gammoned. But to bring the story to an end, they at +last, on the evening of the 21St of April, reached the camp on Cooper's +Creek, where they had left their four companions, and instead of finding +the whole party there to greet them, found it lifeless and deserted. + +Searching at the foot of a tree marked "dig" they found a small quantity +of provisions concealed, and a note from Brahe stating that they had left +only that morning. They sat down and ate a welcome supper of porridge, +and considered their position. They could scarcely walk, and their camels +were the same; they had fifty pounds of flour, twenty pounds of rice, +sixty pounds of oatmeal, sixty pounds of sugar, and fifteen pounds of +dried meat; a very fair stock if they only had had the means of transit; +if Brahe had left three or four horses hobbled at the depôt they would +have been able to follow, but as it was they could do nothing, and all +the time Brahe was only separated from them by a very short distance, had +they but known it, + +Burke consulted his companions as to the feasibility of their being able +to overtake Brahe, and they all agreed that in their tired and enfeebled +condition it was hopeless to attempt it; then, according to King's +narrative, Burke said that instead of returning up the creek, their old +route to Menindie, they would go down to Mount Hopeless, in South +Australia, following the line taken by A. C. Gregory. Wills objected and +so did King, but ultimately both gave in, and this was the death warrant +of two of them. + +The following paper was placed in the depôt by Burke before starting:-- + + +"Depôt No. 2, Cooper's Creek, Camp 65. The return party from Carpentaria +consisting of myself, Wills and King (Gray dead), arrived here last +night, and found that the depôt party had started on the same day. We +proceed on to-morrow slowly down the creek to Adelaide, by Mount +Hopeless, and shall endeavour to follow Gregory's track, but we are very +weak. The two camels are done up and we shall not be able to travel +faster than two or three miles a day. Gray died on the road from +exhaustion and fatigue. We have all suffered much from hunger. The +provisions left here will, I think, restore our strength. We have +discovered a practicable route to Carpentaria, the chief portion of which +lies on 140 deg. of east longitude. There is some good country between +this and the Stony Desert. From there to the tropics the country is dry +and stony. Between the tropics and Carpentaria a considerable portion is +rangy, but it is well-watered and richly-grassed. We reached the shores +of Carpentaria on February 11th, 1861. Greatly disappointed at finding +the party here gone. + +"(Signed) ROBERT O'HARA BURKE. + +"April 22, 1861. + +"P.S.--The camels cannot travel, and we cannot walk or we should follow +the other party. We shall move very slowly down the creek." + + +After resting four or five days, and finding great advantage from their +change of diet, the three men started, but one of the camels got bogged, +and had to be shot as he lay in the creek, the explorers cutting off what +meat they could from the body, and staying a couple of days to dry it in +the sun. When they again started, the one camel they had left carried +most of what they had, and they each took with them a bundle of about +twenty-five pounds; but they made no progress, all the creeks they +followed to the southward ran out into earthy plains and their one +solitary beast of burden being knocked up, they had to return. + +Now commenced a terrible struggle for mere existence the camel being past +recovery, was shot, and the meat dried, and then the men tried to live, +after the fashion of the blacks, on fish and nardoo. The natives were +especially kind to the unfortunate men. In Wills' diary we find frequent +mention of the liberal hospitality they extended to them, but to a great +extent the novelty soon died out, and the blacks began to find their +white guests rather an encumbrance, and soon commenced shifting their +camps to avoid the burden of their support. + +On the 27th May, Wills started alone to the depôt to deposit the +journals, and a note stating their condition. He reached there on the +30th, and says in his diary:-- + + +"No traces of anyone, except blacks, have been here since we left. +Deposited some journals and a notice of our present condition." + + +This was the notice:-- + + +"May 30th, 1861. + +"We have been unable to leave the creek. Both camels are dead. Mr. Burke +and King are down on the lower part of the creek. I am about to return to +them, when we shall probably all come up this way. We are trying to live +the best way we can, like the blacks, but we find it hard work. Our +clothes are going fast to pieces. Send provisions and clothes as soon as +possible. + +"(Signed) WILLIAM J. WILLS." + +"The depôt party having left, contrary to instructions, has put us in +this fix. I have deposited some of my journals here for fear of +accidents." + + +Having done this, Wills returned to his companions, being fed by the +friendly natives on his way back. During the intercourse that of +necessity they had had with the blacks during their detention on Cooper's +Creek, they had noticed the extensive use the natives made of the seeds +of the nardoo [See Appendix.] plant as an article of food; but for a long +time they were unable to find out this plant, nor would the blacks show +it to them. At last King accidentally found it, and, by its aid, they now +managed to prolong their lives. But the seeds had to be gathered, +cleaned, pounded and cooked, and even after all this labour (and to men +in their state it was labour) very little nourishment was derived from +eating it. An occasional crow or hawk was shot, and, by chance, a little +fish obtained from the natives, and as this was all they could get, they +were sinking rapidly. At last they decided that Burke and King should go +up the creek and endeavour to find the natives and get food from them. +Wills, who was now so weak as to be unable almost to move, was left lying +under some boughs, with an eight days' supply of water and nardoo, the +others trusting that before that time they would have returned to him. + +On the 26th June the two men started, and poor Wills was left to meet his +death alone. He must have retained his consciousness almost to the last. +So exhausted was he, that death must have been only like a release from +the trouble of living. His last entries, though giving evidences of +fading faculties, are almost cheerful. He jocularly alludes to himself as +Micawber, waiting for something to turn up. It is evident that he had +given up hope, and waited for death's approach in a calm and resigned +frame of mind, without fear, like a good and gallant man. + +King and Burke did not go far; on the second day Burke had to give in +from sheer weakness, and the next morning when his companion looked at +him, he saw by the breaking light that his leader was dead. + +This was the sad and bitter end of the high-spirited captain of this +luckless expedition; an almost solitary death on the wide western plain, +after enduring weeks of hunger and starvation. What must have been King's +feelings at finding himself thus left without a companion to cheer his +last hours when his turn, as he then thought, must inevitably soon come? + +After wandering in search of the natives, and not finding them, the +solitary man returned to Wills, who was also dead, and all he could do +was to cover the body up with a little sand, without any hope that the +same would be done by him. + +Burke's last notes in his pocket book are as follows:-- + + +"I hope we shall be done justice to. We have fulfilled our task, but we +have been aban----. We have not been followed up as we expected, and the +depôt party abandoned their post." + + +He winds up:-- + + +"King has behaved nobly. He has stayed with me to the last, and placed +the pistol in my hand, leaving me lying on the surface as I wished." + + +Left to himself, King, after a few days, made another effort to find the +natives, and this time succeeded, living with their assistance until +rescued by Howitt's relief party on September 15th, having for nearly +three months subsisted on the hospitality of the natives. + +Meanwhile that these unfortunate men were slowly starving to death on +Cooper's Creek, parties were soon to be dispatched from north, south and +east in quest of them. + +Left at the depôt on Cooper's Creek, Brahe remained from the 14th of +December, 1860, until the 21st of April, 1861. Then he left, his +instructions, according to his own account, being (verbally) to remain at +the depôt three months, or longer, if provisions and other circumstances +would permit. Before leaving he buried, as before stated, a small supply +of provisions and a note, which in full ran:-- + + +"Depôt, Cooper's Creek, April 21, 1861. The depôt party of V.E.E. leaves +this camp to-day to return to the Darling. I intend to go S.E. from camp +60 to get on to our old track at Bulloo. Two of my companions and myself +are quite well; the third--Patton-has been unable to walk for the last +eighteen days, as his leg has been severely hurt when thrown by one of +the horses. No person has been up here from the Darling. We have six +camels and twelve horses, in good working condition. + +"WILLIAM BRAHE." + + +Unfortunately this was worded in such a way as to leave Burke, who got it +that night, under the impression that they were all, with one exception, +fairly well, and would probably make long stages, whereas, on the evening +of the day that Burke returned, they were camped but fourteen miles away. + +Wright, meantime, with the main body of the party had been camping and +wandering between the Darling and Bulloo; his men sickened and died of +scurvy, and he consumed his rations, and reduced the condition of his +stock to no purpose. On Brahe's return he made an extraordinary display +of energy, and returned with him to the depôt on Cooper's Creek, at which +place they arrived on the 8th of May, whilst Burke and Wills were making +their futile attempt to reach Mount Hopeless. Wright and Brahe came to +the conclusion that no one had visited the caché since Brahe's departure, +although the fact seems almost incredible. Brahe states, however:-- + + +"Mr. Burke's return being so soon after my departure caused the tracks of +his camels to correspond in the character of age exactly with our own +tracks. The remains of three separate fires led us to suppose that blacks +had been camped there. The fires had burned to mere ashes, and left no +perceptible evidence from the position of the sticks as to whether they +were black men's fires or not. The ground above the caché was so +perfectly restored to the appearance it presented when I left it, that in +the absence of any fresh sign or mark of any description to be seen near, +it was impossible to suppose that it had been disturbed." + + +Wright and Brahe rode away again, and when Wills afterwards visited the +depôt to bury the journals, he says that he could not perceive any sign +of it having been visited; a series of singular and fatal oversights that +almost seem to have been pre-ordained. + +On the 18th of June, Wright reached the Darling and sent in his +dispatches. As may be imagined they occasioned great consternation, and +no time was lost in instituting search parties to scour half the +continent for the missing men. Fortunately a light party, under Mr. A. W. +Howitt, had already been equipped, to follow on Burke's tracks, for the +long absence and silence of Wright had already caused people to feel +anxious. Howitt's party was doubled and he made all speed to Cooper's +Creek. Meantime the other colonies took the matter up and three more +parties were in the field. Howitt, whose fortunes we must follow, started +early in July; the VICTORIA, steam sloop, was sent up to the mouth of the +Albert River, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, from Brisbane, having Mr. W. +Landsborough on board. Another Queensland expedition, under Mr. Walker, +left the furthest out station, in the Rockhampton district, to proceed +overland to the Gulf, and from South Australia, started M'Kinlay. + +On the 8th of September Howitt, having with him Brahe, reached Cooper's +Creek, and on the 13th arrived at the fatal depôt, but like all the +others, he says that he could not see any sign of the caché having been +touched; nor did he stop to examine it. On the 15th, while trying to +follow Burke's outward track down the creek, Howitt says:-- + + +"I crossed at a neck of sand, and again came on the track of a camel +going up the creek; at the same time I found a native, who began to +gesticulate in a very excited manner, and to point down the creek, +bawling out, 'Gow! gow!' as loud as he could. When I went towards him he +ran away, and finding it impossible to get him to come to me, I turned +back to follow the camel track, and to look after my party, as I had not +seen anything of them for some miles. The track was visible in sandy +places, and was evidently the same I had seen for the last two days. I +also found horse tracks in places, but very old. Crossing the creek I cut +our track, and rode after the party. In doing so I came upon three pounds +of tobacco, which had lain where I saw it for some time. This, together +with the knife-handle, the fresh horse tracks, and the camel track going +eastward, puzzled me extremely, and led me into a hundred conjectures. At +the lower end of the large reach of water before mentioned, I met Sandy +and Frank looking for me, with the intelligence that King, the only +survivor of Mr. Burke's party, had been found. [See Appendix.] A little +further on I found the party halted, and immediately went across to the +black's wurleys, where I found King sitting in a hut that the blacks had +made for him. He presented a melancholy appearance-wasted to a shadow, +and hardly to be distinguished as a civilised being, except by the +remnants of clothes on him." + + +So soon as King had recovered sufficient strength to accompany the party +they went to the place where Wills had died, and found his body in the +gunyah as King had described it, there it was buried. On the 21st, +Burke's body was found up the creek, he too was buried where he died. + +Howitt then, after rewarding the blacks who had cared for King, started +home again by easy stages taking the rescued man with him. On his return +to Melbourne, Howitt was sent back to disinter the remains of the +explorers, and bring them down to Melbourne, which task he safely +accomplished. A public funeral then took place, and subsequently a statue +was erected to their memory. + +Dr. Beckler, and Messrs. Stone, Purcell, and Patton were the others whose +lives were sacrificed on this unfortunate trip, the first three were +members of Wright's party, the last one was with Brahe at the depôt. + +Before ending the narration of this journey of Burke and Wills, it will +be remembered, that an account of Stuart's expedition to Central Mount +Stuart, and Attack Creek was forwarded to the leader; these papers were +entrusted to Trooper Lyons to take from Swan Hill to Wright's camp. +Wright ordered him on to follow the tracks of Burke, who he supposed was +about two hundred miles away; he was accompanied by the saddler of the +party, McPherson, and a black boy, Dick. They followed Burke's tracks for +some days but never reached him, their horses gave in, and they being +insufficiently provided with provisions nearly perished, finally they +were picked up by a relief party under Doctor Beckler. + +The nardoo which served to prolong the life of Burke and Wills for a +considerable time is a small ground plant resembling clover in the shape +of its leaves. These leaves are covered with silvery down, and the seeds, +too, have this down on them. When fresh the seeds are flat and oval. The +nardoo grows in loose soil, subject to inundation, generally on polygonum +flats. + +Whilst this tragedy had been enacted, Stuart was endeavouring to force +his way across Australia, and at the time his fellow explorers were +slowly starving to death on Cooper's Creek, he was making gallant efforts +to cross the dry tableland that separated him from the heads of the coast +rivers. + +Stuart followed his old track by the way of the Fincke and the Hugh, and +on the 12th April arrived at their former acquaintance, the Bonney, which +they found running strong, with abundant green feed on its banks. They +followed it down until it spread out and was lost in a large plain; so +striking north, the party on the 21st April reached Tennant's Creek, and +four days after, they came to the scene of their skirmish with the +natives, on Attack Creek. This time, although the tracks of natives were +numerous, they were permitted to pass peacefully onwards. Still pushing +to the north, along the base of the line of broken range, that in that +locality runs north and south, Stuart found and named many creeks, all of +them heading from the range and forming for a considerable space good +defined channels, but becoming lost on entering the low country. At last, +on the 4th of May, he came to the end of the range, which he there called +the Ashburton Range. Here he made several attempts to the north-west, but +could discover neither water nor watercourses in that direction; nothing +but flooded plains, beautifully grassed, but heavy and rotten to ride +over; beyond this, the country changed for the worse, becoming sandy and +scrubby. + +On the 16th of May, he first encountered a new kind of scrub, which is +now known as Stuart's hedgewood. It spreads out in many branches from the +root upwards, interlacing with its neighbours on either side, forming an +impervious hedge. On the 23rd, he found the magnificent sheet of water, +which he called Newcastle Waters, and which at first seemed to promise +him good assistance in getting to the north, but it proved delusive. +Beyond the Newcastle he could not advance his party at all; north, +north-cast, and north-west, it was all the same endless grassy plains, +terminating in thick scrubby forest, until at last he had again to give +up hope, and return to Adelaide. + +Such, however, was the confidence of the authorities in him, and such his +own energy, that in less than a month he was on his way to Chambers' +Creek, to make preparations for a fresh start. His last journey had +proved the existence of a long line of good country, fairly well-watered, +and although beyond it he had not been able to proceed, still, there was +no knowing what a fresh trial might bring forth. He had, at any rate, +brought back his party in safety, with the loss of only a few horses; and +in no way deterred by the fate of the Victorian explorers, he started +once more, this time destined to meet with success. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + + +Stuart's last Expedition--Frew's Pond--Daly Waters--Arrival at the +Sea--The flag at last hoisted on the northern shore--Return--Serious +illness of the Leader--The Burke relief Expedition--John M'Kinlay--Native +rumours--Discovery of Gray's body--Hodgkinson sent to Blanche Water with +the news--Returns with the information of King's rescue by Howitt-- +M'Kinlay starts north--Reaches the Gulf coast--Makes for the new +Queensland settlements on the Burdekin--Reaches the Bowen River in +safety--Mystery of the camel's tracks--Landsborough's expedition-- +Discovery of the Gregory River--The Herbert--Return to the Albert depôt-- +News of Burke and Wills--Landsborough reduces his party and starts home +overland--Returns by way of the Barcoo--Landsborough and his critics--His +work as an Explorer--Walker starts from Rockhampton--Another L tree +found on the Barcoo--Walker crosses the head of the Flinders--Finds the +tracks of Burke and Wills--Tries to follow them up--Returns to +Queensland--Abandonment of the desert theory--Private expeditions-- +Dalrymple and others. + + +On leaving the settled districts, Stuart followed his old track, now so +familiar to him, until on the 14th April, 1862, we find him encamped at +the upper end of Newcastle Waters, once more about to try to force a +passage through the forest of scrub to the north. On the second day he +was partly successful, finding an isolated waterhole, surrounded by +conglomerate rock. This he called Frew's Pond, and it is now a well-known +camping place on the overland telegraph line. + +Past this spot he was not able to make any progress; twice he tried hard +to reach some tributary of the Victoria River, but failed, and had to +spend many long days in fruitlessly riding through dense mulga and +hedgewood scrub. At length, after much hope deferred, and finding a few +scanty waterholes that did not serve his purpose, he succeeded in +striking the head of a chain of ponds running to the north. These being +followed down, led him to the head of the creek, called Daly Waters +Creek, and finally to the large waterhole bearing that name, where the +telegraph station now stands. + +Beyond this point the creek was lost in a swamp, and Stuart was unable to +find the channel where it re-formed, now known as the Birdum. Missing +this watercourse, Stuart worked his way to the eastward, to a creek he +called the Strangways, which led him down to the Roper River. This river +he crossed, and followed up a northern tributary named by him the +Chambers, a name he was so fond of conferring out of gratitude to his +constant friend, John Chambers. + +His troubles regarding water were now over, but his horses began to fall +lame, and he had to carefully husband his stock of spare shoes to carry +him back to Adelaide. From the Chambers he came to the Katherine, the +lower course of the Flying Fox Creek of Leichhardt, called by Stuart as +above, the name it now bears. Thence he struck across the tableland, and +descended to the head waters of the river he christened the Adelaide, +although at first he thought that he was on the Alligator River. +Following the Adelaide, he soon found himself travelling amongst rich +tropical scenery, that told him he was at last approaching the coast. + +On the 24th July, he went to the north-east, intending to make the sea +shore and travel along the beach to the mouth of the Adelaide River. He +only told two of the party of the eventful moment awaiting them. As they +rode on, Thring, who was ahead, called out, "The sea!" which so took the +majority by surprise, that they were some time before they understood +what was meant, and then three hearty cheers burst forth. + +At this, his first point of contact, Stuart dipped his hands and feet in +the sea, and the initials J.M.D.S. were cut on the largest tree they +could find. He then attempted to make the mouth of the Adelaide, but +found the route too boggy for the horses, and not seeing the utility of +fatiguing them for nothing, had a space cleared where they were, and a +tall sapling stripped of its boughs for a flagstaff; on this he hoisted +the Union Jack he had carried with him. A memorial of the visit was then +buried at the foot of the impromptu staff. It was an air-tight tin case +containing the following paper:-- + + +"South Australian Great Northern Exploring Expedition.--The exploring +party, under the command of John M'Dowall Stuart, arrived at this spot on +the 25th day of July, 1862, having crossed the entire continent of +Australia, from the Southern to the Indian Ocean, passing through the +centre. They left the city of Adelaide on the 26th day of October, 1861, +and the most northern station of the colony on the 21st day of January, +1862. To commemorate this happy event., they have raised this flag +bearing his name. All well. God save the Queen." + + +Stuart and the party signed their names to this document. The tree has +since been found and recognised, but this memorial has not been +discovered. + +More fortunate than the other travellers who reached the Gulf shore, +Stuart was able to survey the open sea, instead of having to be content +with the sight of some mangrove trees and salt water. + +Next day Stuart started on his return. His health was failing, and his +horses were sadly weakened. After leaving the Newcastle, the water in the +many short creeks coming from the range was found to be at the last gasp; +in some there was none, in others but a scanty supply. The horses +commenced to give in rapidly, and one after another they were left on +successive dry stages. Stuart, too, began to think that he would never +live to reach the settled districts. Scurvy had brought him down to a +terrible state, and after all his success, he scarcely hoped to profit by +it. His right hand was nearly useless to him, and after sunset he was +blind. He could not stand the pain caused by riding, and a stretcher had +to be made to carry him on. Slowly and painfully they crept along until +the first station, Mount Margaret, was reached, and here the leader, who +was only a skeleton, was able to get a little relief, and finally +recovered sufficiently to ride to Adelaide. + +This was the last exploration conducted by Stuart. He was rewarded by the +Government of the colony he had served so well, and went to reside in +England, where he died. He never recovered from the great suffering of +his return journey. + +At a re-union of returned Australians, held at Glasgow shortly before his +death, he had to speak, and it was evident to all that he had quite +broken down. He said that "his eyesight and his memory were so far gone +that he was unable to compose a speech, or, indeed, to recollect many of +the incidents that happened throughout the course of his explorations." +This was the sad ending of one of our greatest explorers. Eight full +years of his life had been spent in exploring Australia, and neither his +means nor resources had ever been great--in fact, on some occasions they +had been dangerously small--but he always brought his party back in +safety, through every difficulty. + +In following up Stuart's last expedition, we have lost sight for a time +of the three parties sent out after Burke and Wills, which, although they +were unsuccessful in their first aim, yet did sterling service in the +field of discovery. + +John M'Kinlay started from Adelaide-the scene of so many departures on +similar errands--on October 26th, 1861. On arriving at Blanche Water, he +was informed that a report was current amongst the natives that some +white men and camels had been seen at a distant inland water, but knowing +the little reliance to be placed on such statements, he did not at the +time pay much attention to it. On the 27th of September, he crossed Lake +Torrens--a feat which would have excited great interest a few years +ago--and made for Lake Pando, or Lake Hope, as it is better known. From +here he went north, crossing the country so often described, wherein +Cooper's Creek is lost in many watercourses. He now got more definite +details about the whites that he had formerly heard of, and pressed +forward to the place indicated by the natives, and on the 18th October, +formed a depôt camp for his main party, and started ahead in company with +two white men and a native. + +Passing through a country full of small shallow lakes, of all of which +M'Kinlay has faithfully preserved the terrible native names, such as Lake +Moolion--dhurunnie, etc., they came to a watercourse, whereon they found +a grave and picked up a battered pint pot. Next morning they opened the +grave, and in it was the body of a European, the skull being marked, so +M'Kinlay says, with two sabre cuts. He noted down the description of the +body, and, from the locality and surroundings, it has been pronounced to +have been the body of Gray, who died before reaching Cooper's Creek. + +If the reader will remember what was the result of the circumstantial +accounts of Leichhardt's murder retailed to Hely by the natives, he will +not be astonished at what follows. + +The native that M'Kinlay had with him thus described the manner of the +white man's death, which, of course, was all pure fiction. First, that +the whites were attacked in camp by the natives, who murdered the whole +party, finishing up by eating the bodies of the other men. Next, that the +journals, saddles, etc., were buried at a fake a short distance away. +Naturally, under the circumstances, M'Kinlay believed this story; +particularly as further search revealed another grave (empty) and other +small evidences of the presence of whites. + +Next morning a tribe of blacks appeared, and although they immediately +ran away, one was captured, who corroborated the story told by M'Kinlay's +native. The prisoner had marks both of ball and shot wounds on him; he +stated that there was a pistol concealed near a neighbouring lake, and he +was sent to fetch it; but instead, he appeared the following morning at +the head of a host of others, well armed, and bent on mischief. The +leader was obliged to order his men to fire on them, and it was only +after several discharges that they ran away. + +M'Kinlay was now quite satisfied that he had found all that remained of +the Victorian expedition; and after burying a letter for the information +of any after comers, they left Lake Massacre, as he called it, and +returned to his depôt camp. The letter hidden was as follows:-- + + +"S.A.B.R. Expedition, + +"October 23rd, 1861. + +"To the leader of any expedition seeking tidings of Burke and party:-- + +"Sir,--I reached this water on the 19th instant, and by means of a native +guide discovered a European camp, one mile north on west side of flat. +At, or near this camp, traces of horses, camels, and whites were found. +Hair, apparently belonging to Mr. Wills, Charles Gray, Yr. Burke, or +King, was picked from the surface of a grave dug by a spade, and from the +skull of a European buried by the natives. Other less important +traces-such as a pannikin, oil can, saddle stuffing, &c., have been +found. Beware of the natives, on whom we have had to fire. We do not +intend to return to Adelaide, but proceed to west of north. From +information, all Burke's party were killed and eaten. + +"JNO. M'KINLAY. + +"[P.S.--All the party in good health.] + +"If you had any difficulty in reaching this spot, and wish to return to +Adelaide by a more practicable route, you may do so for at least three +months to come, by driving west eighteen miles, then south of west, +cutting our dray track within thirty miles. Abundance of water and feed +at easy stages." + + +M'Kinlay next sent Mr. Hodgkinson with men and packhorses to Blanche +Water, to take down the news of his discovery, and to bring back rations +for a prolonged exploration. Meantime he remained in camp. From one old +native, with whom he had a long conversation, he obtained another version +of the supposed massacre, which evidently had a certain admixture of +truth. + +This was to the effect that the whites repulsed an attack of the natives +on their return journey; that in the affair, one white man was killed; +he was buried after the fight, and the others went south. The natives +then dug up the body and ate the flesh. The blackfellow then described +minutely the different waters passed by Burke, and the way the men lived +on the seeds of the nardoo plant, which he must have heard of from other +natives. + +After waiting a little over a month, Mr. Hodgkinson returned, and brought +back with him the news of Howitt's success in finding King. This +explained M'Kinlay's discovery as being that of Gray's body, the adjuncts +of the fight turning out to be exaggerations of the natives. He made an +excursion to the eastward, and visited the graves of the two men buried +by Howitt, on Cooper's Creek, then he started for the north. + +The perusal of his journal, containing the account of his first few +weeks' travel, is hard work to accomplish. The native names of every +small lake and waterhole are all given in full, and as the course of each +day's travel is omitted, it becomes rather difficult to follow the track +of the expedition, excepting on the map. + +A fairly northerly course was, however, maintained, and M'Kinlay speaks +highly of the country for pastoral purposes. As it was the dry time of +the year, immediately preceding the setting in of the rains, it shows +what a severe season must have been encountered by Sturt when on his last +struggle north, as that explorer finally turned his-back in much the same +locality. + +On the 27th of February, heavy rains set in, fortunately, they were in +the neighbourhood of some stony ridges and sand hills, on which they +camped, and where they had plenty of space to feed their animals, +although surrounded by water. + +On March 10th, they started again, and steadily continued north through +good travelling country, keeping back from the main creek, which was now +too flooded and boggy to follow. This large creek, which was called by +M'Kinlay the Mueller, is one of the main rivers of the interior, now +known as the Diamantina. M'Kinlay soon kept more to the westward and +crossed the stony range, which bears his name, in much the same place +that Burke and Wills did. He christened many of the large tributaries of +the inland watershed, but most of his names have been replaced by others, +it having been difficult to determine them, as in many cases, the creeks +he named were but anabranches. + +The history of their progress is now monotonous in the extreme, the +country through which they travelled presented no great obstacle to the +travellers' advance, being well-grassed and watered; and finally on the +6th May they reached the Leichhardt River. + +M'Kinlay was most anxious to get to the mouth of the Albert, it being +understood that Captain Norman with the steamer Victoria, would there +form a depôt for the use of the other explorers, Landsborough and Walker, +and M'Kinlay's stock of rations was getting perilously low. + +His attempts to reach the sea were, however, fruitless. He was +continually turned back by deep and broad mangrove creeks and boggy +flats, and on the 21st May the party started for the nearest settled +districts in Queensland, in the direction of Port Denison. + +They were now on the country already twice described by both Leichhardt +and Gregory, and making in the same direction that Gregory did on his +return journey. Like him, too, M'Kinlay missed following up the Flinders. +He crossed on to the head of the head of the Burdekin, which river he +followed down, continually trusting to meet the advancing flocks and +herds of the settlers, then pushing forward into the new country. On +reaching Mount M'Connell, where the tracks of the two former explorers +came respectively to the river, and left it, M'Kinlay kept down the +river, crossing the formidable Leichhardt Range, through which the +Burdekin forces its way to the lower lands of the coast. Here they came +to a temporary station, just formed by Mr. Phillip Somer, where they were +received with the usual hearty hospitality. Since leaving the Gulf +country the explorers had subsisted on little else than horse and camel +flesh, and were necessarily in rather a weak condition; but whilst they +were toiling down the channel of the Upper Burdekin, suffering +semi-starvation, they were actually travelling amongst the advance-guard +of the pioneer squatters, and had they but thought of resting a day and +looking around, their wants would have been relieved long before they +sighted the gorge of the Burdekin, and their toilsome journey through +that gorge have been prevented. + +The tracks of the camels had been seen by one squatter [Note, below] at +least within a few hours after the cavalcade had passed down the river, +and a very little trouble would have saved M'Kinlay much suffering. + +[Note: Mr. E. Cunningham, who had then just formed Burdekin Downs +Station. He tells, with much amusement, how the nature of the tracks +puzzled himself and his black boy. The Burdekin pioneers of course did +not expect M'Kinlay's advent amongst them, although they knew he was out +west, and such an animal as a camel did not enter into their reckoning. +Cunningham says that the only thing he could think of was, that it was a +return party who had been looking for new country, and that, having +footsore horses and no shoes left, they had wrapped up their horses' feet +with bandages.] + +M'Kinlay's trip across the continent did good service at this juncture. +His track was across the country that had always been considered a +terrible desert, useless for pastoral occupation. His report being of +such a favourable nature, dealt a final blow to this theory, which Stuart +had partly demolished. Fortunately, M'Kinlay was an experienced man, +whose verdict was accepted without cavil. + +The successful way in which he conducted his party across the continent, +and his well-known merits, led to his afterwards being selected by the +South Australian Government for a responsible post in the Northern +Territory, which will be dealt with in its proper order. + +On the 14th of August, 1861, the FIREFLY, having on board the Brisbane +search party for Burke and Wills, left Brisbane. The leader of the party +was Mr. William Landsborough, an experienced bushman, having already a +good knowledge of new country gained in private exploration. The brig was +convoyed by the VICTORIA, under Captain Norman, who had charge of the +expedition until the party were landed. On the way up, the vessels were +separated, and the FIREFLY suffered shipwreck on one of Sir Charles +Hardy's islands; the horses being got ashore safely. On the VICTORIA +coming up, the FIREFLY was repaired sufficiently to serve as a transport. +hulk and the party re-embarked; she was taken in tow by the VICTORIA, and +safely reached her destination at the mouth of the Albert River, in the +Gulf of Carpentaria. + +The VICTORIA, as arranged, remained there to render assistance to +Landsborough on his return, and to the Rockhampton search party under Mr. +Walker, on his arrival overland. Landsborough's track, after leaving the +Albert, took him on to the banks of a new river, which had the same +outlet as the Albert, but on account of the other explorers crossing +below the junction, had been hitherto unnoticed. This river, which is a +constantly running stream, and flows through well-grassed, level country, +was named by him the Gregory. His written opinion of the much-disputed +qualities of this district is most sanguine, with regard to its future as +a sheep country. Experience, however, has proved otherwise, it being +found to be fitted only for cattle. Higher up, Landsborough found the +river drier, and presenting a far less tropical appearance than on its +lower course. After continued efforts to the south, and the discovery of +many tributary creeks, Landsborough, on the 21St of December, found the +river which he named the Herbert, one of the most important streams +running south, and joining Eyre's Creek. This river has since been +re-named by the Queensland Government, in consequence of there being +another Herbert River in the territory. With most questionable taste, the +officials, out of a wide choice of names, could find none better than the +absurd, and inappropriate one of the GEORGINA! by which it is now known. + +The first important feature in Landsborough's Herbert, which runs through +richly-grassed tableland country, was met with on the day following its +discovery, when a fine sheet of water was found which they named Lake +Mary; below this, some distance, was another pool--Lake Frances. +Landsborough now made an attempt to push to the westward, but failed +through want of water, He then returned up the Herbert, and crossed on to +the head of the O'Shanassy, a tributary of the Gregory. Down this river, +and by way of Beames' Brook, they returned to the depôt on the Albert, +where they arrived on the 8th February, 1862, having been absent nearly +three months. + +Here Landsborough learnt that during his absence Walker had arrived, and +reported finding the tracks of Burke and Wills on the Flinders. He +therefore determined to go home in that direction, instead of returning +in the steamer, being anxious to see if he could render any assistance. +The party was reduced in number to three whites and three blacks in all, +namely, Messrs. Landsborough, Bourne, and Gleeson, and the three +boys--Jacky, Jemmy, and Fisherman They had a decidedly insufficient stock +of rations when they started the second time, being without tea and +sugar, the VICTORIA not being able to supply them with any. + +From the Albert depôt Landsborough made for the Flinders, by way of the +Leichhardt, and arrived at that river on the 19th February. He followed +it up, and was rewarded by being the first discoverer of the beautiful +downs country through which it runs. He named the isolated and remarkable +hills visible from the river Fort Bowen and Mounts Brown and Little. On +the upper part of the Flinders he named Walker's Creek--a considerable +tributary--and from there struck more to the south, towards Bowen +Downs country discovered by himself and Buchanan two years previously. +Here the leader was in hopes of finding a newly-formed station, and +obtaining some more supplies; but the country was still untenanted, +although in one place they observed the track of a dray, and they also +saw the tracks of a party of horsemen near Aramac Creek. They now made +for the Thomson, which is formed by the junction of the Landsborough and +Cornish Creeks, but did not follow it down to the Barcoo, striking that +river higher up. On the Barcoo they had a slight skirmish with the +blacks, who nearly surprised them during the night. + +Landsborough was now back in well-known country; some of it, in fact, he +had been over before himself, and from the number of trees they saw +marked with different initials, it was evident that before long stock +would be on its way out. He crossed on to the Warrego, followed that +river down, and on the 21st of May came to the station of Messrs. +Neilson and Williams, where they heard of the fate of Burke and Wills, +the objects of their search. From here the party proceeded to the +Darling, and finally to Melbourne. + +On Landsborough's arrival in Melbourne, he found that rumour had +accredited him with being more interested in looking for available +pastoral country than in hunting for Burke and Wills. So far as can be +seen, this accusation was utterly groundless, as there was no saying to +what part of the Gulf Burke and Wills would penetrate, and he was as +likely to meet with traces of them on the Barcoo as well as anywhere +else. With the general belief then current, of the desert nature of the +interior, nobody dreamt that four inexperienced men would have been able +to cross so easily in such a straight line. + +The charge lay in a newspaper paragraph that went the round of the daily +papers, an extract from which runs as follows:-- + + +"Great credit must be given to Mr. Landsborough for the celerity with +which he has accomplished the expedition. At the same time, its object +seems to have been lost sight of at a very early stage of the journey, as +there was not the remotest probability of striking Burke's track after +quitting the Flinder's River, and taking a S.S.E. course for the +remainder of the way. In fact, from that moment all mention [This is +incorrect. Landsborough particularly mentions in his journal during his +trip to the Barcoo, how anxiously he endeavoured to find out from the +natives if they had seen anybody with camels.] ceases to be made of the +ostensible purpose for which the party was organised, until Mr. +Landsborough reached the Warrego, and received the intelligence of Burke +and Wills having perished, at which great surprise was expressed. But +supposing these gallant men to have been still living, and anxiously +awaiting succour at some one of the ninety camping places at which they +halted, on their arduous journey between the depôt and the Gulf what +excuse could Mr. Landsborough have offered for giving so wide a berth to +the probable route of the explorers, and for omitting to endeavour to +strike their track, traces of which had been reported on the Flinders by +Mr Walker? We may be reminded that 'all's well that ends well,' that the +lamented explorers were beyond the reach of human assistance, and that +Mr. Landsborough has achieved a most valuable result in following the +course he did; but we cannot help remarking that in so doing he seems to +have been more intent upon serving the cause of pastoral settlement than +upon ascertaining if it were possible to afford relief to the missing +men. The impression produced by a perusal of the dispatch which we +published on Saturday last is that the writer was commissioned to open up +a practicable route from the Warrego to the Flinders, and not that he was +the leader of a party which had been organized and dispatched 'for the +purpose of rendering relief, if possible, to the missing explorers under +the command of Mr. Burke.' We do not wish to detract one iota from the +credit due to Mr. Landsborough for what he has actually effected, but we +must not lose sight of 'the mission of humanity' in which he was +professedly engaged, nor the fact that this mission was replaced by one +of a totally different character, strengthening, as this circumstance +does, the conviction, which is gaining ground in the public mind, that we +have been deluded in expending large sums of money in sending out relief +expeditions which were chiefly employed in exploring available country +for the benefit of the Government and people of Queensland. The cost and +the empty honour has been ours, but theirs has been the substantial +gain." + + +The reply to this is very simple. In the first place, Howitt had been +sent especially to follow up Burke from the start, and would therefore be +supposed to be searching the country on the direct course. Again, Walker +was--as Landsborough thought--then following the homeward track of the +lost party. The only chance of affording succour to the missing men, left +to Landsborough, was the remote one of accidentally coming upon them. +Nobody could have reasonably supposed that such a costly and elaborately +got up expedition would have degenerated into a scamper across to the +Gulf, and a scramble back over the same country. + +Apart from all this, Landsborough did not apply for a lease of any of the +country discovered by him on the search expedition, the country called +Bowen Downs having been his discovery of two years previously, and +considering that he closed his days in comparative poverty, after all his +labour, such insinuations as the above are most unjust, and would be +hardly worthy of comment save for the prominent and adverse notice taken +of it by William Howitt, in general such an impartial historian. + +The late William Landsborough first went north to Queensland in 1853. In +1854 Messrs. Landsborough and Ranken formed a station on the Kolan River, +between Gayndah and Gladstone, where between bad seasons and blacks they +had considerable trouble. In 1856 his exploring career commenced in the +district of Broadsound and the Isaacs River. In 1858 he explored the +Comet to the watershed, and in the following year the head-waters of the +Thomson. + +An old friend and comrade, writing of him, says:-- + + +"Landsborough's enterprise was entirely founded on his own self-reliance. +He had neither Government aid nor capitalists at his back when he +achieved his success as an explorer. He was the very model of a +pioneer--courageous, hardy, good-humoured, and kindly. He was an +excellent horseman, a most entertaining and, at times, eccentric +companion, and he could starve with greater cheerfulness than any man I +ever saw or heard of. But excellent fellow though he was, his very +independence of character and success in exploring provoked much +ill-will." + + +It is to be hoped, therefore, that in future Landsborough's great +services will be regarded in a more just light than they were by some of +his contemporaries, particularly some living explorers, who resemble the +one alluded to by Dr. Lang:-- + + +"But Mr. ---- is not the only geographical explorer in Australia who, + + 'Turk-like, could bear no brother near the throne.' + +It seems to be a family failing." + + +Frederick Walker was the leader of the Rockhampton search expedition. He +was an old bushman, had had much to do with the formation of the native +police of Queensland, and took a party of native troopers with him on +this occasion. + +On receiving his commission he pushed rapidly out to the Barcoo, and in +the neighbourhood of the tree marked L, found by Gregory, discovered +another L tree. This may or may not be considered a corroboration that +the first was Leichhardt's, there being arguments on both sides. From the +Barcoo he struck north-west to the Alice, seeing some old horse-tracks, +which he thought must be Leichhardt's, but which were probably those of +Landsborough and Buchanan. From the head-waters of the Alice and Thomson, +Walker struck a river he called the Barkly, in reality the head of the +Flinders. Here he experienced much difficulty from the rough basaltic +nature of the country which borders the upper reaches of this river. +Finally getting on to the great western plains he unwittingly crossed the +Flinders, and went far to the north looking for it. Bearing into the +Gulf, he had several encounters with the natives, who by this time it may +be supposed began to see too many exploring parties. + +Walker's track down here is rather vague. He may be said to have run a +parallel course to the Flinders River away to the north of it, until, on +nearing the coast, the bend of the river brought it across his course +again. Here he found the tracks of the camels, which assured him that +Burke had at any rate reached the Gulf in safety. He therefore pushed on +to the depôt at the Albert to get a supply of provisions, and return and +follow the tracks up. + +He reached the Victoria depôt safely, as before related, and reported his +discovery, having had two more skirmishes with the natives on the way. +Fresh provisioned, he made back for the Flinders, but found it impossible +to follow the tracks. From what he saw, however, he formed a theory that +Burke had retreated towards Queensland, and there he made up his mind to +return. He regained his former course on the river he calls the Norman, +but which may have been the Saxby, and up this river he toiled till he +reached the network of watersheds which forms such a jumble of broken +country at the heads of the Burdekin, Lynd, Gilbert and Flinders. + +Here Walker's horses suffered severely from the rocks and stones, until +at last, by the time they had reached the Lower Burdekin, they were +well-nigh horseless, and quite starving. On the 4th of April, 1862, they +reached Strathalbyn cattle station, owned by Messrs. Wood and Robison, +not far from where M'Kinlay eventually arrived. + +M'Kinlay's was the last party to use the roundabout and rugged road to +the head of the Burdekin that seemed to have such attractions for all the +explorers. Henceforth the road to the Gulf lay down the wide plains of +the Flinders. + +Walker was afterwards employed by the Queensland Government to explore a +track for the telegraph line from Rockingham Bay to the mouth of the +Norman River, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This he carried out +successfully; but when at the Gulf he was attacked by the then prevalent +malarial fever, and died there. + +This completes the series of expeditions undertaken for the relief of +Burke and Wills. The eastern half of Australia was now nearly all +known--from south to north, and from north to south, it had been crossed +and re-crossed, and future enterprise was soon to expend itself upon the +western half. + +So far the results arrived at had been most satisfactory. Not much over +forty years after Oxley's gloomy prediction of the future of the +interior, country had been found surpassing in richness any that was then +known. The pathways for the pioneers had been marked out, and a few more +years was to see the whole of the continent up to the western boundary of +Queensland the busy scene of pastoral industry. + +Most noticeable in the history we have just recounted is the persistent +manner in which each succeeding explorer found in all new discoveries the +fulfillment of some pet theory. To the men brought up in the old school +of belief in the central desert, every fresh advance into the interior +was only pushing the desert back a step; it was there still, and, +according to some, it is there now. Others who believed in the great +river theory, imagined its source in the fresh discovery of every inland +river; and those who pinned their faith on a central range, accepted the +low broken ridges of the M'Donnel Ranges as the leading spurs. + +But the discoveries of the luxuriant new herbage and edible shrubs of the +interior were the greatest stumbling block to all. That the much-despised +SALSOLEA and other shrubs should be coveted and sought after; that the +bugbear of Oxley, the ACACIA PENDULA, should now be held to indicate good +country was inconceivable; and when, above everything, the most +fondly cherished of all delusions, that in the torrid north the sheep's +wool would turn to hair, had to be given up, it was quite evident that a +new order of belief would soon be entertained. + +Writers, however, were still found to argue that things must be after the +old opinion. When M'Kinlay took his little flock of sheep across +Australia and found them grow so fat that, when at the Gulf, he had to +select the leanest one to kill from choice, they cried out triumphantly, +"Ah, but the flesh was tasteless!" When he assured them that he had never +enjoyed better mutton, they said that it was hunger made him think so. + +Still the distinctive value of the country was not under stood. +Landsborough, who ought certainly to have known better, speaks highly of +the Gulf plains as a suitable sheep run; but he was not alone in this +belief. The valley of the Burdekin, and many of its tributaries were +stocked with sheep by men of acknowledged experience. In a few years the +error was found out, and sheep pastures were sought for only in the +uplands of the interior. + +But the later explorations had done much good for the new colony of +Queensland. Most of the work, with the exception of Stuart's, had been +wrought out within her boundaries, and capital and stock flowed in from +all sides. This led to many private expeditions, such as those conducted +formerly by Messrs. Landsborough, Walker, and Buchanan. + +Amongst these, one under the leadership of Mr. Dalrymple penetrated the +coast country north of Rockhampton, and discovered the main tributaries +of the Lower Burdekin, the Bowen and the Bogie rivers. They followed down +the Burdekin in 1859, and discovered that its EMBOUCHERE was much higher +up the coast than was supposed. From this point they turned back, and +ascending the coast range, reached the upper waters of the Burdekin, and +discovered the Valley of Lagoons, west of Rockingham Bay. Another party, +consisting of Messrs. Cunningham, Somer, Stenhouse, Allingham, and Miles +explored the Upper Burdekin in the following year, and discovered tracts +of good pastoral country on the many tributaries of that river. The +remarkable running stream which joins the Burdekin below the township of +Dalrymple, and was noticed and called by M'Kinlay the Brown River, was +really first found by this party, though where it obtained its present +name of Fletcher's Creek is not on record. + +In the far south, the Great Bight became once more the scene of interest. +In 1862, Goyder paid a visit to the much-abused region north of Fowler's +Bay, but found nothing to reward him but mallee scrub and spinifex. In +this year Delisser and Hardwicke went over the same country, but on a +much more attractive route, as they came upon a large, limitless plain, +covered with grass and saltbush. Unfortunately they could find no water, +but since then this want has been supplied by sinking and boring, and +pastoral settlement has extended so far. + +In the year 1863, Mr. Thomas Macfarlane attempted to get inland, north of +the Bight, but was forced to turn back, after suffering much hardship. +He, too, found some fairly-grassed country, but quite waterless. + +In Western Australia, the colonists still made efforts to find good +country east of the Swan River. Lefroy and party pushed out to the +eastward of York, but were not able to give a much better account of the +country than their predecessors. In the north-west a party of colonists +landed at the De Grey River, and settled on the country found by F. +Gregory. Their account quite confirmed the one given by that explorer +previously. + +Once more a fresh chapter in the history of exploration has to be turned. +All around the coast the fringe of settlement was rapidly creeping, the +gaps of unoccupied country growing smaller and fewer every year. The +adventurous traveller who now forced his way through to the late +uninhabited north coast would find several infant settlements ready to +receive him, and he would no longer be obliged to retrace, with weakened +frame and exhausted resources, his toilsome outward track. The last stage +of Australia's history was about to set in; the telegraph wire was soon +to follow on Stuart's footsteps, and the ring of communication to be +nearly completed around the continent. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + + +Settlement formed at Somerset, Cape York, by the Queensland +Government--Expedition of the Brothers Jardine--Start from Carpentaria +Downs Station--Disaster by fire--Reduced resources--Arrive at the coast +of the Gulf--Hostility of the blacks--Continual attacks--Horses mad +through drinking salt water--Poison country--An unfortunate camp--Still +followed by the natives--Rain and bog--Dense scrub--Efforts of the two +brothers to reach Somerset--Final Success--Lull in exploration--Private +parties--Settlement at Escape Cliffs by South Australia--J. M'Kinlay sent +up--Narrow escape from floods--Removal of the settlement to Port +Darwin--M'Intyre's expedition in search of Leichhardt--His death--Hunt in +Western Australia--False reports about traces of Leichhardt--Forrest's +first expedition--Sent to investigate the report of the murder of white +men in the interior--Convinced of its want of truth--Unpromising +country--Second expedition to Eucla--The cliffs of the Great +Bight--Excursion to the north--Safe arrival at Eucla. + + +The year 1863 was one of great activity in the northern part of +Australia. At Cape York the Imperial Government had, on the +recommendation of Sir George Bowen, the first Governor of Queensland, +decided to form a settlement. Mr. Jardine, the police magistrate of +Rockhampton was selected to take command, and a detachment of marines was +sent out to be stationed there. + +At the Gulf of Carpentaria the township of Burketown was springing into +existence, under the care of William Landsborough, the explorer; and in +the north of Arnhern's Land, M'Kinlay was looking for a suitable site to +establish a port for South Australia. Somerset, the formation of which +led to the expedition of the Jardine brothers, was formed on the mainland +at the Albany Pass, opposite the island of that name. Mr. Jardine was to +proceed by sea to his new sphere of office., but anticipating the want of +fresh meat at the new settlement, he entered into an arrangement with the +Government for his two sons to take a herd of cattle overland to there. +Somerset was near the fatal scene of poor Kennedy's death, and knowing +what tremendous difficulties that explorer had met with on the east +coast, it was decided to attempt the western fall, through the unknown +country fronting the Gulf. + +Both the Jardines were quite young men at the time when they started, +Frank, the accepted leader, being only twenty-two years old, and his +brother, Alexander, twenty. Besides themselves, the party was composed of +A. J. Richardson, a surveyor sent by the Government; Messrs. Scrutton, +Binney and Cowderoy, and four natives. They had forty-two horses, and +about two hundred and fifty head of cattle, with four months, provisions. + +Before their final start from Carpentaria Downs Station, then the +furthest occupied country to the north-west, and supposed to be situated +on the Lynd River, of Leichhardt, Alexander Jardine made a trip of some +distance ahead in order to ensure finding an available road for the +cattle, and saving delay when the actual start took place. + +On this preliminary journey he followed the presumed Lynd down for nearly +one hundred and eighty miles, until he was convinced that there was an +error, and that, whatever river it was, it certainly was not +Leichhardt's, as neither in appearance, direction, nor position did it +coincide with that explorer's description. + +On the subsequent journey with the cattle this supposition was found to +be correct, the river turning out to be a tributary of the Gilbert, now +known as the Einnesleigh. On the 11th of October, after A. Jardine's +return, the final start was made from Carpentaria Downs, and the whole of +the party commenced a journey destined to be full of peril and adventure. + +The beginning of their trip down the Einnesleigh was unavoidably rough, +and on the 22nd of the month they came to a halt to spell their cattle +and look for the Lynd River, to which they trusted to carry them a good +distance on their way. On the 24th the two brothers started, and in about +thirty miles came to another river, where they found a fine chain of +lagoons, but no country at all resembling the Lynd. All search beyond +being resultless, the went back to the main body; and, leaving +instructions for the cattle to start by a certain date for the new-found +lagoons, they made another effort to find the Lynd. + +This time they were again rewarded by discovering a good-sized creek, but +no sign of the Lynd was met with, nor did they ever see it, as owing to +an error in the map they had with them, the location of the river had +been thirty miles misplaced. + +Returning to the lagoons, which the cattle had now reached, instructions +were given to start forward, but the first day one of the series of heavy +misfortunes befell them, that afterwards seemed to dog them so +perseveringly. In the morning a large number of the horses were missing, +and leaving a party behind to find them and come on with the pack-horses, +the Jardines and some of the others made a start with the cattle, and on +the second day reached the large creek, but, to their surprise, without +being overtaken by the men with the pack-horses. After an anxious day +spent in waiting, Alexander Jardine went back to see what was the matter, +and on his way met the missing party charged with heavy news. Through +some carelessness in allowing the grass around the camp to catch fire, +half their rations, and nearly the whole of their equipment had been +burnt. In addition, one of the most valuable of their horses had been +poisoned. This misfortune coming at such an early stage of the journey, +with all the unknown country ahead of them, was most serious, and +jeopardised their prospect greatly. However, there was no help for it; +so giving up all hope of the Lynd, they followed down the creek they were +then camped on. + +The natives soon commenced to give them a foretaste of what they kept up +during nearly the whole of the journey. Once about twenty appeared at +sundown, and boldly attacked the camp with a shower of spears, and two +days afterwards the younger Jardine, when out alone, was suddenly +surprised by them. + +The creek finally led them to the Staaten River, and here the blacks +succeeded in stampeding the horses, and it was days before some of them +were recovered. + +On the 5th December they left this ill-fated river, and steered due +north, but bad luck followed them, the torment of mosquitoes and +sandflies, added to bad feed, caused their horses to ramble incessantly, +and whilst the brothers were away on these hunting excursions, the party +at the camp allowed their solitary mule to stray away with his pack on; +and despite all efforts he was never found again. Unfortunately, this +animal carried a lot of their most necessary articles, and their loss +reduced them almost to the same state as the blackfellows who surrounded +them. + +Two horses here went mad through drinking salt water, one died, and the +other was too ill to travel, and had to be left. + +On December the 13th they at last reached the long-desired Mitchell +river, not without having another pitched battle on the way with the +natives. For the blacks followed them throughout with the same relentless +hostility that they formerly had shown to Kennedy, and evidently meant to +mete out the same fate to them, for whilst the party were on the Mitchell +they mustered in force, and fell upon the travellers with the greatest +determination, and it was only after a severe contest, and heavy loss had +been inflicted on the savages that they retired. + +It can be imagined how these continued attacks, in addition to the +harassing nature of the country, gave the party all they knew to hold +their own, and but for the prompt and plucky way in which these assaults +were always met, not one of the little band would have survived. From +what was afterwards found out from some of the semi-civilized natives +about Somerset, these tribes followed the explorers for over four hundred +miles. + +Leaving the Mitchell and making north, they travelled through poor +country, thinly grassed, and badly watered, but the blacks were still on +their heels. + +On the 28th December, they commenced on the horses, driving them about, +and another stand-up fight ensued. Storms of rain now set in, and they +had to travel through dismal ti-tree flats, with the constant expectation +of being caught by a flood on low-lying country. + +On the 5th of January, they came to a well-grassed valley, with a good +river running through it, which was named the Archer, and on the 9th +crossed another river, which was supposed to be the Coen. On leaving this +river, troubles thickened around them; the rain continued incessantly, +the country was so boggy they could scarcely get their animals along at +all, and to add to everything, when they reached the Batavia, two horses +were drowned in crossing, and six more were poisoned [See appendix.] and +died. + +Fate seemed to have pretty well done her worst; they could do nothing +else but face the future manfully. Burying everything they possibly +could, they packed all the horses, and started resolutely on foot. On the +14th, two more horses died, and the blacks came once more to see how they +were getting on. As may be imagined, the white men were in not much of a +humour for patience, and the skirmish was a brief one. + +On the 17th, two more horses died from the effects of the poison plant, +and they were reduced to fifteen out of the forty-two with which they +started. They were now approaching the narrow crest of the cape, and +found themselves on a dreary waste of sandy, barren country, whereon only +heath grew, intersected too with boggy creeks. On the 10th of January, +they caught a glimpse of the sea to the eastward, from the top of a tree, +and on the 20th it was in plain view. + +They were now amongst the same description of scrubs that had played such +havoc with Kennedy, and day after day they only advanced a few miles. On +the 29th, after many days of bog and scrub cutting, it was determined to +halt the cattle, whilst the two Jardines made an effort to reach +Somerset, and find a less difficult track, as they now believed +themselves only twenty miles from that place; but in reality they were +more, although, after the country they had passed through, any +calculation that could be made would be only approximate. + +On the 30th January, the brothers, with their most-trusted black boy, +"Eulah," started to find the settlement, taking with them a small +quantity of rations. For a time they were hemmed-in in a bend of what +they took to be the Escape River, but on leaving it suddenly came on a +large river running to the west coast, which is now known as the Jardine. +This forced them to return to the main camp, and after a few days' rest, +they made to the north again, swimming their horses over at the main +camp, where the cattle were, and from there starting, this time down the +stream. + +This trip was a most fatiguing one, through dense vine scrub, through +which they had to work their way tomahawk in hand. On the second day they +sighted the ocean, and after travelling towards it, came to a river +three-quarters of a mile wide, which they could not cross. Following it +up through fearful country, as Jardine says, "too bad to describe," they +had to at last camp where they were, being cut off from even approaching +the river by a formidable belt of mangroves. Next day was spent in like +fruitless attempts, and the next the same. + +It being evident that there was no crossing-place for the cattle to be +found, they turned back to the camp, having come to the conclusion that +the rivers were identical, and that on their first expedition they had +been deceived by a large bend. + +Tired and wearied, disappointed at finding themselves so near the +settlement, and yet hemmed in and embarrassed by impenetrable thickets, +and impassable morasses, the brothers now made up their minds to start +with the whole party, and try to get round the big bend of the Escape +that they thought they must be on. After killing a bullock they started, +and at their third camp, from the top of the high ridge they sighted the +sea to the westward, and were able to trace the course of the river the +whole way, thus convincing themselves at last that it was riot the Escape +they were on. + +A reference to the map will at once explain the peculiarity of the course +of these two rivers that had so puzzled the explorers. The Jardine is a +large river heading from the east coast, and running, with many bends, +clear across the promontory to the west coast, completely heading the +Escape which has been a short course. As the Jardine River was before +unknown, and the Escape was well-known, it was but natural that the +mistake should have occurred. Added to all this, they were in the depth +of the wet season, and amidst flooded creeks whose size and importance +could not be fairly gauged. + +Once more the two brothers and the black boy swam the river, and made a +third effort to reach Somerset. For two days they were detained on the +bank of a flooded creek, crossing it on its subsidence on the third day. +On the 28th February they were in better country, and a good stage was +made, and the next morning they encountered a tribe of blacks who greeted +them with cries of "Alico! Franco! Tobacco!" and other words. From these +natives they finally selected three as guides, and at noon the following +day reached the settlement. + +As was but natural, their long journey had caused their father great +trouble and anxiety; he had done all in his power to help them at the +end, having cut a marked tree line almost across the promontory, and +instructed the blacks in the few English words they could remember to +greet the wanderers if they met with them, which last device succeeded +admirably. + +It remains but to be said that the rest of the party and the remnant of +their stock were soon brought in to Somerset, where a cattle station was +formed. When we look at the difficulties through which they had forced +their way, and the unexpected misfortunes that beset them, one cannot +help feeling the greatest admiration for the two brothers in attaining +such success, not having lost a member of the party throughout the +journey, in spite of the numberless treacherous attacks of the natives to +which they were subjected, and the daily risks of illness, swimming +flooded rivers, and other perils. Above all regret must be felt that +their work was not better rewarded by the discovery of available pastoral +country, but that result it was not in their power to control. They had +at any rate the proud feeling of having done their duty, and that beset +by the same dangers that had environed poor Kennedy, they had lived to +tell the tale when he had laid down his life. + +Whilst the Jardines were fighting their way through to Cape York, and +rendering such good service to geographical research, a labour which the +Royal Geographical Society afterwards acknowledged by electing the +brothers, Fellows of the Society, and awarding the Murchison grant to +each of them, the pioneer squatters were everywhere busy. + +Mr. J. G. Macdonald started with a small party to visit the much lauded +Plains of Promise, and discover a better route for stock than the one +formerly taken by the explorers. By crossing the dividing range on to the +upper part of the Flinders, and following that river down, a much shorter +and more practicable route was made available for the army of cattle and +sheep now marching to the western pasture land, and the magnificent +country on the river named after the great navigator was brought +prominently into notice. + +In the far north of Australia, settlement on a fresh scale was once more +undertaken; this time under purely colonial auspices. The territory +beyond the northern boundary line of South Australia, extending to the +shores of Arnheim's Land, and part of the Gulf of Carpentaria had long +been considered No Man's Land, although the English had formerly taken +possession of it. The arrival of the ASTROLABE and ZELIE in Raffles Bay +in 1839, gave colour to the supposition that the French had a design to +secure part of this territory after our first abandonment of it. +Fortunately Sir Gordon Bremer was in time to make the second settlement +at Port Essington a few short weeks before the appearance of M, Dumont +D'Urville, even as Governor Phillip forestalled La Perouse. + +The territory was provisionally annexed to the Province of South +Australia by commission under the great seal, bearing date 8th July, +1863. It comprised all the country to the northward of the twenty-sixth +parallel south latitude, and between the 129th and 138th degrees of east +longitude. + +The inland country was known only from the description of Stuart, Gregory +and Leichhardt. + +In 1864 an expedition left Adelaide to proceed by sea to Adam Bay, and +there form a depôt, whilst search for a suitable site for a township was +made. Colonel Finnis was sent in charge of the infant colony, and three +vessels, the HENRY ELLIS, the YATALA, and the BEATRICE conveyed the +emigrants to their destination, where they safely arrived in August, +1864. + +A discretionary power had been entrusted to the leader with regard to the +choice of a suitable position; Port Essington and Raffles Bay were +excepted, the former failures to establish settlements at those places +being probably looked upon as ominous. + +Escape Cliffs in Adam Bay, so called from the narrow escape two officers +of the BEAGLE had from death at the hands of the natives, was chosen, but +the choice was not ratified. A good deal of dissension broke out in the +early days, and J. M'Kinlay, the well-known explorer, was sent north to +select a more favourable position, and report generally on the +capabilities of the territory. He organized an exploring party, and left +the camp at Escape Cliffs with the intention of making a long excursion +to the eastward; but he only reached the East Alligator River, where he +was cut off and hemmed in by sudden floods, and narrowly escaped losing +his whole party. Everything had to be abandoned, and the explorers +escaped from their critical position by resorting to the construction of +coracles of horse hide, by means of which they managed to save their +lives. On his return, M'Kinlay examined the mouth of the Daly River in +Anson Bay, and recommended it as a site in preference to Escape Cliffs, +the suggestion was not, however, acted on. + +This was M'Kinlay's last expedition. He died at Gawler, in South +Australia, in December, 1874. + +The affairs of the new settlement were now in such a disorganised state +that a commission of enquiry was appointed, and the result was that +Colonel Finnis was removed. + +Mr. Goyder then selected Port Darwin as a better situation than that of +Escape Cliffs, and the township was laid out and the residents removed to +there. The establishment of the overland telegraph line soon caused the +town of Palmerston to take permanent importance, which the discovery of +gold in the Northern Territory confirmed. + +Western Australia, too, had an unfortunate experience about this time, an +attempt being made to establish a settlement at Camden Harbour. The +country was quite unsuitable, and it was abandoned. + +Some fresh interest was now aroused in the unsettled question of the fate +of Leichhardt. A Mr. M'Intyre, who, in 1864, was taking stock from the +Darling to the Flinders River, found himself stopped on the Queensland +border by the stock regulations then in force in that colony. Whilst +detained there he made several short excursions, and examined the country +between the head of the Paroo and the Barcoo, discovering many +well-watered creeks and a lake of considerable size. On his return, +finding that there was still no chance of his being allowed to take his +stock on, he determined to make a trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria and +examine the country he intended taking up. + +The party left the Paroo on the 21St June, 1864, and the journey led to +an unexpected discovery. On the way over, M'Intyre found and buried the +bodies of two unfortunate pioneers who had preceded him, Messrs. Curlewis +and M'Culloch. They had. been murdered when asleep by the natives. + +Twenty-two days after leaving the Paroo they reached Cooper's Creek, and +then pursued much the same track to the Gulf as that formerly followed by +Burke and Wills, and M'Kinlay. Three hundred miles from the sea, and to +the westward of Burke's track, M'Intyre came upon two old saddle-marked +horses, grazing upon what appeared to be a permanently watered creek. A +short distance to the eastward he found the traces of two camps, and two +trees marked L. From these circumstances M'Intyre concluded that he had +come upon new and important traces of the lost explorer. + +On his return to the south, public interest was at once aroused, and, +aided by the championship of Baron Von Mueller, whose enthusiasm in the +cause of discovery never flags, a committee was formed to organise a +party to at once follow up these clues, and try to set at rest the +much-vexed question. + +In order to fully arouse the sympathies of the public, the matter was +with much gallantry placed in the hands of the ladies of Victoria, and +under their auspices a party was equipped and the command given to Mr. +M'Intyre. Unfortunately for the success of the expedition, the leader +died of malarial fever before the party left the settled districts of the +Gulf of Carpentaria. From the course mapped out for the explorers, there +is no doubt that, even if the aim of the expedition had not been reached, +an earlier knowledge of much unknown country would have been obtained. + +As was but natural, the construction of the overland telegraph line +between Adelaide and Port Darwin led to numbers of short explorations on +either side of the line, which considerably added to our knowledge of the +interior, but of which no records have been kept. + +The establishment of this telegraph line and its maintenance did much +towards the settlement of Central Australia. It formed, as it were, a +chain of outposts through the heart of the continent, and thereby greatly +facilitated the success of many private expeditions undertaken in quest +of country for pastoral purposes. + +South Australia had served a rough apprenticeship in the cause of +exploration, and the experience gained by her pioneers now stood her in +good stead in the successful accomplishment of the national work she at +this time undertook--the establishment of telegraphic communication with +England. Queensland, the youngest colony of the group, was striving very +hard to secure the landing of the cable on her shores. Walker, the leader +of one of the Burke and Wills search parties, was out examining the +country at the back of Rockingham Bay, and marking a telegraph line from +there to the mouth of the Norman River, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. South +Australia, however, thanks to her energy and superior geographical +position, secured the honour; and already the completion of a railway +across the country which witnessed the repeated efforts of Stuart is +being hastened on. + +In Western Australia, in 1864, Hunt made a long excursion to the eastward +of York, and travelled for 400 miles over the country lying between the +31st and 32nd parallels. He found nothing to reward him for his +trouble--scrub, salt lakes and samphire flats were the same wearisome. +repetition. + +During the construction of the overland telegraph line it was surmised +that such a close examination of the country as would necessarily ensue, +might lead to the finding of traces of Leichhardt, if he ever had reached +so far on his journey; but none were found. Apparently it suggested an +idea to a prisoner in one of the gaols of New South Wales, for he made a +statement to the effect that he had been employed as a labourer on the +construction of the overland telegraph line, and whilst so engaged had +been in the habit of making long excursions into the unexplored territory +on either side of the line. During one of these trips he came across some +blacks, who informed him that they had an old white man living with their +tribe. Hume--which was the name of the hero of this story--professed to +have an intimate acquaintance with the habits and customs of the natives, +and willingly accompanied them to their camp. Here he found a venerable +old white man, who turned out to be Classen--Leichhardt's +brother-in-law--and from him Hume learnt that the death of the leader and +most of his party happened through a mutiny in the camp, Leichhardt being +murdered, and the party then becoming disorganised and lost. This absurd +story was repeated so earnestly that inquiries were instituted, and it +was found that Hume had really been employed on the telegraph line, and +that whilst there he had been absent for some time on one or two +occasions. + +Hume was interviewed by some gentlemen who were interested in the +solution of Leichhardt's fate, and he now added a little additional +matter: that on a subsequent visit he found that Classen, rendered +restless by the near neighbourhood of the whites, had made an effort to +reach them and died in the attempt. This, with a few variations as to the +details of the death of Leichhardt, led to Hume being released from gaol +for the purpose of leading a party to the spot where Classen had pointed +out that he had concealed Leichhardt's journals. But for the tragedy that +ended the affair this episode would scarcely be of sufficient importance +to insert in the history of explorations. Money having been furnished for +the purpose, Hume and two companions started on their search. They +reached Thargomindah--then the nucleus of a small township in Western +Queensland--and left a station called Nockatunga to make a short cut +across some dry country. One man only turned up. He said that they had +lost themselves, had separated looking for water, and with much +difficulty he reached the station. Search being instituted the dead +bodies of Hume and the other man were found, they having perished of +thirst. This story was revived many years afterwards by another man, who +had lived a good deal on the frontiers of Queensland. According to him, +Leichhardt and some of his party died of hunger and thirst, Classen was +revived again, and the discoverer stated that he had in his possession a +diary and many relics of the explorer. Although expressing his +willingness to produce the relics on receiving the promise of an adequate +reward, he never did so, and having attained a temporary notoriety, +returned to his former obscurity. This may be said to end the rumours of +the discovery of Leichhardt's memorials, They served no good end in any +way. + +John Forrest, of Western Australia, made his first important journey in +1869. It will be remembered that a report had been current for many years +amongst the natives of Western Australia, to the effect that a party of +white men coming from the east had been murdered by the natives on the +shore of an interior salt lake. A Mr. Monger, when out west in search of +pastoral country, came across a native who stated that he had been to the +place where the murder was committed, had seen the remains, and would +lead the party there. + +As usual with the Australian natives, his story was most circumstantial. +He described the scene of the murder as being in the neighbourhood of a +large lake, so large that it looked like the sea, and that the white men +were attacked and killed whilst making a damper. These artistic details +with which the blacks embellish their narratives, make it very hard to +refuse credence to them. + +Baron Von Mueller immediately wrote to the Western Australian Government, +offering to lead a party there, and ascertain the truth of the report. +The Government took the matter up, and made preparations to start an +expedition. Von Mueller was, however, prevented by his other engagements +from taking charge, and the command was given to Mr. John Forrest, a +surveyor. + +On the 26th of April, 1869, Forrest and his party reached Yarraging, then +the farthest station to the eastward. On the first of May, when camped at +a native well, visited by Austin in 1854, Forrest says that he could +still distinctly see the tracks of that explorer's horses. Past this spot +he fell in with natives, who told him that a large party of men and +horses died at a place in a northerly direction, and that a gun belonging +to the party was still in the possession of the blacks. On closer +examination this story turned out to relate to nine of Mr. Austin's +horses poisoned during his expedition. Forrest continued his journey to +the eastward, and on the 18th came to a large dry salt lake, which he +named Lake Barlee. An attempt to cross this lake resulted in getting the +horses bogged, and a good deal of hard work had to be gone through before +the packs and horses were once more safe on dry land Lake Barlee was +afterwards found to be of great size, extending for more than forty miles +to the eastward. The native guide Forrest had with him now became rather +doubtful as to the exact position of the spot where he professed to have +seen the remains, and Forrest, after some searching, came across a large +party of the local inhabitants. But they proved anything but friendly, +threw dowaks at the blackfellow, and advised the whites to go away before +they were killed. As it was getting dark they adopted this advice, and +retreated some five miles and camped, Mr. Monger having unfortunately +lost his revolver in the scrub. Next morning they managed to get speech +with two of the blacks, who restored the revolver, which they had found, +and had been warming at the fire. These men stated that the bones were +two days' journey to the north, but they were the bones of horses, not of +men, and offered to take the whites there, promising to come to the camp +the following day, a promise which was riot kept. + +No other intercourse with the blacks was obtainable, at least none that +produced any good results. One old man simply howled piteously all the +time they were in his company, and another one, who had two children with +him, said most emphatically that he had never heard of any horses having +been killed, but that the natives had just killed and eaten his brother. + +After vainly searching the district for many days, Forrest determined to +utilise the remainder of the time at his disposal by examining the +country as far to the eastward as his resources would permit. + +It was evident that the story of the white men's remains had originated +from the bones of the horses that died during Austin's trip; and, as no +matter how circumstantial might be the narrations of the blacks, they +invariably contradicted them the next time they were interrogated, it was +evident it would serve little purpose being led by them on a foolish +errand from place to place. + +After pushing some distance east with very little encouragement in the +shape of good country, Forrest, taking with him one black boy and a seven +days' supply of rations, made a final excursion ahead, and managed to +reach a point one hundred miles beyond the spot where he left his +companions encamped. He found nothing to reward him. It was only by means +of shallow and scanty pools of water that he managed to get so far, and +the country where he turned back was certainly clearer than any he had +crossed but it was only open sand plains, with spinifex and large white +gums. He climbed a large gum tree to have a last look to the eastward, +but it was a scene of desolation. Some rough sandstone cliffs were +visible, distant about six miles N.E.; more to the north, a narrow line +of samphire flats appeared, with cypress and stunted gums on its +edges everywhere there was spinifex, and no prospect of water. Forrest +turned back, and retraced his steps to where he had left his companions. + +On his homeward way he managed to cross the dry bed of Lake Barlee, which +had so nearly engulfed his horses, and examined the northern side of it. + +On their return track Forrest kept a more northerly and westerly course, +but saw nothing to alter the unfavourable report of the country made by +the former explorers. He returned to Perth on the 6th August. + +Forrest was not more successful than those preceding him in finding good +available country to the eastward, but he at any rate obtained a correct +and reliable survey of a good deal of country hitherto unknown. + +On his return to Perth, Baron Von Mueller, whose ardour in the cause was +rather increased by the disappointment experienced in finding that the +accounts of the natives were quite unreliable, recommended a journey from +the head waters of the Murchison in the direction of the Gulf of +Carpentaria. Forrest was quite willing to undertake the trip, but want of +funds stood in the way just then, and the matter was not enthusiastically +supported by others. + +It was then proposed to make a journey to Adelaide. by way of the Great +Bight, which had not been traversed since Eyre's celebrated march round +it, and the leadership was offered to Forrest and accepted by him. + +The party, beside the leader, consisted of his brother Alexander, two +white men and two natives, one of the last having been on the former +trip. A coasting schooner, the ADUR, of thirty tons, was to accompany +them round the coast, calling at Esperance Bay, Israelite Bay, and Eucla, +there to supply the party with fresh stores. On the 30th March, they left +Perth. + +The first part of the journey to Esperance Bay was through comparatively +settled and well-known country, so that but little interest attaches to +it. At Esperance Bay, where the Messrs. Dempster had a station, they +arrived a few days before the relief schooner, and on the 9th May started +for Israelite Bay. + +From Esperance Bay to Israelite Bay the record of the journey is equally +tame, and it was not until he once more parted from his relief boat that +Forrest had to encounter the serious part of his undertaking. He had now +to face the line of cliffs fronting the Bight behind which he had, he +knew, little or no chance of finding water for one hundred and fifty +miles. Forrest says that these cliffs, which fell perpendicularly into +the sea, although grand in the extreme, were terrible to gaze from. + + +"After looking very cautiously over the precipice, we all ran back quite +terror-stricken by the dreadful view." + + +Having made what arrangements he could to carry water, Forrest left the +last water on the 5th of April. They reached the break in the cliffs +where the water was obtainable by digging amongst the sandhills, on the +13th April, without any loss, having luckily found many small rock holes +filled with water, which enabled him to push steadily on. + +While recruiting at the sand hills he made an excursion to the north, and +after passing through a fringe of scrub twelve miles deep, came upon most +beautifully grassed downs. At fifty miles from the sea there was nothing +visible but gently undulating plains of grass and saltbush at far as +could be seen. There being no prospect of finding water, he was forced to +turn back, fortunately finding small waterholes both on his outward and +homeward way. + +On the 24th, they started for Eucla, the last point at which they were to +meet the Adur. On this course he kept to the north of the Hampton Range, +and crossed well-grassed country, but destitute of surface water, +reaching Eucla on the 2nd July. The ADUR was there awaiting them, and the +parties were soon re-united. + +On the 8th, Forrest and his brother made another excursion to the north; +he penetrated some thirty miles finding, as before, beautifully-grassed, +boundless plain 9, but no signs of surface water. + +After leaving Eucla, the explorers had a distressing stage to the head of +the Great Bight, where they obtained water by digging in the sand, the +horses having been three days without a drink, suffering much more than +on any previous stage. From here they soon entered the settled districts +of South Australia, and the exploring came to an end. + +Although this trip of Forrest's can hardly be called an exploring trip, +inasmuch as he was repeating the journey made by Eyre, he embraced a +great deal of new country during its performance, and, owing to the +larger facilities he enjoyed, was able to pronounce a much more impartial +verdict than Eyre was competent to do. Eyre, be it remembered, was +struggling on for his life, Forrest travelled in comparative ease, being +able to supply himself three times from the schooner during the journey; +it is but natural that Eyre's report should bear a very sombre tinge. + +Forrest showed that the fringe of gloomy thicket was only confined to the +coast; beyond, he on every occasion found fine pastoral country. He +says:-- + +"The country passed over between longitude 126 deg. 24 min. E. as a +grazing country, far surpasses anything I have ever seen. There is +nothing in the settled portions of Western Australia equal to it, either +in extent or quality; but the absence of permanent water is a great +drawback; . . . the country is very level, with scarcely any undulation, +and becomes clearer as you proceed northward." + + +The rapid progress now being made in improved methods of boring for +water, will soon bring this country under the sway of the pastoralists, +and without doubt render it one of the most valuable provinces of Western +Australia. + +On his arrival in Adelaide, Forrest received a hearty welcome, and +equally so on his return to Perth. In the following year Alexander +Forrest took charge of a private exploring party in search of new +pastoral country. He had the advantage of a good season, and reached as +far as 123 deg. 37 min. E. longitude; he then struck S.S.E., towards the +coast, finally returning by way of Messrs. Dempster's station in +Esperance Bay. + +Forrest's expedition, unfortunately, left no hope that any river existed +that might possibly have been unknowingly crossed at its mouth by Eyre. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + + +The first expeditions of Ernest Giles--Lake Amadens--Determined attempts +to cross the desert--Death of Gibson--Return-Warburton's expedition-- +Messrs. Elder and Hughes--Outfit of camels--Departure from Alice +Springs--Amongst the glens--Waterloo Well--No continuation to +Sturt's Creek--Sufferings from starvation--Fortunate relief from death +by thirst--Arrive at the head of the Oakover--Lewis starts to obtain +succour--His return--Gosse sent out by the South Australian Government-- +Exploring bullocks--Ayre's rock--Obliged to retreat--Forrest's expedition +from west to east--Good pastoral country--Windich Springs--The Weld +Springs--Attacked by the natives--Lake Augusta--Dry country--Relieved by +a shower--Safe arrival and great success of the expedition--Ernest +Giles in the field--Elder supplies camels--The longest march ever +made in Australia--Wonderful endurance of the camels--The lonely +desert--Strange discovery of water--Queen Victoria's Spring--The march +renewed--Attacked by blacks--Approach the well-known country in Western +Australia--Safe arrival--Giles returns overland, north of Forrest's +track--Little or no result--Great drought--The western interior. + + +Before following up Forrest's career as an explorer, and tracing his most +important work of crossing the centre of Australia from the sea to the +telegraph line, we must see what the South Australians had been doing. + +Ernest Giles, in 1872, made an excursion to the westward, starting from +Chambers' Pillar. His progress was stopped by a large, dry, salt lake, to +which he gave the high-sounding name of Lake Amadens, and which unhappily +figures on maps of Australia in a rather misleading way, as a large, +permanent, BONA FIDE lake. Not being able with his small party to +ascertain the exact limits of this obstacle, which was of the same +character as those so often described as barring the way of the Western +Australian explorers, Giles returned, having traversed a good deal of +country, up to that time unknown and unexamined. + +In the following year he again took the field, assisted by the help and +sympathy of Baron Von Mueller, and a sum of money subscribed by the South +Australian Government. He left the settled districts at the river now +called the Alberga, which flows into Lake Eyre, and travelling +north-west, made many determined attempts to cross the spinifex desert +that had confronted him; but had to return beaten. + +On one occasion, anxious to reach a range that he saw in the distance, +and where he hoped to find a change of country, he started with one man +and a supply of water on pack horses; as the horses knocked up they were +left to find their way back themselves, until at last, when but two were +left, Giles sent his companion, Gibson, back on one, whilst he made a +final effort to reach the range. + +This trip, which recalls one of the purposeless and impetuous exploits of +Grey, resulted in the death of Gibson and the loss of several horses. +Giles' horse soon knocked up, and he had to return on foot. Having, with +really astonishing prudence, left a keg of water buried on his way out, +he made for that. To his dismay, after proceeding some distance he saw +Gibson's track turn off on the trail of one of the horses that had been +abandoned, instead of keeping to the outward track. Hoping still that he +might have found his way back, Giles hastened on to the buried keg, but +it was untouched, and he knew that the unfortunate man's fate was sealed. +Giles made his way back to where the rest were encamped, and they +immediately went in search; but it was fruitless. Neither man nor horse +were ever seen again, and the scene of his death is now marked on the +maps as "Gibson's Desert." During his excursions in various directions, +trying to find a westward route, Giles discovered and traversed four +different ranges of mountains. The party suffered much from the hostility +of the blacks, who on several occasions attacked them; and the leader, +in his journal, complains, like Warburton, of the sleepless nights caused +by the myriads of ants that infested the desert country. The farthest +point reached was the 125th degree of east longitude. He returned to +Adelaide after an absence of twelve months, during which he had gone +through much hardship and danger. + +The tract of country between the overland telegraph line and the western +settlements now became the battlefield of the explorers; few of them, it +is true, hoped to find much available country, the accounts of those who +had penetrated a short distance being so depressing; but they struggled +for the honour of being the first to cross the gap of unknown land, often +to the neglect of careful inspection. + +One of the expeditions that led to the western half of the continent +being condemned as a hopeless desert was that commanded by Colonel +Warburton, It was promoted by two South Australian colonists whose names +have been always to the front when exploration has been +concerned--Messrs. Thomas Elder and Walter Hughes. They jointly fitted +out the expedition, which, it was hoped, would lead to the advancement of +geographical knowledge; unfortunately, the result was not at all +commensurate. The original idea was that the party should start from +about the neighbourhood of Central Mount Stuart, and make for Perth, this +course, however, was not adhered to. In spite of being fitted out solely +with camels, Warburton suffered so much delay in getting through the +sandhills that his provisions were all consumed and his camels knocked up +before he got half-way through, compelling him to bear up north to the +head waters of the Oakover River, discovered by F. Gregory. + +The party consisted of the leader and his son Richard, Mr. Lewis +(surveyor), one white man, two Afghans, and a black boy. They had +seventeen camels, and six months' rations. On the 15th of April, 1873, +the explorers left Alice Springs, one of the stations on the overland +telegraph line, and on the 17th reached the Burt, where they left the +line and struck out west. Warburton's course at first lay some seventy +miles south of Central Mount Stuart; but after a vain search for the +rivers Hugh and Fincke, which were supposed to flow through the M'Donnell +Ranges, he altered his direction, steering to the north-west, meaning to +connect with A. C. Gregory's most southerly point on Sturt's Creek. Their +way for some distance was through good pastoral country, and in some of +the minor ranges beautiful glens were discovered, with deep permanent +pools of water in their beds. So frightened were the camels at the +appearance of the rocks that surrounded these water-holes, that they +would not approach them to drink, and, in fact, even refused the water +when it was brought to them. + +On the 22nd of May, after being some days in poor sandy country, they +came to a good creek, the head of which was running, and the whole flat +where the creek emerged from the hills was one spring. This spot, the +best camp they had yet seen, was named Eva Springs. Leaving the main +party resting at these springs, Warburton, with two companions, started +on ahead, and were successful in finding some native wells, that enabled +him to break up his camp and move on with the whole of the men and +material. + +On the 5th June they crossed the boundary line between Western Australia +and South Australia; but their progress was now monotonous and most +uninteresting, being through the scrubby, sandy tableland common to the +interior. + +At some native wells, called by them Waterloo Wells, they had an enforced +spell of more than a month, and in addition lost three camels, and one of +the Afghans nearly died of scurvy. Afterwards they soon got fairly into +the salt-lake country, and on the 12th August, at the end of a long and +exhausting march, were relieved by one of the small native wells, on +which the blacks of this region exist. They were now by their reckoning +within ten miles of Sturt's Creek; but although Warburton made two +separate attempts to find it, he was unable to see any country that at +all resembled the description given by Gregory. + +He concluded there was some error in the longitude, and proceeded on his +westerly course. The record of the day's journey now becomes a simple +tale of traversing a barren country, and an incessant search for native +wells; added to that, the excessive heat, caused by the radiation of the +sandhills during the day induced the leader to spare his camels as much +as possible, by travelling at night. This naturally led to a most +unsatisfactory inspection being made of the country, and it is impossible +to say what clues or indications to better country or more permanent +waters were passed by. In fact, he more than once during this part of his +journal mentions the fact of wild geese flying over the camp, although +they never found any surface water to account for their presence. + +Starvation was shortly looming ahead; the constant halts and delays had +so protracted their journey that they were almost at the end of their +resources, and still surrounded by a most inhospitable waste. Sickness, +too, came on then, and the full brunt of the search work ahead fell upon +Lewis and the black boy, Charley; their time was taken up in watching for +the smoke of the natives' fires, or looking for their tracks. In the +evening they could travel a little, and in the early morning; at night +the myriads of ants proved an unbearable plague, and prevented the +wearied men getting their natural rest. Their position was as well nigh +hopeless as it was possible for any party to be in; if they stopped to +relieve their camels they starved themselves, and without rest the camels +could not carry them to look for native wells ahead. At last, on the 9th +of October, they reached a small waterhole that the camels themselves had +found when straying, and here perforce, they had to rest, for with the +exception of Lewis and the black boy, the remainder of the party were too +weak to do anything. At this camp they slaughtered another of their +precious camels, and for a time satisfied their gnawing hunger with the +fresh meat; they were also lucky enough to get some galar parrots and +pigeons. Here they stayed for nearly three weeks, and then shifted to +another well to the south. + +Warburton now decided to make a desperate push to the head of the Oakover +River, and effect his escape if possible from the desert; on the evening +of the fourth they started, and but for the black boy would have +doubtless all marched on to death. The boy had left the camp in the +morning, after their first night's tramp, and coming across the tracks of +some natives, ran them up, finding another well at their camp, by the +time he got back, the party had been obliged to start without him; +fortunately, he heard the tinkle of the camel bell as he crossed the +sandhills, and by cooeeing loudly managed to attract attention. He then +led the way to this new source of relief, which, but for him, the party +would have missed. + +Again they recommenced their journey to the Oakover, Lewis and Charley on +ahead, Warburton and his son coming on as fast as their exhausted state +would permit; their only hope for life now lay in the chance of the +advance party finding water soon and bringing it back to them. At midday, +on the 14th, Lewis appeared with a bag of water; another well had been +found, but this time it nearly cost Charley's life. As he usually did, he +had gone in advance when close to the native camp, in order not to alarm +them. The blacks had received him kindly and given him water; but when he +cooeed for his companions they took a sudden alarm, and set upon him, +spearing him in the arm and back, and cutting his head open with a club. +The remainder of the party were just able to rescue him. It seems quite +certain that this attack was not premeditated, but the effect of timidity +caused by the unexpected appearance of the white men and the camels. + +At this well the party had to rest, until Lewis and one of the Afghans +pushed on to the head of the Oakover, which they thought could not be so +very far distant, as the nights were cool and dewy, and in the camp of +the natives they found two large seashells, an old iron tomahawk, and +part of the tire of a dray wheel. + +On the 19th November Lewis started, and on the 25th he returned, having +been successful in reaching the head waters of the Oakover, and on the +5th December the whole party arrived at the rocky creek that he had +found. They now travelled very slowly down the river, but saw no signs of +settlement, so the indefatigable Lewis had once more to go ahead, whilst +the others waited and starved on the flesh of the last camel. He had to +ride 170 miles before he arrived at the station of Messrs. Grant, Harper, +and Anderson, who immediately supplied him with fresh horses and all +requisites with which to return to the starving men. + +It was on the 29th of December, and Warburton was lying in the shade, +moodily thinking that the cattle station must be abandoned, and that +Lewis had been forced to go on to Roeburne, when the black boy, who was +climbing up a tree, called out, and starting to their feet the astonished +men found the pack-horses of the relief party almost in their camp. + +Out of the seventeen camels the two that Lewis had ridden in for help +were all that survived, and for the rest of their equipment, it had been +left piecemeal in the desert. + +It is distressing to think that all this suffering and labour should not +have been adequately rewarded. Warburton got into a strip of desert +country, but apparently was too much occupied with pressing straight +through to devote any time to examine any country beyond his track. +Whatever may have been the aridity, the water supply must have been ample +to support such large numbers of natives as he came in contact with. In +one camp there were numbers of women and children and one cripple; but +they quietly vacated the well when the whites came, without any apparent +difficulty, showing that they had other resources within easy reach. + +This trip of Warburton's, and a succeeding one by Mr. Ernest Giles, prove +conclusively that the possession of camels leads men to push on, eager to +be able to say that they were the first to get across, leaving the +country almost as unknown as before they traversed it. + +But a few days after Warburton started on his adventurous journey, Mr. W. +C. Gosse, in charge of the Central and Western Exploring Expedition, left +Alice Springs, a telegraph station on the overland line, with the +intention of endeavouring to reach Perth. + +On April 23rd, the leader reports leaving the Springs, with his party all +in good spirits; beside the white men, there were three Afghan +camel-drivers, and the party had a mixed equipment of camels and horses. +On May 1st, they left the telegraph line, and, turning to the westward, +soon found themselves in excessively dry country. + +On the 14th, he had a trip lasting fifty-two hours, without water for the +horses, and one of them died; this happened whilst on an excursion ahead +with his brother, who was acting as collector to the party. + +Having formed a depôt, and sunk a well on a creek he named the Landor, he +made several short trips in different directions, and on the 21St, in a +creek he called the Warburton, found a considerable pool of water, to +which he shifted his main camp. + +During one of his excursions from this second depôt, he had the singular +experience of riding all day through the heavy rain and camping at night +without water, the sandy soil having absorbed the rain as quickly as it +fell. On his return he found that the creek at his camp was running, and +the Afghans had made repeated attempts to cross one of the camels, but +the animal obstinately refused to do so, which, probably, made the leader +reflect that it was just as well they were not likely to meet with many +running streams. + +On June 6th, Major Warburton's tracks were seen, and a camp of his found. +The next depôt formed was at the western extremity of the Macdonnell +Range, at the foot of a hill named by Ernest Giles, Mount Liebig. From +this depôt the party moved to the spot named by the same explorer, Glen +Edith, and on their way augmented their live stock by picking up three +bullocks that had been lost from Alice Springs, and apparently had +started on an exploring trip by themselves. From King's Creek, their next +depôt, the leader made a long excursion to the south-west, and at +eighty-four miles, after passing over sandhills and spinifex country, +came in sight of a hill, which, on a nearer approach, proved to be of +very singular limestone formation. + + +"When I got clear of the sandhills, and was only two miles distant, and +the hill, for the first time coming fairly in view, what was my +astonishment to find it was one immense rock rising abruptly from the +plain; the holes I had noticed were caused by the water in some places +forming immense caves. I rode round the foot of the rock in search of a +place to ascend, and found a waterhole on the south side, near which I +made an attempt to reach the top, but found it hopeless. Continued along +to the west, and discovered a strong spring coming from the centre of the +rock, and pouring down some large deep gullies to the foot. + +"This seems to be a favourite resort of the natives in the wet season, +judging from the numerous camps in every cave. These caves are formed by +large pieces breaking off the main rock and falling to the foot. The +blacks made holes under them, and the heat of their fires causes the rock +to shell off, forming large arches. They amuse themselves covering these +with all sorts of devices--some of snakes very cleverly done, others of +two hearts joined together; and in one I noticed a drawing of a creek, +with an emu track going along the centre." + + +On the return journey, he crossed an arm of Lake Amadeus, and on reaching +his camp, the whole party started for Ayer's Rock, which was the name +Gosse gave to the singular hill he had discovered, where they arrived +safely, and one of the exploring bullocks was converted into beef. + +Rain having set in heavily for some days, he was enabled to penetrate +some distance westward, where he came upon very good grazing country, but +soon got beyond the extent of the rainfall. After many more attempts, +Gosse found himself obliged to turn back, the heat of the weather and the +dryness of the country--for they were now in the sandhill +region-rendering it almost useless for him to think of risking his party +with any hope of success. + +On the 22nd September, he left his fourteenth depôt in the Cavenagh +Range, and started on his return. His course home was by way of the +Musgrave Ranges, where he found a greater extent of good pastoral country +than he anticipated. He discovered and christened the Marryat and the +Alberga, which last river they followed down almost to the telegraph +line, and arrived at Charlotte Waters in December. + +Mr. Gosse's exploration did not add much fresh information to what was +already known of the district, but it extended the area of explored +country, and he was enabled to correctly lay down many of the points +discovered by Mr. Giles. + +In March, 1874, Mr. Ross and his son, with a well-equipped party, +consisting of another European and three Arabs, having with them sixteen +camels and fourteen horses, started from the neighbourhood of the Peake +Station, on the telegraph line, to endeavour to bridge the desert. He +was, however, compelled to return, although he made another effort, after +reducing the number of his party. + +Colonel Warburton having been the first to successfully make his way from +the South Australian border to the settled part of Western Australia, +Forrest was the next to aim and arrive at a successful issue. + +Forrest's trip was certainly the most commendable of the two, and by far +the most important in its results. Warburton, with a troop of camels, +reached the Oakover River naked and starving, with but two miserable +animals left. Forrest, with nothing but ordinary pack-horses, crossed the +middle of the continent, where the very heart of the terrible desert was +supposed to exist, and took his men and most of his horses through in +safety. + +Forrest, having with him his brother, Alexander Forrest, two white men, +and two natives, left Yuin, then the furthest outside station on the +Murchison, on the 14th of April. Their course at first was along the +upper part of the Murchison River, which he describes as running through +fine grassy flats, good loamy soil, with white gums in bed and on flats, +the water in some of the pools being rather brackish. This description of +country continued for many days, some of the river water being at times +quite salt. On nearing the head of the Gascoyne River, the land was found +to be fine, undulating downs, admirably adapted for sheep or cattle. + +On the 21st May, they ascended the watershed of the Murchison, and from +the top had a fine view of their future travelling ground to the +eastward. The country appeared level, with low ranges, but there was an +absence of conspicuous hills--not a promising country for water, but +looking as though good feed would be obtainable. + +For the next few days the party were dependent on springs and small +clay-pans. On the 27th when following down a creek, which was called +Kennedy Creek after one of the party, they arrived at a fine permanent +spring, which Forrest characterised as the best he had ever seen, the +grass and herbage around being of an equally satisfactory description. +The springs were named the Windich Springs after the black boy, Tommy +Windich, who had been with Forrest on three expeditions. To the northwest +there was a fine range of hills, which was named the Carnarvon Range. + +The explorers now got into less attractive country, the spinifex +sandhills began to become a familiar feature, and the water supply less +to be depended on. + +On the 2nd June, Forrest made his next important discovery of the Weld +Springs, which he describes as unlimited in supply, clear, fresh, and +running down the gully wherein it was situated for over twenty chains. +Here they settled down to give their tired horses a week's rest. + +On the 8th, he started with one boy, to look for water ahead, leaving +instructions for the party to follow on their tracks in a day's time. He +was unfortunate; the two travelled for twenty miles over undulating +sandhills covered with spinifex without seeing a sign of water. At +daybreak from the top of a low, stony rise the view was gloomy in the +extreme. Far to the north and east it was all spinifex country with no +appearance of hills or watercourse, in fact a barren worthless desert. + +Turning back they met the remainder of the party about twenty miles from +the spring, and the whole party retreated to their former encampment, and +after a day's rest Alexander Forrest and a black boy started for a trip +to the south-east in search of water. + +During their absence the natives made an unexpected attack on the camp. +At about one o'clock about sixty or seventy natives appeared on the brow +of the hill overlooking Weld Springs, plumed and armed with spears and +shields. They descended the rise and attempted to rush the camp, but were +met with a volley from the whites who were prepared to receive them. They +retired to the top of the hill, and after a consultation made a second +attack, but were checked by a rifle shot from the leader. This put an end +to the assault. That evening Alexander Forrest and the boy returned, and +were much astonished to hear of the day's adventure. They had been over +fifty miles from camp, had passed over some good feeding country, but had +found no water. + +They now set to work and built a rough hut of stone, in order to ensure +safety during the night, as their stay at Weld Springs seemed likely to +be indefinite, and a fresh attack might be made at any moment. When the +hut was finished, Forrest, taking a boy with him, started on a flying +trip due east. This time they were fortunate enough to find a small +supply in some clay waterholes, and the whole party shifted camp to it. + +On the 22nd, the leader made another search ahead, and in thirty miles +came to a fine supply of water in a gully running through a grassy plain, +whereon there was abundant feed. Eight miles to the south there was a +small salt lake, which was named Lake Augusta. Another good spring in +grassy country was also found, and on the 30th June, Forrest made a +further exploration ahead to the eastward. This time he was unfortunate, +for he soon found himself fairly in the spinifex desert, and his horses +knocked up. By the aid of scanty pools of rainwater in the rocks he +managed to push on some distance, walking most of the way. He reached a +range, and from the top had an extensive but most discouraging view. Far +to the north and east the horizon was as level and uniform as the sea; +spinifex everywhere; neither hills nor ranges could be seen for a +distance of quite thirty miles. + +He was now perplexed as to his future movements. The main party were +following up his tracks, and there seemed no prospect of getting through +the country ahead of them. Fortunately they found a little water, enough +to last a day or two, and there awaited the arrival of their companions. + +A search amongst the low ranges was then commenced, as the only other +alternative was a retreat of seventy miles. To the great relief of every +one A. Forrest and the black boy found water five miles to the +south-east, with some coarse rough grass around it, that would serve them +for a time. The younger Forrest then went ahead, and found some springs +twenty-five miles distant, which were named the Alexander Springs, after +the discoverer. + +Another excursion was attended with equally good results as regards +water, although the country around was not at all desirable pasture land; +and. this brought the explorers within one hundred miles of Gosse's +furthest westerly point. To bridge this hundred miles proved a weary +task. Repeated excursions only resulted in continued disappointment, and +knocked up horses. At last a kindly shower of rain filled some rock holes +to the north-cast of their camp, and after much labour and exertion the +whole party found themselves at an old camp of Giles, which he had named +Fort Mueller, and as they were also on Gosse's tracks the leader was able +to congratulate himself upon the successful accomplishment of his +mission. + +As the course of party, from here to the telegraph line, was more or less +on the track pursued by Gosse, it is unnecessary to follow their fortunes +any further; some privation had to be endured and one or two more of the +horses gave in; but on Sunday, the 27th September, they arrived at the +telegraph line some distance north of the Peake station, thus concluding +one of the most valuable journeys on record. + +On their arrival at the station, Forrest learned that Giles and Ross had +both been turned back by the inhospitable country that he had +successfully traversed. The leader and his companions received great +applause for the work they had so well performed, and it at once placed +Forrest in the front rank of explorers. The fact of his having got +through with but the simple and ordinary outfit showed that he possessed +high qualities of foresight and judgment, and the many minor excursions +he made on the way over, although, perhaps, wearisome and distressing at +the time, led to his having a perfect acquaintance of the country through +which he had travelled. + +Ernest Giles, after being driven back twice in his attempts to reach +Western Australia, was now equipped with a troop of camels by Sir Thomas +Elder, and made a third and successful effort. The party started from +Beltana and travelled to Youldeh, where a depôt was formed. From here +they shifted north to a native well, called by the natives Oaldabinna. +The water supply at this place proving but scanty, Giles started to the +westward on a search for more, sending Messrs. Tietkins and Young to the +north on a similar errand. The leader travelled for one hundred and fifty +miles through scrub, and past dry salt lakes, until he came to a native +well or dam, with a small supply of water in it. Beyond this he went +another thirty miles, but found himself once more amongst saline flats +and scrubs; he therefore returned to the depôt. Messrs. Tietkins and +Young had not been as successful, having found no water. At their +furthest point they had come upon a large number of natives, who, after +decamping in a terrified manner, returned fully armed and painted. No +attempts of the two white men to establish friendly communications and +obtain information succeeded, and they were obliged to return +disappointed. + +A slight shower of rain having replenished the well they were camped at., +Giles determined on making a bold push to the west, and trusting to the +hardihood of his camels to carry him on to water. + +On reaching the dam that he had formerly visited, he was agreeably +surprised to find that it had been replenished by the late rains, and now +contained plenty of water for their wants. There was excellent feed +around this oasis, and they rested until the water gave signs of +diminishing. + +At the end of a week, on the 16th September, 1875, they again closed with +the desert surrounding them. For the first six days of their march they +passed through scrubs of oak, mulga, and sandalwood; then they entered +upon vast plains, which were well-grassed, and had saltbush and other +edible shrubs growing on them. After crossing these endless downs for +five days, they again reentered scrub, but of a more open nature than +formerly. + +When two hundred and forty-two miles had been covered, Giles distributed +what water he had amongst his camels, which amounted to four gallons +each. The next change that occurred in the country was the reappearance +of sandhills, blacks' tracks became plentiful, and smoke was occasionally +seen. + +On the seventeenth day, when more than three hundred miles had been +travelled, Mr. Tietkins, who judged by the appearance of the sandhills +that there was water in the neighbourhood, sent the black boy, Tommy, on +to a ridge lying to the south of their course.. Fortunate it was that he +did so, for behind it, in a hollow surrounded by sandhills, lay a tiny +lake, which the cavalcade was passing by unknowingly until Tommy arrested +their progress with frantic yells and shouts. Giles gave this place of +succour the name of Victoria Springs, and rested there nine days. + +Recruited and strengthened, a fresh start was made and they soon got +amongst the peculiar features common to the southern interior of Western +Australia, outcrops of granite boulders, salt lakes and swamps. + +In one of these lakes they got their leading camels bogged, and it was +only after hard work and much patience that they got them out again. +Their next relief was at a native well two hundred miles from Victoria +Springs, and here they once more rested from their weary and +long-continued march. + +The monotony of their life was, however, rudely broken up at this +encampment by the blacks. During their stay several natives had made +their appearance, and had been kindly received and treated. No suspicions +of treachery were aroused, and the explorers were just concluding their +evening meal when Young caught sight of a body of armed men approaching, +and gave the alarm in time for the whites to stand to their weapons. +Giles says in his journal that they were a "drilled and perfectly +organized force," if so, they must have been a higher class of natives +than the usual type of blackfellows, whose proceedings, as a rule, have +little organization about them. A discharge from the whites was in time +to check them before any spears were thrown, otherwise, from the number +of their assailants and the method of their attack, it was probable that +the whole party would have been murdered. + +On leaving this camp the caravan travelled through dense scrubs, with +occasional hills and open patches; in fact, the country that has of +necessity been so often described in these pages. They were fortunate +enough to find some native wells on their route, and on the 4th of +November arrived at an outside sheep station. + +The result of this trip, satisfactory as it no doubt was to the leader, +who thus saw his many gallant efforts at last crowned with success, had +little or no other fruits to show, not even the negative one of proving +that the desert they had passed through was an absolutely waterless +waste. The very water that saved their lives they were passing by +unheeded; and it was impossible for them to say whether similar +formations did not exist on either hand of their line of march. + +Like Warburton's, only without the suffering from starvation, it was a +hasty flight on camels, through an unknown country, and, like his, barren +of results beyond a thin line on the map of Australia. + +Expeditions such as these must be looked at from two points of view; +whilst admiring the fortitude and resolution possessed by the leader who +takes his party through such a waste in safety, we must regret that +fuller information and more patient deductions had not been gained. The +fact of having the means, in their camels, to venture on long dry stages +with impunity, led them to disdain the careful manner in which Forrest +felt his way across; but in the end that explorer had certainly the best +idea of the country he had travelled over. + +Giles now retraced his steps from Western Australia to the overland line, +following a track to the north of Forrest's route. He went by way of the +Murchison, and crossed over to the Ashburton, which river he followed up +to the head. Then striking to the south of east he came on to his former +track of 1873, at the Alfred and Marie Range; the range he had so vainly +striven to reach when the unfortunate man Gibson, met his death. He +finally arrived at the Peake station, on the telegraph line. + +Few watercourses were crossed, the country was suffering from extreme +drought, and no discoveries of any importance were made. + +The journeys of the late explorers had greatly lessened the area of the +country in which fresh discoveries could be looked for; true, the +results had not been encouraging. The utter and complete want of a river +system, even of the rudest kind, in the western half of the interior of +Australia, was plainly shown. No continuous line of country could even be +traced as corresponding on the routes of the different travellers, and +unfortunately, where good country was found, the want of surface water +held out no encouragement for the grazier to follow up the explorers' +footsteps. The reclamation of this country it was evident would have to +be a work of time, and would be dependent greatly on the facility with +which the underground supplies could be tapped. That these supplies +exist, the pioneer work carried on, on the outskirts of the desert, has +proved beyond a doubt; how far they will be carried into the interior +remains to be seen. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + + +Further explorations around Lake Eyre--Lewis equipped by Sir Thomas +Elder--He traces the lower course of the Diamantina--Expedition to +Charlotte Bay under W. Hann--A survivor of the wreck of the +Maria--Discovery of the Palmer--Gold prospects found--Arrival on the east +coast--Dense scrub--Return--The Palmer rush--Hodgkinson sent out--Follows +down the Diamantina--Discovery of the Mulligan--Mistaken for the +Herbert--Private expedition--The Messrs. Prout--Buchanan--F. Scarr--The +QUEENSLANDER expedition--A dry belt of country--Native rites--A good game +bag--Arrival at the telegraph line--Alexander Forrest--The Leopold +Range--Caught between the cliffs and the sea--Fine pastoral country +found--Arrival at the Katherine--The Northern Territory and its future. + + +But although the country to the east of the telegraph line had up to the +year 1874 received such a large share of attention, in fact, the +principal share, there yet remained much unknown territory to +investigate, and many geographical problems to determine. Chief amongst +these was the definition of the many affluents of Lake Eyre. + +The western district of Queensland was drained by rivers of great +magnitude, that found their way through South Australia into the lake; +but their many channels, and the direction and size of them had never +been fully determined. To further this end, Sir Thomas Elder equipped Mr. +Lewis, who, it will be remembered, did such good service on Colonel +Warburton's expedition, and under his leadership an expedition was +undertaken which resulted in much valuable information being gained. +Starting from the overland telegraph line, Lewis skirted Lake Eyre to the +north, and penetrated to Eyre's Creek, in Queensland territory, and +traced that creek and the Diamantina into Lake Eyre; also confirming the +opinion so often advanced that the waters of Cooper's Creek found their +way into that receptacle, as well as the more westerly streams. + +In Queensland the Government had decided upon further exploration of the +northern promontory ending in Cape York. More than eight years had +elapsed since the Jardines had made their dashing trip, and their report +taken in conjunction with Kennedy's did not offer much inducement for +anyone to follow up their footsteps; but as there was yet a tract of +country at the base of the promontory comparatively unknown, a party was +organised and placed under the leadership of Mr. William Hann, one of the +pioneer squatters of the north of Queensland. + +The object of the trip was in the main an examination of the country as +far north as the 14th parallel, with a special view to its mineral and +other resources; the discovery of gold so far north in Queensland having +caused a hope to be entertained that its existence would continue along +the promontory. + +Hann had with him as geologist a Mr. Taylor, and as botanist, Dr. Tate, a +survivor of the melancholy New Guinea expedition that left Sydney in the +brig MARIA, only to suffer wreck on the Barrier Reef, where, in the sea +and amongst the cannibals north of Rockingham Bay, most of the +unfortunates left their bones. Apparently, his ardour for exploration had +not been damped by his narrow escape. + +One other member of the party, a Mr. Nation, was destined to meet a +tragic death by starvation in the newly-settled district of the northern +territory of South Australia. The party left Fossilbrook station, on +Fossilbrook Creek, a tributary of the Lynd, which would be north of the +starting point of the Jardines. + +On leaving this creek they passed over much rugged and broken country, +the scene of Leichhardt's first trip, and a spot which presented many +indications of being auriferous. Here they devoted some days +unsuccessfully to prospecting, and on resuming their northern journey +came to a large river, which was named the Tate. Four days afterwards +another one was struck, which received the name of the Walsh. + +From the Walsh the party crossed to the upper part of the Mitchell River, +and thence to a creek marked on Kennedy's map as "creek ninety yards +wide," which was called the Palmer, and here Warner, the surveyor, found +prospects of gold. Some further examination of the river resulted in +likely-looking results being obtained, and the find is now a matter of +history, verified by the discovery of one of the richest goldfields in +Queensland on the waters of this river. + +Above the Palmer, Hann came across a memorial of the trip of the Jardines +in the tracks of some (or descendants) of the cattle, dropped by them, +but he was unable to find them. This was on a creek which, he supposed, +to be the one named by them the Kendall. + +These animals had, no doubt, led a rather harassed life from the natives +since they had last been seen by the whites. + +On the 1st September, Hann reached his northern limit, the 14th parallel +of latitude, and the next day commenced the ascent of the dividing range +between eastern and western waters. A few days afterwards he sighted the +sea, at Princess Charlotte's Bay. + +From this point the party turned south, and soon came to a large river, +which was named the Normanby, and here a slight skirmish occurred with +the natives, with whom they had hitherto been on friendly terms. Whilst +the men were collecting the horses in the morning, and not suspecting +treachery, a body of blacks attempted to cut them off, each native being +well armed with a bundle of spears. A few shots, however, at long +distance were sufficient to disperse them, so that, fortunately, the +affair ended without bloodshed. + +On the 21st September, Hann came to the Endeavour, a river well-known in +the history of Australia. Whilst entangled in the scrub on the upper +reaches of this stream he had the misfortune to lose one of his best +horses by poison, two others having also eaten of the weed. + +At this point the party had terrible work to encounter; the old obstacles +that had so retarded Kennedy were met with--scrub impenetrable, and steep +ravines. Tracks had to be cut through the vines, and the horses led on +foot down perilous descents. This went on for days, and an attempt to +reach the sea coast and continue their intended route south, ended in +involving them in a perfect sea of scrub, and the final conclusion that +advance for white men and horses was impossible. Hann had reluctantly to +make up his mind to return to the west, and abandon the fresh ground to +the south of him. + +After many entanglements in the ranges, and the usual confusion arising +from the tortuous courses of the rivers, the watershed was at last +crossed, and on the 28th October they camped once more on the Palmer +River. From here they returned over the country formerly traversed on the +outward course, and exploring came to an end. + +The work had been very hard, especially during the time the party had +been impeded in the scrubs of the east coast, which fully bore out the +reports of the survivors of Kennedy's expedition as to the terribly +toilsome nature of the labour to be undergone in cutting a track through +them. Hann was lucky in not having his party attacked by sickness during +his detention in such a dangerous locality; they all returned in safety. + +The gold discoveries on the Palmer, and the rush there which occurred +soon after this expedition, led to a vast deal of exploration being done +under the name of prospecting. Small parties were out in all directions +on the rivers named and crossed by Hann and the heads of those named by +Leichhardt, the Lynd and the Gilbert, were ransacked and searched in +every direction. + +In 1875, the Queensland Government decided to send out an expedition to +decide upon the amount of pastoral country existing to the westward of +the Diamantina River, and see if it extended to the boundary of the +colony. It was placed under the command of W. O. Hodgkinson, who had +already seen considerable experience as an explorer, having been one of +the members of the Burke and Wills party, and also a member of M'Kinlay's +expedition when he traversed the continent. The second in charge was a +mining surveyor and mineralogist, Mr. E. A. Kayzer. + +Although the expedition was organised as early as September, it was not +thought politic to start so soon before the impending wet season, so the +party were directed to muster at the Etheridge (goldfield), and occupy +the time between then and the end of the year, in examining and reporting +on the country between there and Cloncurry gold-field, on the Cloncurry +River, which was to be the final point of departure. + +After some minor excursions in the neighbourhood of the Cloncurry, +Hodgkinson and party left that place in May, 1876, and proceeded across +the dividing watershed to the Diamantina River, and followed that river +down to below the boundary of the colony of Queensland and South +Australia, where it received the name of the Everett, from Lewis. + +This much of the progress of the North West Expedition, as it was called, +included little country not already known, and, moreover, at this time +the district was being settled on in all parts by the pioneer squatters, +the tracks of whose cattle were now up and down the whole length of the +river. + +From the lower Diamantina, Hodgkinson made west towards the boundary of +the colony, and beyond Eyre's Creek found a fine watercourse running +through good pastoral country, which he branded with the name of the +Mulligan River. Following this river up, and finding it alternately well +and poorly watered, the party crossed from the head of it on to the +Herbert, unwitting that they had done so, and followed that river on +until they overtook Buchanan, Landsborough's old companion, who, with a +mob of cattle, was re-stocking the Herbert. + +As this country had been at one time stocked, and stations formed and +abandoned, exploration may be considered to have ceased. The surveys of +Messrs. Scarr and Jopp soon explained the mistake fallen into by +Hodgkinson as to the identity of Landsborough's Herbert and his own +Mulligan. It will be remembered that in the central districts, the +watersheds are so low and the size of the rivers so uncertain, that to +find a watercourse dwindle away into nothing in one mile, and expand into +a river the next is not at all surprising, so that to leave the head of a +river and come on to another running in the same direction, it would +appear quite feasible that it was the same river re-formed. + +This was the last exploring expedition sent out by the Queensland +Government; their colony being now nearly entirely known, and in fact the +earlier squatters of the Herbert, before its abandonment in 1874, were +settled some distance across into South Australian territory. + +Unfortunately, the commercial depression of 1871 and 1872 led to the +stations on the Herbert being thrown up, and the country, good as it was, +lapsed into its original state of loneliness, and remained for many years +quite unoccupied. + +Although Queensland herself had little or no territory within her own +borders left to explore, the energy and enterprise of her pioneers led to +many private explorations being organized across the border into the +colony of South Australia, or rather into the northern territory of that +colony. Amongst those undertaken in the year 1878 may be instanced one +which resulted in the loss of the entire party. + +Induced by the favourable terms offered by the South Australian +Government to pastoral lessees in the Northern Territory, two brothers +named Prout started out with one man, looking for country across the +Queensland border. They never returned, and it was not until they had +been given up for months that some of their horses, and finally the bones +of one of the brothers, were discovered by Mr. W. J. H. Carr Boyd. + +It was evident, from the fragments of a diary recovered, that they had +extended their researches far into South Australian territory, and met +their death by thirst on their homeward way, probably from some of the +waters they depended upon for their return having failed them. + +In the same year Buchanan made an excursion to the overland line from the +border of Queensland. Crossing from the Ranken--one of the main heads of +the Georgina River, and so called after one of the pioneers of that +district, J. C. L. Ranken--Buchanan on a westerly course, came to the +head of a creek, running through fine open downs; following it down for +some days he eventually lost its channel in flooded country, and striking +across a belt of dry country arrived at Tennant's Creek station on the +overland line. This creek, which received the name of Buchanan's Creek, +was a most important discovery, affording in future a highway and stock +route to the great pastoral district lying between the Queensland border +and the overland line. + +The next to attack this unknown strip was Frank Scarr, a Queensland +surveyor. He tried to cross the line, to the south of Buchanan's track, +but was prevented by the waterless belt of country existing there. During +one of his excursions he found the horses of the ill-fated Prout +Brothers, already alluded to. + +Finding he could not reach the country he desired to, from the Queensland +border, Scarr made north, and by means of Buchanan's Creek arrived at +Tennant's Creek station; but owing to the dry season, did not extend his +researches further. + +In the same year, 1878, a project for an overland railway line, between +Brisbane and Port Darwin, was inaugurated in the former city. The +principle of building the line by means of land grants being one of the +chief features of the scheme. Mr. Gresley Lukin, the then proprietor of +the leading Brisbane newspaper, organised and equipped a party to explore +a line of country, the object being to find out the nature and value of +the land in the neighbourhood of the proposed line, and the geographical +features of the unexplored portion. + +The party left Blackall, then the furthest township to the westward in +Queensland, the leader being Mr. E. Favenc, accompanied by Messrs. S. G. +Briggs (surveyor), G. R. Hedley, and a black boy. + +From Blackall the party struck across the settled pastoral districts +until they arrived at Cork station, on the Diamantina. From there they +kept a north-westerly route through the then unexplored country lying +between the Burke and Herbert Rivers. From the Herbert the Ranken was +followed up for some distance, and the route was then to Buchanan's +Creek, and down that creek to the last permanent water. From here the +party struck north, and some permanent waters were discovered, amongst +them being the Corella Lagoon, the finest lagoon in that district. Two +lakes of large extent were also seen and named, but, although at the time +of the explorer's visit they were extensive sheets of water, seven or +eight miles in circumference, they were so shallow for a mile from their +shores, that at that distance, they were only knee deep. + +A singular feature of the lakes of this depressed region, was the fringe +of dead trees that surrounded them. From the age of the trees, and even +borders of all the lake beds seen, both dry and full, it was evident that +this must have been the result of an excessive flood, which had inundated +this district during some past year. + +From the Corella Lagoon, where some two or three hundred natives were +assembled to celebrate the peculiar tribal rites common to that religion, +and which have never been witnessed by whites, the expedition proceeded +north, and discovered a large creek running from east to west, which +received the name of Cresswell Creek. This creek, which ran through fine, +open downs, was followed until its course was lost in the flooded +country, which is the end of most inland creeks. + +The last permanent water on it was named the Adder Waterholes, on account +of the number of death-adders killed there. The first excursion from there +towards the telegraph line, some ninety miles away, resulted, in such +days of heat, in conjunction with cracked and fissured plains, that three +horses died before returning to camp. The country was soft, and full of +holes and hollows, and it being the height of summer, the horses could +not travel long stages without water; so there was nothing to do but +await at the Adder Waterholes the falling of a kindly thunderstorm, to +assist them to bridge the gap that lay between them and the telegraph +line. + +During their detention at this camp many excursions were made, and the +country traversed found to be mostly richly grassed downs; and where +flooded country was crossed numbers of the dry beds of former lakes, +surrounded by the customary belt of dead forest were noticed. + +The long delay exhausted the supply of rations, but by means of game, +horse-flesh, and the usual bush vegetable, "bluebush and pig-weed," the +party fared sufficiently well. + + +"We made up a list of game that had already been shot for ration +purposes, nearly all by Hedley, who was our chief reliance as a hunter, +and the following is the account up to 11th December:--50 parrots +(corellas and galars), 350 ducks (black ducks, teal, whistling ducks, +wood ducks and widgeons), 150 pigeons (principally flock), 11 geese, 4 +turkeys, 8 spoonbills, 7 water hens, 2 shags, 1 emu, 1 native companion, +making a total of 584 birds, and in addition we had consumed 100 fish. +All of them were shot for actual food, nothing had been wantonly +destroyed. We considerably added to this menu afterwards, including such +choice delicacies as eagle hawk and frogs. Crows and hawks we carefully +reserved to the last when all else should fail. The absence of kangaroos +and other marsupials is a marked feature in this list, there being none +on these wide-stretching downs." + + +In January, 1879, the thunderstorms set in, and enabled the explorers to +reach the line safely at Powell Creek Station. From here they travelled +over known country to Port Darwin. + +This expedition had the effect of opening up a good deal of pastoral +country, which is now nearly all stocked. + +As might have been expected, the party were most hospitably received at +Palmerston, where the inhabitants, in addition to its chief feature of a +railway survey, saw in this expedition one of the first steps to open up +to the world the vast territory they possessed; for as yet the pastoral +industry had been confined to one or two spirited attempts in the +immediate neighbourhood of the goldfields, the great tableland at the +back whereon there was so much valuable sheep country being, untouched. + +Western Australia now sent out another of the exploring parties, which +form such a feature of her history. In 1879, Alexander Forrest led an +expedition from De Grey River to the telegraph line. The party left +Anderson's Station on the De Grey River, on the 25th February, and +reached Beagle Bay on the 10th April, the country passed over being like +most of the land in the immediate neighbourhood of the coast, poor and +indifferent. + +From Beagle Bay they followed the coast round to the Fitzroy River, which +empties into King's Sound, and journeyed up that river until they reached +a range which gave the explorers some trouble; in fact, they spent six +weeks of constant toil and trouble endeavouring to penetrate it. + +On the 2nd June, Forrest bade good-bye to the Fitzroy, which he calls +"the longest and largest river in Western Australia, flowing through +magnificent flats;" and which he says they had then followed for 240 +miles. Leaving the river the party struck north, looking for a pass +through the precipitous bluffs of King Leopold Range, as it was named. +The sea was, however, reached before this range was surmounted, and +following down the angle now being formed, between the sea and the range, +they at last found themselves enclosed in a perfect prison; romantic and +pretty according to Forrest's description, but rather militating against +their success. Here too the blacks approached them in threatening +numbers, but after the display of a little policy, peace was preserved. +The rugged nature of the country began to tell most severely on the +horses, "how on earth," says Forrest, "they are going to take us on I +really cannot think." On the 22nd June, they attacked a range, and +finally after a steep climb, which witnessed the death of one of the +horses, they reached the height of 800 feet, and camped; here Forrest +determined to rest the horses and go ahead on foot, and explore the +country. The result was that they came upon endless rugged zigzags, which +so involved them that they gave it up in despair and returned to camp. + +Forrest had most reluctantly to abandon any idea of crossing this range +and return to the Fitzroy, where they arrived on the 8th of July. +Following up a tributary of this river, the Margaret, they gradually +managed to work round the southern end of the range, which still frowned +defiance at them, and at last reached the summit of the tableland, and +saw before them good grassy hills and plains. Of this country Forrest +speaks most enthusiastically, and doubtless after their late terrible +struggle with the range it must have appeared a perfect picture of +enchantment to them. + +On the 24th, they reached a fine river, running strong, and named by +Forrest the Ord, and for a time he followed its course. Leaving, he +continued his way to the overland telegraph line, which they were +destined not to reach without a struggle. More rivers were crossed, and +the country undulated between rough ridges and well-grassed flats, and at +last, on the 18th August, the Victoria River of Captain Stokes was +reached. + + +Now commenced their first privation for want of water. Their rations were +almost expended, and one of the party seriously ill. Taking with him one +man (Hicks), Forrest started for the line to obtain succour, leaving his +party in camp to await his return. + +The first stage was for twenty-nine miles, and then they fortunately +found a small pool; on the next day a stage of thirty-two miles, through +the level, grassy country, timbered with box and intersected by dry +swamps, which is so familiar a feature in the Northern Territory, but at +the end they had to camp without water. They now had no alternative but +to push on to the line at all risks, as it was the nearest point where +they could obtain supplies, and it was useless to think of going back +without them. Unhappily, Forrest was unprovided with a map of the line, +which led to his having to strike at random; and, as it happened in the +end, resulted in his turning north instead of south, which brought about +needless pain and suffering. Forrest's account of their terrible trip +runs as follows:-- + + +"August 31. An hour before daylight we started, steering east for +fourteen miles before we rested. The country was similar to that passed +over yesterday. During the mid-day halt we walked about searching for +water in the dry swamps, but were unsuccessful. Here we killed a large +snake, and made off it a miserable meal, thinking that it would relieve +our thirst; it made us, however, a good deal worse than we were before. +We had only two quarts of water with us, and we both decided not to touch +this until reduced to the last extremity, as we knew not how far we might +have to go before coming to water. At one o'clock we were in the saddle +again, and continued on the same course until sundown, when we gave our +horses a short rest. They were very tired, and did not seem able to keep +up, in the state they were, for much longer. As for ourselves, we were so +thirsty we could scarcely speak. We shot a hawk, and cut his throat in +order to drink the blood, but it did us no good. What would we have given +for water? No one can have an idea what thirst is unless he has +experienced it under tropical heat. . . . After eating our hawk we +saddled up, and steered east-north-east for two miles, when we reached a +creek trending northwest. We thought there might be water in it lower +down, so we followed it for a mile or two, when the horse I was riding +knocked up, and by lying down compelled us to halt." + + +Forrest now decided to leave the creek, and walk all night, leading their +worn out horses. Fortunately for them they had not far to go; in two +miles Hicks called out that the line was in sight, and forgetting their +thirst they cheered lustily. Within a short distance of where they struck +the line, they came to one of the tanks stationed at intervals for the +use of the repairing parties, and so their thirst was relieved; but owing +to taking the wrong direction, they travelled away from the nearest +station, Daly Waters, and it was four days before they overtook a +repairing party, under Mr. Wood; who provided them with food and fresh +horses to take back succour to their comrades. + +Thus ended a most successful trip, as the country found by Forrest is +amongst some of the most valuable in the northern part of Western +Australia, and has since been stocked with both sheep and cattle, and +large mineral wealth has been developed. + +The whole of the northern part of the continent of Australia seemed for a +time to suffer from a blight. The tracks of the explorers appeared to be +checked by some fatal influence. + +The Victoria that was thought to be such a grand discovery turned out but +an ordinary coast stream, and on its further investigation to lead to +nothing but disappointment. This deduction, however, under fuller +knowledge is gradually departing, and there is little doubt that the time +is not far away when it will attain its greatest development as a +pastoral and mineral country. + +There is no doubt that the east and west tracks of tile Queensland +explorers, and of Alexander Forrest did more to throw open the country +than did the north and south one of Stuart, although that was the most +important ever made in the later days of Australia's history. Stuart +showed the feasibility of crossing the continent in the centre, but even +after the telegraph line was formed on his track, very little was known +of the country on either side. The northern territory had, however, been +the scene of many private expeditions beside those mentioned here. Some +years before Alexander Forrest crossed over, two residents of the +Northern Territory, Phillip Saunders and Adam Johns, accompanied by a +third man, started from Roebourne in Western Australia, and crossed to +the telegraph line successfully. They were prospecting for gold most of +the way, but the line they took was unlucky, as although they passed +through the now well-known Kimberly country, they failed to obtain +anything like satisfactory prospects. They passed through much good +pastoral country, but at that time stock country was of no value at such +a remote distance from settlement. + + +There now remains but a few more explorations, and those mostly in the +northern part of Australia. Whatever the yet large unknown tract of +country in the interior will show in the future it is impossible now to +do more than conjecture. + +In 1884, Mr. Stockdale, who had had considerable experience in the other +colonies, and was an old bushman, started on an expedition from Cambridge +Gulf to explore the country in that neighbourhood, with a view to +settlement. He proceeded there by the WHAMPOA, and on the 13th September +he landed at the gulf, with his party of seven men and the necessary +horses, this being, probably, the first landing that had taken place +there since the days of Captain Stokes. Leaving the gulf, and crossing +the range through a natural gap, which was named after the leader, they +found themselves in well-grassed country, with a fine stream of water +running through it. Their next halting-place was at a creek they called +the Birdie, and they now found numerous camps of the natives, though as +yet they did not come into contact with them. The next creek was named +the Patrick, which was followed down for some distance through very good +country. Here commenced the beginning of the trouble, which afterwards +culminated in a tragedy, one of the men (Ashton) losing himself, and +delaying the party by having to be sought for. They were now on a river +which was called the Forrest, after the explorer, and here they rested +for the sake of their horses. On leaving it they got into rather stony +country until they arrived at the head of a creek called the Margaret, +where they again rested. + +From there they had to face great difficulties in the shape of +mountainous country, the gullies and ravines reminding one of those +described by Grey. On October the 14th, they came to a fine river, which +they named the Lorimer, on which there was a waterfall one hundred feet +high. The large creek next met with was called the Buchanan. + +On the 21st of October a depôt was formed, and the leader, with three +men, went south, for the purpose of making a thorough inspection of the +country, leaving the other men to await his return, having first taken +the precaution to bury the main portion of their stock of provisions in +case of accidents. + +On November 2nd they narrowly escaped an encounter with the natives. By +means of a little tact bloodshed was avoided. While amongst the cliffs +they came upon some of the native drawings and paintings, which have +always created so much interest. + +On returning to the depôt, after having passed through and discovered a +fine amount of pastoral country, the leader found, much to his disgust, +that the horses he had left to spell there had been used for kangaroo +hunting, and were not in a fit condition to do much more work. This +compelled him to shorten his trip and start towards the telegraph line. + +On getting his party together again, which was a work of some difficulty, +a start was effected in the direction of the Ord River, and on the road +home the unfortunate occurrence happened that resulted in the death of +two of the men, entirely the consequence of their own headstrong conduct. +The account had better be given in the words of the leader. Speaking of +one of the two men, he says:-- + + +"He eats very heartily, and so does Ashton, and both have strong, lusty +voices, but seem to have lost all heart, and the rest of the party are +getting discouraged at the many and serious delays they are causing us. I +have used every means to induce them to rally and pluck up heart, but it +seems all to be totally lost upon them. It is a very trying situation for +me, and I trust God will guide me, and help me to do what is right and +just to all I have in my charge. Mulcahy acknowledged riding horses in +depôt out kangarooing, also to taking apples, biscuits, jam, flour and +peas, and to be unworthy of forgiveness or to remain one of the party. We +all forgave him the wrong he had done us freely and truly. + +"December 17 (Wednesday). Fine morning after very cool night. Thermometer +at daylight, 60 deg. Mulcahy and Ashton both looking better, but both +came to me, and said if I would allow them they would take three weeks' +rations and camp for a spell on the river, and perhaps I would send help +after them. I tried all in my power to induce them to struggle on a +little further, if only as far as the Wilson River, but could not alter +their determination. Called the rest of the party together, and as they +one and all thought it was best under the circumstances, I had to +consent, so, with Mr. Ricketson's assistance, measured out to them twenty +pannikins of flour, ten of white sugar, ten of peas, fifteen of dried +apples, four pounds of tea, and a tin of preserved meat. Left them two +double-barrel guns, etc., with about one hundred and fifty cartridges, +fish-hooks, and lines, and camped on the Laurence River. We then packed +up the remainder, and with sad hearts bade them good-bye, and firmly +advised them to get either fish or game, as game is fairly plentiful +around them. Ashton and Mulcahy both expressed a desire to write a few +lines in my diary, and, in the presence of all hands, I allowed them. +Ashton also forwarded by me a note to his aunt in England, but Mulcahy, +although I earnestly desired him to, would not write to either wife or +parents, all he would say being, 'They will see you at no loss, old man.' + +"It is a dreadful state of affairs, the two biggest and strongest of our +party collapsing like this, and has had a very depressing effect on me, +though I must not show it, for fear of causing a despondent feeling in +the others. I do hope we shall now have fair travelling, and reach Panton +and Osman's station, and send back horses and relief to those left +behind. They have had any amount of provisions, meat excepted sometimes +five meals a day, and never less than three." + + +The two men were never found, although every endeavour was made to do so. + +Stockdale, not finding Panton and Osman's station, had to leave some of +his men in camp, and, after a hard struggle, reached the telegraph line +with one companion, and sent back relief to the others, which duly +reached them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + + +The exploration of the Continent by land almost completed--Minor +expeditions--The Macarthur and other rivers running into Carpentaria +traced--Good country discovered and opened up--Sir Edward Pellew Group +revisited--Lindsay sent out by the S.A. Government to explore Arnheim's +Land--Rough country and great loss of horses--O'Donnell makes an +expedition to the Kimberley district--Sturt and Mitchell's different +experiences with the blacks--Difference in the East and West Coasts--Use +of camels--Opinions about them--The future of the water supply-- +Adaptability of the country for irrigation--The great springs of +the Continent--Some peculiarities of them--Hot springs and mound springs. + + +The whole of the continent being now known, and the mystery of the +interior solved, there remained little more for the explorers of later +years to do, but follow up the course of some tributary, stream or river, +the origin of which, though, perhaps, guessed at, had never been finally +settled, nor had the country drained by them been mapped or defined. + +These explorations, useful though they have been in opening up fresh +tracts of country for the pastoralist, have not the same amount of +interest attaching to them possessed by the earlier travels. Much of the +exploration of the past few years naturally centres round the northern +portion of Australia; there, as the pioneer pushed out, the unknown parts +had to yield up their secret, and the tracks of Macdowall Stuart were +gradually elaborated. The South Australian Government had made many +attempts to reach the Queensland border from their overland line, but +without success. In 1778, they had dispatched two surveyors--Messrs. +Barclay and Weinnecke--to proceed in that direction, starting from the +neighbourhood of Alice Springs. Barclay had much dry country to contend +with, and managed to reach close to Scarr's furthest point when he was +making west in the same year, but failed to connect with the settlements +of Queensland. He made no important discoveries, being amongst the +country common to the central districts of Australia--alternate desert, +and pastoral land, with few and insignificant watercourses. It being a +matter of moment to settle the position of the border line between the +two colonies, surveyor Weinnecke was again dispatched in 1880 to make +another attempt. By following Scarr's route, via Buchanan's Creek, he +succeeded in reaching the border. He travelled entirely over the country +explored by Queensland parties. In 1883 Favenc traced the heads of the +rivers running into the Gulf of Carpentaria, near the Queensland border, +and in the following year undertook a more lengthened expedition from the +tableland across the coast range to the mouth of the Macarthur River. The +party left the Queensland border and crossed to the overland telegraph +line, traversing mostly open downs country the whole of the way. + +From the northern end of Newcastle Waters a fresh departure was as made, +and the watercourse that supplies these lagoons followed up for some +fifty miles. From there an easterly course was kept, and after some +privation from want of water, reached a creek, which was christened +Relief Creek, and which proved to be one of the head waters of the +Macarthur. A large extent of valuable pastoral country was found in the +basin drained by this river, and many fine permanent springs discovered. +The party followed the river down to salt water, and returned by another +route to Daly Waters telegraph station. + +The South Australian Government soon after sent a survey steamer to the +group called Sir Edward Pellew's Islands, which had not been visited +since the days of Flinders. The mouth of the Macarthur was found and +sounded, and shortly afterwards a township was formed at the head of +navigation. The explorations conducted on this river led to a good road +being formed from the interior tableland to the coast and the settlement +of much new country. + +The whole of the territory east of the overland line was now rapidly +becoming settled, and the explorations made by Mr. Macphee east of Daly +Waters may be said to have concluded the list of expeditions between the +overland line and the Queensland border. + +In 1883 the South Australian Government determined to complete the +exploration of Arnheim's Land, and Mr. David Lindsay was dispatched on +the mission. He left Palmerston on the 4th June, and proceeded, by way of +the Katherine, to the country north of the Roper River. From there they +proceeded to Blue Mud Bay, and, on the way, had a narrow escape from +being massacred by the natives, who speared four horses, and made an +attempt to surprise the camp. Lindsay got entangled in the broken +tableland that caused such trouble to Leichhardt, and, with one +misfortune and another, lost a great number of his horses-in fact, at one +time, he anticipated having to abandon them all, and make his way into +the telegraph station on foot. On the whole, the country passed over was +favourable for settlement; in fact, the flats on some portions of his +course were first-class sugar country. + +Another journey was undertaken about this time by Messrs. O'Donnell and +Carr Boyd into Western Australia, starting from the same place as +Lindsay, namely, the Katherine telegraph station. The expedition +succeeded in finding a large amount of pastoral country, but no new +geographical discoveries of any importance were made. + +Meantime, the discovery of gold in the Kimberley district of Western +Australia led to that province being searched by small prospecting +parties, and every creek and watercourse becoming known. This has left +but little of the coastal lands still unexplored in Australia, and there +is scant chance of anything noticeable being found in the interior beyond +what we can fairly conjecture. The utmost an explorer can now hope to +find there is some permanent lagoon or spring, affording a stand-by for +the pastoralist. No such streams as the Murray or Darling will ever again +gladden the eyes of the traveller in the interior, + +The greater part of the territory still left to explore is situated in +one colony--that of Western Australia, and, although the interior has +been successively crossed by so many different men, there yet remains a +large area which may be called unknown. Of what the end will be it is +hard to say. Shall we find it bear out the gloomy predictions of +Warburton and Giles? or the more hopeful one of Forest? One thing we do +know--that, year after year, use is being found for the most repellent +country. When we look back at the verdict pronounced against the interior +of Australia by the early explorers, and how it has been falsified by +time there is ground for hoping that even the most despised portions of +our continent will yet be found available for something. + +That, in spite of the monotony of the Great Plain, it is strange to note +the fascination it has had for many of the most renowned explorers. +Sturt, after being reduced to semi-blindness, found himself compelled to +struggle with the desert once more. Eyre, left alone in the wilderness, +after his awful experience at the head of the Great Bight, still longed +to venture again, and accompanied his friend Sturt as far as ever his +duties permitted him. Leichhardt died in harness somewhere in Australia, +and Kennedy lost his life in his desire to emulate his former chief, +Mitchell. Even the very sterility of the great solitude seems to have +been, in its way, a lure to drag men back to encounter it once more. + +Knowing now as much as we do of the interior, we can hardly help being +amused at the theories propounded in the old days by some of the earlier +travellers. Oxley was, we know, wedded to the idea of an inland sea. +Sturt, too, when he looked on the stony desert, saw in it but the dry +channel of some old ocean current; and Eyre was convinced that the +interior was nothing but a parched and and desert. One after another, +these fallacies were exploded, and now we find that human and animal life +can as easily be adapted to the central plain as elsewhere. + +But the want of knowledge displayed by the natives of anything beyond +their immediate surroundings, was one great difficulty in the way of the +explorers. The blackfellow of Australia seemed to partake largely of the +country he lived in. His whole life was one fight for existence, and not +even the sudden advent of a strange race could do more than stir him to a +languid curiosity. Bounded, as he always had been, by his surroundings, +and never venturing beyond tribal limits, what information he was able to +impart was, as a rule, meagre and misleading, and without any good result +in the way of assistance to the explorer. True, we find exceptions to +this amongst them; two instances may be quoted as exemplifying two +different phases of the native character. One is a picture from Sturt's +journal, the other from Mitchell. + +Sturt and his companions were returning to the depôt from one of their +northern efforts. Suddenly they came across a party of worn and thirsty +natives. What little water the whites had with them they gave them, but +it was only a mouthful a-piece, and the natives indicating by signs that +they were bound for some distant waterhole, disappeared at a smart trot +across the sandhills. They apparently expressed no surprise at the sudden +meeting in the desert, although they could not have had the slightest +conception of white men before. They seem to have accepted their presence +and the friendly drink of water as only a part of their strange +existence. + +Far different was the conduct of the Darling River blacks, who so +resented Mitchell's appearance, that they travelled over some hundreds of +miles to attack him on his second visit. The ingenuity with which they +planned an attack on the party was a rather remarkable thing in the +annals of exploration. Thinking that the clothing of the whites rendered +them secure against spears, two men were told off for each member of the +party, one to hold the victim whilst the other clubbed him. Fortunately +the scheme was fathomed by one of the lubras with the party; but it +showed very deep-seated animosity and dislike. + +The intercourse, then, that the travellers could expect from the natives +was either passive ignorance or violent hostility. On the few occasions +when their services were made use of it amounted only to finding some +scanty well. Again, the nature of the country was so persistently opposed +to all the pre conceived notions that the first arrivals brought to the +country. It would seem but rational to suppose that a river or creek +would ultimately lead to somewhere, a larger channel, or the sea; but the +rivers of the plain lived and died without any defined end, and to follow +their courses only resulted in disappointment. Add to all this a dry and +hot climate, and we cannot wonder at the slow progress made in the +advance of the first half of the century. + +There is little doubt that had fortune turned the prows of the Dutch +vessels on to the north-east coast, instead of the rough and rugged +shores of the west, Australia would have seen settlement long before the +date of Phillip's landing. But the Dutch found no inducements whatever on +the west; their ships were wrecked, their crews attacked by the natives, +and they had great difficulty in finding fresh water; so that it was +little wonder that even their energy and adventurous spirit recognised +but nothing in TERRA AUSTRALIS to repay them for the trouble of taking +possession. The French, too, saw little in the unclaimed portion of the +country they visited to do more than threaten an occupation, which never +took place, and it is doubtful if the uninviting shores of Botany Bay +would have held out any hope to a body of free immigrants. + +In all these halts on the way to colonization, Australia seems to have +borne but the aspect of her interior plains: formidable and repellent to +the intruder. Starting from the south, the first travellers had to face +all the loneliness and sterility of Lake Torrens and the other salt +lakes, and it was many years before it was found out that beyond existed +good habitable country. Eyre and Sturt both failed in their efforts to +penetrate north, and it was astonishing how easily it was afterwards +accomplished by two such comparatively inexperienced men as Burke and +Wills. From the west, nature was all against the explorer, and it was +only after the discovery of the Ashburton that Forest managed to reach +the overland line, that river having helped him well into the centre of +the colony. From the north, the penetration of the Great Plain was only +attempted once by A. C. Gregory, and then he was repulsed. From the +eastern shore, the steady progress, although not destined to finally +succeed, gradually brought nearly half the continent under the sway of +settlement, and the advance was mainly checked by the disappointment +resulting from Kennedy's examination of the Barcoo, and its final course +into a dreary desert. Of the many magnificent preparations made, it has +not always been the lot of the best equipped parties to attain the +greatest success, few men started with less outfit than did Macdowall +Stuart, when he reached to and beyond central Mount Stuart; no men ever +left better provided than did Burke and Wills, and their unfortunate +death by starvation is too well known. The equipment of the explorer, +especially as regards the use of camels, has been a matter of much +dispute. M'Kinlay speaks highly in praise of them, Warburton and Giles +both ascribe their safety to having them with them. But although they +have been the means of achieving long stages over dry country, they are +treacherous and dangerous animals to deal with. And should they make +their escape, it would be impossible to recover them with only horses at +command. Then, too, the possession of camels leads to hasty and hurried +examination of country, and the mere fact of being in command of such +means of locomotion entices a man to push on regardless of caution. +M'Kinlay reports that the camels seem to thrive well on everything, but +Warburton appeared to have great difficulty in obtaining feed for them in +the sandhill country. Be this as it may, they have done good service in +Australia, but it is not evident that they are always of equal good. + +But the time will, without doubt, soon come when camels will no longer be +required, and the scenes of the forced and painful marches of some of our +explorers be watered by the springs now imprisoned hundreds of feet below +the surface. Since these pages were commenced, one of the strongest +outflows in the world has been struck near the foot of the range in +Queensland, some hundreds of miles back from the central coast, in a +place which witnessed the last expedition of Major Mitchell. This +discovery, added to the many that have preceded it, leads to much thought +as to the probability of future discoveries, and the wonderful springs +that are already known to exist. + +"Water! water! everywhere, and not a drop to drink." Although not +absolutely true, in fact, or rather on the surface, this quotation might +be uttered with a strong measure of truth by many a poor wretch perishing +from thirst on a drought-blasted inland plain, whilst underneath him, at +a greater or less distance, run sunless seas. + +Of the magnitude of our great subterranean reservoir who shall tell? +What craft will ever float on its dark surface, under domes of pendant +stalactites, rippling for the first time the ice-cold waters, and +disturbing the eyeless fish in their shadowy haunts? Only when here and +there we tap it, and the mighty pressure sends up a thin column of water +hundreds of feet in answer. Or when we notice the strong, constant +springs that at intervals break through the surface crust to gladden us; +or when the deeper internal fires burst forth, and hurl up its waters in +scathing steam and boiling mud, can we guess of the great hidden sea +beneath. + +We have a problem given into our hands to solve; it is our heritage, and +we have only just commenced to try and find the answer. In our fair +continent there are thousands upon thousands of square miles of fertile +country that Nature herself has planned and mapped out into wide fields, +with gentle declivities and slopes, fit for the reception of the modest +channel that shall convey the living water over the great pasture lands; +and now we want the magician to come, and, with the wand of human skill, +bring the interior waters to the surface, and make the desert blossom. + +Of the great supply that lies awaiting us deep down in the earth's +caverns we have incontestible proofs, and of the force latent in it to +lift it to the surface, to be our willing slave and bondsman, we, too, +have some dawning notion. Will years of study and observation give us the +power to wield the wand at will? We cannot but believe it. Our vast and +fertile downs were never destined to be idle and unproductive for months +and months, dependent only on the niggard clouds o'erhead. + +To make Australia the richest and most self-supporting country that sun +ever shone upon, wherein every man could follow out the old saying of +sitting under his own vine and fig tree, what is wanted? The answer to +this problem is to bring to our rich alluvial surface the waters under +the earth. + +On the great inland plateau that occupies two-thirds of the entire +continent, we find the soil teeming with elements of surpassing +fertility. Even the grudging rainfall that comes so seldom has developed +a wealth of indigenous herbage, grasses, and fodder plants unequalled in +any other part of the globe. The earth seems to have put forth every +inherent vitalising power it possesses to render its creatures +independent of cruel seasons. + +What traveller but has noticed the magical effect of rain upon the deep +friable soil, formed by the denuded limestone rock. Almost +instantaneously fresh life springs up. Within but a short time the dry +and withered stalks of grass assume a deep rich green, the soft broad +leaves and joints are replete with moisture. The bare ground is quickly +coated with trailing vines and creepers, bearing succulent seed pods, +grateful and moist. The rough-coated, staggering beast that could scarce +drag its feeble legs out of the muddy waterhole, becomes in a few weeks +strong and vigorous. What would not such a land be with a constant +fertilizing stream of water through, and about it? + +In approaching the subject of our subterranean water supply, the peculiar +physical formation of Australia must be borne in mind. The great flat +tableland that stretches in almost unvarying monotony from shore to +shore, fringed round with its strip of coastal land, resembles--to use a +homely simile--nothing so much as a narrow brimmed, flat crowned hat. The +moisture-laden clouds that visit us, break on the sides of this hat, +giving the brim, or coast, the full benefit of their precipitation; +drifting over the plateau, or crown, with rapidly decreasing bulk. Thus, +the great plain, in size the greatest, and in soil the richest part of +us, is always labouring under the curse of irregular and inefficient +rainfall; and whatever good we may do in the way of water storage and we +may do so much-we have always the threat of many years of drought hanging +over, during which our treasury of water will be drained, and not +replenished. + + +Welling from the sides of the tableland we find large permanent springs, +in many cases the sources of fine strong-flowing rivers, the component +parts of whose waters now first see the light again after countless ages. +Storms and floods may come and go unheeded, their steady flow +is-maintained unchecked by summer or winter weather; for their birth is +deep down in the earth, where meteorological disturbances are unknown. +Like an old and battered tank, through whose cracked and leaky sides the +water it contains is escaping, so these springs find vent through +fissures in the mighty tableland, to flow down to the sea. + +Up in the northern provinces where, perhaps, if anything, the contrast of +these flowing streams beneath the parched surroundings is more striking +than in the more temperate southern clime, there are some mighty leaks in +the sides of the tableland. The Gregory River, in the Burke district of +Queensland has one unvarying flow; a strong running stream, never +lessened by the longest drought, but gliding beneath cool masses of +tropical foliage and gurgling over rocky bars when all around is dry. +What a great heritage here runs to waste unheeded. + +In the northern territory, from out another vent, springs the Flora +River, whose waters ripple over limestone bars in miniature cascades, +from pool to pool, like pigmy reproductions of the lost terraces of New +Zealand. Follow the edge of the great tableland around, and amongst the +deep seams and fissures of its abrupt descent coastward, we suddenly +come, midst rugged barreness and gloomy grandeur, upon these messengers +from the inner earth. Some enjoying the sunlight, but for a brief span, +disappearing again for ever as, suddenly as they were up-borne; others +finding their way down to the habitable lowlands and to the sea. But, +unfortunately, all these springs, some of great volume, find issue on the +outer edge of the range; the gradual descent that marks the inner slope +is not the scene of these outbursts. Here, and throughout the interior, +the waters from below rise in a way that seems to best befit the weird +solitude of the great plain. + +At times, on a bare, baked mound elevated above the surface, there is a +dwarf crater filled with water that never overflows, and when tapped and +exhausted, rises once more to its former level. Again, canopied by giant +ti-trees amid the shrill shrieking of thousands of noisy parrots, the +traveller can pick his way along the treacherous paths that wind amongst +the hot springs. Or at the foot of a low range a scanty trickle fills a +rocky pool, and thence is lost. + +In the bed of some far inland creek, the water rises in the sand in +shallow pools, during the dark hours of night, to vanish once more +beneath the sun. And in low caverns in the limestone hills, down some +deep fissure, can be seen the waters of a stream, whose rise and course +no man has ever traced. Again a solitary lagoon is found whereon no lily +grows, and wherein no fish swims. Where the belated bushman camping for +the night, finds the next morning that the water has sunk many feet, or +perhaps has risen, when no rain has fallen far or near for months. All +these signs and tokens from the great sea beneath us may serve as guides +to the end. + +When one comes to know the real value of water in a thirsty land, it +almost seems like a crime on the part of Nature, that a spring should +rise and flow for a comparatively short distance, to be lost in the sea. +When by placing the source some fifteen or twenty miles away the course +would run for hundreds of miles through a dry country. Can human +ingenuity improve on nature? + +In this case nature seems to have laid the ground work of a great +comprehensive continental plain; to have put the lever ready for man to +start it, and though the scheme is one of such magnitude that it may at +first glance seem widely impossible, there is no reason, backed as it +would be by natural forces, that it may not be an accomplishment of the +future. + +To fully understand the great problem of the water supply of Australia, +it is necessary to comprehend and carry in mind the wonderfully unique +river system of the continent. In an average area of 1,800 miles east and +west, by 900 miles north and south, the whole drainage runs from north to +south; that is to say, all that finds vent in the ocean. This, of +course, is the surface formation carrying off the rainfall, and has no +bearing on the outbreak of subterranean springs. But, as showing the +upheaval of the land to the northward, it points out that naturally the +flow of irrigation on a large scale will be from north to south. + +It may be said that from the 18th parallel there is a steady slope +southward, broken only by the subordinate natural features of the +country, which necessarily form the irregularities of the smaller +tributaries. In this great block of more than a million and a quarter of +square miles there are then all the defined channels requisite for the +carriage of water throughout the heart of the continent, but with the +important fact wanting that they are destitute of a constant and steady +supply from the doubtful rainfall. The tilt of the northern edge of the +plateau puts their sources above the level of the great springs, and +causes them to be dependent on these intermittent and often scanty rains. +And we know that these rains have failed in producing any comprehendable +system of drainage over one third of our continent, at, least, at present +with our limited knowledge, the water system appears wasteful and +purposeless throughout that region. + +If then the underground sea that exists beneath could be, tapped as far +north as possible, the water would rise to the surface at a much higher +level, than would be possible elsewhere, and much greater use could be +made of it, inasmuch as a larger area would lay below it for +fertilization. Now, the question of the existence of this water supply at +a uniform depth beneath the earth's surface can be proved by noting the +existence of the springs that we know of, that have found their way +without artificial aid to the light of day. Only those can be brought in +evidence that are unmistakeably outside of local influence, and are +unaffected by wet weather, or dry. + +In the north, on the edge of the tableland, they are most numerous. On +the east coast, at the head of the Burdekin River, there are +unmistakeable signs of an upward effort of the imprisoned waters to free +themselves. One main tributary, a creek called Fletcher's Creek, takes +its rise in a labyrinth of basaltic rocks, that for years defied the +efforts of the whites to penetrate. This stream rising from its cradle in +the dead lava, winds in and out of the encompassing stretches of rocks, +until it emerges on the outer country, where it feeds and maintains two +large lakes, ere it is lost in the sandy bed of one of the anabranches +of the Burdekin. It is one of the strongest and most consistent outbreaks +in the north, and its volume and continuance show the strength of the +source from which it emerges. + +The head of the Burdekin itself is amongst lava beds, wherein there are +many similar springs; most of these take the form of permanent lagoons. +To the westward we find ourselves on a more arid surface, the formation +of the ranges not being so favourable to the development of springs; and +where they do occur, they are evidently the product of rainfall. On the +watershed we are on a corner, as it were, of the inland plain, and our +ascent has put us above the spring level. Lower down, if we follow the +well-known Flinders River, we find in the hot springs at Mount Brown +another upshoot from below that has evidently come from the neighbourhood +of the internal fires themselves. From this point right away west, +skirting the edge of the tableland, great rushes of water are +comparatively common. Some find their way between basaltic columns, and +after feeding the flow of some large river for many miles, die suddenly, +leaving the lower part of the watercourse a barren, sandy channel. The +heads of the Leichhardt and Gregory Rivers are particularly prolific in +springs; the latter river, as I have already noticed, being one of the +steadiest flowing rivers in Australia. Westward still, the heads of all +the rivers, no matter what their lower course is like, abound in springs +at the break of the descent from the tableland, and, as nearly as can be +computed, all these occur at nearly about an identical altitude. + +To travel west, through to the western shore of Australia, only gives us +the same phenomena: everywhere the belt of springs is to be found about +half-way between the edge of the tableland and the coast level, just +where the abrupt descent terminates and a gentler slope is entered on. It +would be wearisome to enumerate them all, the fact of their existence is +so well-known in these days. + +To fairly see what would be the result of bringing a little of the great +sea of hidden waters to the surface, let us take an instance of one of +the tributaries of that great artery of Australia, the Darling. The head +waters of the Warrego rise in latitude 24 deg., and at its very head, +within almost a stone's throw, are large springs, that find their way +down the range into the lowest river. Thence, through coastal lands, to +the eastern sea board. Now had these springs broken out on the higher +level of the Warrego watershed, their waters would have benefited +hundreds of miles of some of the fairest country in Australia, that now +suffers under constant drought. + +The preserving and regulating of their waters, after guiding them into +the channels prepared by Nature, would be an after-work greatly assisted +by the varied formation of the country through which their courses would +run. + + + + + + +PART II. + + + + + +MARITIME DISCOVERIES. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + + +To exhaustively deal with the early maritime discoveries of this +continent would require from the historian a vast power of research, and +especially of caution, in deciding or allotting to any one country the +priority of position as the "first-finders;" and while we know of few +studies affording more intellectual pleasure and enjoyment, we doubt if +the result would even then set at rest the mystery which still enshrouds +those narratives. + +Since the commencement of this work, however, the following original +paper has been considered worthy of attention, as it presents the most +reasonable and logical theory yet put forward for the right to consider +the French as the original discoverers, and readers will have pleasure in +following out the various deductions as made by one of our +fellow-colonists, E. Marin La Meslée, Member of the Société de Géographie +Commerciale de Paris, who has, by great research, compiled, in the +following interesting article, the evidence relating to the voyage of the +old Norman navigator, Paulmier de Gonneville, in 1503. + +Without endorsing what is here put forward, there is much in its favour, +and it shows a considerable degree of keen argument and cogent reasoning +that, in any case, is a valuable contribution to this department of +literature. Moreover, it may be the incentive for further exploration of +the locality mentioned at some future time, with the view of solving the +secrets of the strange carving and wonderful cave drawings, to which so +much interest has been attracted. + +* * * * * + +Most of the modern histories of Australia contain, with regard to the +voyage of De Gonneville, the same stereotyped remarks:-- + + +"A claim has been set forth on behalf of a certain French sailor named De +Gonneville, who is stated to have landed on the coast of Australia in +1503, but this claim can easily be dismissed, as there is little doubt +that the country he describes is no other than the island of Madagascar." + + +This opinion, so generally entertained by modern writers is probably +based on the authority of Admiral Burney, and the eminent +English geographer, Mr. Major, who, in referring to Burney's remarks with +regard to this voyage in his paper on "Early Voyages to Terra Australis," +printed in 1861, merely endorses this statement without attempting to +discuss it. The voyage of Jean Binot Paulmier de Gonneville is +authenticated, however, beyond the possibility of a doubt, but the +mystery to be cleared up as to what part of the Austral world the old +Norman navigator landed upon requires careful handling and very close +discussion. + +De Gonneville left Honfleur in the month of June of the year 1503, in the +good ship L'ESPOIR, and after having rounded the Cape of Good Hope he was +assailed by tempestuous weather and driven into calm latitudes. After a +tedious spell of calm weather, want of water forced him to make for the +first land he could sight. The flight of some birds coming from the south +decided him to run a course to the southward, and after a few days' sail +he landed on the coast of a large territory, at the mouth of a fine +river, which he compares to the river Orne, at Caen. There he remained +for six months repairing his vessel, and making exploring excursions in +the neighbourhood, holding meanwhile amicable intercourse with the +inhabitants. He left this great Austral Land, to which he gave the name +of "Southern Indies," as being situated, in his estimation, "not far +from the true course to the East Indies," on the 3rd of July of the year +1504, taking with him two of the natives, one of whom was the son of the +chief of the people among whom he had resided. On the return voyage no +land was seen until the day after the Feast of St. Denis, I.E., the 10th +of October of the same year; but on nearing the coast of France the ship +was attacked off tile islands of Guernsey and jersey by an English +privateer, who robbed the navigators of all they brought from the land +they had visited, the most important loss being the journal of the +expedition. On his arrival at Honfleur, De Gonneville immediately entered +a plaint before the Admiralty Court of Normandy, and wrote a report of +his voyage, which was signed by the principal officers of his vessel. + +The following is a translation of the title of this document + + +"Judicial declaration made before the Admiralty Court of Normandy by +Sieur de Gonneville, at the request of the King's procurator, respecting +the voyage of the good ship L'ESPOIR, of the port of Honfleur, to the +'Southern Indies.'" + + +Extracts from this judicial declaration were published for the first time +in 1663 by the bookseller Cramoisy, who had received them from a priest +named J. B. Paulmier, then Canon of the Cathedral Church of St. Pierre de +Lizieux. The document was addressed to Pope Alexander VII., and bears the +title of:-- + + +"Memorial for the establishment of a Christian mission in the third part +of the world, or 'Terre Australe.' Dedicated to His Holiness Pope +Alexander VII., by a priest originating from that country." + + +This priest was the direct descendant of one of the "Australians" (a term +used for the first time by De Gonneville himself in referring to the +inhabitants of "Terre Australe"), whom the Norman captain had brought to +France, and to whom at his death he gave his name and fortune, in his +desire to make some atonement for the wrong which the worthy sailor +considered he had inflicted upon the native by taking him away from his +country under a promise to return, which he was never able to redeem. De +Gonneville married him to one of his relatives, and the priest in +question was the grandson of the "Australian," whose native name was +"Essomeric." Canon Paulmier appears to have been a man of mark in his +time, since he was resident in France as representative of the King of +Denmark. He was also a man of great learning, and Des Brosses informs us +that he had made a particular study of geography and the history of +voyages of discovery, with which he was perfectly acquainted. + +The documents published by Des Brosses were translated and appeared for +the first time in English in a work entitled "Terra Australis Cognita," +by the Scotch geographer, Callender, who, like Des Brosses, was fully +convinced that De Gonneville had landed somewhere on what is now known as +the Australian Continent. This territory was named by Des Brosses +AUSTRALASIA as far back as 1761, and was placed to the southward of the +Little Moluccas, where our maps now show the north-western portion of the +Australian Continent. Some English geographers, however, such as Admiral +Burney and Flinders, differ from the conclusions arrived at by both Des +Brosses and Callender. Burney inclines to the belief that the land +visited by De Gonneville could be no other than Madagascar. After him, +Major, than whom no higher or more respected authority exists in +geographical matters of this kind, seems to have too readily accepted +Burney's opinion. Perhaps they each considered the claim set up on behalf +of De Gonneville as based on insufficient grounds, and were disposed to +doubt, in the face of later knowledge of the natives of Australia, that +De Gonneville could possibly have induced one of his relatives to marry a +representative of these wretched races: and it must be admitted that +herein lies the great stumbling block in the way of fixing the position +of the territory upon which De Gonneville actually landed. It is also +probable that Burney was led to the conclusion that Madagascar was the +point visited by some inaccuracies in Callender's translation with regard +to the kind of head-dress described as worn by the women, which would +certainly appear to refer more to the inhabitants of the great African +island than to the Australians. The mystery is a difficult one to clear +up, but subsequent discoveries, and a closer scrutiny of the Norman +captain's narrative, prove, we think, clearly that De Gonneville's +"Southern Indies" could be no other than the Australian Continent, and +that he landed in reality at the mouth of some of the rivers on the +north-western coast. + +In the first place, the judicial declaration cited above, which had been +for more than three centuries and a half mislaid among the records of the +Admiralty of Normandy, was discovered in the year 1873 by the French +geographer, Benoit D'Avezac, who published it in a pamphlet in which he +discusses this question, and concludes that the land visited by De +Gonneville must have been some part of South America. But this official +document, which is similar in almost all points to the memoirs of the +priest, Paulmier, and establishes at once the fidelity of his extracts +and the absolute truth of the voyage of the French captain, does not +contain any additional information which could lead to such conclusion, +based only on his description of the natives of the "Southern Indies." +D'Avezac's contention cannot be sustained, and must give way before the +evidence of other facts; but as the same arguments against his theory +apply also to that of Burney and Major, we need not discuss it here for +the present. + +It is, however, necessary, in order that the reader may form a clear idea +of the subject, to quote at length the original memoirs as published by +the worthy priest. As the translation of Callender is, on the whole, a +fairly good one--although it may be inferred that the Scotch geographer, +who wrote in 1761, was better acquainted with the pure French of the +eighteenth century than with the quaint terms of the old Norman dialect, +in which De Gonneville's narrative is written--we shall transcribe here +that portion which bears on the subject, reserving to ourselves the duty +of pointing out the few inaccuracies which may have led Burney and others +to erroneous conclusions. + +EXTRACT FROM THE MEMOIRS OF J. B. PAULMIER. + +It were to be wished that some better hand than mine were employed to +give an account of these southern regions of the world; but I cannot, +without being wanting to my character, to my birth, and to my profession, +omit doing this duty to the natives of the Southern World. Soon after +the Portuguese had discovered the way to the East Indies, some French +merchants, invited by a prospect of sharing the gains of this trade, +fitted out a ship, which, in its route to the Indies, being driven from +the straight course by a tempest, was thrown upon this great southern +land. The natives of this region received the French with the most +cordial hospitality, and, during an abode of six months, did them every +good office in their power. The French, willing to bring some of the +natives home with them, prevailed upon the easy credulity of the chief of +that nation to give them one of his sons, promising that they would +return him to his country fully instructed in the European arts, +particularly that of making war, which these Australians desired above +all things. Thus was the Indian brought into France, where he lived long +enough to converse with many who are yet living, and, being baptised, he +received the name and surname of the captain who brought him over. His +godfather, in order to acquit himself in some degree of what he owed to +the Australians, procured him a small establishment in France, and +married him to one of his own relations. One of the sons of this marriage +was my grandfather. The solemn promise the French had given to the +inhabitants to return him among them, and what I owe to my original +country, induces me to give the following short account of the voyage, +compiled from the memoirs of my own family:-- + +"The French having formed the design of following the steps of Vasco de +Gama in the East Indies, equipped a vessel at Honfleur for that voyage, +which, being commanded by the Sieur de Gonneville, weighed anchor in +June, 1503, and, having doubled the Cape of Good Hope, was attacked by a +furious storm, which, driving them far from their intended course, left +them uncertain in what part of the world they were. Being in want of +water, and their ship having suffered much by storm, the sight of some +birds from the south induced them to hold their course that way, where +they soon discovered a large country, to which they gave the name of +Southern India, according to the usage of those days, when it was +customary to give the name of India to every new discovered country. They +cast anchor in a river, which they say was of the bigness of the Orne, +near Caen. Here they spent six months refitting their ship, but the crew, +being intimidated, obliged Gonneville to return to France. During his +stay in this country he had time to form a most curious account of the +country and the manners of its inhabitants, which he inserted in his +journal; but, unfortunately, being just off the coast of France, he was +taken near the isle of Guernsey by an English privateer, who robbed him +of his journal and everything he had. On his landing he complained to the +Admiralty, and, having emitted the following judicial declaration, at the +request of the procurator of the King, he inserted it in a short relation +of the discoveries he had made. This public act, authenticated by all the +proper forms, is dated 19th July, 1505, and signed by the principal +officers of the ship. From this the following are extracts:-- + +"ITEM. They say that during their stay in that country they conversed in +all freedom with the natives, having gained their goodwill by some +trifling presents. That the said Indians were simple people, leading a +careless, easy life, subsisting by hunting and fishing, and on some roots +and herbs which the soil furnishes spontaneously. Some wear mantles +either of skins or of woven mats, and some of them are made of feathers, +like those of the gypsies in our country, only they are shorter, with a +kind of apron girt above the haunches, which the men wear down to the +knee, and the women to the calf of the leg. The women wear collars made +of bones and small shells. The men have no ornament of this sort, but +carry a bow, and arrows pointed with sharp bones. They have also a sword, +made of very hard wood, burned and sharpened at the end; and these are +all their weapons. The women and girls go bare-headed, with their hair +neatly tied up in tresses mixed with flowers of most beautiful colours. +The men let their hair hang down, but they wear crowns of feathers, +richly coloured. + +"They say further, that having gone two days' journey into the country +and along the coasts both to right and left, they found it very fertile, +and full of many birds, beasts, and fish utterly unknown in Christendom. +The late Nicole Le Fevre, of Honfleur, a volunteer in this voyage, had +taken exact draughts of all these things. But everything was lost, +together with the journals of the voyage when the ship was taken: and +this makes their account very imperfect. + +"ITEM. They say, further, that the country is not very populous, the +natives living dispersed in villages consisting of thirty, forty, or +eighty huts. Those huts are made of stakes drove into the ground, the +intervals being filled up with herbs and leaves, and a hole at top to let +out the smoke. The doors are formed of sticks neatly tied together, and +are shut with wooden keepers like those of the stables in Normandy. The +beds are made of soft mats, skins, or feathers. Their household utensils +are formed of wood, even the pots with which they boil water but, to +preserve them from burning, they are laid over with a kind of clay an +inch thick. + +"ITEM. They say that the country is divided into many cantons, each of +which has its king, or chief. These kings are highly honoured and feared +by their subjects, though no better dressed or lodged than they. They +have power of life and death over the subjects, of which some of the crew +saw a memorable example in the person of a young man of twenty years of +age, who, in a fit of passion, had struck his mother. Though no complaint +was made, yet the king sent for him and ordered him to be thrown into the +river with a large stone tied to his neck, having previously called +together the young men of that and the neighbouring villages to witness +his punishment. + +"The name of this king, to whose territory the ship came, was Arosca. His +canton extended a day's journey within land, having about a dozen +villages in it, each of which had its particular chief, but under Arosca. +The said Arosca was, to appearance, about sixty, then a widower, but had +six sons--from thirty to fifteen years of age--who came often to the +ship. Arosca was of middle stature, thick set, of grave but pleasant +countenance. He was then at peace with the neighbouring kings, but they +and he were at war with the people in the inland country, against whom he +marched twice, during the ship's stay there. Each time he had a body of +500 or 600 men with him, and when he returned the last time, there were +great rejoicings made on account of a victory he had gained. There was +nothing but excursions for a few days, in which they begged the French to +march with them, in hopes of being assisted by their firearms, but the +commander excused himself. + +"ITEM. They say that there came five of their kings to see the ship, but +they wore nothing to distinguish them but their plumes of feathers, +which, contrary to those of their subjects, was of one colour. The +principal inhabitants wore some feathers of the colour of the king's +mixed with the others. Arosca had his of green. + +"ITEM. They say that these friendly Indians received them as angels from +Heaven, and were infinitely surprised at the bulk of the ship, the +artillery, mirrors, and other things they saw on board. Above all, they +were astonished at our method of communicating our thoughts to each other +by letters from the ship to those on shore, not being able to divine how +the letter could speak. For these reasons they greatly feared the French. +At the same time they were so much beloved by them, on account of some +axes, mirrors and knives they gave them, that they were always ready to +do anything in their power to serve the strangers, bringing them great +quantities of flesh and fish, fruits, and other provisions. Besides +which, they brought them large quantities of skins, feathers, and roots, +of dying in different colours, in exchange for which they received +different kinds of hardware of small price, and thus the French got +together above one hundred quintals of their goods. + +"ITEM. They say that, intending to leave there some memorial that this +country had been visited by Christians, they erected a large wooden +cross, thirty-five feet high, and painted over, placed on an eminence in +view of the sea. This they did with much ceremony on the Day of +Pentecost, 504, the cross being carried by the captain and his officers, +all barefooted, accompanied by the King Arosca and the principal Indians, +after whom followed the crew, under arms, singing the Litany. These were +accompanied by a crowd of Indians, to whom they gave to understand the +meaning of this ceremony as well as they could. Having set up the cross, +they fired volleys of their cannon and small arms, charging the Indians +to keep carefully and honour the monument they had set up, and endeavoured +to gain them to this by presenting them with a number of baubles, which, +though of small value, were highly prized by them. On one side of this +cross were engraved the name of the Pope and that of our Sovereign, the +name of the Admiral of France, and those of the captain and all his crew. +On the other side appeared the Latin verses following, made by the above +Nicole Le Fevre, signifying the date of this transaction-- + + "HIC sacra paLMarIUs, post UIt gonIVILLabInotUs, + "GreX, foCIUs parIterqUe UtraqUe progenles. + +"ITEM. They say that, having refitted their ship in the best way they +could, they prepared to return to France, and being willing, after the +manner of those who discover strange lands, to carry some of the natives +with them, they persuaded the king, Arosca, to let them have one of his +sons, promising to the father that they would bring him back in twenty +moons at farthest, with others who should teach them the use of firearms, +and how to make mirrors, axes, knives, and whatever else they admired +among the Christians. These promises determined Arosca to let his son, +called Essomeric, go along with them, to whom he gave for a companion an +Indian of thirty-five years of age, called Namoa. He and his people +convoyed them to the ship, giving them provisions, besides many beautiful +feathers and other rarities, in order to present to the King of France. +At parting, Arosca obliged them to swear that they would return in twenty +moons, and when the ship got under way the whole people gave a great cry, +and, forming the sign of the Cross with their fingers, gave them to +understand that they would carefully preserve the one set up among them. + +"ITEM. They say that they left this southern country July 3rd, 1504, and +saw no land until the day after the Feast of St. Denis, during which time +they were much distressed by a malignant fever, of which their surgeon +and three more died, among whom was the Indian, Namoa. The young son of +Arosca also falling sick, they baptised him by the name of Binot, after +their captain, who stood godfather to him. This was done September 14th, +after which the young Indian grew better and arrived in France." + +Callender further remarks:-- + +"Thus far the judicial declaration emitted by De Gonneville before the +Admiralty. The rest of the author's memoir is filled with exhortations to +the French to profit by this lucky discovery, and send the writer back to +the country of his ancestors; but this appears never to have been done. +The author seems to have begun this extract from De Gonneville's +declaration in that place where he talks of the manners of the +inhabitants, omitting what went before, though it is highly probable that +the navigator must have said something of the voyage outwards and the +portion of the country where he landed, which would have been of great +importance for us to know at this day. The French writer from whom we +have translated the above account informs us that the Count de Maurepas +caused search lately through all the records of the Admiralty in +Normandy, in order to find the original of this declaration, but an +interval of two centuries and a half, and the confusions occasioned by +the civil wars, had dispersed all the old papers, and all the information +that M. de Maurepas could obtain was that a tradition still subsisted +there that such a piece was once among the records, but they could give +no account of what was become of it. Thus the full account of an attempt +which Magellan some years after finished with success is entirely lost, +except the very lame extract we have been able to lay before the reader. +Our French author tells us he has seen another copy of this memorial at +the end of the dedication to Pope Alexander VII. The author signs his +name thus, at full length, 'Paulmier, Prêtre Indien Chanoine de l'Eglise +Cathédrale de Lizieux.' The proprietor of this copy has added a note, +testifying that this copy was given him by the author himself in 1664. He +commends him as a person of universal knowledge, and one who had +travelled all over Europe. He had made the history of navigation his +principal study, and was perfectly acquainted with it. In another note we +are told that Essomeric, the son of Arosca, lived to the year 1583, and +left posterity under the name of Binot. One of his grand-children, J. B. +Binot, was President of the Treasury of Provence, and left an only +daughter, who was m married to the Marquis de la Barbent, May 4th, 1725. +Our readers will not be surprised that we have entered into a detail of +facts in order to elucidate and confirm the truth of this first discovery +of the Terra Australis, especially as this account was never seen in our +language till now, and is therefore little known even to those who are +otherwise well acquainted with voyages made to this part of the world." + + +Callender, however, has omitted to translate the remainder of Des +Brosses' account, in which, among other facts, the important statement is +made that the priest Paulmier had become personally known to M. Flaconet, +who met him for the first time at the residence of the Lord Bishops of +Heliopolis and Beryte, where he often met him in company with M. de +Flacourt, who had commanded in Madagascar, and AI. Fernamel, father of +the Superior of the Foreign Missions. The good abbe was doing all in his +power to persuade these gentlemen to assist in sending a mission to these +Australians, and it also appears that he had communicated his views on +the subject to St. Vincent de Paul, who would have presented his memorial +to the Pope had he not been prevented by death. + +Before attempting to fix the position of the country visited by De +Gonneville, it is necessary to refute here the various opinions expressed +on the subject which refer to countries other than the Australian +Continent. The most ancient is that brought forward by tile geographers, +Duval and Nolin, and the navigator, Bouvet, who place those lands almost +immediately to the south of the Cape of Good Hope. As there are no lands +thereabout, this opinion is hardly worth quoting but, considering the +very limited knowledge of the geography of that part of the world in +those days, the error may be readily understood. Others, basing their +opinion on the length of De Gonneville's voyage, have surmised that he +might have landed on some part of the coast of Tasmania or of New +Zealand, but this conclusion is equally untenable, as these islands are +not situated within calm latitudes, and are not near or even in the +direction of the "true course to the East Indies," which the French +sailor was satisfied he was not far off, as, under this belief, he, on +leaving the "Southern Indies" endeavoured to induce his crew to +continue their voyage. Besides, the description given of the inhabitants +and their manners, applies more to natives of a tropical or semi-tropical +climate than to those of such cold regions as New Zealand and Tasmania. + +We are, therefore, confronted with only one more opinion, which is held +by most English geographers on the high authority of Admiral Burney. + +"Let the whole account," says Burney, "be reconsidered without +prepossession, and the idea that will immediately and most naturally +occur is that Southern India, discovered by De Gonneville, was +Madagascar. De Gonneville, having doubled (passed round) the Cape, was by +tempests driven into calm latitudes, and so near to this land that he was +directed thither by the flight of birds. The refusal of the crew to +proceed to Eastern India would scarcely have happened if they had been so +far advanced to the east as New Holland." + +It is difficult to conceive how Burney could have expressed such an +opinion, unless he was led to that conclusion by some errors in +Callender's translations. There is, in fact, a passage having reference +to the descriptions of the head-dress worn by the native women, in which +the Scotch geographer has given the following version of Des Brosses' +original:-- + + +"The women and girls go bareheaded, with their hair neatly tied up in +tresses, mixed with flowers of most beautiful colours."? + +The original narrative reads thus:-- + +"Et vont les femmes et filles tête nue, ayant les cheveux gentiment +teurchés de petits cordons d'herbes teintes de couleurs vives et +luisantes." + + +Which means:-- + + +"The women and girls go bare headed, having their hair ornamented with +little strings of grass dyed in bright colours." + + +This, as will be seen, is a very different version. Callender evidently +did not understand the old Norman expression--GENITMENT TEURCHÉS, which +means "nicely ornamented," and translated it by the word that appeared to +him more akin in form, TRESSES, hence, "the hair neatly tied up in +tresses", which is a characteristic custom of the native women of the +island of Madagascar. + +But this is a small matter. It is, however, more difficult to dispose of +another fact as telling against the Madagascar theory, which apparently +did not strike Burney. Gonneville states that he was driven into calm +latitudes, and after tedious navigation, was directed southward by the +flight of birds. It is only necessary here to compare dates in order to +show how misapplied would be this description to the latitudes within +which Madagascar is situated. + +De Gonneville left Honfleur in June, 1503, and quilted Southern India on +the 3rd of July of the following year. As he stayed six months in that +country, his outward voyage had, therefore, lasted about seven months, +and he must have been in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope about +December, 1503, or January, 1504. As it is a well-known fact that +tempestuous weather is generally met with from the SOUTH-WEST and, +moreover, that the prevailing wind during that season of the year is from +the north-west, De Gonneville, whose true course lay to the north-east, +was probably driven much more toward the east than he expected, for he +expressly states that he was convinced he was not far from the true +course to the East Indies. Had the tempests blown from the SOUTH-EAST, +there would never, in all probability, have been any need discussing his +account, for he would have had none to render, as his ship would have +been driven very quickly against the East African coast, or the +south-east coast of Madagascar and wrecked. + +It must be assumed that De Gonneville was, for his time, a man of great +ability, well versed in nautical matters, and the use of the primitive +instruments which were then known, and his opinion as, to the position of +his ship, and his desire to proceed to the East Indies, being inwardly +satisfied that he was not far from the object of his voyage, is certainly +entitled to some consideration, although, unfortunately, he has not left +any indication of the latitude or longitude of the country he visited. If +to this be added the facts that it is precisely in the season extending +from December to March, that the Madagascar latitudes are constantly +visited by hurricanes, and that the cyclones which originate in the +Indian Ocean burst over the islands of Mauritius and Reunion, and +generally travel towards these coasts, it will be apparent that the term +"calm latitudes" must necessarily apply to some other part of the Indian +Ocean. It is equally well-known that the belt which extends round the +globe between 10 deg. of latitude, north, and 10 deg. of latitude, south, +is in all parts of the ocean, and at all times, subject to very tedious +calms, though the waters may occasionally be ruffled by very heavy +hurricanes and storms. These facts force us to seek for the land visited +in the neighbourhood of these latitudes. The objection raised by the +sailors to proceed to the East Indies means nothing, as they had no idea +of their position, while as ignorant and superstitious men, tired of a +long and dangerous voyage, they had little reason to share in their +chief's confidence in his estimate of the locality they had reached, and +had no thought but that of returning homewards without facing again the +dangers of unknown seas. + +Further arguments are not wanting to refute the Madagascar theory. In the +first place, the Portuguese, who discovered that island in 1506, and +explored its coasts in the following years, could not have Ion. remained +in ignorance of De Gonneville's voyage. The cross erected by his +companion was, perhaps, not destroyed; but, so short a period having +c-lapsed between their discoveries and the Norman captain's voyage, the +natives could scarcely have forgotten so important an event. The only +alternative theory would be that, in their explorations along the coast +of the island, the Portuguese were so unfortunate as to land everywhere +but near the spot where De Gonneville may be supposed to have resided. It +is stated, moreover, that the priest Paulmier wrote his memorial to the +Pope with the object of obtaining a Christian mission to the home of his +ancestors; but the Portuguese missionaries were preaching the Gospel in +Madagascar almost since the first visits of their countrymen to that +island, and it is self-evident that the Abbe, who was often in the +company of the priests who in Paris administered the foreign missions in +non-Christian countries, must have been aware of this fact; while M. de +Villermon positively states that he often met Paulmier in company with M. +de Flacourt who had been Governor of Madagascar where France had +established itself as far back as 1642. What would have been the +necessity, it may be asked, of praying that a Christian mission should be +sent to a country where missions had flourished for over a century, or of +founding a French colony in an island which was already occupied by +France, and had received resident governors ten years before the good +priest wrote? + +But there is one last point which is sufficient in itself to remove all +doubts on the subject. Here, again, we must compare dates, and we find +that:-- + + +"They left that country on the 3rd of July, 15o4, and did not see land +until the day after the Feast of St. Denis, i.e., 10th October, 1504." + + +De Gonneville's report to the Admiralty is dated 15th June, 1505, and +admitting that there was some delay between his landing at Honfleur and +the date of his report, which was signed by the principal officers of his +vessel, he could hardly have reached France before March or April of that +year. As he was, moreover, convinced that the country to which he had +given the name of Southern India lay to the south of the East Indies, it +is evident that on his return home his course must have been SOUTH-WEST, +which, had he started from the east coast of Madagascar, or, as D'Avezac +thinks, from that of South America, would have landed him on his starting +point. It is evident that the land he sighted after three months' +navigation could be no other than the Cape of Good Hope. + +This is sufficient, we venture to think, to dispose of the Madagascar +theory, as it does also of the South American one, which, it may be +added, can hardly be admitted as possible, when the length of the return +voyage of De Gonneville (about twelve months) is taken into +consideration, together with the fact that the whole of the South +American coast within the region where De Gonneville might have landed +was explored and settled about the same time, and some record of his +voyage would certainly have been found. + +Where, then, shall we look for this Southern India, for that fine river, +at the mouth of which De Gonneville remained six months, and for that +fine country which his companions explored in their journeys with the +natives? + +A river of the size described pre-supposes a country of considerable +extent, and therefore De Gonneville could not have landed on any of the +islands lying between Madagascar and the Sunda Islands. It could not have +been either of the latter named, as they lie to the north, and not the +south of the calm latitudes referred to by De Gonneville. We are perforce +obliged to admit that, as it was not and cannot have been Madagascar, it +must have been Australia, and in all probability the north-west coast of +the continent, about the Prince Regent and Glenelg rivers, where the +explorers King and Grey found fine rivers and a rich country fairly +populated with a race of warlike natives. It is certainly difficult when +reading the description given of the "Australians," by De Gonneville, to +imagine that they could possibly have had any resemblance to the races we +are accustomed to meet with in almost all parts of Australia. Still less +could they have resembled the wretched creatures which Dampier found +inhabiting the west coast, between Cape Le veque and the North-west Cape, +and we must, therefore, look further north for a country and a race of +men answering better to the description of the Norman captain. + +De Gonneville found a fine district, watered by a large river, and +inhabited by men who possessed a kind of rudimentary civilization, a +tribal organization, and obeyed some established individual authority. He +further tells us that they lived in villages, or agglomerations of huts +of the shape of the covered markets in the Normandy villages--that is to +say, oval or round, made of stakes driven into the ground, and the +intervals filled up with herbs and the leaves of trees; and that the +speech of these people is soft and melodious. He also speaks of the +birds, beasts, fishes, and other curious animals unknown in Christendom, +of which Master Nicole le Fevre, of Honfleur, who was a volunteer in the +voyage, had taken exact draughts. And, last of all, we are told that De +Gonneville induced the chief or king of the country to allow him to take +home his son and another Indian as a companion, promising to return with +them in twenty "moons" at furthest, and owing to the impossibility of +fulfilling that promise, he procured the young Australian an +establishment in France, and married him to one of his relatives, from +whom he had posterity. This last portion of the narrative would appear +the most incredible of all, if we had not official and documentary +evidence of its absolute truth, as it must certainly be presumed that the +Australian could not possibly have belonged to the wretched races with +whom we are familiar. + + +But, however difficult it may seem to reconcile the account of De +Gonneville with our general knowledge of the natives of Australia, the +task is not so hopeless as at first sight may appear; and we shall crave +the attention of the reader to the following description of the country +and the inhabitants of that part of North-west Australia which surrounds +the Glenelg. and Prince Regent and other rivers in their neighbourhood, +discovered and visited for the first time by Captain King and Lieutenant, +now Sir George, Grey, the latter exploring it to some distance inland in +the year 1838. + +Referring to that part of the country, Lieut. Grey says in his "Expedition +in North-Western and Western Australia," p. 179:-- + + +"The peak we ascended afforded us a very beautiful view: to the north lay +Prince Regent's River, and the good country we were now upon extended as +far as the inlets which communicated with this great navigable stream; to +the south and south-westward lay the Glenelg, meandering through as +verdant and fertile a district as the eye of man ever rested on. The +luxuriance of tropical vegetation was now seen to great advantage in the +height of the rainy season. The smoke of native fires rose in every +direction from the country which lay like a map at our feet; and when I +recollected that all those natural riches of soil and climate lay between +two navigable rivers, and that its sea coast frontage, not much exceeding +fifty miles in latitude, contained three of the finest harbours in the +world in which the tide rose thirty-seven and a half feet, I could not +but feel we were in a land singularly blessed by nature." + + +Could any description more closely adapt itself to the fine country, +fairly peopled (PEUPLÉE ENTRE DEUX) of which De Gonneville speaks. +Further, on page 195 g S of the same work, Grey says:-- + + +"We at length reached a watershed connecting the country we had left with +that we were entering upon. . . This watershed consisted principally of a +range of elevated hills, from which streams were thrown off to the +Glenelg and to Prince Regent's River. The scenery here was fine, but I +have so often before described the same character of landscape that it +will be sufficient to say, we again looked down from high land on a very +fertile country, covered with a tropical vegetation, and lying between +two navigable rivers. I CAN COMPARE THIS TO NO OTHER AUSTRALIAN SCENERY, +FOR I HAVE MET WITH NOTHING IN THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE CONTINENT WHICH +AT ALL RESEMBLE IT." + + +Referring to the fauna, the same authority says:-- + + +"North Western Australia seems to be peculiarly prolific in birds, +reptiles, and insects, who dwell here unmolested. . . ." + + +After mentioning several kinds of kangaroos, opossums, native dogs, etc., +the former of which animals are constantly hunted down by the natives, +Grey, speaking of the birds, says:-- + + +"To describe the birds common to these parts requires more time than to +detail the names of the few quadrupeds to be found. Indeed, in no other +country that I have ever visited do birds so abound. Even the virgin +forests of America cannot, in my belief, boast of such numerous feathered +denizens. . . . The birds of this country possess, in many instances, an +excessively beautiful plumage, and he alone who has traversed these wild +and romantic regions, who has beheld a flock of many-coloured parrakeets +sweeping like a moving rainbow through the air, can form any adequate +idea of the scenes that then burst on the eye of the wondering +naturalist. As to fish, the rivers abound in many species of excellent +fish." + + +Could there be a more fitting description of that country which De +Gonneville and his companions explored along the coast and in the +interior to a distance of two days' journey, which "they found very +fertile and full of many birds, beasts, and fish hitherto unknown in +Christendom?" To what does this latter qualification apply? Certainly not +to birds, beasts, or fish of either South America or Madagascar, as the +American fauna was, to a certain extent, already known in Christendom, +and that of Madagascar, which resembles that of the east coast of Africa, +apart from a few species not particularly remarkable or numerous, was +also well-known to Europeans. These beasts, of which, to use the old +Norman phrase of "Master Nicole Le Fevre, avait pourtrayé les façons," +must have struck him as very peculiar indeed when he refers to them as +"utterly unknown in Christendom," and we know well that no other country +can boast of a fauna so essentially different to that of any other part +of the world as the Australian Continent. + +And now as to the natives of this part of Australia, i.e., the +neighbourhood of the Glenelg and Prince Regent's River. Grey, in page 251 +of the above cited work, says:-- + + +"My knowledge of the natives is chiefly drawn from what I have observed +of their haunts, their painted caves, and drawings. I have, moreover, +become acquainted with several of their weapons, some of their +implements, and took pains to study their disposition and habits as far +as I could. + +"In their manner of life, their weapons, and mode of hunting, they +closely resemble the other Australian tribes with which I have since +become pretty intimately acquainted, WHILST IN THEIR FORM AND APPEARANCE +THERE IS A STRIKING DIFFERENCE. They are, in general, very tall and +robust, and exhibit in their legs and arms a fine, full development of +muscle which is unknown to southern races. They wear no clothes, and +their bodies are marked by scars and wales. They seem to have no regular +mode of dressing their hair, this appearing to depend entirely on +individual taste or caprice. + +"THEY APPEAR TO LIVE IN TRIBES, SUBJECT, PERHAPS, TO SOME INDIVIDUAL +AUTHORITY, AND EACH TRIBE HAS A SORT OF CAPITAL OR HEAD-QUARTERS, WHERE +THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN REMAIN, WHILST THE MEN, DIVIDED INTO SMALL +PARTIES, HUNT AND SHOOT IN EVERY DIRECTION. The largest number we saw +together, including women and children, amounted to nearly two hundred. + +"Their arms consist of stone-headed spears, of throwing-sticks, of +boomerangs or kileys, clubs, and stone hatchets. + +"These natives manufacture their water buckets and weapons very neatly, +and make from the bark of a tree a light but strong cord. + +"THEIR HUTS, OF WHICH I ONLY SAW THOSE ON THE COAST, ARE CONSTRUCTED, IN +AN OVAL FORM, OF THE BOUGHS OF TREES, AND ARE ROOFED WITH DRY REEDS. THE +DIAMETER OF ONE WHICH I MEASURED WAS ABOUT FOURTEEN FEET AT THE BASE. + +"THEIR LANGUAGE IS SOFT AND MELODIOUS, SO MUCH SO AS TO LEAD TO THE +INFERENCE THAT IT DIFFERS VERY MATERIALLY, IF NOT RADICALLY, FROM THE +MORE SOUTHERN AUSTRALIAN DIALECTS, WHICH I HAVE SINCE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY +TO INQUIRE INTO. Their gesticulation is expressive, and their bearing +manly and noble. They never speared a horse or sheep belonging to us, +and, judging by the degree of industry shown in their paintings, the +absence of anything offensive in the subjects delineated, and the careful +finish of some articles of common use, I should infer that, under proper +treatment, they might easily be raised very considerably in the scale of +civilisation. + +"A REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE IS THE PRESENCE AMONGST THEM OF A RACE, TO +APPEARANCE, TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND ALMOST WHITE, WHO SEEM TO EXERCISE NO +SMALL INFLUENCE OVER THE REST. I am forced to believe that the distrust +evinced towards strangers arose from these persons, as in both instances +when we were attacked, the hostile party was led by one of these +light-coloured men." + + +We need only draw the attention of the reader to the close resemblance +between the description of De Gonneville's "Australians" and that of +Grey's in many particulars, especially in their tribal organization, the +form of their houses, [Note, below] their language, and the fact of the +existence among them, as leaders of the tribes, of that race of almost +white men also observed about the same parts by Captain King, who thinks +that they are of Malay origin. + +[Note: Callender, in his translation omits a passage referring to the +form of the huts of the Australians, which De Gonneville says were "EN +FORME DE HALLES," i.e., in the form of covered markets such as seen in +the villages of Normandy, which are generally oval structures.] + +There are certain discrepancies, however, which cannot be explained away, +unless it is taken into consideration that Grey visited those coasts +three hundred and thirty years after the French sailor, and that during +that interval of time the customs of the inhabitants cannot fall to have +undergone a change. It may be also that the light-coloured people seen +amongst them are but the remnants of once numerous tribes, probably of +Malay origin, as these latter have left undeniable marks of their having +not intermixed with the native races throughout the whole of northern +Australia. One of the points of dissemblance which might be pointed out +is the fact that De Gonneville describes them as using bows and arrows, +which is at variance with our knowledge of the arms of the Australians, +and equally differs from Grey's description of the same; but this +objection exists also as regards the inhabitants of Madagascar, who, +besides, had already attained a much higher degree of civilisation than +that described by De Gonneville--being acquainted with the use of iron, +the manufacture of cotton and silk goods, fine mats, and many other +articles of value among civilised people. The Madagascar natives never +made use of the skins of animals as an article of dress, whilst this +custom is common to the aborigines of all parts of Australia, where the +kangaroo, opossums, native bears, and emus, furnish them with the +material, with which they could manufacture these garments of skins or +beds of feathers described by De Gonneville. But if the theory is +accepted, which we are about to put forward regarding the inhabitants of +this part of Australia--that at the time of De Gonneville's visit a +people of Malay origin inhabited it in fairly large numbers, of which the +light-coloured natives seen by Grey are the descendants, and that with +their disappearance from that district some of their customs disappeared +with them, the natives of the present day retaining only those best +suited to their actual mode of life--then the Norman captain's narrative +will become intelligible. Besides, as regards the use of bow and arrow, +certainly known to the Malays, although the intercourse of the latter +with other tribes on the north Australian coast has been undoubtedly +frequent, nowhere have the Australian natives adopted that kind of arm, +whilst in New Guinea and all over Northern Polynesia the bow and arrow is +the inevitable war accoutrement of the savage, who certainly obtained the +knowledge of it from his Malay forefathers. No wonder, then, that in the +district explored by Grey, these arms should have given way to the +equally effective boomerang, throwing-stick, and spears, and other +weapons of the North Australian savage. + +The theory we have just submitted with regard to the country round the +Glenelg River and that of the Prince Regent having been at one time +inhabited by a different and superior race is no idle one, and is proved +by the discoveries of remarkable paintings made by the same Lieutenant +Grey in the caves near the mouth of the abovenamed rivers. + +Again we shall have to quote this excellent author, whose clear and +concise descriptions are of such value, and refer the reader to the +following passages in the diary of his explorations in that part of the +Australian Continent:-- + + +"On this sloping roof the principal figure (1) which I have just alluded +to was drawn. In order to produce the greater effect, the rock about it +was painted black, and the figure itself coloured with the most vivid red +and white. It thus appeared to stand out from the rock, and I was +certainly surprised at the moment that I first saw this gigantic head and +upper part of a body bending over and staring grimly down on me. + +"It would be impossible to convey in words an adequate idea of this +uncouth and savage figure; I shall, therefore, only give such a succinct +account of this and the other paintings as will serve as a sort of +description to accompany the annexed plates. + + +"Length of head and face 2 ft. 0 in. +"Width of face 0 ft 17 in. (sic) +"Length from bottom of face to navel 2 ft 6 in. + + +"Its head was encircled by bright red rays, something like the rays which +one sees proceeding from the sun when depicted on the signboard of a +public house. Inside of this came a broad stripe of very brilliant red, +which was coped by lines of white; both inside and outside of this red +space were narrow stripes of a still deeper red, intended probably to +mark its boundaries. The face was painted vividly white and the eyes +black, being, however, surrounded by red and yellow lines. The body, +head, and arms were outlined red, the body being curiously painted with +red stripes and bars. + +"Upon the rock which formed the left hand wall of this cave, and which +partly faced you on entering, was a very singular painting (2), vividly +coloured, representing four heads joined together. From the mild +expression of the countenances, I imagined them to represent females, and +they appeared to be drawn in such a manner and in such a position as to +look up at the principal figure which I have before described. Each had a +very remarkable head-dress, coloured with a deep, bright blue, and one +had a necklace on. Both of the lower figures had a sort of dress, painted +with red, in the same manner as that of the principal figure, and one of +them had a band round the waist. Each of the four faces was marked by a +totally distinct expression of countenance, and although none of them had +mouths, two, I thought, were otherwise rather good-looking. The whole +painting was executed on a white ground, and its dimensions were:-- + + +"Total length of painting 3 ft. 6¾ in. +"Breadth across two upper heads 2 ft. 6 in. +"Breadth across two lower heads 3 ft. 1½ in. + + +These remarkable paintings attracted Grey's attention, and led him +wondering as to their origin. The solution to that problem he has however +left to others. (Fig 1, see Appendix.) + +According to him, the first two frescoes--i.e., those situated on the +roof of the cave, representing the principal figure, and that +representing the four persons (probably women), are one subject. A glance +at their position, and the expression of their faces, leads one to accept +Grey's opinion as not only admissible, but as the only accurate one. The +group of women is placed in an attitude of prayer, or of submission +towards the central figure, also representing a woman, as all except the +head-dress, which is a little different, exactly resemble the others; it +is also evident that the artist wished to represent a religious subject. + +It is necessary to remark that the people among which these drawings have +been found belong to an almost savage race, and in admitting that they +may be the work of a superior race that once inhabited these parts +(which, by the way, is the opinion of Sir George Grey), yet this superior +race could hardly be any other but some Malay tribe. Among these latter, +as well as among all savage, or semi-savage people, woman is considered +as a being of an inferior order, more fit to become a slave than to be +worshipped, and as the Malays had either adopted for centuries past, +either one of two creeds, that of Buddhism from the Hindoos, or that of +Mahomet from the Arabs, we look in vain, save in the former, and that in +only one or two well-known instances, which cannot for a moment be +entertained here, for the worship of a woman. The Malay religious +artistic subjects that we know of are of an order far above that of which +we have a sample here, and there is no resemblance at all in their +paintings with anything depicted in these caves. + +There are several points of importance with regard to these pictures, to +which we beg to direct the reader's attention. In the first place, the +perfect oval shape of the head; secondly, the colour of the face, which +is painted VIVIDLY WHITE, evidently for some purpose; and thirdly, the +fact that the kind of dress worn over the bodies exactly resembles that +described by De Gonneville as worn by the women of the Southern Indies, +made of some kind of matted material, sometimes also of skins, or of +feathers, girt above the haunches and reaching to the knee. (Fig. 2, see +Appendix.) + +Compare, also, the date assigned by Grey to these pictures-two or three +centuries, and this coincidence will appear still more remarkable. + +But to return to the subject. It is difficult, if not impossible to +credit the natives at the time of Grey's visit as being the authors of +these paintings. The eminent traveller absolutely discredits such a +possibility, and attributes them to a far distant epoch, and a totally +different race. The perfect oval shape of the faces was not drawn so +without a purpose, and neither were they painted so vividly white, if the +artist had not desired to pourtray types of a race certainly not existing +at present on the the Australian continent. It is difficult to admit that +it might be of Malay origin, as tile head-dress, or to describe it more +perfectly, the AUREOLA surrounding the head, is met with in Buddhist +paintings or sculptures only as surrounding the head of gods, who can +always be recognised by their peculiar and constant characteristics, and +nowhere are these AUREOLAS surrounded with the rays in the shape of +"FLAMÈCHES," which confront us in the drawing of the principal figure. +(Fig. 3, see Appendix.) It resembles, indeed, much better Grey's own +description:-- + + +"Its head was encircled by bright red rays, something like the rays which +one sees proceeding from the sun, when depicted on the sign board of a +public house." + + +There is evidently here some strange mixture of European and Malay art, +the former exhibited in the remarkable AUREOLAS which so commonly +surround the heads of saints in the old images, in painted church windows +of the middle ages, and the times of De Gonneville, and the latter in the +kind of dress over the body, which appears to be meant to represent some +sort of matted stuff. This painting is not the work of a native artist; +it is unlikely that it could be the work of Malays, in the third place +there is in its position and its peculiar appearance such a striking +touch of an European conception, mingled with barbaric surroundings, that +one is almost inclined to the belief that we are here in the presence of +a subject of religious, nay, a Christian order. + + +This deduction may need additional evidence, and if the reader will +kindly follow with us Lieutenant Grey's steps, he will be placed in the +presence of a still more remarkable painting, which we shall presently +describe. + +"The cave was twenty feet deep, and at the entrance seven feet high and +about forty feet wide. As before stated the floor gradually approached +the roof in the direction of the bottom of the cavern, and its width also +contracted so that at the extremity it was not broader than the slab of +rock which formed a natural seat. The principal painting in it was the +painting of a man ten feet six inches in length, clothed from the chin +downwards in a red garment which reached to the wrists and ankles; beyond +this red dress the feet and hands protruded, and were badly executed. + + +"The face and head of the figure were enveloped in a succession of +circular bandages, or rollers, or what appeared to be painted to +represent such. These were coloured red, yellow, and white, and the eyes +were the only features represented on the face. Upon the highest bandage, +or roller, a series of lines were painted in red, but although so +irregularly done as to indicate that they have some meaning, it is +impossible to tell whether they were intended to depict written +characters or some ornament for the head. This figure was so drawn on the +roof that its feet were just in front of the natural seat, whilst its +head and face looked directly down on anyone who stood in the entrance of +the cave, but it was totally invisible from the outside. The painting was +more injured by the damp and atmosphere, and had the appearance of being +much more defaced and ancient than any of the others which we have seen. +There were two other paintings, one on each side of the rocks, which +stood on either side of the natural seat: they were carefully executed, +and yet had no apparent design in them, unless they were intended to +represent some fabulous species of turtle; for the natives of Australia +are generally fond of narrating tales of fabulous and extraordinary +animals, such as gigantic snakes, etc." (Fig. 4, see Appendix.) + +With this drawing, as well as in the others, it is evident that native +talent had nothing to do. Neither had, in all probability, the Malays, as +the form of the dress and its colour are incompatible with anything we +know of these people. Then again the same AUREOLA surrounds the head of +the figure, and we are inclined to think that this drawing is due to the +same artist who painted those already described. Although Grey believes +that it is a more ancient production, the face of it having suffered more +than the other is in all probability due to it being more exposed to +atmospheric, or other influences, rather than to its greater antiquity. +There are, however, some very interesting points to examine in this +drawing, and in the first place our attention is drawn to the curious +signs inscribed on the AUREOLA surrounding the head. + +At first sight, an illiterate person would at once exclaim, "these are +Latin characters." + +G I T I L F + +Five out of six undoubtedly are such, and the sixth appears to be part of +an unfinished or defaced letter, probably F or E. This is evidently very +remarkable, and more so is the fact which a closer examination discloses +that near the right shoulder of the figure two additional characters, C D, +also undoubtedly of Latin form, are there inscribed, proving the +European origin of this drawing, which resembles exactly those paintings +of the middle ages, representing some holy monk or nun in their +habilaments, of a coarse, brown cloth, the hands, and still more so the +feet in that, position which painters of religious subjects have rendered +us so familiar with on the old church windows, and other paintings of +those times. The practice of printing the name of the saint on the +AUREOLA encircling the head is also a common one, and perhaps we may find +there an explanation of that painting, which will also prove the others +to be of like origin. These characters are, undoubtedly, Latin, whichever +way one might like to turn them, and their appearance in such a spot is +not due to chance alone. It would be a difficult task to attempt to +explain their meaning, but, perhaps, a further exploration of these +singular caves may bring to light information leading to their +identification and explanation. Suffice it to say that they certainly +tend to show the European and Christian character of these paintings, the +first one probably representing the holy women praying before the Virgin, +and the other some holy nun, as the line over the chin seems to indicate +the well-known head-dress. It may be objected that the Virgin could +hardly have been pourtrayed in such a costume, to which the answer may be +made, that it was a common custom at the time, among the disciples of +Francis Xavier who evangelised India, to represent the Virgin and the +saints in the costume of the country, in order to bring them in an easier +way to the conception of the native mind, a practice, need it be added, +which brought on the head of the Jesuits the most severe condemnation. + +If such is the case, and if these paintings are, as we believe, the work +of Europeans, we might look in their vicinity for some other and still +more convincing proof of their origin. + +Such is afforded also, and the evidence is telling. + +For the last time we shall quote the same eminent author, and at page 205 +of vol. 1. of his work, we read:-- + + +"After proceeding some distance, we found a cave larger than the one seen +this morning; of its actual size, however, I have no idea, for being +pressed for time I did not attempt to explore it, having merely +ascertained that it contained no paintings. I was moving on when we +observed a profile of a human face and head, cut out in a sandstone rock +which fronted the cave; this rock was so hard that to have removed such a +large portion of it with no better tool than a knife and hatchet made of +stone, such as the Australian natives generally possess, would have been +a work of very great labour. The head was two feet in length, and sixteen +inches in breadth in the broadest part; the depth of the profile +increased gradually from the edges where it was nothing, to the centre +where it was an inch and a half. The ear was rather badly placed, but +otherwise the whole of the work was good, and far superior to what a +savage race could be supposed capable of executing. The only proof of +antiquity that it bore about it was that all the edges of the cutting +were rounded and perfectly smooth, much more so than they could have been +from any other cause than long exposure to atmospheric influences. + +"After having made a sketch of this head I returned to the party." + + +Now let us examine, without prepossession or prejudice, this remarkable +sculpture, THE ONLY HEAD SCULPTURED IN ROCK EVER FOUND IN AUSTRALIA. + +This profile is that of an European, the purity of the lines, the perfect +shape of the head, the straight and well-formed nose, the finely-cut lips, +the round chin, represent the most exact type of an European head that it +could be possible to imagine. Indeed, the fact alone that the natives +have no means of cutting out such a sculpture in the rock, is enough to +induce one to seek elsewhere for its author, and the head is certainly +not that of a Malay; the type is European, and that of the purest. + +We shall go no further with this discussion, which the appearance of this +sculptured profile of an European head closes on our behalf better than +all volumes would do, and resume it in a few words. + +De Gonneville, carried away by storms into unknown seas, lands on a coast +which he estimates is situated to the south of India, and the Islands of +Spices, and not far from the true course to the East Indies; at the +entrance of a fine river, and in a fertile country, whose inhabitants he +describes. They were in all probability of Malay stock, and there is no +difficulty so far to understand his female relative having married a +person of that race, the remnants of which have been met with since by +other travellers. + +Three hundred and thirty-five years after De Gonneville's voyage, King +and Grey explore in the north-west part of Australia, a country whose +description well answers to that visited by De Gonneville, and NEVER SET +FOOT UPON BY EUROPEANS IN THE INTERVAL. There Grey finds a river such as +De Gonneville describes--a land inhabited by races that have preserved +many of the customs of the "Australians" described by the Norman +captain with whom, as a volunteer in the voyage, had travelled a certain +Nicole Le Fevre, a man of some learning' and a kind of artist, who had +pourtrayed strange beasts, etc., "utterly unknown in Christendom." In +that country', at a very short distance from the coast, Grey discovers +curious paintings, some strikingly resembling the pictures of saints as +represented on the Church windows of the time, one of them bearing some +very remarkable European letters and characters, and last of all he finds +there the head of an European sculptured in the hard rock, evidently with +instruments such as the natives do not possess. + +What are we to conclude from these facts? That there is strong evidence +that De Gonneville, who could have landed nowhere else but on Australian +soil, had precisely landed on that part of the country visited by Grey, +and that the paintings discovered are the work of some of his companions. + +But although such evidence is strong indeed, it is not yet absolutely +perfect, even for one desirous of solving the problem of fixing the exact +position of the spot visited by the Norman sailor. Others, perhaps, may +give a different interpretation to the figures and the characters +represented above; they are, however, worthy of attracting notice, and if +the result of this investigation is only to draw the attention of those +who are interested in ascertaining the previous history of the country +they inhabit and love, be they members of scientific societies or of +colonial governments, the task undertaken will not prove a thankless one. + +One thing is settled, however, beyond the possibility of doubt, and that +is, that De Gonneville landed on no other soil but that of Australia, and +nowhere else but at the mouth of some of the north-western rivers. + +The maps of the sixteenth century, known to have existed long before the +voyages of the Dutch and the English, bear witness to the fact that the +north-western part of the coast of Australia was sighted by the +Portuguese on their voyages to and from the East Indies and the Spice +Islands. + +A critical examination of these charts, some of which have been +reproduced for the Public Libraries of the chief Australian cities from +the originals in the British Museums, tends to show--although most of the +names of features on the north-west coast are in French--that some of +them appear to have been translated from the Portuguese. The older of +these charts bears the date of the year 1542, but there are two more maps +in the "Bibliotheque Nationale de France" which are still more ancient. +One, which is the work of Guillaume Le Testu, a pilot of Dieppe, shows a +portion of the coast in a fairly correct position, indicating features +which can easily be recognised, although their longitude and latitude are +not exact; the names, which are all in French, do not exhibit any sign of +having been translated from any other language; and there is little doubt +that Le Testu, who published this chart in 1536, must have heard of the +expedition of De Gonneville, which could hardly have failed to attract +attention at the time among the sailors of note in the ports of the +Normandy coast. Considering the state of geographical science at that +epoch, the delineation of the north-west coast of the Australian +continent is certainly as accurate as that of the island of Java and +minor islands in those regions, which were much better known, and there +is in this fact evidence enough that the data upon which Le Testu, Jean +Rotz, and other cartographers worked, must have been fairly accurate. The +Norman pilot shows on his map the entrance of several rivers and features +which closely resemble the outline of this coast as at present known, but +except in the vicinity of the rivers mentioned, the coast on the south +and the north-east is prolonged without data, and merely indicates a +probable extension of land in these directions. The other maps agree +fairly well in this respect, the outlines of very small portions only of +the coast being--susceptible of identification at present. From these +facts we may infer that Guillaume Le Testu probably obtained much of his +information from the report of De Gonneville, whilst Rotz and the authors +of the maps in the British Museum had theirs from Portuguese sources, and +as the latters' delineation of the north-west coast is less accurate, it +may be that the Portuguese sailors, from whose reports this information +was obtained, merely sighted these coasts without attempting to land. + +To close this discussion, it may be added, that in most instances the +early voyages of the Dutch or possibly the Portuguese to Western +Australia were the result of such accidents as befell De Gonneville, as +they were carried by storms out of their course to India or the Sunda +Islands, and thrown on the west coast of the Australian Continent. + +The first claim to the discovery of the Australian Continent may be, +therefore, settled in favor of De Gonneville; although, there is little +doubt that the existence of a great southern land was suspected by the +Chinese, and also by the ancients. This great land, situated on the +opposite side of the world, was named by them ANTI-CHTON, and its +supposed inhabitants "Antichtones," and the fact of the possibility of it +being inhabited at all gave rise to a good deal of discussion among +ancient writers. They, however, agreed in the belief that "the fury of +the sun, which burns the intermediate zone," rendered it inaccessible to +the inhabitants of the world. Plinus, Pomponius Mela, Scipio, Virgilius, +Cicero, and Macrobius considered this land as habitable, and the two +last mentioned authors held the opinion that it was inhabited by a +different race of beings. + +This question was also debated by the early Christian fathers, and +perhaps the most remarkable argument against the existence of the +ANTICHTONES will be found in the works of the celebrated theologian and +venerated father, St. Augustine, who devotes the whole of Chapter IX., +Book XVI. of his admirable work, "De Civitate Dei," to the discussion of +this knotty question. + + +"Quod verò," writes St. Augustine, "Antipodes esse fabulantur, id est, +homines a contaria parte terrae, ubi sol oritur, quando occidit nobis, +adversa pedibus nostris calcare vestigia, nulla ratione credendum est. +Neque hoc ulla historica cognitione didicisse se affirmant, sed quali +ratiocinando conjectant, es quod intra con vexa coeli terra suspenda sit, +eum demque locum mundas habeat, et infirmum, et medium: et ex hoc +opinantur alteram terra pattern, quae infra est, habitatione hominum +carere non posse. Nec adtendunt, etiamsi figura conglobata et rotunda +mundus esse credatur, sive aliqua ratione monstretur; non tamen esse +consequens, ut etiam ex illa parte ab aquarum congerie nuda sit terra +devide etiamus nuda sit, neque hoc statum necesse esse, ut homines +habeat, Quoniam nulla modo Scriptura ista mentitur, quae narratis +praeteritis facis sidem, eo quod ejus praedicta complentur: nimisque +absurdurn est, ut dicatur aliquos hornines ex hae in illam partem, oceani +immensitate trajecta, navigare ac pervenive potuisse, ut etiarn illic ex +uno illo primo hornine genus institueretur hurnanurn?" + +The substance of which is: "That there can be nothing more absurd than +the belief of some ancient writers who imagined that the land on the +opposite side of the world could be inhabited by human beings. Those who +made this assertion admit they have no historical fact to base it upon, +and that it is merely a logical deduction of philosophy. But if we accept +as true the principles upon which they base their arguments, is it to be +necessarily admitted that because these countries are habitable, that +they are in reality inhabited. As the Holy Scripture, which is our guide +in all matters of belief, makes no mention of this, and as it is an +accepted fact that the descendants of our first parents could not have +sailed to and reached these countries, how is it possible that they could +be inhabited." + +Although the existence of a great Austral land was a subject of +philosophical and theological discussion among the ancients, they, +however, never attempted to sail across that ocean which was the limit of +the world they knew. It is possible that the Chinese may have been more +bold, but it is very doubtful whether they ever sailed so far south as to +land on the coast of the Australian continent. They have left no trace of +their passage, either on the land itself, or among its inhabitants. +Besides, the Chinese were never very enterprising sailors, the form of +their junks, their peculiar sails, and the scantiness of their nautical +knowledge prevented them from extending very far the radius of their +maritime explorations. Marco Polo is the authority generally quoted in +this matter, as he states that the people of Cathay knew of the existence +of a great land far to the southward, with the inhabitants of which they +were accustomed to trade. This is rather an indefinite description, and +might apply to New Guinea as well as to the Australian Continent. More so +to the former and the islands surrounding it on the north and east, where +evidence exists of the voyage of the Chinese traders and fishermen in +search of the precious trepang. But as these holothuriae are generally +found in the vicinity of the coral banks of Polynesia, to the eastward of +New Guinea, and not in the direction of the Australian coast, there is +much reason to think that the Chinese claim to the discovery of this +continent is purely mythical, although, like the ancients, they may have +believed in its existence as a logical deduction of philosophy. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Captain Cook compared to former Visitors--Point Hicks--Botany Bay-First +natives seen--Indifference to Overtures--Abundant flora--Entrance to Port +Jackson missed--ENDEAVOUR on a reef--Careened--Strange animals--Hostile +natives--A sailor's devil--Possession Island-Territory of New South +Wales--Torres Straits a passage--La Perouse--Probable fate discovered by +Captain Dillon--M'Cluer touches Arnheim's Land--Bligh and Portlock--Wreck +of the PANDORA--Vancouver in the south--The D'Entrecasteaux +quest--Recherche Archipelago--Bass and Flinders--Navigation and +exploration extraordinary--The TOM THUMB--Bass explores south--Flinders +in the Great Bight--Bass's Straits--Flinders in the INVESTIGATOR--Special +instructions--King George's Sound--Lossof boat's crew--Memory +Cove--Baudin's courtesy--Port Phillip--INVESTIGATOR and LADY NELSON on +East Coast--The Gulf of Carpentaria and early Dutch navigators--Duyfhen +Point--Cape Keer-Weer--Mythical rivers charted--Difficulty in recognising +their landmarks--Flinders' great disappointment--A rotten ship--Return by +way of West Coast--Cape Vanderlin--Dutch Charts--Malay proas, +Pobassoo--Return to Port Jackson--Wreck of the PORPOISE--Prisoner by the +French--General de Caen--Private papers and journals +appropriated--Prepares his charts and logs for press--Death--Sympathy by +strangers--Forgotten by Australia--The fate of Bass--Mysterious +disappearance--Supposed Death. + +The maritime exploration of our coast may be said to have fairly +commenced on the morning of the 19th of April, 1770, when Captain Cook +first sighted land. True we had many visitors before, [See Introduction.] +but none had given the same attention to the work, with an eye to future +colonisation, nor sailed along such an extent of shore. + +The present coast of Gippsland was the place that first caught the +attention of Lieutenant Hicks on that eventful morning, and Point Hicks +received its name in commemoration of the incident. + +From this point they sailed eastward, and at the promontory, where the +coast turned to the north, the name of Cape Howe was bestowed. Cook, +fresh from the shores of New Zealand and its more rugged scenery, was +pleasingly impressed with his distant view of Australia, but it must have +been the force of contrast only, as the portion of Australia first +sighted by him is devoid of interest. No available landing place was +seen; the shore was too tame, and for many days they coasted along, +looking for a break, or entrance, but none could he found where a safe +landing could be effected. + +Botany Bay was the spot where the men from the ENDEAVOUR sprang on shore +for the first time, and although the flora of the surrounding country +brought joy to the heart of Mr. Banks, the botanist, it could not have +held out very high hopes of the future to the others. + +Here they first saw the natives, "Indians," as Cook calls them, and hoped +to effect a peaceable landing. He says:-- + + +"The place where the ship had anchored was abreast of a small village, +consisting of about six or eight houses; and while we were preparing to +hoist out the boat, we saw an old woman followed by three children come +out of the wood; she was loaded with firewood, and each of the children +had also its little burden. She often looked at the ship, but expressed +neither fear nor surprise. In a short time she kindled a fire, and four +canoes came in from fishing. The men landed, and having hauled up their +boats, began to dress their dinner, to all appearances, wholly +unconcerned about us, though we were within half-a-mile of them. We +thought it remarkable that of all the people we had yet seen, not one had +the least appearance of clothing, the old woman herself being destitute +even of a fig leaf. + +"After dinner the boats were manned, and we set out from the ship. We +intended to land where we saw the people, and began to hope that as they +so little regarded the ship's coming into the bay, they would as little +regard our coming on shore. In this, however, we were disappointed, for +as soon as we approached the rocks, two men came down upon them to +dispute our landing, and the rest ran away." + + +For some time they parleyed with the blacks, and threw them nails, beads, +and other trifles, trying to make them understand that only water was +wanted, and no harm would be done them; but the natives refused all +offers of friendship, and three charges of small shot had to be fired at +their legs before they would even allow a peaceable landing. + +Many expeditions were made inland for plants, birds, and flowers, also to +try if some intercourse could be established with the natives, but after +the first contest they would not come near enough to speak to. Nor did +they touch any of the presents--beads, ribbons, and cloth, that had been +left about and in their huts. + +The great quantity of plants collected here by Mr. Banks induced Cook to +give it the name of Botany Bay. The King's colours were hoisted each day +of the stay, and the ship's name with the date of the year was inscribed +upon one of the trees near the watering place. + +Having now provided a supply of fresh water, the anchor was weighed on +the 6th of May, and they sailed northward. Unaware of what he had missed, +Cook passed the entrance of Port Jackson, and followed up the coast for +over a thousand miles to the north, without incident or adventure, beyond +the routine work of the ship. But, on June 10th, this quiet was rudely +broken by the ENDEAVOUR running on a coral reef when off the site of the +present town of Cooktown. Fortunately a jagged point of coral stuck in +the hole made, and acted as a plug, otherwise this voyage of Cook's would +have proved his last, and the history of this continent been much delayed +and altered. + +Passing a sail under the hull, and throwing guns and other stores +overboard, Cook got his ship once more afloat, and took her into the +mouth of a river (now the Endeavour River) where, on a convenient beach, +she was careened, and the carpenters set to work to repair her, whilst a +forge was set up, and the smiths occupied making bolts and nails. Many +animals strange to them were seen, and among them the first kangaroo. One +of the firemen who had been rambling in the woods, told them, on his +return, that he verily believed he had seen the devil. + + +"We naturally enquired in what form he had appeared, and his answer was +in so singular a style, that I shall set it down in his own words. 'He +was,' says John, 'as large as a one gallon keg, and very like it; he had +horns and wings, yet he crept so slowly through the grass that if I had +not been afeared, I might have touched him.' This formidable apparition we +afterwards discovered to have been a bat. They have indeed no horns, but +the fancy of a man who thought he saw the devil might easily supply that +defect." + + +Many excursions Mr. Banks and the men made inland, finding one very +useful plant, at the time when scurvy had appeared among them, a plant +that in the West Indies is called Indian Kale, and served them for +greens. + +Some communication was established with the natives, but it ended as +usual by their commencing to steal, and having to be chastised for it. In +revenge they set fire to the grass, and the navigator very nearly lost +his whole stock of gunpowder. He was astonished by the extreme +inflammability of the grass and the consequent difficulty in putting it +out, and vowed if ever he had to camp in such a situation again, he would +first clear the grass around. Leaving the Endeavour River, Cook, after +passing through the Barrier Reef and again repassing it, as he says, +"After congratulating ourselves upon passing the reef we again +congratulate ourselves upon repassing it," landed no more until he had +left Cape York, and there on an island called "Possession Island," he +formally took possession of the east coast of New Holland, under the name +of New South Wales, for his Majesty King George III. + + +"AS I WAS ABOUT TO QUIT THE EASTERN COAST OF NEW HOLLAND, WHICH I HAD +COASTED FROM LATITUDE 38 DEG. TO THIS PLACE, AND WHICH I AM CONFIDENT NO +EUROPEAN HAD EVER SEEN BEFORE, I ONCE MORE HOISTED ENGLISH COLOURS, AND +THOUGH I HAD ALREADY TAKEN POSSESSION OF SEVERAL PARTICULAR PARTS, I NOW +TOOK POSSESSION OF THE WHOLE EASTERN COAST, FROM LATITUDE 38 DEG. TO THIS +PLACE, LATITUDE 10 DEG. 30 MIN., IN RIGHT OF HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE THE +THIRD, BY THE NAME OF NEW SOUTH WALES, WITH ALL THE BAYS, HARBOURS, +RIVERS, AND ISLANDS SITUATED UPON IT. WE THEN FIRED THREE VOLLEYS OF +SMALL ARMS, WHICH WERE ANSWERED BY THE SAME NUMBER FROM THE SHIP." + + +This ceremony concluded, and rejoicing in the re-discovery of Torres +Straits--the waters of which had borne no keel since the gallant Spaniard +had passed through--he sailed to New Guinea, Cook having thus completed +the survey of that portion of the South Land so long left a blank upon +the map, never returned--unless his visit to Van Dieman's Land, in 1777, +can be called a visit-to our shores, but the names he bestowed on the +many bays, headlands, and islands of the east coast have clung to them +ever since. So accurate were his surveys, even under extreme +difficulties, that he left little for his successors to do but +investigate those portions of the coast he had been forced to overlook. + +But Cook's fame and career are such household words amongst all +English-speaking races, and the results of his visit to Australia so +extensive, that no space that this history could afford would be +sufficiently large to appreciate the merits of his work. + +When Phillip landed in Botany Bay he was followed, as is well known, by +the distinguished French navigator, La Perouse, and although the name of +this unfortunate man does not enter largely into the history of our +colonisation, it is essential that it should come under notice. After a +short stay, La Perouse sailed from Australian shores, and of him and his +stately ships no tidings ever reached Europe. Years passed, and Captain +Dillon, the master of an English vessel trading amongst the South Sea +Islands, found a sword-belt in the possession of the natives; this led to +further investigations, and the hapless story was finally elucidated. + +Wrecked on the coast of one of the islands, and all attempts to save the +ships having proved futile, the crews took to the boats, only to suffer +death from drowning or at the hands of the savages. The guns and other +heavy equipment were afterwards recovered, proving beyond doubt that that +was the end of the French vessels and their unhappy commander-the +Leichhardt of the sea. + +In 1791, Lieutenant McCluer, of the Bombay Marine, touched upon the +northern coast of Arnheim's Land, but as he did not land, no result +accrued to the continent from his coming. + +Before his advent, however, Captain Bligh, making his way home from the +spot where the mutineers of the BOUNTY had set him afloat, passed through +Torres Straits, and sighted the mainland of Australia. Situated as he +was, he could do little more than take hasty observations. + +Two years afterwards, the PANDORA, under Captain Edwards, struck on a +reef in Torres Straits, and sank in deep water. Thirty-nine of the crew +were drowned, and the remainder, destitute of almost everything, made for +the coast of Australia in four boats. Edwards landed on Prince of Wales +Island, but not on the mainland. He finally reached Timor, with his +shipwrecked men, amongst whom were some of the mutineers of the BOUNTY. +Many of these men had been obliged to remain on board perforce, and in no +way participated in that famous mutiny. Their treatment by the captain of +the PANDORA, and afterwards by the English authorities, was both harsh +and unjust. + +In 1792, the PROVIDENCE and ASSISTANT, Captains Bligh and Portlock, +sailed through the Straits, conveying the bread-fruit plant from Tahiti +to the West Indies. Serving in this expedition was Lieutenant Flinders. + +In 1791, Captain George Vancouver, on his way to America, came to the +southern shore, and found and named King George's Sound. He landed and +examined the country, but saw nothing of any consequence, and, after a +short stay, sailed away to the eastward, intending to follow the coast +line, but was prevented by baffling winds. + +In 1793, previously to the INVESTIGATOR, and in the year following Bligh +and Portlock, Messrs. William Bampton and Matthew B. Alt, commanders of +the ships HORMUZEER and CHESTERFELD, sailed from Norfolk Island, with the +intention of passing through Torres Straits by a route which the +commanders did not know had been before attempted. + +The terrible dangers of the Straits encountered appear to have deterred +others from following them up to the time of the INVESTIGATOR. + +Vancouver was quickly followed in the year 1792 by M. D'Entrecasteaux, +who, having with him the ships LA RECHERCHE and L'ESPÉRANCE, was in quest +of the fate of La Perouse. Off Termination Island-the last land seen by +Vancouver--a gale sprang up, and the French ships had to seek shelter. +They remained at anchor a week, and the officers made many excursions to +the islands now known as the Recherche Archipelago. + +He sailed along some portions of the Great Bight, which he described as +of "an aspect so uniform that the most fruitful imagination could find +nothing to say of it." Water failing him, he steered for Van Dieman's +Land. + +We now come across one of the grandest names in the history of our +colony. Bass, the surgeon of the RELIANCE, whose work has survived him in +the name of the well-known strait. + +In a tiny cockle shell, the TOM THUMB, a boat of eight feet long, he and +Flinders, at first but an adventurous middy, cruised around the coast and +examined every inlet and opening visible, at the very peril of their +lives. It is almost equal to an imaginative story of adventures to read +the tale of their various trips, suffice it they did good work, and came +back safely to carry that work on with better and fuller means. + +A voyage to Norfolk Island interrupted their further proceedings until +the next year, 1796. Bass and Flinders then again, in the TOM THUMB, left +to explore a large river, said to fall in the sea some miles to the south +of Botany Bay, and of which there was no indication in Cook's chart. + +In 1797, Bass obtained leave to make an expedition to the southward and +was furnished with a whale boat and a crew of six men. Although he sailed +with only six weeks' provisions, by birds and fish caught, and +abstinence, he was enabled to prolong his voyage to eleven weeks, and his +labours were crowned with a success not to be expected from such frail +means. In the three hundred miles of coast examined from Port Jackson to +Ram Head, a number of discoveries were made that had escaped Captain +Cook. + +From Ram Head--the southernmost part of the coast that had been examined +by Cook-Bass began to reap a rich harvest of important discoveries, and +another three hundred miles followed, the appearance of which confirmed +his belief in the existence of a strait between the continent and Van +Dieman's Land. + +It was with great reluctance he returned before verifying this belief +beyond doubt of others. + +In September, 1798, we find him on board the NORFOLK, associated with +Flinders, seeking to prove his theory. After many and strong head winds, +and much delay, the two had the supreme pleasure of greeting the westward +ocean, and returning to Port Jackson with the tidings. + +Flinders says:-- + + +"TO THE STRAIT WHICH HAD BEEN THE GREAT OBJECT OF RESEARCH, AND WHOSE +DISCOVERY WAS NOW COMPLETED, GOVERNOR HUNTER GAVE, AT MY RECOMMENDATION, +THE NAME OF 'BASS'S STRAITS.' THIS WAS NO MORE THAN A JUST TRIBUTE TO MY +WORTHY FRIEND AND COMPANION FOR THE EXTREME DANGERS AND FATIGUES HE HAD +UNDERGONE IN FIRST ENTERING IT IN THE WHALE BOAT, AND TO THE CORRECT +JUDGMENT HE HAD FORMED, FROM VARIOUS INDICATIONS, OF THE EXISTENCE OF A +WIDE OPENING BETWEEN VAN DIEMAN'S LAND AND NEW SOUTH WALES." + + +In 1799, Flinders, in the NORFOLK, followed up Cook's discoveries in the +neighbourhood of Glass House Bay, and in 1801 we must accompany him on +his great voyage round Terra Australis. + +The north coast of Australia, both from its more interesting formation +and the lack of settlement, has received a good deal of attention from +our navigators of the present century, and by far the most fascinating +part of Captain Flinders' log refers to the north coast. + +In 1802, we find him following the track of M. D'Entrecasteaux round the +Great Bight. Flinders seems to have been as much puzzled as he was +regarding the great extent of level cliffs passed. He conjectures that +within this bank, as he terms it, there could be nothing but sandy plains +or water, and that, in all probability, it formed a barrier between an +exterior and interior sea. He little thought how, some years afterwards, +a lonely white man would tramp round those barren cliffs, eagerly +scanning Flinders' chart for any sign of a break in their iron +uniformity. + +On February 16th, 1801, Matthew Flinders was promoted to the rank of +commandant, and left England with the INVESTIGATOR, to prosecute his +voyage to Terra Australis. His instructions were:-- + + +"To make the best of your way to New Holland, running down the coast from +130 degrees east longitude to BASS'S Straits, putting, if you should +find it necessary, into KING GEORGE THE THIRD'S HARBOUR for refreshments +and water, previous to your commencing the survey, and on your arrival on +the coast, use your best endeavour to discover such harbours as may be in +those parts, and in case you shall discover any creek or opening likely +to lead to an INLAND SEA OR STRAIT, you are at liberty either to examine +it or not, as you 'shall judge it most expedient, until a more favourable +opportunity shall enable you so to do. + +"When it shall appear to you necessary, you shall repair to SYDNEY COVE, +for the purpose of refreshing your people, refitting the sloop under your +command, and consulting the Governor of New South Wales upon the best +means of carrying on the survey of the coast; and having received from +him such information as he may be able to communicate, and taken under +your command the LADY NELSON tender, which you may expect to find in +Sydney Cove, you are to recommence your survey by first diligently +examining the coast from BASS'S Straits to KING GEORGE THE THIRD'S +HARBOUR." + + +Flinders was then instructed to repair from time to time to Sydney Cove, +to be very diligent in the examination, and to take particular care to +insert in his journal every circumstance that might be useful to a full +and complete knowledge of the coast--the wind, weather, the productions, +comparative fertility of the soil, the manners and customs of the +inhabitants, and to examine the country as far inland as it was prudent +to venture with so small a party as could be spared from the vessel +whenever a chance of discovering anything useful to the commerce or +manufacturies of the United Kingdom. + +From thence they were to explore the north-west coast of New Holland, +where, from the extreme height of tides observed by Dampier, it was +thought probable valuable harbours might be found; also the Gulf of +Carpentaria and the parts to the westward. When that was completed, a +careful investigation and accurate survey of Torres Straits; then an +examination of the whole of the remainder of the north, the west, and the +north-west coasts of New Holland. + + +"So soon as you shall have completed the whole of these surveys and +examinations as above directed, you are to proceed to, and examine very +carefully the east coast of New Holland, seen by Captain Cook, from Cape +Flattery to the Bay of Inlets; and in order to refresh your people, and +give the advantages of variety to the painters, you are at liberty to +touch at the Fijis, or some other islands in the South Seas." + + +As soon as the whole of the examinations and surveys were completed, he +was to lose no time in returning with the sloop under his command to +England. + +The vessel was fitted with a plant cabin for the purpose of making +botanical collections for the Royal Gardens at Kew, and on each return to +Sydney Cove, all plants, trees, shrubs, etc., were to be transferred to +the Governor's garden until the INVESTIGATOR sailed for Europe. + +King George's Sound being chosen as the place to prepare themselves for +the examination of the south coast of Terra Australis, they anchored off +Point Possession, on the south side of the entrance to Princess Royal +Harbour, previous to wind and water being favourable for entering the +harbour to refit and procure wood and fresh water. + +Many excursions were made by the naturalist, botanist, and artist, and a +new survey of King George's Sound made. + + +"On the east side of the entrance to Princess Royal Harbour we landed, +and found a spot of ground six or eight feet square dug up and trimmed +like a garden, and upon it was lying a piece of sheet copper bearing this +inscription:-- + +"'AUGUST 27TH 1800. CHR. DIXON. + '--SHIP ELLEGOOD.'" + + +This answered the finding of the felled trees on Point Possession, also +of the disappearance of the bottle left by Captain Vancouver in 1791, +containing parchment that Flinders had looked for on landing. + +In Flinders' description of the country in the neighbourhood of King +George's Sound he says:-- + + +"The basis stone is granite, which frequently shows itself at the surface +in the form of smooth, bare rock; but upon the sea-coast hills and the +shores on the south side of the sound and Princess Royal Harbour the +granite is generally covered with a crust of calcareous stone, as it is +also upon Michaelmas Island. Captain Vancouver mentions having found upon +the top of Bald Head branches of coral protruding through the sand, +exactly like those seen in the coral beds beneath the surface of the +sea--a circumstance which would seem to bespeak this country to have +emerged from the ocean at no very distant period of time. + +"This curious fact I was desirous to verify, and his description proved +to be correct. I found, also, two broken columns of stone, three or four +feet high, formed like stumps of trees, and of a thickness superior to +the body of a man, but whether this was coral or wood now petrified, or +whether they might not have been calcareous rocks worn into that +particular form by the weather I cannot determine. Their elevation above +the present level of the sea could not have been less than four hundred +feet." + + +On January 4th, 1802, a bottle containing parchment, to inform future +visitors of their arrival and departure, was left on the top of Seal +Island, and on the morrow they sailed out of King George's Sound to +continue the survey eastwards. They anchored on the 28th in Fowler's +Bay--the extremity of the then known south coast of Terra Australis. + +Off Cape Catastrophe, a cutter, with eight men, was sent on shore in +search of an anchorage where water could be procured. Nothing of the boat +and crew was again seen but the wreck of the boat showing that it had +been stove in by the rocks. After a careful but hopeless search for the +men, their pressing need for water caused them to abandon further delay, +and they left to examine the opening to the northward. + + +"I caused an inscription to be engraven upon a sheet of copper, and set +it up on a stout post at the head of the cove, which I named Memory Cove, +and further to commemorate our loss, I gave each of the six islands +nearest to Cape Catastrophe the name of one of the seamen." + + +Flinders sailed up the gulf, which he called Spencer's Gulf, and had a +long look towards the interior from the summit of Mount Brown. + +The Gulf of St. Vincent then fell to his share to discover, and shortly +afterwards he met with the French ship LE GÉOGRAPHE Captain Baudin; says +Flinders:-- + + +"We veered round as LE GÉOGRAPHE was passing, so as to keep our broadside +to her, lest the flag of truce should be a deception, and having come to +the wind on the other tack, a boat was hoisted out, and I went on board +the French ship, which had also hove to." + + +The two Captains exchanged passports and information, but Flinders was +afterwards much annoyed to find on the publication of M. Péron's book, +that all his late discoveries had been rechristened with French names, +and, in fact, his work ignored completely. Parting from the French ship +in Encounter Bay, as he named it, the English navigator sailed for Port +Jackson. + +Suddenly coming to the Harbour of Port Phillip, Flinders thinks he has +entered Port Western, but finds his mistake next morning; then +congratulates himself upon having made a new and most useful discovery, +he says:-- + + +"There I was again in error, this place, as I afterwards learned in Port +Jackson had been discovered ten weeks before by Lieutenant John Murray, +in command of the LADY NELSON. He had given to it the name of Port +Phillip, and to the rocky point on the east side of the entrance Point +Nepean." + + +On the 9th May, the INVESTIGATOR anchors in Sydney Cove, and again left +in company with the LADY NELSON, on the morning Of July 22nd, for the +examination of the east coast, making many discoveries before reaching +Torres Straits that had escaped Captain Cook, among others Port Curtis +and Port Bowen. + +The LADY NELSON in consequence of being disabled left the INVESTIGATOR on +the east coast, and returned to Port Jackson. + +We will again take up Flinders' narrative during his examination of the +Gulf of Carpentaria, which had not been visited since the days of the +Dutch ships. The first point Flinders mentions finding corroborative of +the fidelity of their charts is the entrance to the Batavia River and +there is no doubt that this spot is indicated by the words "fresh +water," in the map accredited to Tasman, as there is a capital boat +entrance of two fathoms to this stream, and at a comparatively short +distance from the mouth of the water at low tide is quite fresh. This +river heads from a plateau of springs, a tableland covered with scrubby +heath, and intersected by scores of running gullies, boggy and +impassable; in fact, the same country as caused such trouble to the +Jardine brothers when they explored this shore of the Gulf. + +From this place, however, Flinders seems very doubtful as to the identity +of some of the rivers laid down. One point, the most remarkable on the +coast, and which Yet was not in the Dutch chart, Flinders named "Duyfhen +Point," and another, he called "Pera Head," after the second yacht that +entered the Gulf. + +At Cape Keer-Weer he fairly gives in that he could see nothing +approaching a cape, but a slight projection being visible from the +mast-head, out of respect to antiquity, he puts it down on his map. The +"Vereenidge River" he concludes, has no existence, and the "Nassau +River" turned out to be a lagoon at the back of a beach. Still the +existence of anything approaching the reality of what was indicated on +the charts, proves that at any rate the ships had been there, even if +they had not kept close enough to the land to be quite certain of what +they saw. So shallow is the approach to this shore, that when so far from +land even at the mast-head the tops of the trees could only be partially +distinguished, Flinders only found from four to six fathoms of water. + +Of the Staaten River he says that--"Where that river can be found I know +not," and at last he begins to fancy that the formation of the mouths of +the rivers must have altered since Tasman's time. + +Reaching the head of the Gulf, Flinders sighted a hill, which gave him +hope of a change in the flat monotony of the coast he had now followed +for one hundred and seventy-five leagues. This Will, which turned out to +'be an island, Flinders judged to be a headland marked on the western +side of "Maatsuyker's River." The river he failed to discover, to the +island he gave the name of Sweer's Island. Here Flinders remained some +time, having found fresh water, and an anchorage adapted to cleaning and +caulking his ship. But a great disappointment awaited him. The report of +the master and carpenter who overhauled the INVESTIGATOR, was to the +effect that the ship was perfectly rotten. It ends in these words:-- + + +"From the state to which the ship seems now advanced, it is our joint +opinion that in twelve months there will scarcely be a sound timber in +her; but that if she remains in fine weather and happen no accident, she +may run six months longer without much risk." + + +This was a death blow to Flinders' hope of so completing the survey of +the coast, that no after work should be necessary. Under the +circumstances, he determined to finish the exploration of the Gulf, and +then to proceed to Port Jackson by way of the west coast, should the ship +prove capable, if not to make for the nearest port in the West Indies. + +Leaving Sweer's Island, Flinders next investigated Cape Van Dieman, and +found it to be an island, which he called Mornington Island. Cape +Vanderlin of the Dutch was the next point sighted, and it too was an +island, one of the Sir Edward Pellew Group. On taking leave of this +group, Flinders remarks on these discrepancies as follows:-- + + +"IN THE OLD DUTCH CHARTS, CAPE VANDERLIN IS REPRESENTED TO BE A GREAT +PROJECTION FROM THE MAINLAND, AND THE OUTER ENDS OF NORTH AND WEST +ISLANDS TO BE SMALLER POINTS OF IT. THERE ARE TWO INDENTS OR BIGHTS +MARKED BETWEEN THE POINTS WHICH MAY CORRESPOND TO THE OPENING BETWEEN THE +ISLANDS, BUT I FIND A DIFFICULTY IN POINTING OUT WHICH ARE TILE FOUR +SMALL ISLES LAID DOWN ON THE WEST OF CAPE VANDERLIN; NEITHER DOES THE +LINE OF THE COAST, WHICH IS NEARLY W.S.W. IN THE OLD CHART, CORRESPOND +WITH THAT OF THE OUTER ENDS OF THE ISLANDS, AND YET THERE IS ENOUGH OF +SIMILITUDE IN THE WHOLE TO SHOW THE IDENTITY. WHETHER ANY CHANGES HAVE +TAKEN PLACE IN THESE SHORES, AND MADE ISLANDS OF WHAT WERE PARTS OF THE +MAINLAND A CENTURY AND A HALF BEFORE--OR WHETHER THE DUTCH DISCOVERER MADE +A DISTANT AND CURSORY EXAMINATION, AND BROUGHT CONJECTURE TO AID HIM IN +THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CHART, AS WAS TOO MUCH THE PRACTICE OF THAT TIME-IT +IS NOT NOW POSSIBLE TO ASCERTAIN, BUT I CONCEIVE THAT THE GREAT +ALTERATION PRODUCED IN THE GEOGRAPHY OF THESE PARTS BY OUR SURVEY, GIVES +AUTHORITY TO APPLY A NAME WHICH, WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE ORIGINAL ONE, +SHOULD MARK THE NATION BY WHICH THE SURVEY WAS MADE. I HAVE CALLED THE +CLUSTER OF ISLANDS SIR EDWARD PELLEW GROUP." + + +As no marked change has taken place since Flinders' survey, we may +conclude that his last conclusion is the right one, and that a great deal +in conjecture was brought to bear on the construction of the chart. + +Still following the bend of the gulf, Flinders next ascertained that Cape +Maria was only an island (Maria Island) and so with many points up to the +northern termination of the Gulf. Along part of the southern and most +western shore of Carpentaria many indications of the Malay visits were +found--scraps of bamboo, rude stone fireplaces, and stumps of mangrove +trees, cut down with iron axes. When amongst the English Company's +Islands, a fleet of proas was met with, fishing for trepang. A friendly +interview was obtained with them, and from the chief, Pobassoo, Flinders +learnt that this was the sixth or seventh voyage that he had made to the +Australian coast. He had a great horror of the pigs on board the +INVESTIGATOR, but a decided liking for the port wine with which he was +regaled. + +The state of his vessel now decided Flinders to relinquish the survey, +thinking himself fortunate in having escaped any heavy weather. + + +"We had continued the survey of the coast for more than one-half of the +six months the master and carpenter had judged the ship might run without +much risk, provided she remained in fine weather, and no accidents +happened; and the remainder of the time being not much more than +necessary for us to reach Port Jackson, I judged it imprudent to continue +the investigation longer. In addition, the state of my own health, and +that of the ship's company, were urgent to terminate the examination here +. . . . It was, however, not without much regret that I quitted the coast +. . . . The accomplishment of the survey was, in fact, an object so near +my heart, that could I have foreseen the train of ills that were to +follow the decay of the INVESTIGATOR, and prevent the survey being +resumed-and had my existence depended upon the expression of a wish--I do +not know that it would have received utterance." + + +Thinking himself fortunate in escaping any heavy weather, he sailed for +Coepang, and from there to Port Jackson. + +In July, 1803, in the PORPOISE, Captain Flinders, with the officers and +men of the INVESTIGATOR, left Port Jackson for England, to procure +another vessel to continue the survey left incomplete on the north coast, +but were wrecked on Wreck Reef, and afterwards taken prisoners by the +French. + +His subsequent career and early death were both unhappy, and no effort +has been made by either England or Australia to do tardy justice to his +name. After his shameful detention in the Isle of France, and his +reluctant release, he returned to England to find his rightful promotion +in the navy had been passed over during his long years of captivity, and +that the licensed bravo of Napoleon, General de Caen, had retained +(stolen would be the right word) his private journals; and it was only +after much trouble and correspondence between the two Governments that +they were restored. Flinders completed the work of his life by preparing +for the press his charts and logs, and died on the 14th June, 1814, +of-there is every reason to believe--a broken heart. + +Captain King, when he visited the Isle of France after his Australian +surveys, speaks with pride of the kindly memory entertained by the +residents for the unfortunate Flinders, and the contempt bestowed upon +his cowardly gaoler. + +Australia at the time of the explorer's detention was not certainly in a +position to demand his liberation. But what has been done since? Sir John +Franklin, an official visitor to our shores, erected a memorial to him in +the little township of Port Lincoln--a tribute to a brother sailor. Ask +the average native-born Australian of the southern colonies about +Flinders. He will tell you that it is the name of a street in Melbourne. +In Queensland, the boy will say that it is the name of a river somewhere +in the colony. That is the amount of honour Australia has bestowed on her +greatest navigator. + +What was the fate of his companion, Bass? + +After the return from the investigation of Bass's Straits, the young +surgeon shipped on board an armed merchant vessel on a voyage to South +America. At Valparaiso the governor of the town refused to allow the +vessel to trade. Bass, who was then in command, threatened to bombard the +town if the refusal was not withdrawn. It was rescinded, but, watching +their opportunity, the authorities seized Bass when he was off his guard, +and it is supposed that he was sent to the mines in the interior, where +he died. He was never heard of again, nor was any attempt made to +ascertain his fate. + +Not only can we admire both of these men for their dauntless courage, so +often tried, but all their work on the coast of Australia was done with +no hope of ulterior gain for themselves; their one thought was the +extension of geographical knowledge and the benefit of their fellow men. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + + +The French Expedition--Buonaparte's lavish outfitting--Baudin in the +Géographe--Coast casualties--Sterile and barren appearance--Privations of +the crew--Sails for Timor--Hamelin in the NATURALISTE--Explores +North-Western coast--Swan River--Isle of Rottnest--Joins her consort at +Coepang--Sails for Van Dieman's Land--Examination of the South-East coast +of Australia--Flinders' prior visit ignored--French names +substituted--Discontent among crew--Baudin's unpopularity--Bad food--Port +Jackson--Captain King's Voyages--Adventures in the MERMAID--An extensive +commission--Allan Cunningham, botanist--Search at Seal Islands for +memorial of Flinders' visit--Seed sowing--Jeopardy to voyage--Giant +anthills--An aboriginal Stoic--Cape Arnhem and west coast +exploration--Macquarie Strait--Audacity of natives--Botanical results +satisfactory--Malay Fleet--Raffles Bay--Port Essington--Attack by +natives--Cape Van Dieman--Malay Teachings--Timor and its Rajah--Return to +Port--Second Voyage--MERMAID and LADY NELSON--East Coast--Cleveland +Bay--Cocoa-nuts and pumice stones--Endeavour River--Thieving +natives--Geological formation of adjacent country--Remarkable +coincidences--Across Gulf of Carpentaria--Inland excursion--Cambridge +Gulf--Ophthalmia amongst crew--MERMAID returns to port. + +The voyage of the GÉOGRAPHE and NATURALISTE, under Commander Baudin, was +undertaken whilst the explorations of Flinders were in progress, and +their meeting on the south coast, and the subsequent substitution of +French for English names, led to a very sore feeling on the part of the +English navigator. + +The expedition was under the special sanction of Buonaparte, and there is +little doubt was mainly dictated by his morbid jealously of the maritime +supremacy of England. + +Even at the time when the army of reserve was on the move to cross the +Alps, he found leisure to attend to the details of the projected +expedition and nominate twenty-three persons to accompany the ships and +make scientific observations. "Astronomers, geographers, mineralogist, +botanists, zoologists, draftsmen, horticulturists, all were found ready +in number, double, treble, or even quintreple." + + +"Particular care had been taken that the stores might be abundant and of +the best quality. The naval stores at Havre were entirely at the disposal +of our commander. Considerable sums were granted him for the purchase of +supplies of fresh provisions, such as wines, liquors, syrups, sweetmeats +of different kinds, portable soups, Italian pastes, dry lemonade, +extracts of beer, etc., some filtering vessels, hand mills, stoves, +apparatus for distilling, etc., had been shipped on board each vessel." + + +Added to which a national medal was struck to preserve the memory of the +undertaking, and unlimited credit opened on the principal colonies in +Asia and Africa. + +Think of Flinders in the crazy old INVESTIGATOR, of King and Cunningham +cramped up in the MERMAID, where the cabin was not big enough for their +mess-table, and imagine with what scorn they would have looked on these +luxurious preparations. + +M. Péron writes:-- + + +"On the shores to which we were destined were many interesting nations. +It was the wish of the First Consul, that as deputies of Europe, we +should conciliate these uninformed people, and appear among them as +friends and benefactors. By his order the most useful animals were +embarked in our vessels, a number of interesting trees and shrubs were +collected in our ships, with quantities of such seeds as were most +congenial to the temperature of the climate. The most useful tools, +clothing, and ornaments of every sort were provided for them; even the +most particular inventions in optics, chemistry, and natural philosophy +were contributed for their advantage, or to promote their pleasure." + + +Certainly if M. Baudin failed it would not be the fault of the First +Consul. + +On the 27th of May, 18oi, the coast of New Holland was made--"a blackish +stripe from the north to the south was the humble profile of the +continent first caught sight of." Their first acquaintance with the coast +was not encouraging. Landing at Géographe Bay to examine a river reported +to be there, the longboat was lost, a sailor named Vasse drowned, and the +NATURALISTE lost two anchors. The ships now parted company, the GÉOGRAPHE +steering north to Dirk Hartog's Road, or Shark's Bay. Here they waited +some time for the appearance of the NATURALISTE, but that vessel not +appearing, the GÉOGRAPHE sailed north, and on the 27th July they were in +the neighbourhood of the much visited Rosemary Island. On the 5th of +August the Lacepede Islands were found and named, but no landings were +effected, and the voyagers described the appearance of the islands as +"hideously sterile." + + +"In the midst of these numerous islands there is not anything to delight +the mind. The soil is naked; the ardent sky seems always clear and +without clouds; the waves are scarcely agitated, except by the nocturnal +tempests: man seems to fly from these ungrateful shores, not a part of +which, at least as far as we could distinguish, had the smallest trace of +his presence. The aspect is altogether the most whimsical and savage, at +all parts raising itself into a thousand different shapes of sandy, +sterile, and chalky isles, many of them resembling immense antique tombs; +some of them appear united by chains of reefs, others protected by +immense sand-banks, and all that one could see of the continent displayed +the same sterility, and the same monotony of colour and appearance. The +dismayed and astonished navigator turns away his eyes, fatigued with the +contemplation of these unhappy isles and hideous solitudes, surrounded, +as he views them, with continual dangers; and when he reflects that these +inhospitable shores border those of the archipelago of Asia, on which +nature has lavished blessings and treasures, he can scarcely conceive how +so vast a sterility could be produced in the neighbourhood of such great +fecundity. We continued to range the coast, which seemed to make part of +the archipelago, everywhere bordered with reefs and quicksands, against +which the sea struck with violence, and varied itself as it were in +sheafs of foam. Never was such a spectacle before presented to our +observation. 'These breakers,'" says M. Boulanger, in his journal, "'seem +to form several parallel lines at the shore, and little distant one from +the other, above which the waves are seen raising themselves, +successively breaking with great fury, and forming a horrible cascade of +about fifteen leagues in length. We navigated at this time in the midst +of shallows; the lead found only at times six fathoms. Then, though more +distant from the land, we were not out of sight of it. This part of New +Holland is truly frightful. All the islands that we could reconnoitre +presented alike hideous characters of sterility. We continued to sail in +the midst of shallows and sandbanks, compelled to repeatedly tack, and +avoiding one danger only to fall into another.'" + + +Their privations were very heavy at this time; the food to which they had +been reduced since their departure from the Isle of France had affected +the health even of the strongest, and the scurvy increased its ravages. +Added to that, the allowance of water beginning to fail, and their belief +in the utter impossibility of taking any from these shores, the +GÉOGRAPHE, after naming the archipelago of the north-west coast, +BUONAPARTES, a name now obsolete, sailed for Timor, and here, after a +lapse of some time, was joined by her consort. The stay at Coepang was a +long one, for scurvy and sickness was rife amongst the crews and many +died. + +During the time Captain Hamelin of the NATURALISTE was absent from his +consort, he had been busy along the coast. The Swan River was explored by +Bailly the naturalist, and the island of Rottnest examined. + +"The River of Swans," says M. Bailly, .'was discovered in 1697 by +Vlaming, and was thus named by him, from the great number of black swans +he there saw. The river cannot be considered as proper to supply the +water necessary for a ship; in the first place it is difficult to enter, +and its course is obstructed by many shoals and sandbank; and secondly, +the distance from the mouth of the river is too great before we can find +any fresh water. + +"In the meantime the days fixed by Captain Hamelin to wait for the +GÉOGRAPHE had expired, and we had heard nothing of her, nor did it now +appear likely that we should obtain any news of her by staying any longer +on this coast, we therefore determined to sail for Endracht's Land, +leaving on this island of Rottnest a flag, and a bottle with a letter for +the Commander, in case he should touch there." + + +Leaving the Isle of Rottnest, they sailed north, intending to examine the +shore, but the wind compelled them to keep off the land. After several +attempts they succeeded in keeping near enough to distinguish the general +constitution of the soil, and pronounced this part of Edel's Land of the +same melancholy appearance as the shore of Leeuwin's Land. On the 9th of +July they were in sight of the Isles of Turtel-Duyf and the Abrolhos, on +which Pelsart was wrecked in the year 1629. Their first care on anchoring +in the "Bay of Sea-dogs"--or Shark's Bay--so called by Dampier--was to +find if the GÉOGRAPHE was there, or had been there, this being the second +rendezvous appointed. No signs being found, they concluded to wait eight +or ten days in the hope she would appear. + +"Our chief coxswain, on his return from the island of Dirck Hartighs, +brought us a pewter plate of about six inches in diameter, on which was +roughly engraven two Dutch inscriptions, the first dated 25th of October, +1616, and the second dated 4th of February, 1697. This plate had been +found on the northern point of the island, which for this reason we named +Cape Inscription. When found it was half covered with sand, near the +remains of a post of oak-wood, to which it seemed to have been originally +nailed. + +"After having carefully copied these two inscriptions, Captain Hamelin +had another post made and erected on the spot, and replaced the plate in +the same place where it had been found. Captain Hamelin would have +thought it sacrilege to carry away this plate, which had been respected +for near two centuries of time, and by all navigators who might have +visited these shores. The Captain also ordered to be placed on the N.E. +of the island a second plate, on which was inscribed the name of our +corvette, and the date of our arrival on these shores." + + +Evidently M. de Freycinet had no such veneration for antiquity, for on +his return from the voyage round the world he subsequently made, he is +reported to have carried the relic home and deposited it in the Museum of +the Institute in Paris. + +Having done much to determine the size and formation of the great bight +called Shark's Bay, the NATURALISTE resumed her voyage, and joined her +consort at Coepang, finding the GÉOGRAPHE had arrived there more than a +month before. The NATURALISTE, more fortunate than her companion, had few +cases of scurvy on board, owing principally to their many and long +stoppages on shore. + +The ships in September took their departure from Timor for Van Dieman's +Land, having on board a large proportion of sick. On drawing near the +coast, the humidity of the climate and short allowance of water caused +many deaths. + + +"On the 2nd of December, in 15 deg., we observed the first bird of +paradise--the most beautiful of equatorial sea-birds. On the 22nd we saw +more of them, and on this day we passed the Tropic of Capricorn. Thus +these observations agree with what is so elegantly said by Buffon on the +limits of the climates in which these beautiful birds are seen. + +"Following the chariot of the sun in the burning zone between the +tropics, ranging continually beneath that ardent sky, without ever +exceeding the extreme boundaries of the route of the mighty stars of +heaven, it announces to the navigator his approaching passage under the +celestial signs. + +"On the 29th of December, the sea appeared covered with janthines, the +most beautiful of the testaceous molusques. This jellyfish, by means of a +bunch of small vesicles filled with air, floats on the surface of the +waters. On this shining shell I discovered a new kind of crustaceous +animal, of a beautiful ultramarine blue, like the shell; I knew this to +be a Pinnothera. This discovery is so much the more interesting, as it +does not appear that any of these adhesive animals were ever before found +in univalve shells. On this same day died my colleague, M. Levillian. +During his stay in Dampier's Bay, he had made a fine collection of shells +and petrifactions, which form long banks on these shores, and which are +so much the more interesting, as most of them seem to have their living +resemblance at the feet of the same rocks, which are composed of these +petrified shells." + + +On their departure from Timor the ships sailed for Van Dieman's Land, +having on board a large proportion of sick, and losing many lives on the +way. + +Through calms and wind they had much difficulty in doubling Cape Leeuwin, +and on the 10th of January, 1802, they sighted the southern coast of Van +Dieman's Land, and devoted some time to the examination of that island, +finding many discrepancies in the chart of D'Entrecasteaux. + +Sailing up the east coast, the GÉOGRAPHE sighted the mainland of +Australia on the 28th March, near Wilson's Promontory, most carefully +examining and naming all capes, bays, and harbours, little thinking that +they were directly after Flinders. Whilst off this shore, the encounter +with the INVESTIGATOR took place, which has before been referred to. +After the ships parted, Baudin continued along the south coast, already +surveyed by Flinders, which he re-christened Napoleon's Land, and in +Péron's narrative no reference at all is made to Flinders' prior +investigation. + +The French claim to the discovery and names of these shores was not +received in France until after the publication of Flinders' book, which +took place the day after his death. + +Throughout the voyage Baudin had greatly embittered himself with his +crew. He showed no sympathy nor care for the sick, and was harsh and +unfeeling in his conduct to all on board; in fact, he is blamed for the +constant presence of scurvy that had decimated his men. He seemed utterly +to ignore all precautions for health, and refused to take the many +preventatives that were accessible to prevent that dread disease. After +the magnificent preparations that had been made, it is astonishing to +read of the state of the ship before entering Port Jackson. M. Péron +writes:-- + + +"Several of our men had already been committed to the deep already more +than the half of our seamen were incapable of service from the shocking +ravages of scurvy, and only two of our helmsmen were able to get on deck. +The daily increase of this epidemic was alarming to an extreme degree, +and, in fact, how should it be otherwise? + +"Three-quarters of a bottle of stinking water was our daily allowance; +for more than a year we had not tasted wine; we had not even a single +drop of brandy, instead was substituted half a bottle of a bad sort of +rum, made in the Isle of France, and there only used by the black slaves. +The biscuit served out was full of insects; all our salt provisions were +putrid and rotten, and both the smell and taste were so offensive that +the almost famished seamen sometimes preferred suffering all the +extremities of want itself to eating these unwholesome provisions, and, +even in the presence of their commander, often threw their allowance into +the sea. + +"Besides, there were no comforts of any kind for the sick. The officers +and naturalists were strictly reduced to the same allowance as the +seamen, and suffered with them the same afflictions of body and mind." + + +With unlimited credit and a princely outfit, this state of things did not +speak well for the captain's management. + +The sickness of his crew and want of provisions compelled the French +commander to make for Port Jackson, and on arrival they heard of the +safety of the NATURALISTE, that vessel having parted from them off the +coast of Van Dieman's Land and arrived there earlier, but left in search +of them a few days before the GÉOGRAPHE made the port. + +From Port Jackson the NATURALISTE went home to France, the GÉOGRAPHE, in +company with a small vessel purchased in Sydney, and placed in charge of +Lieutenant Freycinet, pursuing her geographical labours in other parts of +the world. + +The many voyages of Captain P. P. King, son of the Governor of that name, +are some of the most adventurous voyages ever chronicled in our history. +On the 22nd December, in a tiny cutter called the MERMAID, he left Sydney +for the first of his survey trips. It was the year 1817, and his mission +was:-- + + +"To examine the hitherto unexplored coasts of New South Wales from Arnhem +Bay, near the western entrance of the Gulf of Carpentaria, westward and +southward, as far as the North-West Cape, including the opening, or deep +bay, called Van Dieman's Bay, and the cluster of islands called Rosemary +Islands, also the inlets behind them, which should be most minutely +examined; and, indeed, all gulfs and openings should be the objects of +particular attention, as the chief motive for sour survey is to discover +whether there be any river on that part of the coast likely to lead to an +interior navigation into this great continent. + +"It is for several reasons most desirable that you should arrive on this +coast and commence your survey as early as possible, and you m-ill +therefore, when the vessel shall be ready, lose no time in proceeding to +the unexplored coasts, but you are at liberty to commence your survey at +whichever side you may judge proper, giving a preference to that which +you think you may be able soonest to reach, but in case you think that +indifferent, my Lords would wish you to commence by the neighbourhood of +the Rosemary Islands. + +"Either on your way out, or on returning, you should examine the coast +between Cape Leeuwin and the Cape Gosselin, in M. De Freycinet's chart, +and generally you will observe that it is very desirable that you should +visit those ranges of coast which the French navigators have either not +seen at all, or at too great a distance to ascertain and lay down +accurately." + + +Captain King was further instructed to take from Port Jackson seeds of +all vegetables that he considered most useful to propagate on the coasts +to be visited, and to plant them not only in the best situations for +their preservation, but that, also, they might be in sight and reach of +succeeding navigators. + +All notes, surveys, and drawings were to be made in duplicate, and on +every opportunity to dispatch a copy, with full report, of his progress. + +The most important subjects to obtain information on were:-- + + +"The general nature of the climate as to heat, cold, moisture, winds, +rains, periodical seasons, and the temperature. The direction of the +mountains, their names, general appearance as to shape, whether detached +or continuous in ranges. The animals, whether birds, beasts or fishes, +insects, reptiles, etc., distinguishing those that are wild from those +that are domesticated. The vegetables, and particularly those that are +applicable to any useful purpose, whether in medicine, dyeing carpentry, +etc.; all woods adapted for furniture, shipbuilding, etc. To ascertain +the quantities in which they are found, the facility, or otherwise, of +floating them down to a convenient place for shipment. Minerals, any of +the precious stones, how used or valued by the natives; the description +and characteristic difference of the several tribes of people on the +coast. Their occupation and means of subsistence. A circumstantial +account of such articles growing on the sea coast, if any, as might be +advantageously imported into Great Britain, and those that would be +required by the natives in exchange for them. The state of the arts, or +manufactures, and their comparative perfection in different tribes. A +vocabulary of the language spoken by, every tribe which you meet, using +in the compilation of each word the same English words." + + +How much was expected to be accomplished by King with his company of +seventeen, including Messrs. Bedwell and Roe as mates, and Mr. Allan +Cunningham, botanical collector! he also had "Boongaree," a Port Jackson +native, who had accompanied Captain Flinders in the INVESTIGATOR, And +promised to be of great service in any intercourse with the natives. +Provisions for nine months were procured, and twelve weeks water. + + +The MERMAID'S outfit being completed too early in the season to attempt +the passage by way of Torres Straits to the north-west coast, King, +rather than remain inactive, determined to sail VIÂ Bass' Strait and Cape +Leeuwin. + +At Seal Island they landed, and searched in vain for the bottle left +there by Captain Flinders, containing an account of the INVESTIGATOR'S +visit, not with any motive of removing it, but to add a memorandum. On +the summit of the island or rock--for it can scarcely be called an +island--the skeleton of a goat's head was found, and near it were the +remains of a glass case-bottle. These, as was afterwards learned, were +left by Lieutenant Forster, R.N., in 1815, on his passage from Port +Jackson to Europe. + +Next day they anchored off Oyster Harbour, and examined the bar, finding +they could lie close to the shore. It was convenient for all purposes, +the wood being abundant and close to the waterholes, which were dug in +the sand; so that both wood and water could be procured without going far +away from the vessel, thus preventing any possibility of a surprise from +the blacks. + +It was here that Captain Vancouver planted and stocked a garden with +vegetables, but no signs of it now remained, also the ship ELLEGOOD'S +garden, which Captain Flinders found in 1802; the lapse of sixteen years, +however, would make a complete revolution in the vegetation. Cunningham +made here a large collection of seeds and dried specimens from the vast +variety of beautiful plants and flowers. + + +"A small spot of ground near our tent was dug up, and enclosed with a +fence, in which Mr. Cunningham sowed many culinary seeds and peach +stones; and on the stump of a tree, which had been felled by our wooding +party, the name of the vessel and the date of our visit was inscribed; +but when we visited Oyster Harbour three years afterwards, no signs +remained of the garden, and the inscription was scarcely perceptible, +from the stump having been nearly destroyed by fire." + + +Sickness having attacked the crew, little attempt was made to investigate +the west coast, but a straight course was steered to Cape North-west, +that goal of so many navigators. On the 10th of February, 1818, while at +anchor off the Cape, the cable parted, and they lost one of their +anchors, an accident which considerably endangered the remainder of the +voyage, as on the 12th the fluke of a second anchor broke in consequence +of the wind freshening during the night. Three days afterwards they +reached a secure anchorage, which he named the Bay of Rest, as the crew +had been long fatigued when the found it. Here a landing was effected, +and Allan Cunningham took occasion to measure one of the gigantic +ant-hills of that coast. He found it to be eight feet in height and +twenty-six in girth, which after all is not so large as some to be seen +in that region. All examinations of the country tending to give King and +his companion a very poor opinion of the place; they left the inlet in +which they had found shelter, and the large bay in which it was situated +received the name of Exmouth Gulf. + +They pursued their course to the north-east. On the 25th they arrived at +Rosemary Island, so long supposed to mask the entrance to a strait, and +commenced a closer examination of the coast line. Here the always active +botanist planted peach stones, and the party made their first capture of +an "Indian." He and some more were paddling from island to island on +logs--their only means of navigation--and a regular "duck hunt" ensued +before one was caught, and taken on board the cutter by a boat's crew. + + +"The tribe of natives collected upon the shore, consisting of about forty +persons, and of whom the greater number were women and children, the +whole party appeared to be overcome with grief, particularly the women, +who most loudly and vehemently expressed their sorrow by cries and +rolling on the ground, covering their bodies with the sand. When our +captive arrived alongside the vessel, and saw Boongaree, he became +somewhat pacified, and suffered himself to be lifted on board; he was +then ornamented with beads and a red cap, and upon our applauding his +appearance, a smile momentarily played on his countenance, but it was +soon replaced by a vacant stare. He took little notice of anything until +he saw the fire, and this appeared to occupy his attention very much. +Biscuit was given him, which as soon, as he tasted it he spat out, but +some sugared water being offered to him he drank the whole, and upon +sugar being placed before him in a saucer, he was at a loss how to use +it, until one of the boys fed him with his fingers, and when the saucer +was emptied he showed his taste for this food by licking it with his +tongue." + + +He was then restored to his log and around his neck a bag was suspended +containing a little of everything he had appeared to fancy during his +short captivity, this was to induce him to give a favourable account +to his companions. He rejoined his tribe, and the amused seamen +watched the interview on the beach. He was ordered to stand at a +distance until he had thrown away the red cap and axe that had been +given him. Each black held his spear poised, and a number of +questions were seemingly put to him. Upon his answering them apparently +satisfactorily he was allowed to approach, his body was carefully +examined, then they seated themselves in a ring, he placed in the middle. +Evidently he told them his story, which occupied about half an hour. When +finished, after great shouting, the tribe departed to the other side of +the island, leaving the presents on the beach, having carefully examined +them first. After some days spent amongst this group of islands, +endeavouring to establish friendly communication with the natives, the +little vessel resumed her voyage, and on the 4th of March anchored in and +christened Nickol Bay. + +Steering on E.S.E. to Cape Arnheim, where the examination of the west +coast was to commence, they named and passed through Macquarie Strait, +and anchored off Goulburn Island, making a complete survey of the Bay in +which they were anchored, and the surrounding islands, calling them +Goulburn Islands. Here they found traces of the visits of the Malays on +their voyages after trepang, before mentioned by Captain Flinders, and +also could tell from the boldness and cunning of the natives that they +were well used to visitors; they even had the audacity to swim off after +dark and cut the whale boat adrift, fortunately the theft was detected +before the boat drifted out of sight. + +Their hostile conduct caused much trouble whilst getting wood and water, +so much so, that King determined to finish wooding on Sims Island to the +northward. It was fortunate that they were not often obliged to resort +to the muskets for defence, as the greater number of the twelve they had +taken from Port Jackson were useless, yet they were the best they could +then procure in Sydney. + +Meantime Cunningham greatly added to his collection, and took advantage +of a good spot of soil to sow every sort of seed he possessed, but with +little hope of their surviving long; as fire no doubt would soon destroy +all. + + +"The country, was thickly, in some parts impenetrably, clothed with +eucalyptus, acacia, pandanus, fan-palms, and various other trees, whilst +the beaches are in some parts studded, and in others thickly lined with +mangroves. The soil is chiefly of a grey sandy earth, and in some parts +might be called even rich; there was, however, very few places that could +bear so favourable a character. + +"The climate here seems to favour vegetation so much, that the quality of +the soil appears to be of minor importance, for everything thrives and +looks verdant." + + +Whilst on this part of the coast they encountered a fleet of Malay proas, +fifteen in number, but King, with his little unarmed cutter, did not care +to have any communication with such very doubtful characters. + +On the 16th of April, Raffles Bay was found, and named after Sir Stamford +Raffles, and the next day they entered Port Essington, which was +christened after Vice-Admiral Sir William Essington. + +King thought that:-- + + +"Port Essington being so good a harbour, and from its proximity to the +Moluccas and New Guinea, and its being in a direct line of communication +between Port Jackson and India, as well as from the commanding situation +with respect to the passage through Torres Straits, it must at no very +distant period become a place of great trade, and of very considerable +importance." + + +At Knocker's Bay, immediately to the west of this port, the natives made +a very determined attack on the boat, whilst she was hemmed in amongst +the mangroves, but without doing any damage. King next entered and +examined Van Dieman's Gulf, so called by the three Dutch vessels that +sailed from Timor in 1705. The examination of this Gulf formed a +prominent feature in his instructions. Here he found part of the Malay +fleet at anchor, and feeling strong enough to encounter a few of them at +a time, he anchored and allowed them to come on board. He showed them his +rough chart, when they instantly understood the occupation of the cutter. +Like the visitors who came off to Flinders, they showed a great liking +for port wine. Upon mentioning the natives of the coast, and showing a +stone-headed spear, they evinced great disgust. They called them +"Marega," being the Malay definition of that portion of the coast. + +King, during his survey of Van Dieman's Gulf, found and named the two +Alligator Rivers, afterwards traversed by Leichhardt on his trip to Port +Essington. From the Gulf they sailed to Melville Island, which was named +after the First Lord of the Admiralty. He says:-- + + +"We passed round Cape Van Dieman and anchored in the mouth of a very +considerable river-like opening, the size of which inspired us with the +flattering hope of having made an important discovery, for as yet we had +no idea of the insularity of Melville Island." + + +Here once more they had trouble with the natives, whose intercourse with +the Malays had made them adroit and treacherous thieves. + +Whilst on shore taking some bearings, the party was suddenly surprised, +and, beating a hasty retreat, the theodolite stand and Cunningham's +insect net were left behind, and immediately appropriated by the natives. + +This stand they obstinately refused to deliver or exchange, although +offered tomahawks and other tempting presents. Once, after a long +discussion, they brought it down to the beach and minutely examined it, +but the brass mountings took their fancy too much to allow them to part +with it, and King could not take it by force without bloodshed. On the +19th May, Apsley Strait was discovered, and the second island received +the name of Bathurst. + +King next surveyed and named the Vernon Islands, and Clarence Strait. + + +"The time had now arrived for our leaving the coast; our provisions were +drawing to an end, and we had only a sufficiency of bread to carry us +back to Port Jackson; although we had been all the voyage upon a reduced +allowance; our water had also failed, and several casks which we had +calculated upon being full were found to be so bad that the water was +perfectly useless; these casks were made in Sydney, and proved-like our +bread casks-to have been made from the staves of salt provision casks: +besides this defalcation, several puncheons were found empty, and it was, +therefore, doubly necessary that we should resort to Timor without any +more delay." + + +While at Timor, "Dramah," the principal rajah of the Malay fishing fleet, +gave King the following information respecting the coast of New Holland, +which he had frequently visited in command of the fleet that visits its +shores yearly for trepang:-- + + +"The coast is called by them 'Marega,' and has been known to them for +many years. A fleet, to the number of two hundred proas, annually (this +number seems exaggerated), leave Macassar for this fishery; it sails in +January, during the westerly monsoons, and coasts from island to island +until it reaches the north-east of Timor, where it steers S.E. and +S.S.E., which courses carry them to the coast of New Holland; the body of +the fleet then steers eastward, leaving here and there a division of +fifteen or sixteen proas, under the command of an inferior rajah who +leads the fleet, and is always implicitly obeyed. His proa is the only +vessel provided with a compass; it also has one or two swivel or small +guns, and is perhaps armed with musquets. Their provisions chiefly +consist of rice and cocoa-nuts, and their water--which during the westerly +monsoon is easily replenished on all parts of the coast--is carried in +joints of bamboo. Besides trepang, they trade in sharks' fins and birds' +nests." + + +Their method of curing is thus described by Flinders:-- + + +"They get the trepang by diving in from three to eight fathoms of water, +and where it is abundant a man will bring up eight or ten at a time. The +mode of preserving it is thus--the animal is split down on one side, +boiled and pressed with a weight of stones, then stretched open by slips +of bamboo, dried in the sun and afterwards in smoke, when it is fit to +put away in bags, but requires frequent exposure to the sun. There are +two kinds of trepang, the black and the white or grey slug." + + +From Dramah's information, it would seem a perpetual warfare raged +between the natives and Malays, which was unfortunate for King, as it +would make it a very difficult matter to establish friendly communication +with people who could not be expected to distinguish between the English +and Malays. After a short stay in Timor, he sailed for Sydney by way of +the west coast, and anchored in Port Jackson on the 29th of July, 1818. + +The early loss of the anchors had not allowed King so much opportunity of +detailed examination as would otherwise have been the case; but much of +the work that he had been sent to do had been carried out; the +examinations of the opening behind Rosemary Island, and of Van Dieman's +Gulf, beside the survey of the numerous smaller openings and islands. + + +"Mr. Cunningham made a very valuable and extensive collection of dried +plants and seeds; but, from the small size of our vessel and the constant +occupation of myself and the two midshipmen, who accompanied me, we had +neither space nor time to form any other collection of natural history +than a few insects, and some specimens of the geology of those parts +where we landed!" + + +The equipment of the vessel for the second voyage, and the construction +of charts of the first, occupied Captain King until December, when he +left Port Jackson to survey the entrance of Macquarie Harbour, which had +lately been discovered, on the western coast of Van Dieman's Land, and in +February, 18ig, he returned to Sydney. + +King now started to return to the scene of his labours, this time +intending to make his way along the east coast and through Torres +Straits. With him went Surveyor-General Oxley, in the colonial brig, LADY +NELSON, to examine Port Macquarie, in New South Wales, where, it will be +remembered, Oxley reached the coast after his descent of the Main Range. +On the 8th of May, 1819, the two vessels left Port Jackson, and arrived +at their destination in two days. Here, after spending a short time in +the necessary examination, they parted company, the LADY NELSON returning +to Sydney with the Surveyor-General, and the MERMAID continuing her +voyage. + +The east coast having been twice surveyed by Cook and Flinders, there was +little left beyond minor details for King to complete. An opening which +had escaped Captain Flinders was examined, finding good, well sheltered +anchorage within. They named it Rodd's Bay. Amongst other places they +landed at, was Cleveland Bay. + + +"Near the extremity of Cape Cleveland some bamboo was picked no, and also +a fresh green cocoa-nut that appeared to have been hastily tapped for +milk. Heaps of pumice stone was noticed upon this beach; not any of this +production had been met with floating. Hitherto no cocoa-nuts have been +found on this continent, although so great a portion of it is within the +tropic, and its north-east coast, so near to islands on which this fruit +is abundant. Captain Cook imagined that the husk of one, which his second +Lieutenant, Mr. Gore, picked up at the Endeavour River, and which was +covered with barnacles, came from the Terra del Espiritu Santo of Quiros; +but from the prevailing winds it would appear more likely to have been +drifted from New Caledonia, which island was at that time unknown to him; +the fresh appearance of the cocoa-nut seen by us renders, however, even +this conclusion doubtful; Captain Flinders also found one as far to the +south as Shoal Water Bay. + +"In the gullies, Mr. Cunningham reaped an excellent harvest both of seeds +and plants. Here as well as at every other place that we had landed upon +within the tropic, the air is crowded with a species of butterfly, a +great many of which were taken. It is doubtless the same species as that +which Captain Cook remarks are so plentiful in Thirsty Sound. He says, +'We found also an incredible number of butterflies, so that for the space +of three or four acres the air was so crowded with them, that millions +were to be seen in every direction, at the same time that every branch +and twig were covered with others that were not upon the wing.' The +numbers seen by us were indeed incredible; the stem of every grass tree, +which plant grows abundantly upon the hills, was covered with them, and +on their taking wino, the air appeared, as it were, in perfect motion." + + +King landed at the Endeavour River to build a boat that he had on board +in frame--in all probability the very same spot that Captain Cook landed +upon forty-nine years before. He took the precaution to burn the grass +that the natives should not attempt the same trick upon him that they had +played on Cook. During the time the boat was building the inevitable +thieving of the natives took place, and the usual tactics of firing over +their heads had to be resorted to. + + +"On the 10th of July our boat was launched and preparations were made for +leaving the place which had afforded us so good an opportunity of +repairing our defects. + +"The basis of the country in the vicinity of this river is evidently +granitic; and from the abrupt and primitive appearance of the land about +Cape Tribulation, and to the north of Weary Bay, there is every reason to +suppose that granite is also the principle feature of those mountains, +but the rocks that lie loosely scattered about the beaches and surface of +the bills on the south side of the entrance, are of quartzoze substance; +and this, likewise, is the character of the hills at the east end of the +northern beach. Where the rocks are coated with a quartzoze crust, that, +in its crumbled state, forms a very productive soil. The hills on the +south side of the port recede from the banks of the river, and form an +amphitheatre of low grassy land, and some tolerable soil, upon the +surface of which, in many parts, we found large blocks of granite heaped +one upon another. Near the tent we found coal, but the presence of this +mineral in a primitive country, at an immense distance from any part +where a coal formation is known to exist, would puzzle the geologist were +I not to explain all I know upon the subject. + +"Upon referring to the late Sir Joseph Banks' copy of the ENDEAVOUR log, +I found the following remark:--'June 21st and 22nd, 1770--Employed +getting our coals on shore.' There remains no doubt that it is a relic of +that navigator's voyage, which must have been lying undisturbed for +nearly half a century." + + +Leaving the Endeavour, the next object of interest they fell in with was +the wreck of a vessel, which, on examination, proved to be the FREDERICK, +but no signs of the fate of her crew were to be seen. They next had a +narrow escape of being wrecked themselves on a bank at the mouth of a +river running into Newcastle Bay, which King christened Escape River, and +which was afterwards destined to come into fatal prominence as the scene +of Kennedy's death. + +Off Good Island, in Torres Straits, the arm of their anchor broke. + + +"A remarkable coincidence of our two losses upon the two voyages has now +occurred. Last year, at the North-West Cape, we lost two anchors just as +we were commencing the survey; and now, on rounding the North-East Cape, +to commence our examination of the north coast, we have encountered a +similar loss; leaving us, in both instances, only one bower anchor to +carry on the survey." + + +Eleven weeks now since they had left Port Jackson, during that time King +had laid down the different projections of the coast, and the track +within the Barrier Reefs and between the Percy Islands and Cape York; +surveyed Port Macquarie, examined Rodd's Bay, and constructed the boat at +the Endeavour River. + +Frequent rain between Cape Grafton and Torres Straits not only increased +the danger of navigation, but the continued dampness of the small cabins, +and--from the small size of the vessel--no stove to dry them, caused much +sickness; but on the voyage from the straits to the western head of the +Gulf of Carpentaria--Cape Arnhem--they found drier air, and finer +weather, which soon restored the invalids to perfect health. + +King sailed across the Gulf, and sighted the land again at Cape Wessel, +and on the 30th July anchored off the "COCODRILES' EYLANDTS" of the old +charts. Here King discovered a river which he named the Liverpool, and is +doubtless the Spult of the Dutch navigators. Up this river, the +commander, accompanied by Bedwell and Cunningham, made a long excursion, +but the country was too flat for him to gain much information. + +At Goulburn Island, where they landed at their old watering place, they +were again attacked by their friends, the natives, as of old. There is no +doubt that the bad habits of these blacks had been induced by their long +intercourse with the Malays. + +Leaving Goulburn Island they passed round Cape Van Dieman, steering so as +to see several parts of the coast of Melville Island, in order to check +the last year's survey. After rounding the cape they kept a course down +the western side of Bathurst Island. On the 27th they made land on the +south side of Clarence Strait, in the vicinity of the Vernon Islands. + + +"This was the last land seen by us on leaving the coast in May, 1818." + + +Captain King's next important discovery was the now well-known Cambridge +Gulf. On Adolphus Island, in the Gulf, he buried one of his seamen, named +William Nicholls, and in memorial, the north-west point of the island was +named after him. From this point King was very anxious to examine the +coast most carefully, as the French ships, under M. Baudin, had seen but +very little of it; but he had been unable to find fresh water in +Cambridge Gulf, and his stock was running low. They were very weak +handed, three men, besides Mr. Bedwell, being ill. + + +"The greater part of the crew were affected with ophthalmia, probably +caused by the excessive glare and reflection of the sun's rays from the +glassy surface of the sea." + + +Under these unfavourable circumstances they were obliged to make for +Coepang. King says:-- + + +"In the space between Cape Bougainville and Cape Voltaire, which was +named Admiralty Gulf, we have given positions to at least forty islands +or islets. Having now emerged from the archipelago of islands which front +this part of the north-west coast, we seized the opportunity of taking +leave of it for the present, and directed our course for Timor." + + +Here he heard that some of the crew of the wrecked vessel, the FREDERICK, +that they had seen on the east coast, had arrived, but the greater number +of the crew in the long boat had not been heard of. + +On the 12th January, 1820, the MERMAID returned to Port Jackson, having +surveyed five hundred miles of coast, in addition to five hundred and +forty surveyed on the previous voyage, and a running survey of the east +coast from Percy Islands to Torres Straits, which had not formerly been +narrowly examined. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + + +King's Third Voyage--Early misadventures--Examines North-West coast +closely--The Mermaid careened--Unforeseen result--Return to Sydney--The +Bathurst--King's Fourth Voyage--Last of the MERMAID--Love's +stratagem--Remarkable cavern--Extraordinary drawings--Chasm +Island--South-West explorations--Revisits his old camp--Rich +vegetation--Greville Island--Skirmish at Hanover Bay--Reminiscence of +Dampier--His notes on the natives and their mode of living--Cape +Levêque--Buccaneers' Archipelago--Provisions run out--Sails for the +Mauritius--Survey of South-West re-commenced--Cape Chatham--Oyster +Harbour anchorage--A native's toilet--Seal hunt--Friendly +intercourse--Cape Inscription--Vandalism--Point Cloates not an +island--Vlaming Head--Rowley Shoals--Cunningham--Botanical +success--Rogers Island closely examined--Mainland traced further--An +amazing escape from destruction--Relinquishment of survey--Sails for +Sydney--Value of King's work--Settlement on Melville Island--Port +Essington--Colonisation--Fort building--A waif--Roguish +visitors--Garrison life--Change of scene--Raffles Bay--Dismal +reports--Failure of attempt. + +King, now got ready for his third voyage, and on the 14th June, 1820, +left Port Jackson to again encounter the perils of the north coast in his +little cutter, with the addition to his company of Mr. James Hunter, as +surgeon. + +His late voyage had led him to recommend to vessels the passage of the +Barrier Reef, between the reef and the shore, instead of the outside +passage, that had been usually adopted by northern bound ships. His start +was unfortunate; heavy weather set in, the cutter lost her bowsprit, and +they had to put back. On the way up, after repairs had been effected, the +little craft struck heavily on a sandbank, and damaged her hull +considerably, but the voyage was continued. + +On the 19th of August the voyagers were at their former anchorage at +Goulburn Island, taking in fresh water, and watching narrowly for their +old friends the natives, who were so long in making their appearance. +They cut off Lieutenant Roe, when by himself, and nearly succeeded in +spearing him; he was only rescued, when quite exhausted, by the boat's +crew coming to his assistance. + +King proceeded to examine that part of the north-west coast that M. +Baudin had overlooked, more minutely than he had been enabled to do +before. Reaching Hunter's River on September 14th, an opportunity was +offered for filling the water casks. The harbour of this river is of +considerable size, and in most parts offers good anchorage, with +abundance of fuel and water. The harbour was called Prince Frederic's, +and the sound that fronts it, York Sound. + + +"After passing Point Hardy we entered a fine harbour, bounded on the west +by a group of islands, and on the east by the projection of land that +forms the western side of Prince Frederic's Harbour. The flood tide was +not sufficient to carry us to the bottom, so we anchored off the east end +of the southernmost island of the group, which, on the occasion of the +anniversary of the late king's coronation, was subsequently called the +Coronation Islands. The harbour was called Port Nelson, and a high, rocky +hill that was distinguished over the land to the southward received the +name of Mount Trafalgar." + + +From the alarming increase of the leak which the MERMAID had sprung, it +was found necessary to find a place to careen her in, in order, if +possible, the damage might be repaired, that they might continue the +survey, or, at least, ensure their safe return to Port Jackson. On the +sandy beach of a bay, which they named Careening Bay, a place was found +in every way suitable. + + +"These repairs were completed by the 28th, but just as we were +congratulating ourselves upon having performed them, a fresh defect was +discovered, which threatened more alarming consequences than the others. +Upon stripping off some sheets of copper, the spike nails which fastened +the planks were found to be decaying, and many were so entirely +decomposed by oxidation that a straw was easily thrust through the vacant +holes. As we had not enough nails to replace the copper, for that was now +our only security, we could not venture to remove more than a few sheets +from those parts which appeared to be the most suspicious, under all of +which we found the nails so defective that we had reason to fear we might +start some planks before we reached Port Jackson. . . When the repairs +were completed, and the people were more at leisure, I made an excursion +as far as Bat Island, off Cape Brewster. . . . Bat Island is a mass of +sandstone superincumbent upon a quartzoze basis, and intersected by +nearly vertical veins of white quartz, the surface of which was in a +crystallised state. The floor of the cavern was covered with heaps of +water-worn fragments of quartzoze rock containing copper pyrites, in some +of which the cavities were covered by a deposit of greenish calcedony. +The sides of the cavern had a stalagmitical appearance, but the recess +was so dark that we could not ascertain either its formation or +extent. . . . On first entering it we were nearly overpowered by a strong, +sulphurous smell, which was soon accounted for by the flight of an +incredible number of small bats, which were roosting in the bottom of +the cave, and had been disturbed at our approach. We attempted to grope +our way to the bottom, but not having a light, were soon obliged to give +up its further examination. . . . From the summit of this place a set of +bearings were obtained, particularly of the islands to the northward and +westward, and Mr. Cunningham secured here specimens of eighteen different +sorts of plants." + + +On the 9th, leaving Careening Bay, passing between Cape Brewster and the +Coronation Islands, they enter a spacious sound, which received the name +of Brunswick Sound. And here they also found and named the Prince +Regent's River, afterwards the scene of Grey's discomfiture. Here it was +patent that, in spite of their late repairs, the cutter leaked so much +that, for the safety of the crew, King had reluctantly to return to +Sydney; and when off Botany Bay, narrowly escaped total wreck during a +dark and stormy night. + +The tiny craft that had carried King so far and so safely was now laid up +for repairs, and a brig of one hundred and fifty tons was purchased and +re-christened the BATHURST. On the 26th of May, 1821, King sailed from +Port Jackson upon his fourth and last voyage to the north coast, +accompanied by the merchant ships DICK and SAN ANTONIO, bound for +Batavia, who requested permission to accompany King through Torres +Straits. + +Meantime, the MERMAID had been thoroughly repaired and fitted out, +leaving Port Jackson to carry the first establishment to Port Macquarie, +on which service she was wrecked. + +Their company now numbered thirty-three, but three days after they left +port, King says:-- + + +"A discovery was made of another addition to the crew. Upon opening the +hold, which had been locked ever since the day before we sailed, a young +girl, not more than fourteen years of age, was found concealed among the +casks, where she had secreted herself in order to accompany the boatswain +to sea. Upon being brought on deck she was in a pitiable plight . . . +that her acquaintances, of which she had many on board, could scarcely +recognise her. Upon being interrogated, she declared she had, unknown to +all on board, concealed herself in the hold the day before the vessel +sailed, and that her swain knew nothing of the step she had taken. As it +was now inconvenient to return to put her on shore, and as the man +consented to share his rations with her, she was allowed to remain; but +in a very short time heartily repented of her imprudence, and would +gladly have been re-landed, had it been possible." + + +Along the east coast the BATHURST was accompanied by the DICK and SAN +ANTONIO, both going north, and near the wreck of the FREDERICK, they had +a trifling brush with the natives. While here, Mr. Cunningham visited +Clack's reef: + + +"The reef abounded with shells, of which they brought back a large +collection, but not in any great variety; an indifferent CYPRAEA was the +most common, but there were also some VOLUTAE and other shells, besides +trepang and ASTERIAE in abundance. + +"Mr. Cunningham observed a singularly curious cavern upon the rock, of +which he gave me a description in the following account of the island:-- + +"'The south and south-eastern extremes of Clack's Island presented a +steep rocky bluff, thinly covered with small trees. I ascended the steep +head, which rose to an elevation of a hundred and eighty feet above the +sea. + +"'The remarkable structure of the geological feature of this islet led me +to examine the south-east part, which was the most exposed to the +weather, and where the disposition of the strata was, of course, more +plainly developed. The base is a coarse granular, silicious sandstone, in +which large pebbles of quartz and jaspar are imbedded. This stratum +continues for sixteen to twenty feet above the water; for the next ten +feet there is a horizontal stratum of black schistose rock, which was of +so soft a consistence, that the weather had excavated several tiers of +galleries, upon the roof and sides of which some curious drawings were +observed, which deserve to be particularly described. They were executed +upon a ground of red ochre (rubbed on the black schistus), and were +delineated by dots of white argillaceous earth, which had been worked up +into a paste. They represented tolerable figures of sharks, porpoises, +turtles, lizards (of which I saw several small ones among the rocks), +trepang, star-fish, clubs, canoes, water-gourds, and some quadrupeds, +which were probably intended to represent kangaroos and dogs. The +figures, besides being outlined by the dots, were decorated all over with +the same pigment in dotted transverse belts. Tracing a gallery round to +windward, it brought me to a commodious cave, or recess, overhung by a +portion of the schistous sufficiently large to shelter twenty natives, +whose recent fire places appeared on the projecting area of the cave. + +"'Many turtles' heads were placed on the shelfs or niches of the +excavation, amply demonstrative of the luxurious and profuse mode of life +these outcasts of society had, at a period rather recently, followed. The +roof and sides of this snug retreat were also entirely covered with the +uncouth figures I have already described.' + +"As this is the first specimen of Australian taste in the fine arts that +we have detected in these voyages, it became me to make a particular +observation thereon. Captain Flinders had discovered figures on Chasm +Island [Note, below] in the Gulf of Carpentaria, formed with a burnt +stick, but this performance, exceeding a hundred and fifty figures, which +must have occupied much time, appears at least to be one step nearer +refinement than those simply executed with a piece of charred wood. +Immediately above this schistose stratum is a superincumbent mass of +sandstone, which appeared to form the upper stratum of the island." + +[Note: "Chasm Island lies one mile and a half from a low point of GROOTE +EYLANDT, where the shore trends southward and seemed to form a bay. In +the deep sides of the chasms were deep holes or caverns, undermining the +cliffs; upon the walls of which I found rude drawings made with charcoal +and something like red paint upon the white ground of the rock. These +drawings represented porpoises, turtle, kangaroos, and a human hand; and +Mr. Westall, who went afterwards to see them, found the representation of +a kangaroo, with a file of thirty-two persons following after it. The +third person of the band was twice the height of the others, and held in +his hand something resembling the 'whaddie' or wooden sword of the native +chiefs of Port Jackson, and was probably intended to represent a chief. +They could not, as with us, indicate superiority by clothing or ornament, +since they wear none of any kind, and, therefore, with the addition of a +weapon similar to the ancients, they seem to have made superiority of +person the principal emblem of superior power, of which, indeed, power is +usually a consequence of the very early stages of society."] + + +From the wreck of the FREDERICK the crew had been busy during their stay +here procuring all the spars and planks that would be of use to them, and +on the 25th June the BATHURST got under weigh, and with her two +companions resumed their course to the northward, following the same +route as that traversed last year by the MERMAID--steering across the +Gulf of Carpentaria to Cape Wessell, which they sighted on the 3rd June. +Anchoring in South-West Bay, they landed at their former watering place +on Goulburn Island, but found the stream had failed, and the parched +appearance of the island showed that the season had been unusually dry. +Leaving South-West Bay, they passed to the eastward of New Year's Island, +and the following day sighted Cape Van Dieman. Here they parted company +with their companions, the DICK and SAN ANTONIO, by an interchange of +three cheers, the DICK having King's letters for conveyance to England. +The course of the BATHURST was now south-west towards Cape Londonderry, +sighting, during the next few days, Eclipse Hill, Sir Graham Moore's +Islands, and Troughton Island. Light baffling winds detained them for two +days in the vicinity of Cassini Island, and on the 23rd the BATHURST +anchored about half a mile off the sandy beach of Careening Bay. + + +"As soon as the vessel was secured we visited the shore, and recognised +the site of our last year's encampment, which had suffered no alteration +except what had been occasioned by a rapid vegetation. A sterculia, the +stem of which had served as one of the props of our mess tent, and to +which we had nailed a sheet of copper, with an inscription, was +considerably grown, and the gum had oozed out in such profusion where the +nails had pierced the bark that it had forced one corner of the copper +off. The large, gouty-stemmed tree on which the MERMAID'S name had been +carved in deep indented characters remained without any alteration, and +seemed likely to bear the marks of our visit longer than any other +memento we had left. The sensations experienced at revisiting a place +which had so seasonably afforded us a friendly shelter and such +unlooked-for convenience for our purposes, can only be estimated by those +who have experienced them; and it is only to strangers to such feelings +that it will appear ridiculous to say that even the nail to which our +thermometer had been suspended was the subject of pleasurable +recognition. + +"No water in the gully where last year it was running, and no sign that +it had contained any for some time, yet from the luxuriant vegetation and +verdant appearance of the grass, it was the more astonishing. After +examining the bight to the eastward, where formerly there had been a +considerable stream, all hope of success in finding water here was given +up, and an anchorage made in St. George's Basin, finding an abundant +supply at the cascade in Prince Regent's River. + +"While the boat's crew rested and filled their baricas, I ascended the +rocks over which the water was falling, and was surprised to find its +height had been so underrated when we passed by it last year; it was then +thought to be about forty feet, but I now found it could not be less than +one hundred and fifty. The rock--a fine-grained, silicious sandstone--is +disposed in horizontal strata, from six to twelve feet thick, each of +which projects about three feet from that above it, and forms a +continuity of steps to the summit, which we found some difficulty in +climbing; but where the distance between the ledges was great, we +assisted our ascent by tufts of grass firmly rooted in the luxurious moss +that grew abundantly about the watercourses. On reaching the summit, I +found that the fall was supplied from a stream winding through rugged +chasms and thickly-matted clusters of plants and trees, among which the +pandanus bore a conspicuous appearance, and gave a picturesque richness +to the place. While admiring the wildness of the scene, Mr. Montgomery +joined me; we did not, however, succeed in following the stream for more +than a hundred yards, for at that distance its windings were so confused +among rocks and spinifex that we could not trace its course. Large groves +of pandanus and hibiscus, and a variety of other plants, were growing in +great luxuriance upon the banks of the Prince Regent's River, but, +unhappily, the sterile and rocky appearance of the country was some alloy +to the satisfaction we felt at the first sight of the fresh water." + +Water had been obtained sufficient to last until October. Preparations +were then made to leave this anchorage, when they explored Half-way Bay, +finding in it a strait that communicated with Munster Water, so +insulating the land that forms the northwest shore of the Bay. This +island was named Greville Island. + +Whilst in Hanover Bay, a skirmish with the natives enlivened proceedings. +In spite of all the many warnings the party had received by this time, +they would venture amongst the natives quite unarmed, and when their men +came to their assistance the muskets, as a rule, would not go off. This +time the surgeon, Mr. Montgomery, was speared in the back--fortunately, not +fatally. + +From Hanover Bay, King sailed some distance to the westward, anchoring on +August 21st, near the Lacepede Islands. The next day Cape Baskerville was +named, and the smoke of fires was noticed at intervals for miles along +the shore; from which one might infer that this part of the coast was very +populous. Captain Dampier saw forty Indians together on one of the rocky +islands to the eastward of Cape Levêque, and in his quaint description of +them says:-- + + +"The inhabitants of this country are the miserablest people in the world. +The Hodmadods, of Monomatapa, though a nasty people, yet for wealth are +gentlemen to these, who have no houses and skin garments, sheep, poultry, +and fruits of the earth, ostrich eggs, etc., as the Hodmadods have; and, +setting aside their human shape, they differ but little from brutes. They +are tall, straight-bodied, and thin, with small, long limbs. They have +great heads, round foreheads, and great brows. Their eye-lids are always +half-closed to keep the flies out of their eyes, they being so +troublesome here that fanning will not keep them from coming to one's +face; and without the assistance of both hands to keep them off, they +will creep into one's nostrils, and mouth too, if the lips are not shut +very close. So that, from infancy, being thus annoyed with those insects, +they do never open their eyes as other people; and therefore they cannot +see far unless they hold up their heads, as if they were looking at +somewhat over them. They have great bottle noses, pretty full lips, and +wide mouths. The two fore-teeth of their upper jaw are wanting in all of +them, men and women, old and young. Whether they draw them out or not I +know not. Neither have they any beards. They are long-visaged, and of a +very unpleasant aspect, having not one graceful feature in their faces. +Their hair is black, short, and curled like that of the negroes; and not +long and lank like the common Indians. The colour of their skins, both of +their faces and the rest of their body, is coal-black like that of the +negroes of Guinea. They have no sort of clothes but a piece of the rind +of a tree tied like a girdle about their waists, and a handful of long +grass, or three or four small green boughs full of leaves thrust under +their girdle to cover their nakedness. They. have no houses, but lie in +the open air without covering, the earth being their bed and heaven their +canopy. + +"They live in companies-twenty or thirty men, women, and children +together. Their only food is a small sort of fish, which they get by +making weirs of stone across little coves or branches of the sea, every +tide bringing in the small fish, and there leaving them a prey to these +people, who constantly attend there to search for them at low water. This +small fry I take to be the top of their fishery. They have no instruments +to catch great fish should they come, and such seldom stay to be left +behind at low water; nor could we catch any fish with our hooks and lines +while we lay there. In other places, at low water, they seek for cockles, +mussels, and periwinkles; of these shell-fish there are fewer still, so +that their chief dependency is upon what the sea leaves in their weirs, +which, be it much or little, they gather tip and march to the places of +their abode. There is neither herb, root, pulse, nor any sort of grain +for them to eat that we saw, nor any sort of bird or beast that they can +catch, having no instruments. I did not perceive that they did worship +anything. These poor people have a sort of weapon to defend their weirs +or fight with their enemies, if they have any, that will interfere with +their poor fishery. They did at first endeavour with their weapons to +frighten us, who, lying ashore, deterred them from one of their fishing +places. Some of them had wooden swords, others had a sort of lance. The +sword is a long, straight pole, sharp at one end, and hardened afterwards +by heat. I saw no iron, nor any sort of metal; therefore, it is probable +they use stone hatchets. How they get their fire I know not, but, +probably, as Indians do, out of wood. I have seen the Indians of Bon-Airy +do it, and have myself tried the experiment. They take a flat piece of +wood that is pretty soft, and make a small dent in one side of it; then +they take another hard, round stick, about the bigness of one's little +finger and sharpened at one end like a pencil; they put that sharp end in +the hole or dent of the flat, soft piece, and then rubbing or twirling +the hard piece between the palm of their hands, they drill the soft piece +till it smokes and, at last, takes fire. + +"These people speak somewhat through the throat, but we could not +understand one word they said. . . . We went over to the islands, and +there we found a great many of the natives. I do believe there were forty +on one island--men, women, and children. The men, on our first coming +ashore, threatened us with their lances and swords, but they were +frightened by firing our gun, which we purposely fired over their heads. +The island was so small that they could not hide themselves, but they +were much disordered by our landing. This, their place of dwelling, was +only a fire, with a few boughs before it, set up on the side the winds +were off. + +"After we had been here a little while, the men began to be familiar, and +we clothed some of them, designing to have some service of them for it; +for we found some wells of water here, and intended to carry two or three +barrels of it aboard. But it being somewhat trouble some to carry to the +canoes, we thought to have made these men to have carried it for us, and +therefore, we gave them some old clothes; to one an old pair of breeches, +to another a ragged shirt, to the third a jacket that was scarce worth +owning, which yet would have been very acceptable at some places where we +had been, and so we thought they might have been with these people. We +put them on them, thinking that this finery would have brought them to +work heartily for us; and our water being filled in small, long barrels, +about six gallons in each, which were made purposely to carry water in, +we brought these our new servants to the well, and put a barrel on each +of their shoulders for them to carry to the canoe. But all the signs we +could make were to no purpose, for they stood like statues, without +motion, but grinned like so many monkeys, staring one upon another; for +these poor creatures seem not accustomed to carry burthens, and I believe +that one of our ship boys, of ten years old, would carry as much as one +of them. So we were forced to carry our water ourselves, and they very +fairly put the clothes off again, and laid them down, as if clothes were +only to work in. I did not perceive that they had any great liking to +them at first, neither did they seem to admire anything we had. Four men, +captured while swimming, were brought aboard; two of them were middle +aged, the other two young men about eighteen or twenty years old. To +these we gave boiled rice, and with it turtle and manatee boiled. They +did greedily devour what we gave them, but took no notice of the ship, or +anything on it, and when they were set on land again, they ran away as +fast as they could. At our first coming, before we were acquainted with +them, or they with us, a company of them, who lived on the main, came +just against our ship, and standing on a pretty high bank threatened us +with their swords and lances, by shaking them at us; at last the captain +ordered the drum to be beaten, which was done of a sudden with much +vigour, purposely to scare the poor creatures. They, hearing the noise, +ran away as fast as they could drive, and when they ran away in haste +they would cry GURRY-GURRY, speaking deep down in the throat. Those +inhabitants, also, that live on the main would always run away from us +yet we took several of them. For, as I have already observed, they had +such bad eyes that they could not see us till we came close to them; we +did always give them victuals, and let them go again." ["Dampier." +Vol. I, p464.] + + +August 20. King, when laying down the plan of the coast upon his chart, +found Cape Levêque to be the point Dampier anchored under when on his +buccaneering voyage in the CYGNET, 1688. In commemoration of his visit +the name of Buccaneer's Archipelago was given to the islands that front +Cygnet Bay, which bay is so named after his vessel; and on August 26, +Roebuck Bay received its name after the ship Captain Dampier commanded +when he visited this coast in 1699. Their water being nearly out, and the +provisions generally being in a bad state, besides the want of a second +anchor being very much felt, King deemed it prudent not to rely longer +upon the good fortune that had attended them, but to sail for the +Mauritius, entering Port Louis on September 26th. + +On November 15th they were again ready for sea, and left the Mauritius to +re-commence their survey on the south-west coast of New Holland. Sighting +Cape Chatham, a course was directed to the eastward for King George's +Sound, where they intended to get wood and water previous to commencing +the examination, and anchored close to the entrance of Princess Royal +Harbour. This harbour not proving suitable, their old anchorage in Oyster +Harbour was taken up. The luxuriant growth of vegetation had almost +entirely destroyed all traces of the visit of 1818. The garden in which +Mr. Cunningham had planted seeds was covered with three or four feet of +additional soil, formed of sand and decayed vegetable matter, and clothed +with a thicket of plants in flower. The natives appeared to be very +friendly, and some visited the vessel. + + +"After an absence of an hour our two friends returned, when it appeared +that they had been at their toilet, for their noses and faces had +evidently been fresh smeared over with red ochre, which they pointed out +to us as a great ornament; affording another proof that vanity is +inherent in human nature, and not merely the consequence of civilization. + +"Two of them were watching a small seal that, having been left by the +tide on the bank, was endeavouring to waddle towards the deep water. At +last one of the natives, fixing his spear in its throwing-stick, advanced +very cautiously, and when within ten or twelve yards, lanced it, and +pierced the animal through the neck, when the other instantly ran up and +stuck his spear into it also; and then, beating it about the head with a +small hammer, very soon despatched it. This event collected the whole +tribe to the spot, who assisted in landing their prize and washing the +sand off the body. They then carried the animal to their fire, at the +edge of the grass, and began to devour it even before it was dead. +Curiosity induced Mr. Cunningham and myself to view this barbarous feast, +and we landed about ten minutes after it had commenced. The moment the +boat touched the sand the natives, springing up and throwing their spears +away into the bushes, ran down towards us, and before we could land, had +all seated themselves in the boat, ready to go on board, in as +unceremonious a manner as passengers would seat themselves in a +ferry-boat; but they were obliged to wait whilst we landed to witness +their savage feast. On going to the place, we found an old man seated +over the remains of the carcass, two-thirds of which had already +disappeared. He was holding a long strip of the raw flesh in his left +hand, and tearing it off the body with a sort of knife. A boy was also +feasting with him, and both were too intent upon their breakfast to +notice us, or to be the least disconcerted at our looking on. We, +however, were very soon satisfied, and walked away perfectly disgusted +with the sight of so horrible a repast, and the intolerable stench +occasioned by the effluvia that arose from the dying animal, combined +with that of the bodies of the natives, who had daubed themselves from +head to foot with a pigment made of redocherous earth, mixed up with +seal-oil. Returning on board, the natives were very attentive to the +mixture of a pudding, and a few small dumplings were made and given to +them, which they put on the bars of the fire-place, but, being too +impatient to wait until they were baked, ate them in a doughy state, with +much relish. One of them, an old man, was very attentive to the +sail-makers cutting out a boat's sail, and, at his request, was presented +with all the strips that were of no use. When it was completed, a small +piece of canvas was missing. After a great search, in which the old rogue +assisted, it was found secreted under his arm. The old man appeared +ashamed and conscious of his guilt, and although he was frequently +afterwards with us, yet he always hung down his head and sneaked into the +background." + + +So with the exception of a few thefts all communication with the natives +was here carried on in a most friendly manner, and on the 1st of January +the anchors were lifted, and the BATHURST left for Seal Island, where +they intended to refit the sails. Leaving King George's Sound they sailed +at a distance from the land to ensure a quicker passage to Cape Péron, +Flinders and M. Baudin having minutely examined the coast between. + +Frederick Houtman's Abrolhos were sighted on January 17th, and the +passage or channel between the Abrolhos Bank and the coast has been +distinguished by the name of Vlaming's ship, the GEELVINK, since she was +the first vessel that passed there, 1697. The cliffs of Red Point named +by Vlaming partake of a reddish tinge, and appear to be of horizontal +strata; behind Red Point is a bight, named by the French Gantheaume Bay. +Reaching Dirk Hartog's Island they anchored off Cape Inscription, and +searched for the historical plates, but although the posts were standing, +the plates had been removed. + +King found that former navigators had taken that part of the coast he +named Point Cloates for an island, calling it Cloates Island; the next +day Vlaming Head, of the North-West Cape, came in sight, and a north +course bore him to Rowley Shoals, wishing to fix their position with +greater correctness, and to examine the extent of the bight round Cape +Levêque, which during the earlier part of their voyage they were obliged +to leave unexplored. Landing next at Point Cunningham, Mr. Cunningham +botanized with great success; a fresh stream was running down the rocks +into the sea, and at the back of the beach was a hollow full of sweet +water; the heat was terrible, and the soil of a red coloured earth of a +very sandy nature. + +Another anchor lost, in a bay they afterwards called Disaster Bay. The +succession of bad weather, and only one anchor left, made it desirable to +go to Port George the Fourth, as they wanted both food and water; and +during the delay here, a part of the crew in the boats could examine the +islands in Rogers Strait, and trace the continuation of the mainland, +behind the islands, that forms the south-east coast of Camden Bay, of +which nothing was known; also continuing the examination of the deep bay +behind Montgomery's Islands, and connect that part with the gulf or +strait behind Buccaneers' Archipelago, which King felt sure existed. Here +they had a most amazing escape, that reads more like fiction than sober +fact. The astonishing influx and reflux of the tides amongst these +islands had been noticed by Dampier, and had led that navigator to +conclude that a strait or large river must be situated near this part of +the coast. Whilst among these islands, King was caught in one of these +tidal draughts during a dead calm. The following is his description of +the position. He was at the mast-head--his usual position for conning the +ship when near the land--but seeing his vessel carried swiftly and, as he +thought, inevitably on the rocks, he descended to the deck:-- + + +"Happily, however, the stream of the tide swept us past the rocks without +accident, and after carrying us about half-a-mile farther, changed its +direction to south-east, and drifted us towards a narrow strait +separating two rocky islands, in the centre of which was a large +insulated rock, that seemed to divide the stream. The boat was now +hoisted out to tow, but we could not succeed in getting the vessel's head +round. As she approached the strait the channel became much narrower, and +several islands were passed at not more than thirty yards from her +course. The voices of natives were now heard, and soon afterwards some +were seen on either side of the strait, hallooing and waving their arms. +We were so near to one party that they might have thrown their spears on +board. BY this time we were flying past the shore with such velocity that +it made us quite giddy; and our situation was too awful to give us time +to observe the motions of the Indians; for we were entering the narrowest +part of the strait, and the next moment were close to the rock, which it +appeared almost impossible to avoid, and it was more than probable that +the stream it divided would carry us broadside upon it, when the +consequences would have been dreadful. The current, or sluice, was +setting past the rock at the rate of eight or nine knots, and the water +being confined by its intervention, fell at least six or seven feet; at +the moment, however, when we were upon the point of being dashed to +pieces, a sudden breeze providentially sprang up, and filling our sails, +impelled the vessel forward three or four yards. This was enough, but +only just sufficient, for the rudder was not more than six yards from the +rock. No sooner had we passed this frightful danger than the breeze fell +again, and was succeeded by a dead calm; the tide, however, continued to +carry us on with a gradually decreasing strength until one o'clock, when +we felt very little effects from it." + + +This was the last danger that King was to escape on the north-west coast, +as after a little more examination of the neighbourhood of this dangerous +archipelago, the thick weather and easterly winds compelled him to +relinquish his work and sail for Sydney. + +King left the coast thoroughly impressed with the idea that behind +Buccaneers' Archipelago there was, if anywhere, an opening into the +interior of New Holland; the constant loss' of his anchors had prevented +him from confirming his conjecture; but he had good reason for then +thinking so. In these days of strong, well-found surveying steamers, it +is wonderful to recall the work that King did in the MERMAID, amongst all +the dangers of unknown seas, and constantly having to get his wood and +water in the face of hostile savages. + +It was not long after his return to England, and whilst engaged preparing +his journal for publication, that he heard a settlement had been founded +on Melville Island, one of his discoveries. As this settlement was in +accordance with his recommendation, and a detailed account of its +foundation has not been given in these pages, the present may be a +fitting time to do so. + +It must be remembered that this settlement was finally, after many +removals, abandoned, and the one established at Port Essington, when +Leichhardt arrived there, was a second attempt at colonisation. + +The TAMAR, under captain Bremer, left Sydney in August, 1824, having with +her the COUNTESS OF HARCOURT, and that ever useful colonial brig, the +LADY NELSON. + +Arrived at Port Essington, the little fleet anchored off Table Point, the +marines landed, the Union Jack was hoisted, and formal possession taken +of the north coast of Australia, between the meridians of 129 deg. and +136 deg. east of Greenwich. After the TAMAR had fired a royal salute, and +the marines three volleys, the business of finding a site commenced. + +This was no such easy matter, the first object being to find fresh water; +parties were despatched in all directions, but for a long time +unsuccessfully; at last some was obtained at a sandy point, where there +was an old Malay encampment, but it was a deficient supply, only to be +got by digging holes in the sand, and the inducements for remaining were +not considered sufficiently attractive. An examination of St. Asaph Bay, +in Melville Island, was next made, and possession taken in like manner; +but no fresh water was forthcoming there, and at last, after much +searching, a small river and plenty of water were found in another part +of Melville Island, opposite Harris Island. A point of the land for the +town was fixed upon, and named Point Barlow, after the commandant. The +cove where the ship anchored was called King's Cove, and the entrance to +Apsley Strait, Port Cockburn. + +A redoubt was built of logs, seventy-five feet long by fifty broad, and a +ditch dug surrounding it; the quarter-deck guns were mounted, the colours +hoisted, and it was formally christened Fort Dundas, under a royal salute +from itself. + +After all this display of enthusiasm and gunpowder, work commenced in +earnest, quarters were built inside the stockade, a deep well sunk, a +wharf constructed, and gardens laid out. + +As might have been reasonably supposed, the evil-disposed natives of the +island soon got over their first scare at this invasion of their +territory. At first they came into the fort in friendly guise. + + +"I was greatly astonished to see amongst them," says Lieutenant Roe, "a +young man of about twenty years of age, not darker in colour than a +Chinese, but with perfect Malay features, and like all the rest, entirely +naked; he had daubed himself all over with soot and grease to appear like +the others, but the difference was plainly perceptible. On observing that +he was the object of our conversation, a certain archness and lively +expression came over his countenance, which a native Australian would +have strained his features in vain to produce. It seems probable that he +must have been kidnapped when very young, or found while astray in the +woods." + + +All this friendliness soon disappeared, the aborigines took to robbing +the working parties of their tools, and spear and musket soon came to be +used on either side. Up to the time the TAMAR left, however, no harm had +been done. In all, the settlement consisted of one hundred and twenty-six +individuals, of whom four were women, and forty-five convicts. + +The fortunes of this little colony, and even its existence, being almost +forgotten, it may be interesting to the reader to follow them to the end. +After the TAMAR left for India, and the COUNTESS OF HARCOURT proceeded on +her voyage, the settlement was left with the colonial brig, the LADY +NELSON, as the nucleus of a fleet, but she sailed for Timor, and was +never heard of again. The hostility of the natives increased, and the +Malays, who were expected to visit and trade with the English, did not +put in an appearance, it being out of the track of their proas; and of +Fort Dundas, of which such high hopes were entertained, in a few short +years not a vestige remained. + +At last, what with scurvy amongst the garrison (which, considering the +amount of vegetables grown, should not have been the case), the incessant +feud with the natives, the most gloomy reports were sent down at every +opportunity afforded by a vessel calling. Latterly, it was unsafe to +venture out of the camp unarmed, and the surgeon and commissariat officer +were murdered only a few yards from the stockade. The public policy +pursued was not of a liberal nature, and it was decided to try the +experiment of a settlement on the mainland. + +As it was considered that Port Essington was deficient in fresh water, +Raffles Bay was selected, and two years before Melville Island was +finally abandoned, Captain Stirling, of the SUCCESS, was ordered to +proceed there. The settlement was formed on the 18th June, and in honour +of the date, was called Fort Wellington. + +The usual scene of activity ensued, the erection of a house, the +formation of a garden, and finally, the old routine of commencing +intercourse with the natives; then the thieving and the usual +retaliation. + +Two shipwrecked men were picked up during the early days of the +settlement, one a Portuguese sailor belonging to the FREDERICK, wrecked +on the east coast, so often mentioned by King. This man, in company with +two others, had escaped in a small boat, and reached Port Essington, +where his two companions had died. The other was a Lascar belonging to +the ship FAME, that had been wrecked in the straits. He had been with the +blacks six or seven years. + +On the final abandonment of Melville Island, in 1829, the live animals, +stores, plants, etc., were transferred to Raffles Bay, but although such +doleful accounts of the island had been sent down, Captain Lawes, who +visited it only a few months before the removal, gives a favourable +report of its healthiness, and of the success attending the growth of +vegetables and tropical fruits. The same dismal reports concerning the +unhealthiness of the climate were reported about Raffles Bay, and, much +to the surprise of the commandant, Captain Barker, orders were received +to abandon that place, too, in the same year. + +On the 28th of August the abandonment took place. The principal natives, +who had been admitted near the settlement, were taken over the stockade +and garden, and an attempt made to teach them the value of the fruits. + +The whites left behind them orange, lime, and lemon trees, bananas, in +abundance, shaddocks, citrons, pine-apples, figs, custard apples, +cocoa-nuts, sugar-cane, and many other plants. In addition, paw-paws, +bananas, and cocoa-nuts were planted in many other places where it was +thought they would thrive. + +Poultry, pigs, a bull and three cows (buffaloes), a Timor horse, and mare +in foal, were also left, in the hope of their increasing. An old Union +Jack was then nailed on the deserted fort, and the garrison went on board +the brig. On notice being given of the intended removal, a disposition to +abscond had been evinced by many of the prisoners. Some succeeded; the +idea being to hide until the departure of the commandant, and then live +with the natives until the arrival of the Malay proas. All returned and +gave themselves up with the exception of two, and these two were left +behind. Their fate is of course unknown. This was the end of the first +attempt at colonisation of the north coast. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + + +Cruise of H.M.S. BEAGLE--Passengers Grey and Lushington--Swan +River--Northern coast survey commenced--Supposed channel at Dampier's +Land non-existent--Lieutenant Usborne accidentally shot--King's +Sound--Effects of a rainy season--Point Cunningham--Skeleton of a native +found--New discoveries--Fitzroy River explored--Exciting incident--Boat +excursion to Collier Bay--Swan River--Native steward "Miago"--Amusing +inspection--Meeting with the explorers at Hanover Bay--Lieutenant Grey's +description of native tribes--Miago's memory--Fremantle--Needed +communication--BEAGLE at Hobart Town--Survey work at Cape +Otway--Exploration of northwest coast--Reminiscences of +colonisation--Discovery of the Adelaide River--A serious comedy--Port +Essington and Clarence Straits--Harbour of Port Darwin named--The +Victoria River--Extravagant hopes--Land party organized--Captain Stokes +speared--Return to Swan River--BEAGLE again North--Examination of Sweer's +Island--Flinders and Albert Rivers discovered--Inland navigation--Gun +accident--Native mode of burial--Fallacious Theorising--The BEAGLE'S +surveying concluded--Maritime exploration closes. + +The next voyage of importance in these waters was conducted by Captains +Wickham and Stokes. Few narratives of the survey of our coasts have read +with so much interest as that of the cruise of the BEAGLE. Partly is this +owing to the intense love of exploration and discovery that seems to have +animated the spirit of her commander, Captain Lort Stokes, throughout +whose journal there breathes the very essence of genuine enthusiasm. In +addition, the incidents and results of the survey added so much to our +knowledge of Australia, that one can look upon him as a most worthy +successor to Flinders and King. + +The BEAGLE was an old surveying vessel, and Captain Stokes had served on +board of her for nearly eighteen years, passing through all the grades, +from midshipman upwards, in many parts of the world. She left Plymouth on +the 5th July, 1837, under the command of John Clements Wickham, who +invalided in March, 1841, when John Lort Stokes, lieutenant and assistant +surveyor, was appointed to the vacant command. + +On board the BEAGLE, at her departure from Plymouth, were Lieutenants +Grey and Lushington, on their way to explore the interior of Western +Australia. These gentlemen parted company from the BEAGLE at the Cape of +Good Hope, the sloop proceeding to the Swan River. In January, 1838, the +BEAGLE left Swan River, and sailed north, where, on the 15th, they +anchored in Roebuck Bay, and commenced a search for the much talked of +channel supposed to exist by Captains King and Dampier--a channel that +would connect Roebuck Bay with an opening behind Buccaneer's Archipelago, +thus making Dampier's Land an island. As was anticipated by Stokes, this +proved unsuccessful, but the stay there was terminated by an unfortunate +but, luckily, not fatal accident, Lieutenant Usborne being accidentally +shot. + + +"At the time this unlucky accident occurred, some twenty natives rushed +from the concealment, whence they had been, doubtless, watching all the +proceedings of the party, as though they, designed to bear a part in what +probably seemed to them, as poor Usborne went down, an approaching fray; +however, the sight of the two boats in the distance, which, upon +deploying, they had full in view, deterred them from acting upon any +hostile intentions, supposing such to have existed in their minds. The +accident, however, and their sudden appearance could only serve +additionally to flurry the little party, who had to convey their disabled +officer to a place of safety, and Mr. Helpman, who may well be pardoned +the want of his usual self-possession at such a moment, left behind a pair +of loaded pistols. They would puzzle the savages greatly, of course, but +I hope no ill consequences ensued; if they began pulling them about, or +put them in the fire, the better to separate the wood and iron, two or +three poor wretches might be killed or maimed for life, and their first +recollections of the 'Quibra men,' as Miago calls us, would naturally be +anything but favourable. + +"Thus disastrously terminated our examination of Roebuck Bay, in which +the cheering reports of former navigators had induced us to anticipate +the discovery of some great water communication with the interior of this +vast continent. A most thorough and careful search had clearly +demonstrated that the hoped-for river must be sought elsewhere." + + +Touching here and there along the coast, and having occasional +communication with the natives, which Stokes amusingly describes, they +finally anchored in, and christened King's Sound after the narrow escape +that King experienced there from the tidal race. The point had now been +reached where they expected to carry on their most important operations, +and the first question to settle was if they could rely on fresh water. +The delightful verdure that clothed the country after the long ranges of +sandhills, and shores covered with mangroves, also the fact of many +natives living here, would on any other coast have been looked upon +favourably, but upon the coasts, and in the heart of Australia nature +seems to delight in contradiction. + +Heavy rains provided them with an abundance of rain water, and they +collected in the hollows of the rocks several boat loads, so preventing a +more distant search. + + +"While waiting here a party was made up for the purpose of penetrating a +little way into the interior. Everything wore a green and most delightful +appearance, but the reader must bear in mind how vegetation had just been +forced by heavy rains upon a light, heated soil, and also recollect that +to one who has been pent up for some time on board ship a very barren +prospect may seem delightful. The country was more open in character than +I had before noticed it, and the numerous traces of native fires which we +found in the course of the excursion seemed readily to account for this. +Indeed, during dry seasons it not infrequently happens that an immense +tract of land is desolated with fire, communicated either by the design +or carelessness of the natives, to the dry herbage on the surface. The +moment the flame has been kindled, it only waits for the first breath of +air to spread it far and wide; then, on the wings of the wind, the fiery +tempest streams over the hillsides and through the vast plains. Brushwood +and herbage, the dry grass, the tall reed, the twining parasite, or the +giant of the forest, charred and blackened, but still proudly erect-alike +attest and bewail the conquering fire's onward march; and the bleak +desert, silent, waste, and lifeless, which it leaves behind, seems for +ever doomed to desolation. Vain fear! The rain descends once more upon +the dry and thirsty soil, and, from that very hour which seemed the date +of cureless ruin, Nature puts forth her wondrous power with increased +effort, and again her green and flower-embroidered mantle decks the earth +with a new beauty." + + +Leaving this anchorage, another was found in a bay on the mainland, +eleven miles N.W. from a remarkable headland, named by Captain King Point +Cunningham, and remained here a week, by which time the coast, as far as +Point Cunningham, was carefully examined. + + +"We named this Skeleton Point, from our finding here the remains of a +native, placed in a semi-recumbent position under a wide-spreading +gum-tree, enveloped, or, more properly, shrouded, in the bark of the +papyrus. All the bones were closely packed together, the larger being +placed outside, and the general mass, surmounted by the head, resting on +its base; the fleshless, eyeless skull 'grinning horribly' over the right +side. The removal of the skeleton was effected, and presented by Captain +Grey to the Royal College of Surgeons, in whose museum it is now to be +found." + + +From the summit of Point Cunningham a fine view of the opposite shore of +the sound was obtained. It appeared very rugged and broken, and from the +geological formation of the country, and no land to the south-cast or +south, Captain Stokes' hopes were again raised of finding the long and +anxiously expected river. A singular cliff on the south-east side of the +point is called by King, "Carlisle Head." Rounding Point Cunningham, they +anchored near a red cliffy head, called by Captain King "Foul Point." It +was here King was compelled to leave the coast, and Foul Point marks the +limit of his survey on the northern shore. + +On the 23rd February they crossed the limit of King's Sound, and entered +unknown waters. Here, at Disaster Bay, Stokes was sent in command of the +whaleboat and yawl, to inspect the coast ahead, whilst the survey of the +bay proceeded. On the 26th, Stokes discovered a new river, which he named +the Fitzroy, after his former commander. Whilst exploring this river, +Stokes and his companions, Helpmann and a sailor, had a most narrow +escape. They had left the boat, and were making their way through the +mangrove-fringed banks on foot to a certain point where they were to meet +the boat again; but rising tide proved so strong that the boat could not +reach them, and although Stokes and Helpman could swim, the sailor could +not, and they would not desert him. There they had to stand with the tide +creeping up their bodies, and watch the desperate efforts of the crew to +contend against its force. Only when the water was high enough to allow +the boat to creep along the shelter of the mangroves, and they were +shoulder deep, were they rescued. + +On the return to the ship, a fresh expedition was immediately despatched, +Captain Wickharn himself taking command, and they pulled up the Fitzroy a +distance of twenty-two miles in a straight direction, and ninety miles +following the bend of the river. Returning, Stokes had the satisfaction +of seeing a monster alligator reposing on the mud-bank, where he had such +a near escape from drowning. + +After a lengthened survey of the sound, the BEAGLE returned to Port +George the Fourth, where she arrived on the 7th of April, from whence +they made a boat excursion to Collier Bay. Many natives were seen on the +shore, evidently wanting to be friendly. On board the BEAGLE, the party +had a native of Swan River--Miago. He turned out an excellent gun +room waiter, and they hoped that in any communication with the natives he +might prove useful. When off Point Swan, Stokes says:-- + +"They closely examined the heroic Miago, who submitted to be handled by +these much-dreaded 'northern men' with a very rueful countenance, and +afterwards construed the way in which one of them had gently stroked his +beard, into an attempt to take him by the throat and strangle him--an +injury and indignity which, when safe on board, he resented by repeated +threats, uttered in a sort of wild chant, of spearing their thighs, +back, loins, and, indeed, every individual portion of the frame. + +"When Captain Wickharn and myself left the ship at Point Cunningham, in +the hope of inducing the natives to return with us, Miago, hearing of the +expected visit, immediately went below and dressed himself to the best +possible advantage. No sooner did the boat come alongside, than he +appeared at the gangway, inquiring, with the utmost possible dignity, +'Where blackfellas?' and was evidently deeply mortified that he had no +opportunity of 'astonishing the natives.'" + + +On their return to the ship, from the examination of Collier Bay, they +found the exploring party, under Grey and Lushington, had arrived on the +coast at Hanover Bay, twelve miles away. + + +"From Lieutenant Grey's description of the tribes his party had +encountered, he must have been among a people more advanced in +civilization than any me had hitherto seen upon this coast. He found +several curious figures, images, and drawings, generally in colours, upon +the sides of caves in the sandstone rock, which, notwithstanding their +rude style, yet evince a greater degree of advancement and intelligence +than we have been able to find any traces of; at the same time, it must +be remembered that no certain date absolutely connects these works with +the present generation; the dryness of the natural walls upon which they +are executed, and the absence of any atmospheric moisture may have, and +may yet preserve them for an indefinite period, and their history, read +aright, may testify-not the present condition of the Australian School of +Design, but the perfection which it had formerly attained. Lieutenant +Grey, too, like ourselves, had seen certain individuals, in company with +the natives, much lighter in colour, and widely differing in figure and +physiognomy from the savages by whom they were surrounded, and was +inclined to believe that they are descended from Dutch sailors who, at +different times suffering shipwreck upon the coast, have intermarried +with its native inhabitants; but as no authentic records can be produced +to prove that this portion of the coast was ever visited by Dutch +navigators at all, I am still more disposed to believe that these lighter +coloured people are Malays captured from the trepang fishers, or, +perhaps, voluntarily associating with the Australians, as we know that +the Australian not unfrequently abandons his country and his mode of life +to visit the Indian Archipelago with them." + + +From Port George the Fourth the BEAGLE sailed for Swan River, where she +arrived on the 25th of May. Her most important discovery during this +cruise was King's Sound and the Fitzroy River. As they neared Miago's +birthplace, Stokes says he questioned him upon the account he intended +giving his friends of the scenes he had witnessed. + + +"I was quite astonished at the accuracy with which he remembered the +various places we had visited during the voyage. He seemed to carry the +ship's track in his memory with the most careful accuracy. His +description of the ship's sailing and anchoring was most amusing. He used +to say: 'Ship walk--walk--all night--hard walk--then, by-and-by, anchor +tumble down.' His manner of describing, his interviews with the wicked +'northern men' was most graphic. His countenance and figure became at +once instinct with animation and energy, and no doubt he was then +influenced by feelings of baffled hatred and revenge, from having failed +in his much-vaunted determination to carry off in triumph one of their +gins. I would sometimes amuse myself by asking him how he was to excuse +himself to his friends for having failed in the promised exploit, but the +subject was evidently a very unpleasant one, and he was always anxious to +escape it. + +"We were considerably amused with the consequential air Miago assumed +towards his countrymen on our arrival, which afforded us a not +uninstructive instance of the prevalence of the ordinary infirmities of +our common human nature, whether of pride or vanity, universally to be +met with, both in the civilised man and the uncultivated savage. He +declared that he would not land until they first came off to wait on him. +Decorated with an old full-dress lieutenant's coat, white trousers, and a +cap with a tall feather, he looked upon himself as a most exalted +personage, and for the whole of the first day remained on board, +impatiently, but in vain, prying into each boat that left the shore for +the dusky forms of some of his quondam friends. His pride, however, could +not long withstand the desire of display. Yielding to the impulse of +vanity he, early the following morning, took his departure from the ship. +Those who witnessed the meeting described it as cool on both sides, +arising on the part of his friends from jealousy; they, perhaps, judging +from his costume that he had abandoned his bush life." + + +The BEAGLE had arrived at Fremantle just in time to allow her company to +share in the annual festivities with which the inhabitants celebrate the +formation of the colony. It may give some idea of the neglected state of +this then infant colony to mention that during the six months' absence of +the BEAGLE, only one boat had arrived there, and that, H.M.S. PELORUS +from the Indian station. Communication with the home country was sadly +needed, apart from the wish for news. Necessary articles of home +manufacture or importation were becoming unattainable. + +From the Swan River settlement, the BEAGLE proceeded to Sydney, passing +Cape Leeuwin on the 23rd June, the south-western extremity of the +continent named by the first discoverer in 1622, "Landt van de Lewin," or +the Land of Lions. It was their intention to pass through Bass's Strait, +but the weather had been extreme on rounding Cape Leeuwin, making that +impossible. + +On the morning of the 8th, the south-western extremity of Van Dieman's +Land was seen. Van Dieman's Land, as before noted, was discovered in 1633 +by Abel Janz Tasman, the Dutch navigator, and so named by him after the +Governor of Batavia, under whose authority his voyage had been performed, +but the insularity of the island was not fully proved until Bass passed +through the Strait in 1798. + +The bad state of weather detained the BEAGLE in Hobart Town for some +time, reaching Port Jackson on July 24th. + +It was not until the 11th of November that the BEAGLE left Port Jackson, +and anchored close to the southern shore of Port Phillip. Surveying +operations were set to work in good earnest, chiefly in determining the +position of the mouths of the various channels intersecting the bank that +extended across the entire bay, three miles from the entrance, then +continuing the examination to the westward. Passing the mouth of the +Barwon, the nature of the country begins to change, and high grassy +downs, with rare patches of woodland, present themselves; then, as they +near Cape Otway, a steep rocky coast, with dense woodland rising abruptly +over it. Cape Otway, being the northern point of the western extremity of +Bass's Strait, is swept by all the winds that blow into that end of the +funnel, and this is the cause of the stunted appearance of the trees in +that neighbourhood. + +Having coasted the northern side of the strait, they cross to Tasmania to +examine the south side. + +Again, in May 1840, the BEAGLE left Sydney to cruise on the north coast, +and explore the north-western part of the continent, this time taking +the inside passage between the east coast and the Barrier Reef to reach +her destination, and after discovering the mouth of a river near Cape +Upstart (the present Burdekin), and making other minor corrections and +additions in King's chart, the vessel anchored at the new settlement of +Port Essington. In 1829, it will be remembered that Fort Dundas and Fort +Wellington had been abandoned, and it was not until the year 1829 that +any fresh attempt was made. The ships ALLIGATOR and BRITOMART, under Sir +Gordon Bremer and Lieutenant Owen Stanley, were then despatched to Port +Essington; but the new settlement to be formed was intended to be a +purely military one, and although many intending settlers volunteered and +sought permission to try their fortunes, no inducement was held out to +them. + +The township (destined to follow the date of its predecessors) received +the imposing name of Victoria. Not long after the arrival of M. D'Urville +with the ASTROLABE and ZELIE in Raffles Bay, Lieutenant Stewart, when +visiting that bay to invite the French officers to the new settlement, +found nothing remaining of the old one, but the graves of those buried +there; the garden and stockade had totally disappeared. + +Leaving Port Essington, the BEAGLE discovered a river at the head of Adam +Bay, which was explored for eighty miles, and called the Adelaide. Here +occurred the trago-comic episode that gave the name of Escape Cliffs to +the neighbourhood. + + +"Messrs. Fitzmaurice and Keys went ashore to compare the compasses. From +the quantity of iron contained in the rocks it was necessary to select a +spot free from their influence. A sandy beach at the foot of Escape +Cliffs was accordingly chosen. The observations had been commenced and +were about half completed, when on the summit of the cliffs, which rose +about twenty feet above their heads, suddenly appeared a large party of +natives with poised and quivering spears, as if about immediately to +deliver them. Stamping on the ground and shaking their heads too and fro, +they threw out their long shaggy locks in a circle, whilst their glaring +eyes flashed with fury as they champed and spit out the ends of their +long beards (a custom with Australian natives when in a state of violent +excitement). They were evidently in earnest, and bent on mischief. It was +therefore not a little surprising to behold this paroxysm of rage +evaporate before the happy presence of mind displayed by Mr. Fitzmaurice, +in immediately beginning to dance and shout, though in momentary +expectation of being pierced by a dozen spears. In this he was imitated +by Mr. Keys, and they succeeded in diverting them from their bad designs +until a boat landing in a bay drew off their attention. + +"Messrs. Fitzmaurice and Keys had fire-arms lying on the ground within +reach of their hands, the instant, however, they ceased dancing, and +attempted to touch them, a dozen spears were pointed at their breasts. +Their lives hung upon a thread, and their escape must be regarded as +truly wonderful, and only to be attributed to the happy readiness with +which they adapted themselves to the perils of their situation. This was +the last we saw of the natives in Adam Bay, and the meeting is likely to +be long remembered by some and not without pleasant recollections, for +although at the time it was justly looked upon as a serious affair, it +afterwards proved a great source of mirth. No one could recall to mind, +without laughing, the ludicrous figure necessarily cut by our shipmates, +when to amuse the natives they figured on the light fantastic toe; they +literally danced for their lives." + + +The BEAGLE now returned to Port Essington, first examining the southern +shore of Melville Island. It was a visit not soon to be forgotten. Here +they encountered their first experience of the green ants. Standing under +a tree, whilst taking some observations, they found themselves covered, +and nothing but undressing, at least tearing off their clothes, relieved +them of the torture. The name of Ant Cliffs records this visit on the +south shore of Melville Island. + +Leaving Port Essington for the second time on September 4th, 1839, the +BEAGLE threaded her way through Clarence Straits, to examine the western +entrance, and on the 7th came in sight of the mouth of an opening not +examined by Captain King. The next morning, with the boat provisioned for +four days, they started on their exploring trip, and named the opening +Hope Inlet, to commemorate the feelings it excited on its first +discovery, and the bay in which it lies, Shoal Bay, it being very shallow +at the head. Another wide opening, some fifteen miles ahead, having a +more favourable appearance, they pulled for it, and reached the entrance +at dark. In the morning, they found themselves at the entrance of a large +and promising harbour, which they at once proceeded to investigate, and +Stokes gave it the name of Port Darwin. Stokes seems to have been far +more anxious to discover a river than a harbour; the discovery of the +Adelaide elated him far more than did the finding of Port +Darwin, and he does not seem to have at all anticipated finding the site +of the future capital of the north, that was to take the place of all the +former settlements. Stokes returned to the ship, and the BEAGLE entered +the new found port, and a thorough survey was made. Resuming her voyage, +the BEAGLE, after examining Port Patterson and Bynoe Harbour, sailed for +a large opening one hundred and forty miles to the westward. + + +"Captain King's visit to this part of the coast was in 1819, and under +very adverse circumstances; his vessel had but one anchor left, and the +strong easterly winds then prevailing, with thick hazy weather, rendered +his progress into the opening both difficult and hazardous. After a trial +of two days, and having several narrow escapes from getting on shore, he +bore away to examine the coast to the south-west, where he was repaid for +his disappointment by the discovery of Cambridge Gulf. Thus did the +exploration of this wide and interesting opening fall to our good +fortune." + + +The explorers had great hopes of finding the mouth of an important river. +These hopes were rewarded by the discovery of the Victoria, which Stokes, +in his extravagant joy, deemed equal in importance to the Murray. Captain +Wickharn bestowed the present name on it, and the delighted explorers +proceeded to trace their new found stream, and pulled up it thirty miles. +After their return, Lieutenant Fitzmaurice returned, having also +discovered a river more to the eastward, which received the name of +Fitzmaurice, after its discoverer. A long and interesting task now +commenced--the examination of the new river, and the process of taking the +vessel up as far as possible. After this had been successfully +accomplished, Captain Wickharn being unwell, Stokes was put in charge of +a boat party to follow the river up as far as possible. Taking the boats +as far as practicable, and then forming a land party, they managed to +reach a distance of one hundred and forty miles from the sea, and finding +the river still of considerable size, and full of large freshwater +reaches, Stokes hugged the belief that at last the highway to the +interior was discovered. + +His raptures on this point led to a much higher estimate of the value of +this river being entertained than it deserved; and until its exploration +by Gregory, many shared Stokes' opinion as to its future importance. The +party returned in safety, and on going to weigh the anchors found them so +firmly embedded in the bottom, which must have been a quicksand, that +they had to slip both. + +While anchored at the mouth of this river, Stokes went on shore to take +observations, and, when ahead of his companions, was suddenly surprised +and speared by the natives; the wound narrowly escaped being a fatal one. +By December 12th he was sufficiently recovered to bear the motion of the +ship, and sail was made for Swan River, where they arrived safely, having +made some most important discoveries. A cruise on the west coast, and to +Coepang, followed, and thence they returned by way of the west coast and +Cape Leeuwin to Adelaide. + +In the beginning of June, 1841, the BEAGLE, now in charge of Captain +Stokes, Captain Wickharn having gone home on sick leave, left Sydney for +another northern cruise. On the way up the ship fell in with four +merchant vessels, which she convoyed as far as Booby Island, she herself +pursuing her way down the Gulf of Carpentaria. Their first stay of any +length was at Sweer's Island, and all the coastal inlets in the +neighbourhood were well examined, resulting in the discovery of the +Flinders River, on the 20th July, and of the Albert on the 1st of August. +On the merits of this river Stokes waxes nearly as eloquent as he did +over the Victoria, and once more indulges in excited hopes of reaching +the centre of the continent. At fifty miles from the mouth the fallen +logs stayed the progress of the boats, and the party landed and made an +excursion on foot. Stokes now saw the plains to which he gave the name of +the Plains of Promise, the position of which gave rise to so much +discussion amongst the land explorers in after years. As may be imagined, +the extent of level country, and its apparent richness, gave rise to much +enthusiastic speculation on his part, and he returned to his ship well +satisfied with his work. + +During the discovery and examination of the Albert, Mr. Fitzmaurice had +been engaged to the eastward, where he found the other mouth of the +Flinders River, known as Bynoe Inlet. Unfortunately, another gun accident +resulted in his being lamed for life, a charge of shot having entered his +foot. This was the second accident while in the Gulf, a gun having burst +with Lieutenant Gore, and badly lacerated his hand. + +On the banks of the Flinders a native burial tree was found:-- + + +"On the eastern bank rose a tree, the branches of which were laden with a +most singular looking bundle or roll of pieces of wood. Struck with its +appearance, we rested our oars to observe it. Landing, I advanced for +nearer inspection towards the huge bundle of sticks before mentioned. It +seemed almost like the nest of some new bird, and greatly excited my +curiosity. As I approached a most unpleasant smell assailed me, and on +climbing up to examine it narrowly I found that it contained the decaying +body of a native. + +"Within the outer covering of sticks was one of net, with an inner one of +the bark of the papyrus tree enveloping the corpse. According to the +singular practice of uncivilised peoples of providing for the wants of +those who have nothing more to do with earthly things, some weapons were +deposited with the deceased in this novel kind of mortuary habitation, +and a little beyond was a rill of water." + + +The BEAGLE then sailed to Booby Island, and from there to Victoria--the +settlement at Port Essington--which they found in a comparatively +flourishing state. Strange to say, Stokes, the discoverer of Port Darwin, +says of Port Essington: + + +"As steam communication, moreover, must soon be established between +Singapore and our colonies on the south-eastern shores of Australia, this +port, the only real good one on the north coast, will be of vast +importance as a coal depôt." + + +Another of the many instances of the hasty and fallacious deductions of +first discovery, a second proof of which was afforded on the arrival of +the BEAGLE at Swan River, whither, after calling at Coepang, they +directed her course. Here they found the colonists in a state of doubt as +to the existence of an inlet called Port Grey. A large number of +immigrants had arrived from England, with the intention of settling +there, but owing to the rumours of its non-existence, the name was +changed to Leschenault Inlet. Captain Stokes was asked to settle the +question, which he did by confirming the rumour that there was no Port +Grey, and that the fertile country at the back of the spot indicated had +likewise no existence. Grey, it will be remembered, reported seeing this +available country when on his return from the hair-brained expedition to +Sharks' Bay, and called it the Province of Victoria, but no subsequent +exploration ever confirmed its existence. + +The work of exploration by the BEAGLE now came to an end. Her remaining +cruises in Australian waters were in the neighbourhood of the south coast +and Tasmania. The work performed by her was more intimately connected +with land exploration than that done by any other survey ship, and her +close examination of the north coast resulted in the discovery of many +important rivers. The Flinders, the Albert, the Adelaide, Victoria, and +Fitzroy, all owe their names to the commander of the BEAGLE, and with her +last cruise the maritime explorations of Australia may be said to close. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + + +Nationality of the first finders of Australia--Knowledge of the +Malays--The bamboo introduced--Traces of smallpox amongst the natives in +the north-west--Tribal rites--Antipathy to pork--Evidence of admixture in +origin--Influence of Asiatic civilisation partly visible--Coast +appearance repelling--Want of indigenous food plants--Lack of intercourse +with other nations--Little now left of unexplored country--Conclusions +respecting various geological formations--Extent of continental +divisions--Development of coastal towns--Inducements for +population--Necessity of the first explorings--Pioneer squatters' +efforts--First Australian-born explorer--Desert theory exploded--Fertile +downs everywhere--Want of water apparently insurmountable--Heroism of +explorers--Inexperience of the early settlers--Grazing possible--Rapid +stocking of country--The barrenness of the "Great Bight"--Sturt, the PENN +of Australia--Results--Mitchell's work--Baron von Mueller's researches--A +salt lake--Stuart first man across the continent--Burke and Wills' +heroism--Services of McKinlay and Landsborough--John Forrest's +journeys--Camel expedition by Giles--The BRISBANE COURIER +expedition--Further explorations--Stockdale at Cambridge Gulf--Carr-Boyd +and O'Donnell open good country in Western Australia--Work done by +explorers--Their characteristics--Conclusion. + +By common consent the nationality of the first navigators who landed on +our shores is awarded to the Spanish. Following them came the Dutch, and, +finally, the French and English. And, although the record of the Spanish +visit to our northern coast is but vague, the fact of their being the +first to acquaint the Western nations with the undoubted existence of a +far southern land is generally allowed. Amongst the people inhabiting the +many islands of the Malay Archipelago and portions of the mainland of +Asia, there can be little doubt that our continent was known, and +intercourse of an occasional kind carried on with its natives. That no +permanent settlement was ever formed, or probably attempted, we may +ascribe to the unpromising nature of the soil, compared to the fertile +islands left by the visitors, and the fact that the products of which +they came in search were mostly found in the sea itself, the shore only +being at times visited for obtaining fresh water or seeking shelter. + +During these visits no inducements would be forthcoming for undertaking +an excursion inland. The monotonous character of the country would not +excite curiosity, and the absence of all temptation in the way of +articles of barter and traffic likely to be found, would confine their +investigations chiefly to the sea shore. A temporary camp for drying the +sea-slugs of commerce, a refuge for their crafts when the sudden storms +of the tropics broke loose, met all their requirements. It is to the +Malay ancestors of the men whose proas are still to be found fishing +among the outlying reefs of the north, that we must look for the first +discoverers of our island continent, and failing all written record or +existing monument of their doings, search amongst the natives themselves +for confirmation of the fact. + +The presence of the bamboo in Arnheim's Land only, and its indigenous +nature, is strong evidence of its Malay origin. It is found in abundance +over this large promontory, and on the banks of the different rivers and +creeks. Its extensive spread and thick growth point to many centuries of +introduction, and that the Australians first obtained it from their +northern visitors is almost certain. In abandoned camps pieces of bamboo +would be left sticking in the ground, and formed, as most of their camps +are, on the sandy banks of a creek, their growth would be under +favourable circumstances, and their spread down the watercourses rapid. + +Amongst all the tribes whose hunting grounds are between Cape Arnheim, +and Cambridge Gulf, the traces of small-pox can be seen unmistakeably on +many of the old men. Some are blind, and deeply pitted, others but +lightly marked. Apparently the disease has worn itself out, for only the +oldest members of the tribes have suffered. None seem to have it now, nor +are the marks of the disease to be seen on the middle-aged men. The +ravages of this scourge must have been confined to the coast tribes, as +no evidence of its having been amongst the natives of the interior is to +be found. The belt of dry country separating the aborigines of the plain +from those of the sea may have saved the former, as this belt is often +left uncrossed for years. This disease must have been brought from the +north, and the date of its introduction would probably lie many centuries +back. + +Many of their customs and tribal rites bear a close resemblance to some +that may be found in the New Testament, and are foreign to the usual +habits of the Australian blackfellow. Add to this an innate antipathy to +the flesh of swine when tasted for the first time, and it seems evident +that some of the laws and traditions of more civilised nations have +drifted down and been partly appropriated by the Australians. + +In many of the sea-coast blacks of the north, sleepy eyes and +straight-cut noses are often prominent, and render some of them +especially remarkable; these features giving their faces an entirely +different aspect to the common blackfellow type adjoining them inland. +That, in the event of the wreck of a proa on the coast, some intermixture +of the races would take place, and the survivors, perhaps, pass the +remainder of their lives amongst the blacks, is quite possible, seeing +that to many of our countrymen it has happened. + +The close acquaintanceship shown by the Malay bêche-de-mer fishers with +the nooks and inlets that are so thickly strewn along the coast, west of +Cape Wessell, appears to be the result of much old-world seafaring lore, +handed down from father to son. Whether the Chinese ever ventured so far +south as Australia cannot be affirmed with certainty. Accident may have +led them to our shores, but it is scarcely probable that the love of +adventure would have tempted them so far. + +Taking, then, the exceptional customs common to the natives of that +portion 'of Australia still visited by the Malays, and seeing that these +customs would only be the outcome of some centuries of intercourse, it is +reasonable to suppose that from these outposts of Asiatic civilisation +came the first adventurous traders to the lone land of the south. The +distinct type of the Australian, while showing in exceptional cases the +signs of foreign blood, precludes the idea that the continent was peopled +from the north; but, at the same time, it is evident that some +rudimentary forms of a higher development drifted down in after ages from +that source. + +The effect that the repellant nature of the Australian coast has had upon +the southern progress of semi-civilisation is remarkably distinct. Each +successive wave of improvement from the Asiatic continent seems to grow +weaker and weaker as it travels south, until it breaks hopelessly on +Australia. Nor is it hard to find the reason. The savage, coming from +islands where a rude cultivation of indigenous fruits, valuable in their +nature, had induced primitive land laws, and consequently settled +habitations and a defined code of laws concerning tribal rights and +boundaries, found himself amongst a nomadic race, trusting to hunting and +fishing solely for the means of existence. The soil, formed of the +denudation of the sandstone rocks, scantily fertilised here and there by +the decaying jungle, presented no field for rude agriculture, even had +the dry seasons permitted; and gave forth no native fruits, save +tasteless berries and half-poisonous roots. No knowledge of minerals would +tempt him into the semi-scorched ranges inland; he would simply see that +life after the old fashion of village existence was no longer for him, +and would become a hunter and fisher like his fellows. + +It would have been of inestimable benefit to the Australians, had tribes +from the northern countries, only slightly higher than themselves in the +scale, established a permanent footing on the mainland, and gradually +worked their way throughout the land, carrying their superior knowledge +with them, and having in the extended area before them a wide field for +future development. Intermixing socially with the aborigines, they would +have in a few generations made an indelible mark upon their mental +capacity, which, after all, is only dormant; and the march of improvement +once set in motion, centuries of confirmed intercourse with races of +greater culture, and the consequent spread of new ideas would have +peopled our continent with a different race to the improvident native of +the present. + +But the force of nature was against it; the new land of the south held +forth no inducements even for the pirate or marauder. In the hand to +mouth struggle for existence, not even a supply of food would be found in +a ransacked camp; no land seen tempting settlement by its luxuriant +vegetation and produce. The visitors of the straits scorned the +inhospitable coast, and returned north. Only those whom ill-fate had +deprived of the means of return stayed perforce, and lost their identity +amongst the aborigines. + +The white man, when he came, looked upon the country as he would upon an +uninhabited land; the native was too far beneath him to profit by his +coming, no inter-mixture of races could take place, the difference was +too widely marked; and the aborigines of Australia were from the first +numbered amongst the doomed tribes of the earth. An earlier introduction +of the spirit of progress, however meagre in form, might have saved them. +Had our northern coasts but possessed some lure for Asiatic nations, the +story would have travelled and brought their overflowing population down +to settle the continent long before the advent of our countrymen. + +It is an accepted fact that on the continent of Australia proper there is +very little unexplored territory left, and that we pretty well know what +resources, in the way of land, we have still to fall back upon. This +acceptance of our knowledge of the unsettled regions of our country is +both right and wrong. Right, inasmuch that in a general sense, arguing +from our knowledge of climatic influences in different latitudes, we can +infer the particular nature of a particular district, although untrodden +as yet by any one capable of giving us information. Wrong, in that the +geographical formations of Australia are so persistently antagonistic +that no true nor reliable deduction can always be arrived at. When I say +persistently antagonistic, I mean that the two formations common to the +interior, namely, sandstone and limestone, produce either a desert or a +rich prairie. As a rule, in the vast interior, still unvisited and +unsettled, the conditions are that the soil either grows grasses and +herbs of the most nutritive character, or such as are totally unfitted to +support graminivorous animal life. And these two conditions we may call +antagonistic, as far as our efforts at practical settlement are +concerned. When the outcrop is limestone, we may reckon on good pastoral +country, and a fair water supply. When the outcrop is the pure red +sandstone, we can hope for little else but the desert spinifex. + +The distinction between these two formations is so strongly marked that +it almost seems that a hard and fast line had, in places, been drawn +between the productive and unproductive portions of Australia. That these +strange and sudden alterations occur right through the continent, we have +the evidence in the diaries of Giles and Forrest; and although we cannot +doubt that a great portion of unexplored Australia consists of country +that will never support population, we have as yet no valid reason for +condemning the whole. + +The continent of Australia contains, roughly speaking, three millions of +square miles less about thirty-five thousand square miles. It may be +summarised as follows: that New South Wales contains no unexplored +country; Victoria, none; Queensland, a small portion of Cape York +Peninsula; South Australia, a considerable area; and Western Australia, a +very great deal. All the important explorations of late years have been +in the last two mentioned colonies, for the very reason that in these +colonies only the unknown exists. South Australia has at least 300,000 +square miles of unexplored and partly explored country, and Western +Australia can claim more than half a million of miles just touched here +and there by the tracks of Eyre, Gregory, Giles, Forrest, and Warburton. + +In speculating upon the future capabilities of this great expanse, we +must fairly weigh the testimony of these men, and, by comparison, see +what chance we have in the future of finding fresh pasture lands for the +next generation. On the whole the testimony is unfavourable, but, on +close inspection, there are strange coincidences in their diaries which +would lead one to think that, perhaps, after all the "hopeless desert" +that witnessed both their struggles and successes may yet hold secrets +worth knowing and worth seeking for. In our time we have seen how the +desert theory has been exploded in New South Wales--forced, as it were, +outside our boundaries by the mere expansion of settlement. It is but a +question of time for the mysteries of the yet unknown interior to share +the same fate, and in the solution of the unknown great possibilities +exist. + +The development of the towns along the northern sea-board must +necessarily be rapid. From the sheep-growing downs of the inland plateau, +to the sugar and coffee-growing flats of the coast, the exports will be +ever on the increase, and the wants of a growing people will necessitate +ports in places that are now uninhabited. That the north will become one +of the richest portions of our continent there is no doubt; its immense +mineral wealth stands but partially revealed, while its adaptability for +settlement is practically unbounded. The progress and utilisation of the +waste lands of the north will be an interesting experiment to watch. +Nature has, to a great extent, indicated the laws of settlement that will +dominate the territory. To the capitalist she has given the rich +wool-growing slopes of the inland country, where the expenditure of money +is necessary, in order that the full value may be reaped from the land +leased; money expended in water-storage, that repays the owner in a +hundred ways. To the man of humbler means the well-watered coast +districts offer facilities for small cattle stations and selections, and +on the banks of some of the rivers the planter will soon be making a +home, whilst for the miners are the broken ranges and gullies of the +Dividing Range. + +A settled Australia--that is, comparatively settled-this century may not +witness, but that it will be a fact of the future, few, who have lived in +the colonies during the last two decades, can doubt. + +We may look forward to the crowning work of the future, when we shall no +longer be altogether dependent upon the caprices of climate; nor sit idly +by whilst our heritage of rainfall rushes past us into the ocean. + +From the arrival of Governor Phillip with the first fleet, 1789, to the +year 1813, when Wentworth, Lawson, and Blaxland succeeded in crossing the +main range--the Blue Mountains--all attempts at exploration into the +interior had been limited, the main range proving an impenetrable +barrier. For the wants of the colony, the country up to that time found +had proved sufficient. In the neighbourhood of Sydney, the Nepean, Grose, +and Hawkesbury; to the north, the River Hunter; and to the south, the +district known now as the Illawarra. But combined with the severe drought +of 18 13, and the increase of stock, it was necessary to seek pastures +new. + +Their hopes of finding a navigable river flowing west into the sea were +never realised, although for years it was each explorer's dream. On +following a stream, they invariably found it run out into a shallow +swamp, and then thought the continent possessed an inland sea or lake. +Oxley pronounced this portion desert, and to them it then was; no thought +could enter their minds of how after years of stocking, the entire +country would change; how time and labour alone could make that vast +waste profitable. + +Directly the pass of the Blue Mountains had been won, and a public road +made across the range, settlers with their stock steadily flowed west; +the township of Bathurst sprang up, and settlement was made south towards +the Shoalhaven River. The first large expedition into the interior was +undertaken by Oxley, and he again comes to the conclusion that "the +interior westward of a certain meridian is uninhabitable, deprived, as it +is, of wood, water, and grass . . . that the interior of this vast +country is a marsh, and uninhabitable." Only the edge of the interior +crossed, it was early to come to this conclusion. But we must remember +that the party were weary and disgusted with their want of success-the +barren country, with no variety of trees, or soil; everything always the +same. Eventually they reached good, well-watered country, and turning +back from the Macquarie, delighted with the river, believed that the high +road to the interior had been found. + +This trip successful, he again left to follow the Macquarie, and although +the inland sea remained undiscovered, large tracts of fertile country +were opened for settlement; moreover, he had crossed the coast range to +the north, and discovered that Port Macquarie (which, on following down +the River Hastings, he had found and named) proved a practicable route to +the interior. + +About this time the pioneer squatter took share with the explorer, and +settlement quickly advanced. Lawson and Scott were disappointed in their +attempt to reach Oxley's discovery of Liverpool Plains; unable to +penetrate the southern boundary of the plains, they discovered the +Goulburn River. The year 1823 found Oxley, Cunningham, and Currie, all +out in different directions; Currie to the south of Lake George, +Cunningham engaged north of Bathurst, first in his capacity of botanist, +and the discovery of a pass through the northern range on Liverpool +Plains, which Lawson and Scott had sought in vain. He found and named the +Pandora Pass, it proving practicable as a stock route. + +Oxley then left Sydney in the MERMAID, to examine the inlets of Port +Curtis, Moreton Bay, and Port Bowen, with a view to forming a penal +settlement there. It was on this trip, while at Moreton Bay, that they +rescued from the blacks the two men Pamphlet and Finnigan, who had been +wrecked at Moreton Island seven months before. Oxley named the Brisbane +River. This was his last work, and he died near Sydney in 1828. His +career as an explorer was very successful. He had done much to aid the +new colony, but was ever disappointed in his hopes of reaching the inland +sea or lake, and of proving, except to his own satisfaction, whether any +large rivers entered the sea between Cape Otway and Spencer's Gulf. Then +Sir Thomas Brisbane thought of landing a party of prisoners near Wilson's +Promontory, and by offer of a free pardon and a land grant, to find their +way back to Sydney. + +Mr. Hume, the first Australian-born explorer, and Mr. Hovell, took a +party from Lake George, at that time the most outside station, to Western +Port, and they were the first to see the Australian Alps. This trip +helped to prove the hasty condemnation of Oxley's "desert" theory, and +besides giving to the colony millions of acres of well-watered fertile +country, and adding another large and important river--the Murray--it +also held out far higher hopes for the future of the interior. During +this time a settlement was formed at Moreton Bay, and subsequently +removed to a better site on the Brisbane River. Cunningham, in 1827, left +on a trip destined materially to effect the immediate progress of this +new colony. Crossing Oxley's track, and entering the unexplored region, +after naming the Gwydir and Dumaresque Rivers, he finally emerged on the +Darling Downs. He was in raptures at the inexhaustible range of cattle +pasture, the permanent water, and the grass and herbage generally. Then a +passage across the range to Moreton Bay was found by way of Cunningham's +Gap, but it was not used until the next year, when, accompanied by Mr. +Frazer, colonial botanist, they proceeded by sea to Moreton Bay, and +connected the settlement with the Darling Downs. How easy was the main +range crossed here, and the fertile downs laid open, compared to the +years of labour spent on the pass of the Blue Mountains. In the year +following Cunningham made his last expedition, closing ten years of +unceasing work in the cause of exploration. + +Sturt followed Oxley's tracks. He exposed some of Oxley's mistakes, but +only to make others as great; for the land was smitten with drought, and +the rivers that Oxley had followed were now mere creeks, and in passing +judgment no allowance was made for the seasons, and the country was +valued according to the standard of other countries. His descriptions of +the interior are wonderful pictures of the desolate, waterless, abandoned +desert, "I scorched beneath a lurid sun of burning fire." His mission was +to ascertain what lay beyond the shallow bed of reeds to the westward, in +which Oxley lost the Macquarie; but as suddenly and as mysteriously the +river ran out, and they were as completely baffled as Oxley had been. Dry +on all sides, nothing was found but stony ridges or open forest, the +country was monotonously level, and no sign of a river. Creek after creek +they followed, only to lose it in a marsh. Suddenly they found themselves +on the banks of a noble river, and from its size and saltness, Sturt +conjectured he was near its confluence with an inland sea; but to be +convinced in a few more days that the saltness was of local origin, fed +by saline springs. This river Sturt called the Darling. The homeward +march began, and the same harassing hunt for water; no break in the +country, or change in the vegetation; all brown, blank, and desolate; not +even inhabited by a bird-the drought had so long continued. Sturt had +found the Darling, and he it was who eventually traced its course and +outlet. Starting for that purpose the next year, they sailed down the +Murray, proving its confluence with the Darling, and on down the united +streams of the Murray and Darling with boundless flats on each side. The +river widened day by day; the flight of sea-gulls, and the chopping sea +caused by the wind, surely showed they were near the ocean. Still, Sturt +had reached his goal--the Murray ended in a lake. They had hoped that +succour would have waited them, had the ocean been reached. Now they must +re-enter the Murray while the weary party had still strength to face each +day's never-ending toil, and return to the camp on the Murrumbidgee. The +great satisfaction of having successfully followed the course of the +Murray was damped by the apparently valueless nature of the country +passed through. And this trip, while adding greatly to Australian +geography, gave a proof of the most patient endurance and courage--even +to heroism--not excelled in the many records of bravery and dangers +undergone by other explorers. + +We have now looked through the reports of the country given by many men, +and become familiar with their opinions of the future of the interior; +they are almost unanimous in pronouncing it barren and uninhabitable. We +must remember it was not their want of ability, but their inexperience of +the value of the native grasses and herbs. In comparison with other +countries, they appeared worthless. They did not realize that stocking +would force the waters into natural channels, and that the stock would +bring fresh grasses in their train, getting accustomed to and, after a +while, fattening on the despised bushes and herbs. To them it was the +embodiment of a desert--irreclaimable. + +During the time these explorations were in progress, a settlement had +been formed in Western Australia, and some attempt at exploration made, +but for a few years not to any great distance. No difficulties here +presented themselves to a passage through the coast range, and the +country discovered seemed fitted both for pasture and agriculture. + +For many years little was done in the way of fresh expeditions, until the +year 1831. Major Mitchell in charge of a party traced the rivers, +discovered by Oxley and Cunningham; his explorations were also surveys +and the river system of the continent was partially worked out, but the +hope of a river running through the interior to the north-west coast bad +to be finally abandoned. His report of the country was also more +favourable, and his after expeditions, merely connecting surveys, +confirming and verifying previous discoveries, rather than an exploration +into the unknown. His reports were glowing of the country passed through +generally; from snow-topped mountains to level plains, watered with +permanent streams and rivers, fitted for immediate occupation of the +grazier or farmer. + +Now it may be said the difficulties were overcome of entering the +interior, for it was assailed from three points; Perth on the west, Port +Phillip and St. Vincent's Gulf on the south, and from the settled parts +of New South Wales and Moreton Bay on the east. Henceforth the settler so +promptly followed the explorer, that the country became settled and +stocked almost as quickly as known, and, foot by foot, the desert driven +back. + +Grey and Lushington wishing to verify the existence or not of a large +river supposed to empty itself into the sea, at Dampier's Archipelago, +endured great hardships. They were without experience of the colonies, or +of the capabilities of the country; but as far as they could judge, +pronounced the country well grassed and timbered. Their second trip +resulted in the discovery of the Gascoigne, but little else; no great +results to compensate for their terrible suffering and privation. + +Small explorations were rapidly carried on to provide for the number of +stock imported and the best stock routes; and now it was time to turn +north, to look for the inland sea and the chain of mountains--Australia's +backbone--that was supposed to exist. E. J. Eyre's discovery of Lake +Torrens turned the colonists' attention north as a practicable stock +route to Western Australia. From the sterile nature of the coast of the +bight, and the absence of any rivers emptying into the sea, it was +useless to seek in that direction. His march round the Great Bight was a +journey of terrible suffering; it certainly proved that no water flowed +into the south coast, and gave us our knowledge of the barren country +shut in by the impenetrable, monotonous cliff line that closed its +secrets against our mariners, but it gave no knowledge of the interior. +After some of his men had deserted, and the one that remained murdered, +Eyre, alone, on foot, with his stubborn courage, wearied out and +starving, followed the coast line for numberless miles. Any errors of +judgment leading to the tragic end of his expedition must needs be +overlooked in the face of the great dangers and the perseverance that +carried him through. + + +Sturt has been called the father of Australian exploration, and may well +be held as one of our greatest scientific explorers--his object always to +solve the mystery of the great interior; its strange peculiarity and +physical formation. He returned disappointed, baffled. But was he in +reality beaten? He was exceptionally unlucky in his seasons, and the +report of the land he brought back caused settlement to progress slowly; +only after years, when men had grown accustomed to the terrors of the +desert, and knew that experience robbed them of their effect, Sturt +found, but unwittingly, the outflow of the second river system. He longed +to be the first to reach the centre of Australia, and hoped that once +past the southern zone of the tropics he would reach a country blessed +with a heavy and constant rainfall. Always he looked back with pleasure +upon his travels, and said: "My path amongst savage tribes has been a +bloodless one." + +Next among our explorers comes Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt, and his trip from +Fort Burke, on the Darling, to the Gulf of Carpentaria, which opened up +so much well-watered country and attracted universal attention; but, +unlike Sturt, he had exceptional good fortune, travelling always through +country easy to penetrate and well watered--not one night had the party +to camp without water. + +During this expedition, Sir Thomas Mitchell started with one having +almost the same end in view as Dr. Leichhardt's. He did not reach the +Gulf, but threw open our wonderful western prairies, and found the upper +tributaries of the second great river system. This was his last +expedition, and it fully confirmed his reputation. More fortunate than +Sturt, he had been favoured in having plentiful and bountiful seasons of +water and vegetation; but both men had done wonders in the cause of +exploration. Mitchell's discovery of the Victoria, along the banks of +which river he felt the high road to the north coast was found, was +continued by Kennedy, who had been second in command during the first +expedition of Sir Thomas Mitchell. + +With a lightly equipped party Kennedy started to follow the course of the +Victoria. Finally the river led them into the desert described by Sturt: +"Plains gaping with fissures, grassless and waterless," and he turned +back satisfied that the Victoria had not its outflow in the Gulf of +Carpentaria, as hoped for by Sir Thomas Mitchell, but lost itself in +Cooper's Creek. The loss of flour, through the natives, prevented Kennedy +from extending his explorations towards the Gulf. + +Kennedy's second trip, to examine Cape York Peninsula, ended most +disastrously. Out of his party of thirteen only two men and a black boy +were rescued. Through marshes and scrubs--seemingly the one monotonous +entry in their journal being, "Cutting scrub all day"--they endeavoured +to push their way to Port Albany, the extreme north of the Peninsula, +where a ship would meet them. Saltwater creeks and marshy ground, with +the ranges inhabited by hostile natives, was their prospect, while their +horses were rapidly failing on the sour coast grasses. From first to last +this was a most unfortunate expedition-the awful and impassable nature of +the country travelled through, the hostile blacks and loss of the horses, +and then, when sickness came upon the little band, it was doomed. + +In the south, Baron von Mueller was busy exploring some of the unknown +portion of South Australia and the Australian Alps-botanical and +geographical researches combined. The heights of several of the highest +mountains in Australia were fixed, and geographical positions accurately +placed. + +Leichhardt, encouraged by his successes, makes his final venture, but +what befel his party--shall we ever know? It is so late now that we can +entertain little hope of ever elucidating his fate. + +In 1846, the Gregory brothers are in the west, led by A. C. Gregory, who +so distinguished himself afterwards as a scientific explorer, and in 1855 +he was in command of the North Australian Expedition; with him his +brother and the celebrated botanist Baron Von Mueller. Captain Stokes +reported the Victoria as an important stream, and the probable means of +gaining access to the interior, upon which Gregory traced its course. He +professed great disappointment at the reality of Captain Stokes' "Plains +of Promise," compared to what he had been led to expect. The successful +conclusion of this expedition, which had covered nearly five thousand +miles, proves Gregory an explorer of undoubted qualifications, and it is +to he regretted that so scanty a record of his travels has been +published. + +Lake Torrens still occupied the attention of the South Australian +colonists, its probable extent and direction, and several expeditions +were undertaken to solve the question. To the south-east fresh water and +well grassed pastoral country, but Lake Torrens still remained as on its +first discovery by Eyre--a dry bed covered with a thick incrustation of +salt, and far away surrounded on all sides by barren country. Goyder +found fresh water in the lake, but its unavailability was confirmed. + +M'Dowall Stuart has been recognised as the man who first crossed from sea +to sea, from the south to the north coast, and now on Stuart's track is +built the overland telegraph line, a lasting witness of his indomitable +perseverance. In his subsequent expeditions following his old tracks, he +was destined to meet success, and come to the sea near the mouth of the +Adelaide River. Stuart dipped his hands and feet in the sea, and his +initials were cut on the largest tree they could find. This was his last +trip, and he never recovered from the great suffering of his return +journey. + +The expedition under Burke and Wills left amid great celebration; in +fact, it was a gala day in Melbourne, and their journey through the +settled districts one triumphant march. Their purpose was to cross to +Carpentaria. Fate seemed so propitious that one would think in irony she +laughed, as she thought of their return. + +They accomplished their task; they reached the Gulf; but did not know +their exact position; and when they turned back it became a terrible +struggle for existence. In spite of the princely outfit with which they +started, short rations and great hardships was their lot, and the men +tried to live like the blacks, on fish and nardoo, and an occasional crow +or hawk which they shot. Wills met his death alone, while Burke and King +were searching for food, and to him, suffering from such extreme +exhaustion, death must have come as the "comforter." He met it as a +gallant man would, without fear. From his last entries he had given up +hope and waited calmly. Burke died the second day; when King looked at +him in the dawning light, he saw that he was really, alone. Meantime, the +rest of the party were left on Cooper's Creek, and were slowly starving +to death. Parties from all sides were now being equipped to go in search +of them. + +M'Kinlay's trip across the continent did great service. It verified +Stuart's report that the country always considered as a terrible desert +was not unfit for all pastoral occupation, and, being an experienced man, +his report carried conviction. + +One of the search parties for Burke and Wills was under William +Landsborough, having, through previous explorations, good knowledge of +the country; and another, in charge of Frederick Walker, composed of +native troopers. Now the eastern half of Australia was nearly all known; +it had been crossed and re-crossed from south to north; still, the +distinctive value of the country had yet to be learned, and the delusion +that the sheeps' wool would turn to hair in the torrid north to be given +up. All around the coast settlement was surely and steadily creeping, and +unoccupied country going further back every day. + +On the north coast, Burketown, under the care of William Landsbrough, was +growing up, and in the north of Arnheim's Land, M'Kinlay was looking for +a suitable site to establish a port for the South Australian Government. +Somerset was formed on the mainland of Cape York Peninsula, and the +formation of this led to the expedition of the Jardine brothers. The +successful termination of their journey, when we look at the difficulties +through which they passed, and the misfortunes they had to encounter, +merits our greatest admiration; and although it did not result in the +discovery of good pastoral country, still they accomplished their object. + +The overland telegraph line, and the small explorations made on either +side of it, led greatly to our knowledge of the interior. + +John Forrest made his first important journey in 1869, but found no great +results in good country to the eastward of Perth. Then a journey was made +from Perth to Adelaide by way of the Great Bight--never traversed since +Eyre's journey. Owing to a better equipment, he was able to give a more +impartial report of the country passed through; for Eyre was struggling +for life, and it was natural that nature to him would then look at her +blackest. + +Warburton and Giles now occupied attention, and their great hope, the +country between the overland telegraph line and the western settlements. + +Warburton's expedition led to the western half of the continent being +condemned as a hopeless desert. He no doubt got into a strip of barren +country, and being so occupied in pressing straight through, devoted no +time to the examination of country on either side. + +Giles was twice driven back in his attempts to reach Western Australia. +Then, with an equipment of camels, made a third, and successful, attempt. +No discoveries of any importance were made; the country was suffering +from severe drought. + +William Hann, one of the pioneer squatters of the North of Queensland, +took charge of a party sent by the Queensland Government to investigate +the tract of country at the base of Cape York Peninsula, both for its +mineral and other resources. Naming the Palmer, and finding here +prospects of gold, the further examination of the river resulted in the +discovery of what turned out to be one of the richest goldfields in +Queensland. + +Again the Queensland Government sent out an expedition, under charge of +W. 0. Hodgkinson, to determine the amount of pastoral country to the west +of the Diamantina River. + +Buchanan and F. Scarr next attacked the country between the overland +telegraph line and the Queensland border, and in 1878, Mr Lukin, +proprietor of the COURIER, in Brisbane, organised an expedition for the +purpose of exploring the country in the neighbourhood of a proposed +railway line, which had been inaugurated in Port Darwin, and to find the +nature, value, and geographical features of the unexplored portions. +Under the leadership of Ernest Favenc, the party started from Blackall. +This expedition had the effect of opening up a great area of good +pastoral country, nearly all of which is now stocked. + +In 1883, Favenc traced the heads of the rivers running into the Gulf of +Carpentaria, near the Queensland border, and in the year following, +crossed from the Queensland border to the telegraph line, and across the +coast range to the mouth of the Macarthur River. Soon after, the South +Australian Government surveyed this river, and opened it as a port; a +good road was formed from the interior to the coast, and the settlement +of the country followed. + +In Western Australia, Alexander Forrest led an expedition from the De +Grey River to the telegraph line, which they reached after a great +struggle. It was a most successful trip, and the district found contains +some of the best country in Western Australia, both for pastoral and +mineral purposes. + +Stockdale, with a view to settlement, explored the country in the +neighbourhood of Cambridge Gulf. Landing there by steamer, he began the +journey, which ended in a tragedy. After a hard struggle, he reached the +telegraph line. + +McPhee's exploration east of Daly Waters may be said to conclude the +expeditions between the Queensland border and the overland line. + +To complete the exploration of Arnheim's Land, the South Australian +Government fitted out an expedition under the guidance of Mr. David +Lindsay, but the country passed over was not available for pastoral +settlement, some of it being good sugar country. Messrs. Carr Boyd and +O'Donnell, undertaking another trip from the Katherine River to Western +Australia, were more fortunate in finding good country, but no +geographical discovery resulted. + +Thus our island continent has been opened to us by the indomitable +courage and endurance of navigators and explorers. Can we look for +instances of greater bravery in the exploration of any other portion of +the globe? Our old navigators, with their meagre equipment, searched +minutely every portion of the coast, until the termination of the survey +of the BEAGLE, for the mouth of some river that would communicate with +the interior, as our earlier explorers hoped to find a waterway in the +wilderness through which they travelled. + +The idea of the work they did, being verified as it now is, could never +have been dreamt of. Think of Flinders, in the old INVESTIGATOR, as he. +sailed from group to group of islands, and from point to point of reefs; +when he got at last through Torres Straits, and stood down the Gulf, +looking up the old land marks of the early Dutch visitors to our +shores--Duyfhen Point, the Van Alphen River, GROOTE EYLANDT, and the +rest--names still preserved, that bear witness to the brave old navigator +who visited these shores before we did. Many an anxious day and night, +doubtless, he had. Now, with steam at our command, the straits have +become the safe highway of traffic to all the leading marts of the world. + +It is well for us to bear in mind that, as a rule, experienced bushmen do +find the best points of new country, and not the worst. The after result +generally is that the discoveries of the first explorers are extended, +but not improved on. Therefore, in comparing the different routes that +traverse the western half of our continent, we can safely allow that each +man found, and noted, the most promising features on his line of travel. + +By close comparison of the work done by the men who have laid bare so +many of the secrets of the interior, and by deductions to be drawn from +the physical conformation and climatic peculiarities already revealed, we +may, to some extent, conjecture the possibilities of the future. With +every variety of climate between temperate and tropical, with enormous +mineral treasures--the extent of which, even at the present time, can +only be conjectured--boundless areas of virgin soils, and a coastline +dotted with good harbours and navigable rivers, we have all the elements +of a nation yet to take rank among the recognised powers of the world. +But in the interim there is much to be done. The flat and monotonous +nature of most of the continent, which is at present to a certain extent +our bane, will, when the principles of water storage, and its +distributation are fully understood, be of wonderful assistance. The +physical formation of the interior lends itself to the creation of +artificial channels, and the work of leading waterways through the great +areas of unwatered country, that for months lie useless and unproductive, +will be comparatively easy. We have always, or nearly always, our annual +floods to depend upon, and the supply furnished by them should be amply +sufficient for use. Flood water is surplus water, and its conservation +should be the thing aimed at. Many a dry watercourse, that is now but a +slight depression, could be utilised as a channel for conducting the +flood waters to the back country. What would be impossible in an island +of bold mountain ranges, becomes easy in the flats of our dry interior. + +In the dry inland plains, a water supply that will relieve the frontage +from overstocking during the droughty months, means the preservation of +some of our most valuable indigenous fodder plants. The overcrowding of +stock on the natural permanent waters during dry periods, has often been +the cause of a depreciation in the natural grasses on some of our +principal rivers. And whilst this has been going on, sun-cracked lagoons +and lakes, surrounded by good, if dry, feed have been lying unnoticed and +useless, waiting for the time to come when they would be turned to +account. + +Back from the main watercourses are countless natural reservoirs, that +lie for years dry, and drought-smitten, save in an exceptional flood. +They are never filled, and the fact of supplying them with water is +practicably feasible. + +In many districts of the inland slope, the rivers have sandy beds, +incapable of retaining the water for more than a few months; whilst +running parallel with them on either side, are chains of lagoons that +often run dry through the floods not being excessive enough to overflow +the banks. These lagoons are, as a rule, well calculated to hold water, +and could be brought under the influence of ordinary floods, instead of +being, as now, dependent upon extraordinary ones; thus atoning for the +insufficient retaining power of the river bed. + +The present great need of Australia is the conservation of water, and the +irrigation works which have been already commenced on the banks of the +Murray River, coupled with the recent discoveries of an apparently +unlimited artesian supply on the and plains of Western Queensland, +testify alike to the recognition of the want, and to the ease with which +it may be met. One inevitable rule of settlement is that population +follows water; present prospects therefore amply justify the hope that at +no very distant date the one-time "central desert" of the first +explorers will be the centre of attraction for the fast-growing +population of the coast line; and that in the merging together of the +peoples of the colonies, now separated by merely imaginary boundary +lines, will be found the one great help to the fulfilment of the desire +of every true Australiana Federated Australia--a grand result of the +indomitable courage, heroic self-sacrifice, and dogged perseverance of +the men of all nationalities, who have established a claim to the proud +title of "Australian Explorer." + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + +THE PANDORA PASS. + + +The following memorandum, written on parchment, was enclosed in a bottle, +and buried under a marked tree in the Pandora Pass: + +"MEMORANDUM. + +"After a very laborious and harassing journey from Bathurst, since April +last, a party, consisting of five persons, under the direction of Allan +Cunningham, H.M. Botanist (making the sixth individual), having failed of +finding a route to Liverpool Plains, whilst tracing the south base of the +Barrier Mountains (before us north), so far as fifty miles to the +eastward of this spot, at length upon prosecuting their research under +this great mountain belt, in a westerly direction, reached this valley, +and discovered a practicable and easy passage through a low part of the +mountain belt, north by west from this tree, to the very extensive levels +connected with the abovementioned plains, of which the southernmost of +the chain is distant about eleven or twelve miles (by estimation), N.N.W. +from this valley, and to which a line of trees has been carefully marked, +thus opening an unlimited, unbounded, seemingly well-watered country, +N.N.W., to call forth the exertions of the industrious agriculturist and +grazier, for whose benefit the present labours of the party have been +extended. This valley, which extends to the S.W. and W.S.W., has been +named 'Hawkesbury Vale,' and the highest point of the range, bearing N.W. +by W. from this tree, was called 'Mount Jenkinson,' the one a former +title, and the other the family name of the noble earl whose present +title the plains bear, and which, from the southern country, this gap +affords the only passage likely to be discovered. The party in the +earlier and middle stages of their expedition encountered many privations +and local difficulties of travelling to, and in their return from the +eastward; in spite, however, of these little evils, 'a HOPE at the +bottom,' or, at this almost close of their journey, an encouragement +induced them to persevere westerly a limited distance, and thus it was +this passage was discovered. It has therefore been named 'Pandora's +Pass.' Due east and west by compass from this tree, in a direct line (by +odometrical admeasurement) were planted the fresh stones of peaches, +brought from the colony in April last, with every good hope that their +produce will one day or other afford some refreshment to the weary +farmer, whilst on his route beyond the bourne of the desirable country +north of Pandora's Pass. A like planting took place on the plains, twelve +miles distance north at the last marked trees, with similar good wishes +for their growth. A remarkably high mount above the pass east, being a +guide to the traveller advancing south from the plains, has been named +'Direction Head.' The situation of this tree is as follows:--Latitude, +observed on the 7th and 8th of June, 1832, 32 deg. 15 min. 19 sec. S; its +longitude being presumed about 149 deg. 30 min. E. The party now proceed +with the utmost despatch south for Bathurst. + +"ALLAN CUNNINGHAM. + +"June 9th, 1823. + +"Buried for the information of the first farmer who may venture to +advance so far to the northwards as this vale, of whom it is requested +this document may not be destroyed, but carried to the settlement of +Bathurst, after opening the bottle." + +(See page 72.--Chapter II.) + + +* * * * * + + +DEATH OF SURVEYOR-GENERAL OXLEY. + + +ABSTRACT FROM THE "GOVERNMENT GAZETTE" OF MAY 27TH, 1828. + +"It would be impossible for his Excellency, consistently with his +feelings, to announce the decease of the late Surveyor-General without +endeavouring to express the sense he entertains of Mr. Oxley's services, +though he cannot do justice to them. + +"From the nature of this colony, the office of Surveyor-General is +amongst the most important under Government, and to perform its duties in +a manner Mr. Oxley has done for a long series of years is as honourable +to his zeal and abilities as it is painful for the Government to be +deprived of them. + +"Mr. Oxley entered the public service at an early period of his life and +has filled the important situation of Surveyor-General for the last +sixteen years. + +"His exertions in the public service have been unwearied, as has been +proved by his several expeditions to explore the interior. The public +have reaped the benefit, while it is to be apprehended that the event, +which they cannot fail to lament, has been accelerated by the privations +and fatigue he endured during the performance of these arduous services. +Mr. Oxley eminently assisted in unfolding the advantages of this +highly-favoured colony from an early stage of its existence, and his name +will ever be associated with the dawn of its advancement. It is always +gratifying to the Government to record its approbation of the services of +meritorious public officers, and in assigning to Mr. Oxley's name a +distinguished place in that class to which his devotion to the interests +of the colony has so justly entitled him, the Government would do honour +to his memory in the same degree as it feels the loss it has sustained in +his death." + +(See page 74.--Chapter II.) + + +* * * * * + + +LIST OF THE MEN COMPRISING SIR THOMAS MITCHELL'S PARTY ON HIS +EXPEDITION TO THE VICTORIA (BARCOO), 1846. +* * * * * + + +Sir T. L. Mitchell, Kt., Surveyor-General--Chief of the Expedition. +Edmund B. Kennedy, Esq., Assistant Surveyor--Second in Command. +W. Stephenson, M.R.C.S.L--Surgeon and collector of objects of + natural history. +Peter M'Avoy, Charles Niblett, William Graham--Mounted videttes. +Anthony Brown--Tent-keeper. +William Baldock--In charge of the horses. +John Waugh Drysdale--Store-keeeper. +Allan Bond, Edward Taylor, William Bond, William Mortimer, + George Allcot, John Slater, Richard Horton, + Felix Maguire--Bullock-drivers. +James Stephens, Job Stanley--Carpenters. +Edward Wilson--Blacksmith. +George Fowkes--Shoemaker. +John Douglas--Barometer-carrier. +Isaac Reid--Sailor and chainman. +Andrew Higgs--Chainman. +William Hunter, Thomas Smith--With the horses. +Patrick Travers--Carter and pioneer, +Douglas Arnott--Shepherd and butcher. +Arthur Bristol--Sailmaker and Sailor. + +Eight drays, drawn by eighty bullocks, two boats, thirteen horses, four +private horses, and three light carts, comprised the means of conveyance, +and the party was provided with provisions for a year; two hundred and +fifty sheep (to travel with the party) constituting the chief part of the +animal food. The rest consisted of gelatine, and a small quantity of +pork. + +(See page 105.--[Chapter IV.]) + + +* * * * * + + +RICHARD CUNNINGHAM's FATE. + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT ZOUCH, OF THE MOUNTED POLICE, REGARDING +THE DEATH OF RICHARD CUNNINGHAM. + +"SIR, +"Bathurst, December 7th, 1835. + +"I have the honour to state that, in conforming with the instructions +contained in the Colonial Secretary's letter of the 16th October, +together with your orders, directing me to proceed to the interior for +the purpose of ascertaining the fate of Mr. Cunningham, I proceeded with +the party on the 24th of October for Buree, which place I left on the +29th, accompanied by Sandy (the native black mentioned in my +instructions). On the 2nd of November I fortunately met with two blacks +who knew the particulars of a white man having been murdered on the +Bogan, also the names and persons of the perpetrators of the deed. They +likewise offered to accompany the police to where the tribe to which the +murderers belonged were encamped. I accordingly took them as guides, and +on the evening of the 6th they informed me they could see the smoke from +the fires of the Myall blacks, on the borders of a lake called Budda. + +"On arriving at the banks of the lake, we found a tribe encamped +consisting of upwards of forty men, women, and children, all of whom we +succeeded in making prisoners, without any resistance on their part. +Having questioned them as to the murder of a white man, they acknowledge +to one having been killed on the Bogan by four of their tribe, three of +whom they delivered up; the fourth, they stated, was absent on the Big +River. On searching the bags of the tribe, we found a knife, a glove, +and part of a cigar case, which the three blacks acknowledged they had +taken from the white man, and which Muirhead said he was sure belonged to +Mr. Cunningham. + +"The three murderers, whose names are Wongadgery, Boreeboomalie, and +Bureemal, stated that they and another black, about six moons ago, met a +white man on the Bogan, who came up and made signs that he was hungry; +that they gave him food, and that he encamped with them that night. The +white man repeatedly getting up during the night excited suspicion, and +they determined to destroy him the following morning, which they did by +Wongadgery going unperceived behind him and striking him on the back of +the head with a nulla-nulla. The other three men then rushing upon him +with their weapons, speedily effected their purpose. + +"I then determined to proceed to the spot where the murder was committed, +which I was informed by the blacks was distant three days' journey, but, +learning from them that there was a great scarcity of water, Muirhead, +and one of the prisoners (Burreemal) as a guide across to the Bogan, +leaving the other two prisoners in charge, under the command of Corporal +Moore, to proceed to a station about thirty miles distant from +Wellington, there to await my return. + +"On Tuesday, the 10th, I arrived at a place called Currindine, where the +black showed me some bones, which he said were those of a white man they +had killed, and pointed out a small portion of a coat, and also of a +Manilla hat. Being thus convinced of the truth of their statement, and +also of the spot where the melancholy event had occurred, I collected all +the remains I could discover, and having deposited them in the ground, +raised a small mound over them, and barked some of the nearest trees, as +the only means in my power of marking the spot. + +"Having thus accomplished the object of my expedition, I proceeded on my +return, and on rejoining the party under Corporal Moore, I learned the +escape of the two prisoners, which took place on the night of the 11th +November, when trooper Lard was on sentry, against whom I have forwarded +a charge for neglect of duty. The fulfilment of my instructions being +thus partially defeated, I considered it my duty to proceed in search of +the runaways, and continued the pursuit, I regret to say, without +success, until I was obliged to return, our stock of provisions being +consumed. I arrived here with the party yesterday, and shall forward the +prisoner, 'Bureemal,' to Sydney, together with the articles I was enabled +to collect, supposed to have belonged to the late Mr. Cunningham. + +"I have the honor to be, etc., +"W. ZOUCH, +"Lieut. Mounted Police." + +"To CAPTAIN WILLIAMS, +"Commandant of Mounted Police." + +(See page 106.--[Chapter IV.]) + + +* * * * * + + +CAVE DRAWINGS. + +The singular cave paintings found by Lieutenant George Grey near the +Glenelg River, in Western Australia, during the expedition of 1838. + +"The cave was twenty feet deep, and at the entrance seven feet high, and +about forty feet wide. As before stated, the floor gradually approached +the roof in the direction of the bottom of the cavern, and its width also +contracted, so that at the extremity it was not broader than the slab of +rock, which formed a natural seat. The principal painting in it was the +figure of a man ten feet six inches in length, clothed from the chin +downwards in a red garment, which reached to the wrists and ankles; +beyond this red dress the feet and hands protruded and were badly +executed. + +"The face and head of the figure were enveloped in a succession of +circular bandages or rollers, or what appeared to be painted to represent +such. These were coloured red, yellow, and white, and the eyes were the +only features represented on the face. Upon the highest bandage or +roller, a series of lines were painted in red, but although so regularly +done as to indicate they have some meaning, it was impossible to tell +whether they were intended to depict written characters, or some ornament +for the head. This figure was so drawn on the roof that its feet were +just in front of the natural seat, whilst its head and face looked +directly down on any one who stood in the entrance of the cave, but it +was totally invisible from the outside. + +* * * * * + +"It would be impossible to convey in words an adequate idea of this +uncouth and savage figure; I shall, therefore, only give such a succint +account of this and the other paintings as will serve as a sort of +description. Its head was encircled by bright red rays, something like +the rays which one sees proceeding from the sun, when depleted on the +signboard of a public house; inside of this came a broad stripe of very +brilliant red, which was coped by lines of white, but both inside and +outside of this red space were narrow stripes of a still deeper red, +intended probably to mark its boundaries. The face was painted vividly +white and the eyes black; being, however, surrounded by red and yellow +lines, the body, hands and arms were outlined in red, the body being +curiously painted with red stripes and bars. + +"Upon the rock which formed the left hand wall of this cave, and which +partly faced you on entering, was a very singular painting, vividly +coloured, representing four heads joined together. From the mild +expression of the countenances, I imagined them to represent females, and +they appeared to be drawn in such a manner, and in such a position, as to +look up at the principal figure which I have before described; each had a +very remarkable head dress coloured with a deep bright-blue, and one had +a necklace on. Both of the lower figures had a sort of dress, painted +with red in the same manner as that of the principal figure, and one of +them had a band round her waist. Each of the four faces was marked by a +totally distinct expression of countenance, and although none of them had +mouths, two, I thought, were otherwise rather good looking. + +"The whole painting was executed on a white ground. The next most +remarkable drawing in the cave was an ellipse, three feet in length, and +one foot ten inches in breadth. The outside line of this painting was of +a deep-blue colour, the body of the ellipse being of a bright yellow, +dotted over with red lines and spots, whilst across it ran two transverse +lines of blue. The portion of the painting above described formed the +ground, or main part of the picture, and upon this ground was painted a +kangaroo in the act of feeding, two stone spear-heads, and two black +balls. One of the spear-heads was flying to the kangaroo, and one away +from it, so that the whole subject probably constituted a sort of charm, +by which the luck of an enquirer in killing game could be ascertained. + +"There was another rather humorous sketch, which represented a native in +the act of carrying a kangaroo, the height of the man being three feet. +The number of drawings in the cave could not altogether have been less +than from fifty to sixty, but the majority of them consisted of men, +kangaroos, etc., the figures being carelessly and badly executed, and +being evidently a very different origin to those which I have first +described. + +"Another very striking piece of art was exhibited in the little gloomy +cavities, situated at the back of the main cavern. In these instances +some rock at the sides of the cavity had been selected, and the stamp of +a hand and arm by some means transferred to it. This outline of the hand +and arm was then painted black, and the rock about it white, so that on +entering that part of the cave it appeared as if a human hand and arm +were projecting through a crevice, admitting light." + +(See page 118--Chapter V.) + + +* * * * * + + +SMITH, A LAD OF EIGHTEEN, FOUND DEAD, MAY 8TH, 1839. + +The following is Warrup's account of the finding of Smith's body, the +young volunteer of Grey's party who died. Warrup was a Western Australian +native who accompanied the search party under Mr. Roe:-- + +"7th Day. The next day away, away, away, away, returning, on our tracks +returning, on our tracks returning. At Barramba we sit down; we eat bread +and meat; they eat fresh-water mussels; the natives eat not fresh-water +mussels. + +"Away, away, away, away; we reach the water of Djunjup; we shoot game. +Away, away, away, through a forest away, through a forest away; we see no +water. Through a forest away, along our tracks away. We sleep at +Ka-jil-up; rain falls; the water here is good, the horses feed, well do +the horses feed. + +"Away, away; along our tracks away; hills ascending; then pleasantly +away, away, through a forest away, through a forest away; we see a +water-the water of Goonmarrup. Along the river away, along the river +away, a short distance we go, then away, away, away, through a forest +away. + +"Then along another river away, across the river away. At Meergamuny we +sleep, raising huts. + +"Still we go onwards along the sea away, through the bush away, then +along the sea away, along the sea away. We see three white men, three of +them we see; they cry out, 'Where is water?' water we give them-brandy +and water we give them. We sleep near the sea. + +"Away, away we go (I, Mr. Roe, and Kinchela), along the shore away, along +the shore away, along the shore away. We see a paper--the paper of Mortimer +and Spofforth. I see Mr. Smith's footsteps ascending a sand-hill; onwards +I go, regarding his footsteps. I see Mr. Smith dead. We commence digging +the earth. Two SLEEPS had he been dead; greatly did I weep, and much I +grieved. In his blanket folding him, we scraped away the earth. + +"We scrape earth into the grave, we scrape the earth into the grave, a +little wood we place in it. Much earth we heap upon it-much earth we +throw up. No dogs can dig there, so much earth we throw up. The sun had +inclined to the westward as we laid him in the ground." + +(See page 121.--[Chapter V.]) + + +* * * * * + + +EYRE'S LETTERS. + +Adelaide, 4th January, 1844. + +"Having observed that during the past year the subject of an overland +journey from Moreton Bay to Port Essington has again been mooted by the +Legislative Council of New South Wales, I do myself the honour of +applying to you for information as to whether the Executive Government +have any such expedition in contemplation during the present year. + +"In the event of such being the case, I beg leave respectfully to offer +my services to conduct the explorations, and should his Excellency the +Governor do me the honour to confide in me so honourable and important an +employment, his Excellency may confidently rely that no effort or +exertions should be wanting on my part to ensure all practicable success. +In a former communication on the subject, I had the honour of giving a +rough estimate of the probable expense of the undertaking, if carried out +in accordance to a plan of operations and a scale of party then proposed. +The altered circumstances of the colonies would now probably enable an +equipment to be prepared at much lower prices than were then estimated +for, and I may remark that, although in my former letter to his +Excellency, Sir G. Gipps, I specified, in accordance with his +Excellency's request, the nature of the party I thought it advisable to +have, and the general line of route I deemed most likely to be +practicable, I shall be most happy to endeavour to carry out any views +his Excellency may entertain upon the subject, with any party or any +direction his Excellency may think desirable. The only point to which I +would call the attention of his Excellency the Governor, in the event of +an expedition being now in contemplation, is the great necessity there +would be for the party to take the field early in the season, so as to +have the whole winter before them for active operations; and, even then, +I feel very doubtful whether it would be possible for a party to +accomplish the whole distance to Port Essington in less than two winters, +being, as I am, strongly of opinion that it will be found quite +impracticable to travel in a tropical climate during the summer months. + +"I have the honor to be, +"Yours obediently, +"E. J. EYRE." + +* * * * * + +"Adelaide, 23rd December, 1841. + +"Sir,--Having understood from Captain Sturt that your Excellency is +desirous of sending an expedition into the interior from the northeast +coast towards Port Essington, I do myself the honour of addressing your +Excellency upon the subject, as I feel a very great interest in the +investigation of the interior of this singular continent, and shall be +most ready to give my services to conduct an expedition should your +Excellency decide upon fitting one out, and confide to me that +responsible and honourable duty. In September last I met with a printed +copy of a letter addressed by your Excellency to Lord John Russell, in +which some allusion was made to your wish to send an expedition to +explore the interior, and I at once wrote to the Colonial Secretary of +Sydney to volunteer my services, but, from various causes, I am induced +to believe that my communication must have miscarried, and I now +therefore beg leave to renew that offer. + +"As I am not in possession of your Excellency's views as to the nature of +the expedition it might be in contemplation to send out, or the direction +it might be considered desirable to take, I cannot do more at present +than express my willingness to engage in the undertaking generally, and +should your Excellency do me the honour of entertaining the offer I have +made, I shall be most happy, when put in possession of your Excellency's +wishes on the subject, to enter more fully into the necessary detail. + +"Being now engaged in the public service at some distance inland, I +should be most anxious to have as early notice as possible of your +Excellency's reply to my proposal, so that, by giving timely notice to +the colonial Government here, no obstruction of the public service might +take place. It would also be necessary for me to be in Sydney as early as +may be practicable to prepare the equipment of the expedition in time to +take the field at the close of the summer. + +"E. J. EYRE." + + +NOTE BY SIR GEORGE Gipps. + +"Acknowledge receipt, and say I shall be happy to avail myself of +the offer of Mr. Eyre's services in the proposed expedition, provided no +prior claim be preferred by Captain Sturt, with whom I have had some +communication on the subject. The whole expense of the expedition +would be defrayed by the Government; but before I can enter into any +engagement with Mr. Eyre it will be necessary that I should be +furnished with some account of the equipment, etc., which would be +considered necessary, in order that some estimate of the expense of the +expedition may be formed. + +"G. G. + +"November 12." + +(See page 155.--[Chapter VI.]) + + +* * * * * + + +EXTRACT OF LETTER FROM MAJOR MITCHELL. + +"5th September, 1845. + +"In attention to your letter of yesterday, I have now the honour to +submit the outlines of my plan for the exploration of the northern +interior. + +"I would therefore first beg leave to observe that my proposed line of +route is founded on views which I have always entertained respecting the +interior, but not more so than on the expediency of ascertaining the +character of that portion of the colony to the northwest of the River +Darling. To avoid unnecessary repetition, I shall annex a quotation here +from my despatch, dated Peel's River, 29th February, 1832, in which my +reasons for believing that there is a dividing range beyond the Darling, +and that a great river may be looked for beyond it, are stated at length. +I have had no occasion to alter my plans or views respecting the interior +since that time; on the contrary, subsequent experience has rather tended +to support these views. The course of the Condamine, now better known, +affords now a better indication that the high ground is in the situation +I supposed. And I annex also a communication from Walter Bagot respecting +that portion of the country beyond the Darling which is nearly opposite +to Fort Bourke, affording additional evidence of the existence of a lofty +range to the north-west, and a great river beyond it. The overflowing of +the 'Waramble' agreed so well with what I observed at the upper part of +the Darling in 1831, and near Fort Bourke in 1836, and the situation of +the range and river beyond accord so well with all that can reasonably be +assumed, as to leave no doubt in my mind as to the accuracy of Mr. +Bagot's statement, even where it is founded on that of the natives." + + +MINUTE BY SIR G. Gipps. + + +"Acknowledge receipt, and inform Sir Thos. Mitchell, that desiring to +leave him as far as possible free to act upon his own judgment in the +arduous undertaking in which he is about to embark, I do not consider it +necessary to do more than communicate to him my approval of the course +which he has proposed. Mr. Townsend will be authorised to accompany him, +and act as his next in command, and Mr. Stephenson may, should Sir Thomas +himself approve of it, be engaged at a salary of 7s. 6d. per diem from +the day of his leaving Sydney; he must, however, find his own horse. + +"Mr. Townsend will, during his absence, as well as Sir Thomas Mitchell +himself, continue to receive his usual salary from the land fund, but +every other expense will be charged against the sum voted for the purpose +by the Legislative Council, which is now increased to £2,000." + +(See page 156.--[Chapter VI.]) + + +* * * * * + + +EXTRACT OF A LETTER OF MR. WALTER BAGOT. + +"20th January, 1844. + +"The country beyond the Darling for the first few miles from the river +exhibits the same features as on its southern bank, the soil blackish, +soft, and yielding; the trees principally myall, and a species of myall, +called by the squatters rosewood, interspersed with the small and gnarled +forest oak. About ten miles from the river, and nearly parallel to it, is +the Waramble, a sort of swamp, boggy, and difficult to cross after wet +weather, directly after which water remains in the holes along its +course. From thirty to forty miles beyond this is the Nareen Creek. Here, +except in very dry seasons, water stands. This I know from the Nareen +blacks coming into the Barwin only at those times when they are in much +danger from the Barwin blacks, who are extremely hostile to them. I +cannot tell where the Nareen joins the Barwin; as far as I am acquainted +with it, it is nearly parallel to it, slightly converging to the river +westward. Between the Waramble and Nareen there is no perceptible rising +ground; from the harder nature of the soil, the plain becoming more open, +and the timber straighter and larger. I have no doubt that there is a +gradual ascent. The grass is extremely luxuriant, like all the unstocked +portions of rich ground in this country, the long kangaroo grass rising +to the saddle skirts. The brigalow, which I have never seen in any but +high ground, is here too. + +"I now come to the reports of the blacks, which are: That about three +days' journey of theirs (ninety miles) beyond the Barwin is a lofty range +of mountains (I have beard of these mountains also from a gentleman who +got a distant view of them from a plain near the Nareen); that a river, +called the Culgoa, runs at the foot of these mountains, which river, from +the similarity of the name, I am inclined to think, is one which empties +itself into the Barwin, about one hundred miles lower down than the +junction of the Castlereagh. I have remarked that the word Culgoa in the +Wilem dialect signifies 'waterfall,' which adds to the likelihood of its +being a mountain stream; that after crossing the mountains, which +occupies one day (thirty miles), and travelling for two days (sixty +miles), still north-west, they reach a large river, broader and deeper +than the Barwin, the waters of which river never fail. Their name for +this river I cannot now recollect. The old black, who gave the clearest +account of this river, and who was the only one I have seen who admitted +having been actually at this river, distinctly described its course to be +different from that of the Barwin, and, perhaps, north or south-west. +Might not this river be a tributary to one of the large rivers which flow +into the Gulph of Carpentaria? and if so, how well adapted for a line of +road traversing its valley to the Gulph? I have often wished, while +residing on the Barwin, to make up a party to explore the size and course +of this river, but the dangerous character of the black tribes in its +direction, with the late Iong-continued drought, were enough to prevent +it." + +(See page 156.--[Chapter VI.]) + + +* * * * * + + +THE LAST LETTER RECEIVED FROM DR. LEICHHARDT. + +"M'Pherson's Station, Cogoon, + +"April 3, 1848. + +"I Take the last opportunity of giving you an account of my progress. In +eleven days we travelled from Mr. Burell's station, on the Condamine, to +Mr. M'Pherson's, on the Fitzroy Downs. Though the country was +occasionally very difficult, yet everything went on very well. My mules +are in excellent order--my companions in excellent spirits. Three of my +cattle are footsore, but I shall kill one of them to-night, to lay in our +necessary stock of dried beef. The Fitzroy Downs, over which we travelled +for about twenty-two miles from east to west, is indeed a splendid +region, and Sir Thomas has not exaggerated their beauty in his account. +The soil is pebbly and sound, richly grassed, and, to judge from the +Myalls, of the most fattening quality. I came right on Mount Abundance, +and passed over a gap in it with my whole train. My latitude agreed well +with Mitchell's. I fear that the absence of water on Fitzroy Downs will +render this fine country to a great extent unavailable. I observe the +thermometer daily at 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., which are the only convenient +hours. I have tried the wet thermometer, but am afraid my observations +will be very deficient. I shall, however, improve on them as I proceed. + +"The only serious accident that has happened was the loss of a spade, but +we are fortunate enough to make it up on this station. Though the days +are still very hot, the beautiful clear nights are cool, and benumb the +mosquitoes, which have ceased to trouble us. Myriads of flies are the +only annoyance we have. + +"Seeing how much I have been favoured in my present progress, I am full +of hopes that our Almighty Protector will allow me to bring my darling +scheme to a successful termination. + +"Your most sincere friend, + +"LUDWIG LEICHHARDT." + +(See page 166.--Chapter VII.) + +* * * * * + + +THE NARDOO PLANT. + +The Nardoo appears generally to be considered the seed of the lentil, or +some other plant of the bean tribe, whereas it belongs to one of those +cryptogamic or flowerless plants, which, like ferns and mosses, do not +produce perfect seeds, but are increased by cellular bodies named spores. +It belongs to the genus MARSILLEA, order MARSILLEACEAE, and that class of +sexual or flowerless plants called Acrogens, which have distinguishable +stems and leaves, in contra-distinction to THALLOGENS, in which stems and +leaves are indistinguishable, as sea-weeds, fungi, and lichens. The part +used for food is the INVOLUCEN SPORANGIUM, or spore case, with its +contained spores, which is of an oval shape, flattened, and about +one-eighth of an inch in its longest diameter; hard and horny in texture, +requiring considerable force to crush or pound it when dry, but becoming +soft and mucila ginous when exposed to moisture. The natives pound it +between two stones, and make it into cakes like flour. The spores +vegetate in water, and root in soil at the bottom, where the plant grows +to maturity. After the water dries up, the plants die, and leave the +spore cases on, in many instances quite covering the surface of the dried +mud. It is then that they are gathered for food. On the return of +moisture, the spore cases softened, become mucilaginous, and discharge +their contents to form a fresh crop of plants. The foliage is green, and +resembles clover somewhat, being composed of three fleshy leaflets on the +top of a stalk a few inches in length. + +(See page 2166.--[Chapter IX.]) + + +* * * * * + + +THE FINDING OF JOHN KING. + +The details connected with the rescue of John King, the sole survivor of +the Burke and Wills Expedition, have, strangely enough, never yet found +their way into print, owing to a series of minor accidents, into the +particulars of which it is not necessary to enter here. + +The relief party, under the leadership of Mr. A. W. Howitt, fully +equipped and provisioned to follow the supposed track of the expedition +to the Gulf of Carpentaria, if necessary, knew nothing up to the time of +the actual finding of King of the miserable fate which had overtaken the +lost explorers; nor had they the faintest reason for supposing that they +were actually on the verge of the discovery which was to so completely +elucidate the mystery of their disappearance. + +Early in September, 1861, Howitt's party reached Cooper's Creek, +accompanied by W. Brahe, a member of Burke's expedition, who had been +left in charge of the depôt at Fort Wills by Burke. He had remained there +a month over the time mentioned in his instructions; his men were +attacked by scurvy; the blacks in the neighbourhood were getting +troublesome, and his provisions getting low. He therefore planted all the +stores he could spare under a tree, marked "dig," and with them an +explanatory letter to his leader, in the event of the return of the +absent men, and retired to the depôt at Bulloo. He then started for +Melbourne to report himself, but was intercepted by Howitt and taken back +to Cooper's Creek as a guide. + +King was found by Mr. Edwin J. Welch, the surveyor, and second in command +of Howitt's party, a gentleman who afterwards identified himself with +journalism, and who has been for many years favourably known in +connection with the country press as a proprietor of newspapers, both in +Northern and Western Queensland and Victoria. The following interesting +account of his first meeting with King is taken from Mr. Welch's diary:-- + +"13th September, 1861. Shortly after leaving camp this morning, Howitt +and I, accompanied by Brahe, rode on down the creek, ahead of the party, +to the depôt at Fort Wills, hoping against hope that we should find +Brahe's plant empty and some record of the missing men. We were doomed to +disappointment. After a careful examination of the spot, Brahe declared +that everything was as he had left it six weeks before. The CACHÉ had not +been disturbed, and nothing but a few blacks' tracks in the loose soil +existed to show that any human life had broken the solitude. We, +therefore, continued our way, wondering what could have become of them, +and discussing with keen interest the suggestions offered by each to +guide us in our future movements. . . Camped the horses and camels about +3 p.m., on the bank of a large waterhole in the creek, covered with +wild-fowl and partially surrounded by a dense growth of dead mallows of +great size and height. + +"14th September. Proceeded slowly westward, along the north bank of the +creek, carefully searching for tracks. . . . Country opening out and +improving in character. Magnificent reaches of water in the creek; some +of the water quite salt, other holes containing water of a milky tint, +sweet and pleasant to the taste, while in others again, it was brackish, +and the edges were lined with petrified boughs, leaves, and some few +fish. . . . Several times during the day we noticed blacks stealthily +watching our movements from a distance, and travelling through the long +grass in the direction we ourselves were going. . . . In the afternoon, +Howitt, who had been riding well out from the creek, returned with the +news that he had struck fresh camel tracks trending northwards, +apparently those of a lost camel. . . . Another comfortable camp on the +creek, with plenty of feed. + +"15th September (Sunday). Left camp at 8 a.m. Howitt, with one of the +black boys, started to run the camel track seen yesterday. I gave Sampson +(the leading man of the file) a compass bearing to follow, with +instructions to keep as closely to it as the windings of the creek would +permit, and rode on ahead, actuated by curiosity as to the movements of +our black friends of yesterday. After travelling about three miles, my +attention was attracted by a number of niggers on the opposite bank of +the creek, who shouted loudly as soon as they saw me, and vigorously +waved and pointed down the creek. A feeling of something about to happen +excited me somewhat, but I little expected what the sequel was to be. +Moving cautiously on through the undergrowth which covered the banks of +the creek, the blacks kept pace with me on the opposite side, their cries +increasing in volume and intensity; when suddenly rounding a bend, I was +startled at seeing a large body of them gathered on a sandy neck in the +bed of the creek, between two large waterholes. Immediately they saw me, +they too commenced to howl, throw their arms about, and wave their +weapons in the air. I at once pulled up, and considered the propriety of +waiting the arrival of the party, for I felt far from satisfied with +regard to their intentions. But here, for the first time, my favourite +horse--a black cob, known in the camp as 'Piggy,' a Murray Downs bred +stock horse, of good local repute, both for foot and temper--appeared to +think that his work was cut out for him, and the time arrived in which to +do it. Pawing and snorting at the noise, he suddenly slewed round, and +headed down the steep bank, through the undergrowth, straight for the +crowd, as he had been wont to do after many a mob of weaners on his +native plains. The blacks drew hurriedly back to the top of the opposite +bank, shouting and gesticulating violently, and leaving one solitary +figure, apparently covered with some scarecrow rags, and part of a hat, +prominently alone in the sand. Before I could pull up, I had passed it, +and as I passed it tottered, threw up its hands in the attitude of +prayer, and fell on the ground. The heavy sand helped me to conquer Piggy +on the level, and when I turned back, the figure had partially risen. +Hastily dismounting, I was soon beside it, excitedly asking, 'Who, in the +name of wonder, are you?' He answered, 'I am King, sir.' For a moment I +did not grasp the thought that the object of our search was attained, for +King being only one of the undistinguished members of the party, his name +was unfamiliar to me. 'King?' I repeated. 'Yes,' he said; 'the last man +of the exploring expedition.' 'What, Burke's?' 'Yes.' 'Where is he--and +Wills?' 'Dead--both dead, long ago;' and again he fell to the ground. +Then I knew who stood before me. Jumping into the saddle, I rode up the +bank, fired two or three revolver shots to attract the attention of the +party, and, on their coming up, sent the other black boy to cut Howitt's +track and bring him back to camp. We then put up a tent to shelter the +rescued man, and by degrees, as he recovered from the excitement of the +meeting, we got from him the, sad story of the fate of his leader. We got +it at intervals only, between the long rests which his exhausted +condition compelled him to take, and the main facts are, as summarised, +given below:-- + +"'Burke, Wills, Gray, and I, left the depôt in charge of Brahe, at Fort +Wills, on the 16th December, 1860, with six camels, one horse, and +provisions for three months. The stock was in splendid condition, and we +were in high spirits. Keeping a steady course northwards, we reached salt +water and mangrove swamps on--but I can't tell you the date; you will +find it in Wills' field-books. He said it was the Gulf of Carpentaria, +and we were satisfied; we could not get through the mangroves, and never +saw the open water, but we had accomplished the object of the expedition. +One of the camels had knocked up some distance back, and we had to plant +his load, so that we were afraid to stay too long, for fear of getting +short of rations. We did not follow our own tracks all the way back, but +hurried as much as possible to reach the depôt in time. On the way back +we killed the horse and one camel for meat, and one of the camels got +away from us, so that we had only two left to finish the journey. We all +walked, and threw away everything except the rations, a gun, and the +clothes we had on. At one of the camps we buried all Mr. Wills' +instruments, but I don't remember which one it was. Gray was getting +knocked up worse and worse every day, and then he got to taking more than +his share of the flour and sugar when he got a chance. Mr. Burke +threatened him and boxed his ears for this, and when he turned in one +night, about two days before we expected to reach the depôt, he said he +felt he would not live till morning, and, sure enough, he didn't. When we +turned out at daylight, Gray was dead; so we stopped there that day, and +scooped a hole in the sand about three feet deep with our hands, and +buried him in it. The next morning we pushed on for the depôt, and when +we got there, two days after, it was deserted. The fire was still alight, +and the tracks of Brahe's party were all fresh. There was a tree marked +'DIG,' and when we were able to get at the plant we found Brahe's note, +which said they had left that morning; but we did not mind it very much, +as there was plenty to eat. Of course, we were disappointed, but Mr. +Burke said we could get back by Strzelecki's Creek to Mount Hopeless, and +so to Adelaide. We stopped at the depôt five days, which was a good spell +for ourselves and the two camels, and we felt much better. When we were +ready to start, we buried all the field-books and some letters, to let +anybody who came by know where we were going, and then covered up the +plant carefully, so that the blacks should not find it out. We went +westerly down the creek, and saw lots of blackfellows, but Mr. Burke did +not care to try and make friends with them; he said there were too many +of them, and it was no good wasting time. After we got some distance down +the creek, it was decided to cross and strike to the southward, but we +must have picked a bad place, for one of the camels got stuck in a +quicksand at the end of a waterhole, and we could not get him out, +although we worked hard for nearly twenty-four hours; so, as there was +nothing else left for it, we shot him, cut off as much meat as we could +carry, and, after drying it, started on again; but our load was so much +heavier now that we had to travel very slowly, and the other camel was +beginning to knock up. After two days more, he got so weak that he +couldn't get up off the ground, so we had to shoot him too, pack some +more of the meat, and then go on. We got on to a branch creek, which ran +in the direction we wanted to go, but after a few more miles it ran out, +and lost itself in channels in an earthy plain: so we had to go back to +the last water. We were all three beginning to feel bad now, so it was +decided to take a good spell before making another attempt. While we were +doing this the rations were getting very short, and we began to cat +nardoo the same as the blacks. Sometimes the blacks would come by and +give us a few fish, which we could not catch ourselves, and sometimes we +managed to shoot a crow or a hawk, but we had no strength to go and look +for anything. Mr. Wills, however, determined to go back to the depôt, and +see if anybody had been there, and he was away some days by himself. When +he came back, he told us that he had seen nobody, but that he had opened +the plant in the night, to bury another letter to the committee, and +carefully covered it up again. A good thing for us, it happened that the +weather was very fine, although cold at night, and we felt the cold +badly, having very few clothes. Then we shifted camp a little higher up +the creek, where there were two or three blacks' gunyahs, and Mr. Wills +got so weak that he could not move out of his at all. Mr. Burke and I +were getting very weak, too, but I was not so bad as they were, and +managed to collect and pound enough nardoo to keep us all from starving +outright. In a few days things were so bad that Wills, who was getting +worse all the time and suffering great pain, persuaded Mr. Burke and I to +go up the creek, while we had strength, and look for the blacks, as our +only chance of life. We didn't like the idea of separating, but it seemed +to be our only chance, so we made him some nardoo bread, and left it, +with a billy of water, beside him, and went away. Together, Mr. Burke and +I wandered slowly up the creek, but could not see a sign of any blacks, +and after we had gone fourteen or fifteen miles, Mr. Burke said he could +not go any farther, and lay down under a tree. I found some nardoo close +by, and had the good luck to shoot a crow. The night was very cold, and +we felt it dreadfully, and before daylight Mr. Burke said he was dying, +and told me not to try and bury him or cover up his body in any way, but +just put his pistol in his right hand. I did this, and then he wrote +something in his pocket-book, and died about two hours after sunrise. +When I was able to move, I went on again, to try and find help for Wills, +but the blacks had all disappeared. I found some nardoo in one of their +camps, though, and with this and another crow I shot, I started back to +Wills. It took me four days to get back, and when I got there I found he +was dead, too. I covered up his body with boughs and sand as well as I +could, and then rested for two days, and started off again to look for +blacks. I don't know how many days it was before I found them, but I +think a good many. At first they were very kind to me, and gave me plenty +to eat; after that they tried to drive me away, but I stuck to them, and +the women gave me some nardoo every day, and sometimes one of the men +would give me some fish. I don't know how long I have been with them, but +I think it must be about three months. I knew you were coming before I +saw you, for some strange blacks came down the creek and brought the news +to the others, and somehow I got to understand that they had seen some +white men on horses, who I knew would look for me. I could not learn to +talk to them, but I began slowly to understand what they were saying. I +think I could have lived for a long time with them, for I was all the +while getting a little bit stronger.'" + +From the foregoing narrative it will be at once seen that the unfortunate +collapse of Gray, when within only two days' journey of the depôt, was +the direct cause of the death of Burke and Wills. King was a young man, +of good physique, and of a nature in which the disposition to mental +worry or anxiety had no part. The leaders had to endure this in addition +to their physical sufferings, and the bitterness of dying within the +reach of help, after having successfully accomplished the most dashing +feat ever recorded in the annals of Australian exploration. They had +performed their allotted task, and they perished miserably in the hour of +their success. + +The criticisms of Australians generally, and of bushmen in particular, +were for a long time afterwards directed to the apparently unaccountable +circumstance that neither Howitt, Welch, nor Brahe detected at their +first visit to the depôt that the CACHÉ had been opened. King's narrative +showed that it had actually been twice opened, but it must be borne in +mind that on each occasion the best precautions were adopted to conceal +the fact, and thereby avoid attracting the attention of the blacks. The +unfortunate men, who were slowly starving to death on the banks of the +creek, had left no visible sign of their visit to the spot. Brahe, who +made the plant, positively asserted that it had not been interfered with, +and Howitt, therefore, wisely declined to burden himself with an +additional weight of stores for which he had no present use. Even had it +been opened on that 13th of September, the knowledge which it would have +revealed was too late to be of service, and could not have expedited the +rescue of King by more than a few hours, if at all. + +(See page 219.--[Chapter IX.]) + + +* * * * * + + +POISON PLANTS. + +The properties of the Australian plants are only imperfectly known, very +few species having been chemically examined; numbers are suspected, but +have not been positively proved. The poison plant that caused such havoc +amongst the horses of both Jardine and Austin mostly affects the spinifex +country. It is a ground plant, and liable to be cropped by a horse +amongst the grass, when the animal would probably refuse to touch a bush. + +Amongst the most poisonous plants known in Australia may be mentioned the +"thorny apple," DATURA STRAMONIUM, and DATURA TATULA; also the EXCAECARIA +AGALLOCHA, and LOLIUM TERMULENTUM. + +The indigo plant, SWAINSONA GALEGIFOLIA, is a glabrous perennial, or +undershrub, with erect flexuose branches, sometimes under one foot, +sometimes ascending, or even climbing, to the height of several feet. The +flowers are rather large, and deep-red in the original variety; pod much +inflated, membranous one to two inches long, on a stipe varying from two +to six lines. The species varies, with light, purplish-pink flowers, S. +CORONILLAEFOLIA; and white flowers, S. ALBIFLORA. The difference in the +length of the stipes of the pod does not, as had been supposed, coincide +with the difference in the colour of the flower. This plant acts in a +peculiar way upon sheep, driving them insane until death ensues. The +sheep, however, select it as an especial tit-bit, it, apparently, +possessing an irresistible fascination for them. + +The "Darling pea" SWAINSONA PROCUMBENS. Glabrous; or the young shoots and +foliage slightly silky; or sometimes pubescent, or hirsute, with +procumbent ascending, or erect stems of one to three feet. Leaflets +varying from oblong or almost linear, and one-quarter inch to half-inch +long, to lanceolate, or linear-acute, and above one inch long. Flowers: +large, fragrant, violet, or blue; pod sessile, above one inch long. + +The "Pitchuri plant," ANTHOCERCIS HOPWOODII. A glabrous tree, or shrub. +Leaves: narrow-linear, acutely acuminate, with the point often recurved, +entire, rather thick, narrowed into a short petiole, two to four inches +long; fruit unknown. + +"Australian Tobacco," NICOTIAN SUAVEOLENS. An erect annual, or biennial, +of one to two feet. Flowers: white, or greenish on side; sweet-scented, +especially at night. + +Amongst those that are but slightly poisonous are: TYPHONIUM BROWNII, and +COLOCASIA MACRORRHIZA; the CRINUM FLACCIDUM and C. PENDUNCULATUM, both +bulbous herbs; CARCUMBUM POPULIFOLIUM and C. STILLINGIAEFOLIUM, tall +shrubs; DUBOISEA MYOPOROIDES and D. LEICHHARDTII, shrubs; ARISTOLOCHIA +praevenos, a tall, climbing shrub; A. PUBERA, a small, prostrate, or +trailing herb; CHAMAE FISTULA LAEVIGATA and C. SOPHERA, erect, glabrous +shrubs. + +The "Nightshade," SOLANUM NIGRUM. An erect annual, or biennial, with very +spreading branches, one to nearly two feet high. Leaves: petiolate, +ovate, with coarse, irregular, angular teeth, or nearly entire, one to +two inches long. Flowers; small and white, in little cymes, usually +contracted into umbels on a common peduncle, from very short, to nearly +one inch long. Berry: small, globular, usually nearly black, but +sometimes green-yellow, or dingy-red. + +The "Bean tree," CASTANOSPERMUM AUSTRALE. A tall, glabrous tree; pods +eight or nine inches long, about two inches broad; the valves hard and +thick, the spongy substance inside dividing it into three to five cells +each, containing a large, chestnut-like seed. + +(See page 241.--[Chapter XI.]) + + + + +INDEX OF NAMES, DATES, AND INCIDENTS + + + +"Adventure" (The)-- +Under Captain Tobias Furneaux, in search of the South Continent, touched +on the coast of Tasmania. 1772. + +Alouarn, M. de St.-- +Anchored near Cape Leeuwin, but no record of his visit has been +preserved. 1777. + +Alt, Matthew B-- +With the ships HORMUZEER and CHESTERFIELD, through Torres Straits. 1793. + +"Amsterdam," (The) "Klyn," and "Wezel"-- +From Banda. commanded by Gerrit Tomaz Poole; revisited Arnheim's Land. +Captain Poole was killed on the New Guinea coast. 1636. + +"Arnheim" (The) and "Pera"-- +On the coast of New Guinea. Captain Jan Carstens, with eight of his crew +murdered; but the vessels proceeded to, and touched on the north coast of +New Holland, west of the Gulf of Carpentaria, still known as "Arnheim's +Land." 1623. + +"Assistant" (The) and "Providence"-- +Under command of Captains Bligh and Portlock, through Torres Straits. +1792. + +"Astrolabe" (The) and "Boussole"-- +French discovery ships, under La Perouse. Anchored in Botany Bay. 1778. + +"Atrevide" (The) and "Descobierte"-- +Spanish Discovery ships, under command of Don Alexandra Malaspina, at +Sydney. 1793. + +"Astrolabe" (The)-- +Under command of Captain Dumont D'Urville, touched at Bass's Strait. +1826. + +Austin, Robert-- +Assistant Surveyor-General, Western Australia; in search of pastoral +country, and to examine the interior for auriferous deposits. Their +horses got on a patch of poison plant, and, in consequence, nearly the +whole of them were laid up, unfit for work; some escaped, but the greater +number died. On the return of the party to Shark's Bay, where a vessel +awaited them, they found a cave in the face of a cliff, in which were +drawings, similar to those reported by Grey near the Prince Regent's +River. One of the party (Charles Farmer) accidentally shot himself, and +died of lockjaw; he was buried at the cave spring. The exploration led to +no profitable result. 1854. + +Babbage, Surveyor-- +Conducted a party to explore the country between Lake Torrens and Lake +Gairdner. 1856. + +Bampton, William-- +With Matthew B. Alt, in the ships HORMUZEER and CHESTERFIELD, through +Torres Straits. 1793. + +Banks, Joseph (afterwards Sir)-- +Accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyage of discovery to Australia, +as botanist. 1770. + +Bannister, Major-- +Crosses from Perth to King George's Sound. 1831. + +Barker, Captain-- +Murdered at Lake Alexandrina, the mouth of the Murray. 1832. + +Barker, Dr.-- +Albert Brodribb and Edward Hobson were the first to walk from Melbourne +to Gippsland. The present road follows their tracks. 1841. + +Barrailher, Ensign-- +Attempted exploration of the Blue Mountains. 1802. + +Bass, Dr. George-- +With Matthew Flinders, in the TOM THUMB, along the coast. 1795. And again +to Port Hacking. 1796. + +Attempted exploration of the Blue Mountains. 1796-97. + +In a whale-boat, with a crew of eight, round Wilson's Promontory, and +explore Western Port. Examined six hundred miles of coastline. 1797. + +Bass, Dr. George, and Matthew Flinders-- +In the NORFOLK; discover Bass's Straits. 1798. + +"Batavia" (The)-- +Commanded by Francis Pelsart, and wrecked on Houtman's Abrolhos. 1629. + +Batman, John-- +Founded Port Phillip. 1836. + +"Bathurst" (The)-- +In which Captain King completed his fourth and last voyage round the +Australian coast. 1820. + +Baudin, Captain Nicholas-- +In command of the French ships GÉOGRAPHE and NATURALISTE. 1801-2. + +Beresford, W., and J. W. Lewis-- +Sent by the South Australian Government to survey the country about Lake +Eyre. 1875. + +Blackwood, Captain-- +In the FLY, continued the survey of Captains Wickham and Stokes. Made a +minute examination of the Great Barrier Reef. 1842-45. + +Blaxland, Gregory-- +With Lieutenant William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth; succeed in +their attempt to cross the Blue Mountains. 1813. + +Bligh, Captain William-- +Passed Cape York, on his way to Coepang, in the BOUNTY'S launch. +(Afterwards Governor of New South Wales.) 1791. + +Bligh, Captain William, and Captain Nathan Portlook-- +In the ships PROVIDENCE and ASSISTANT. Explore Torres Straits. 1792. + +Bougainville, De-- +Discovered the Louisade Archipelago. 1768. + +"Boussole" (The) and "Astrolabe"-- +French discovery ships; La Perouse in command; at Botany Bay. 1778. + +Bowen, Lieutenant-- +Visited Jervis Bay. 1796. + +Bremer, Sir Gordon-- +In the TAMAR to Port Essington. 1824. + +Re-settles Port Essington. 1838. + +Briggs, S. G.-- +Second in command, and surveyor of Queenslander Trans-Continental +Expedition; leader, Ernest Favenc, from Blackall to Powell's Creek, +overland telegraph line. 1878-79. + +Buchanan, N.-- +Made an excursion from the overland line to the Queensland border; +crossed the Ranken, so called after one of the pioneers of that district, +J. C. L. Ranken. Buchanan's Creek was a most important discovery of this +trip, affording a highway and stock route to the great pastoral district +lying between the Queensland border and the overland telegraph line. +1878. + +Burke, Robert O'Hara (Leader), and +William John Wills (Surveyor and Astronomer)-- +Left Melbourne on August 20th, 1860, accompanied by Charles Gray and John +King, etc.; successfully cross the continent, reaching the Gulf of +Carpentaria, and then return towards the depôt formed by others of the +party on Cooper's Creek. Gray died; Burke, Wills, and King stop to bury +him by scraping a hole in the sand, and reached the depôt only to find +that Brahe and the other three men had left that morning. Stopping to +bury Gray cost Burke and his companions their lives. They could scarcely +walk, and their camels were in the same state. Gray died of exhaustion +and fatigue. Wills, who was so weak, was left lying under some boughs, +with a supply of water and nardoo, to meet his death alone. Two days +after, Burke gave in, and King found himself alone. The remains of the +explorers were eventually disinterred, and brought to Melbourne, where +they were given a public funeral. 1860-61. + +Campbell, Murdock-- +West of Lake Torrens. 1857. And again with party west of Lake Eyre, +looking for pastoral country. 1857. + + +Carpenter, Captain Pieter-- +Discovered the Gulf of Carpentaria. 1628. + +Carr-Boyd, W. J. H.-- +With O'Donnell, from the Katherine Station, overland telegraph line, to +Western Australia. Found good country, but no new geographical discovery. +1882. + +Carstens, Captain Jan-- +With the yachts PERA and ARNHEIM, landed on the coast of New Guinea, and +was murdered with eight of his crew. The vessels proceeded on their +voyage, and touched on the north coast of New Holland, still known as +Arnheim's Land. 1623. + +Cayley, George-- +A botanist, sent out by Sir Joseph Banks, from Kew Gardens; attempted +exploration over the Blue Mountains. 1803. + +"Champion" (The)-- +Schooner, examined the west coast for any rivers with navigable +entrances, in view of settlement. Captain Stokes, of the BEAGLE, gave so +unfavourable a report of that part of the coast that its immediate +settlement was postponed. 1839. + +"Chatham" (The) and "Discovery"-- +Vessels under command of Captain George Vancouver when he explored the +south-west coast and discovered King George's Sound. 1791. + +"Chesterfield" (The) and "Hormuzeer"-- +Under command of Matthew B. Alt and William Bampton, through Torres +Straits. 1793. + +Clarkson, B.-- +With Messrs. Dempster and Harper, make a trial to the eastward. 1861. + +Collins, Lieutenant-Governor Daniel-- +From England with H.M.S. CALCUTTA and OCEAN to form a penal settlement at +Port Phillip. Deciding that the place was unfit for settlement they +proceeded to Tasmania, where all were killed at Hobart Town. 1803-4. + +Colonists-- +Landed at the De Grey River, and settled on country found by F. Gregory. +1863. + +Cook, Captain James-- +In the ENDEAVOUR, landed at Botany Bay; carefully surveyed the east coast +to Cape York, naming nearly all the principal capes and bays. At +Possession Island he formally took possession of the continent, in the +name of King George the Third, under the name of New South Wales. 1770. + +Cox-- +Completed road over Blue Mountains to Bathurst. 1815. + +Crozet, Captain-- +With Captain Marion du Fresne, in the ships MASCARIN and CASTRES to +Tasmania, the first visitors after Tasman. Thence to New Zealand, where +they were murdered by the Maories. 1772. + +Curry, Captain-- +With Major Ovens, to Lake George; discovered Monaroo Plains and the +Morumbidgee. 1823. + +Cunningham, Allan-- +Found "Pandora's Pass"--a practical stock route to Liverpool Plains. +1823. + +Journeying by way of Pandora's Pass, which he had before discovered, +examined the tableland to the north of Bathurst. 1825. + +To Darling Downs--one of his most, eventful trips. Discovers the Darling +Downs, the Dumaresque, Gwydir, and Condamine Rivers, &c. 1827. + +Accompanied by Charles Fraser, proceeded by sea to Moreton Bay, and +connected the settlement with the Darling Downs by way of Cunningham's +Gap. 1828. + +His last expedition. Explores the source of the Brisbane River. 1829. + +Died in Sydney. 1839. [See Appendix.] + +Cunningham, E.-- +And Messrs. Somer, Stenhouse, Allingharn and Miles explore the Upper +Burdekin, and discover good pastoral country on the many tributaries of +that river. 1860. + +Cunningham, Richard-- +Botanist (brother to Allan Cunningham), accompanied Sir Thomas Mitchell's +second expedition. While still on the outskirts of settlement, leaving +the party on some scientific quest, he lost his way, and was never again +seen. A long search was made for him, and eventually his fate was +ascertained from the blacks. [See Appendix.] 1833. + +"Cygnet" (The)-- +With Dampier and crew of buccaneers, visited the northwest coast of New +Holland. 1688. + +Dale-- +From the Upper Swan River, Western Australia. Followed up the Avon. 1830. + +Dalrymple, G. E.-- +Penetrated the coast country north of Rockhampton, and discovered the +main tributaries of the Lower Burdekin, the Bowen, and Bogie Rivers. +1859. + +Ascending the coast range, reached the upper waters of the Burdekin, and +discovered the Valley of Lagoons, west of Rockingham Bay. 1862. + +Daly-- +A convict afterwards hanged for burglary; instigated the first gold +prospecting party in Australia. Having broken up a pair of brass buckles, +he mixed the fragments with sand and stones, and presented it as +specimens of ore he had found. 1789. + +Dampier, Captain William-- +The first Englishman to land in New Holland. He visited the north-west +coast in the CYGNET, with a crew of buccaneers. 1688. + +In charge of the ROEBUCK, sent by the English Government to explore the +northwest coast; visited the archipelago that now bears his name. 1699. + +Dawes, Lieutenant-- +With Tench and Morgan explore south and west of Rose Hill. 1790. + +Crossed the Nepean. 1789. + +"De Brak," "Zeemeuw," and "Limmen"-- +Commanded by Abel Janz Tasman, surveyed a great portion of the north and +north-west coasts of New Holland. 1644. + +De Lissa and Hardwicke-- +Explore from Fowler's Bay to the edge of the Great Victorian Desert. +1862. + +Delft, Martin Van-- +With the ships VOSSENBACH, WAYER, and NOVA HOLLANDIA, to investigate the +west coast. This was the last voyage of exploration undertaken by the +Dutch, and closes the early discovery of New Holland. 1705. + +D'Entrecasteaux, Admiral Bruni-- +With the ships RECHERCHÉ and L'ESPERANCE, left Brest to seek La Perouse, +anchored on the south coast of Australia. 1792. + +"Descobierta" (The), and "Etrevida"-- +Spanish discovery ships, under Don Alexander Malaspina, at Sydney. 1793. + +Dillon, Captain-- +In the RESEARCH, on the south coast. 1826. + +Dirk Hartog, Captain-- +In command of the ship ENDRACHT, from Amsterdam, discovered the west +coast of New Holland. He left a tin plate, with an inscription, on an +island in Dirk Hartog's Roads, which was afterwards found by Vlaming, in +1697, who added another inscription. In 1801, the boatswain of the +NATURALISTE found the plate, and Captain Hamelin had it replaced on +another post; but in 18ig AI. L. de Freycinet, while on his voyage round +the world, took it home with him, and placed it in the Museum of the +Institute, Paris. 1616. + +"Discovery" (The) and "Chatham"-- +Under Captain George Vancouver, on the south-west coast and King George's +Sound. 1791. + +Dixon, Christopher-- +In the ship ELLEGOOD, visited King George's Sound, leaving on a sheet of +copper the name of his vessel and date of visit, which was found in 1801 + by Flinders. 1800. + +Dixon, Surveyor-- +On the Bogan. 1833. + +"Duke and Duchess" (The)-- +Under Captain John Hayes, visited Tasmania, and renamed the discoveries +of D'Entrecasteaux. 1794. + +Duperry, Captain-- +In LA COQUILLE, voyaged amongst the Line Islands. 1822-24. + +D'Urville, Captain Dumont-- +With the ASTROLABE, from Toulon, touched at Bass's Straits. 1826. + +Dutton, C. W.-- +With Miller; explored country back of Fowler's Bay 1857. + +"Duyfhen" (The)-- +Yacht from Bantam. Her commander (name unknown) unwittingly crossed tile +entrance of Torres Straits, sailed across the Gulf of Carpentaria, and +turned back from Cape Keer-Weer (Turn Again), being in want of +provisions. 1606. + +Eredia, Manoel Godinho-- +A Spaniard, claims an early discovery of New Holland, but it is doubtful. +1601. + +Edels, John Van-- +On the west coast. 1619. + +Edwards, Captain Edward-- +In search of the mutineers of the BOUNTY. Lost on the reefs, and reached +Timor in boats. 1791. + +"Ellegood" (The) +Commanded by Christopher Dixon, visited King George's Sound. 1800. + +"Endeavour" (The)-- +Captain Cook's vessel when on his voyage of discovery to Australia. 1770. + +Evans, Deputy-Surveyor-- +Discovered the first Australian inland river. 1815. + +Eyre, E. J.-- +Port Phillip to Adelaide; discovered Lake Hindmarsh. 1838. + +Left Port Lincoln on the western shore of Spencer's Gulf, to examine the +country to the westward. Discovered Streaky Bay and Lake Torrens. 1839. + +March round the Great Bight. 1840-41. + +Favenc, Ernest-- +In charge of the QUEENSLANDER Transcontinental Expedition, organised to +discover the nature and value of the country in the neighbourhood of a +then proposed line to Port Darwin, and the geographical features of the +unknown portion. Leaving Blackall, the then most western settlement in +Queensland, the party made Powell's Creek on the Overland Telegraph Line. +Discovering the Corella Lagoon, Cresswell Creek, Sylvester, and De Burgh +Creeks, etc. This expedition had the effect of opening up a great area of +good pastoral country which is now stocked. 1878-1879. + +Traced the heads of the rivers running into the Gulf of Carpentaria near +the Queensland border, and in the following year took a more lengthened +expedition across the coast range to the mouth of the Macarthur River. A +large extent of valuable country was found in the basin drained by this +river, and a fine permanent spring discovered. Followed this river down +to salt water, then returned by another route to Daly Waters Telegraph +Station. 1882-83. + +Finnis, Colonel-- +Formed settlement at Escape Cliffs. 1864. + +Fitzgerald, Governor-- +Western Australia. Accompanied by A. C. Gregory and party, proceeded to +Champion Bay by sea, and thence inland to examine the new mineral +discovery. On their return they had an affray with the natives, the +Governor being speared in the leg. 1848. + +Fitzroy, Captain R.-- +In the BEAGLE, visited King George's Sound. 1829. + +Flinders, Matthew-- +With Bass in the TOM THUMB traced the coast from Sydney in 1795. And the +following year in the same boat reached Port Hacking. 1796. + +With Bass in the NORFOLK, discovered Bass's Straits. 1799. + +In the NORFOLK, dispatched by Governor Hunter to explore the coast to the +northward; reached Hervey Bay. 1799. + +In command of the INVESTIGATOR and LADY NELSON, left England to examine +the coasts of TERRA A USTRALIS. First sighted Australia at Cape Leeuwin. +Examined the south and east coasts of Australia, and explored the Gulf of +Carpentaria and the coast of Arnheim's Land. The INVESTIGATOR being then +found unseaworthy, he returned to Port Jackson, after a visit to, Timor. +For the purpose of procuring another vessel to continue the survey, he +took passage for England with his officers and crew in the PORPOISE. +Seven days after leaving Sydney, the vessel was wrecked on the Barrier +Reef, and Flinders in an open boat made his way back to Sydney, a +distance of seven hundred miles. Governor King gave him the CUMBERLAND, +in which vessel he proceeded homeward, and on putting in to the +Mauritius, he was there made prisoner by General de Caen, the French +Governor, and detained in the Isle of France nearly seven years. +Flinders' journal of his discoveries was published the day after his +death. It was Flinders who suggested the name of Australia. 1801-1803. + +"Fly" (The)-- +Under command of Captain Blackwood, made a minute survey of the Great +Barrier, and continued the survey of Captains Wickharn and Stokes. +1842-45. + +Forrest, Alexander-- +Took charge of a private expedition, in search of new pastoral country. +1871. + +Led an expedition from De Grey River to the telegraph line, striking Daly +Waters. A most successful trip; finding some of the most valuable country +in the northern part of Western Australia; which has since been stocked +with both cattle and sheep, and large mineral wealth has been developed. +1879. + +Forrest, John-- +First expedition, Lake Barlee. Not Successful in finding good available +country, but obtained a reliable survey of a great deal of country +hitherto unknown. 1869. + +Accompanied by his brother, made a journey from Perth to Adelaide by way +of the Great Bight, not traversed since Eyre's celebrated march; and was +able to give a more impartial verdict of the country, travelling, as he +did, with larger facilities. His report showed that the fringe of gloomy +thicket was only confined to the coast. Beyond, he found fine pastoral +country. 1870. + +With his brother, Alexander Forrest, started from the furthest outside +station on the Murchison, and made a successful trip to Peak Station, on +the overland telegraph line. With nothing but pack-horses, crossed the +middle of the continent, where the very heart of the terrible desert is +supposed to exist, taking his men, and most of his horses, in safety; +concluding one of the most valuable journeys on record. 1874. + +Fort Wellington-- +At Raffles Bay. Founded 1826; abandoned 1829. + +Frazer, Charles-- +The botanist who accompanied Captain Stirling in H.M.S. Success during +survey of coast from King George's Sound to the Swan River. 1828. + +Freeling, Colonel-- +Surveyor-General of South Australia. Sent to verify Goyder's reports on +Blanche Water and Lake Torrens, and found that the principal features of +Goyder's reports were the results of mirage. 1857. + +Fremantle, Captain-- +Hoisted the British Flag at Fremantle. 1829. + +Fresne, Captain Marion du-- +With Captain Crozet in the MASCARIN and CASTRES, from Nance to +Tasmania--the first visitors after Tasman. Thence to New Zealand, where +they were murdered by the Maories. 1772. + +Freycinet, L. de-- +In L'URANIE, saw Edels' Land, Shark's Bay, and landed at Sydney. 1817. + +Frome, Captain-- +Surveyor-General of South Australia. Made some explorations in the +neighbourhood of Lake Torrens. 1843. + +Furneaux, Captain Tobias-- +With the ADVENTURE, accompanied Cook on his second voyage in search of +the Southern Continent. Separated from Cook, and afterwards, when they +met, gave his opinion that Tasmania and New South Wales were joined with +a deep bay intervening. This opinion Cook thought sufficient to prevent a +further examination by himself being necessary. 1772. + +Gawler, Colonel-- +Governor of South Australia. Made an excursion to the Murray. He was +accompanied by Captain Sturt (Surveyor-General), Miss Gawler, and Mrs. +Sturt, but it is to be presumed Miss Gawler and Mrs, Sturt accompanied +the party but a short distance. 1839. + +"Geelvink" (The)-- +(See Vlaming.) + +Gibson-- +Died when out with Ernest Giles' second expedition. Scene of his death +named "Gibson's Desert." 1873. + +Gilbert-- +The naturalist accompanying Leichhardt's first expedition. +Killed by the blacks at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria. 1845. + +Giles, Ernest-- +Starting from Chamber's Pillar, South Australia, made a journey to the +westward, but was stopped by a large dry salt lake. He named it Lake +Amadens. He returned, having traversed a great deal of country before +unknown. 1872. + +Left on his second trip, starting from the Alberga, that flows into Lake +Eyre, travelling north-west. Made many determined attempts to cross the +spinifex desert, but returned unsuccessful. One of the party, Gibson, +died, and several horses. The scene of Gibson's death is now marked as +Gibson's Desert. 1873. + +With an equipment of camels, made his third and successful attempt to +reach Western Australia, but, from want of water, no knowledge of the +country was obtained beyond their immediate track. Giles then retraced +his steps to the overland line, following a track to the north of +Forrests route, by way of the Murchison, and crossed over to the +Ashburton. Then striking south of east he came to his former track of +1873, at the Alfred and Marie Range--the range he had so vainly tried to +reach when the man Gibson met his death. Finally arrived at Peak Station. +1875-76. + +Gonneville, Paulmier De-- +Visited the south seas, and is claimed by the French to have landed on +New Holland. 1503. + +Gosse, W. C.-- +In charge of the Central and Western Exploring Expedition. Left Alice +Springs, on the overland telegraph line, with the intention of reaching +Perth, having a mixed equipment of camels and horses. After many attempts +to penetrate westward, Gosse was obliged to return, the heat of the +weather and the dryness of the country rendering it useless to think of +risking his party with any hope of success. 1873. + +Gould, Captain-- +On the south coast, near Port Lincoln, 1827-28. + +Goyder, G. W.-- +Deputy Surveyor-General of South Australia. Gave a most glowing account +of Blanche Water, and the country around Lake Torrens. Subsequently +Colonel Freeling discovered that Goyder had been misled by a mirage. +1857. + +In the Great Bight, to the north of Fowler's Bay. Found nothing but +mallee scrub and spinifex. 1862. + +Selected Port Darwin as a suitable site for a township, and removed to +that place the settlement from Escape Cliffs. 1865. + +Grant, James-- +In LADY NELSON, the first vessel to pass through Bass's Straits, and +verified Bass's examination. 1801. + +Gray, Charles-- +One of the members of Burke and Wills' expedition. (See Burke.) 1860-61. + +Gregory, Frank-- +Reached the long-sought Gascoyne, and followed it to Shark's Bay. +Followed the Murchison down to the Geraldine mine, finding good pastoral +country, and well watered. This was a much needed encouragement to the +colony. 1858. + +In charge of party, left Perth in the DOLPHIN for Nickol Bay, on the +north-west coast, to land their horses and commence the trip. Discover +the Fortescue, the Hammersley Range, and the Ashburton, which was traced +upwards through a large extent of good pastoral country. Named the De +Grey and Oakover rivers. The stigma of desolation was now partially +removed by the discoveries of this expedition. 1861. + +Gregory, A. C.-- +Accompanied by his two brothers. Their first expedition in Western +Australia; travelled through a large extent of salt swampy country, +entering the salt lake region, until they reached a range of granite +hills forming the watershed of the coast streams. After several +disappointments, turned to the westward to examine rivers discovered by +Grey. On the head of one of these (the Arrowsmith) they found a seam of +coal; and returned to Bolgart Springs. 1846. + +With party to explore the Gascoyne. Found a galena lode on the Murchison. +1848. + +With Baron Von Mueller, the celebrated botanist, and his brother, H. C. +Gregory. North Australian expedition in search of Leichhardt. Proceed +north to follow the Victoria. Reached the head of that stream, and +discovered Sturt's Creek and the Elsey. Crossing the head waters of the +Limmen Bight River, skirted the Gulf for some distance south of +Leichhardt's track, crossing the rivers that he did, only higher up on +their courses. Greatly disappointed with the Plains of Promise--so named +by Captain Stokes. 1855. + +Barcoo expedition to trace the course of Leichhardt's party. Confirmation +of the supposed identity of the Barcoo and Cooper's Creek. No fresh +discoveries were made, but the second great inland river system was +evolved. 1858. + +Grey, Lieutenant-- +Explorations on the west coast. 1837. + +Grey, Lieutenant, and Lushington (Second in Command)-- +Expedition to verify the existence or not of the large river supposed to +find its way into the sea at Dampier's Archipelago. This expedition +originated in England. Found the Glenelg, and discovered cave drawings. +1838. + +(Afterwards Governor of South Australia), Started on his second +expedition from the west coast. Encountering great troubles Grey had to +push on to Perth and send back a relief party. A party under Lieutenant +Roe, after some trouble in tracking the erratic wanderings of the +unfortunates, came upon them hopelessly gazing at a point of rocks that +stopped their march along the beach, too weak to climb it. They had been +three days without fresh water, and Smith, a lad of eighteen, was dead. +[See Appendix.] Grey claims the discovery of the Gascoyne, Murchison, +Hutt, Bower, Buller, Chapman, Greenough, Irwin, Arrowsmith, and Smith +Rivers. 1839. + +Grimes, Surveyor-General-- +Accompanied Lieutenant Murray when Port Phillip was discovered, and +surveyed it. 1802. + +"Gulde Zeepard"-- +Under command of Captain Pieter Nuyts, touched on the south coast. 1627. + +Hack, Stephen-- +With Miller examined Gawler Range, and sighted Lake Gairdner. 1857. + +Hacking, Quarter-master-- +Attempted to cross the Blue Mountains. Reached the foot of the range. +1794 and 1798. + +Hamelin, Captain-- +With commander Baudin, in the French ships NATURALISTE and GÉOGRAPHE, +exploring the coasts of Australia. 1801-2. + +Hann, William-- +A pioneer squatter of Queensland, led an expedition, equipped by the +Queensland Government, to make an examination as 'far north as the +fourteenth parallel, with a special view to its mineral and other +resources. Naming the Walsh, the party crossed the upper part of the +Mitchell River, and thence to the river they named the Palmer. Here +Warner, the surveyor, found prospects of gold, which resulted in the +discovery of one of the richest goldfields in Australia. 1872. + +Harper-- +With Messrs. Dempster and Clarkson in Western Australia, explored from +the settled districts as far as Mount Kennedy. 1861. + +Hartog, Captain Dirk-- +In the ENDRACHT, from Amsterdam. Discovered the west coast of New +Holland. (See Dirk Hartog, 1616.) + +Harvey and Ross-- +Explorations around Charlotte Waters, South Australia. 1877. + +Hawkesbury River-- +Discovered. 1789. + +Hawson, Captain-- +In company with some other gentlemen, made a short excursion from Port +Lincoln, finding good, well-grassed country, and an abundance of water. +They named Rossitur Vale and the Mississippi. 1840. + +Hay-- +Discovered the Denmark River, and explored the country back of Parry's +Inlet. 1829. + +Hayes, Captain John-- +With the DUKE AND DUCHESS, visited Tasmania, renaming the discoveries of +D'Entrecasteaux. 1794. + +Hedley, G.-- +Accompanied the QUEENSLANDER Transcontinental Expedition, led by Ernest +Favenc, from Blackall to Powell's Creek, overland telegraph line. +1878-79. + +"Heemskirk" (The)-- +Under command of Abel Janz Tasman, when he discovered Van Dieman's Land, +and took possession of New Holland. 1642. + +Hely, Hovenden-- +In charge of search party for Leichhardt. 1852. + +Henty, Brothers-- +Formed settlement in Portland Bay. 1835. + +Hergott-- +One of M'Dowall Stuart's second expedition. Discovered Hergott Springs, +1859. + +Hesse and Gellibrand-- +Murdered by the natives while exploring the Cape Otway country. 1837. + +Hindmarsh, Captain Sir John-- +In H.M.S. BUFFALO founded Adelaide. 1836. + +Hobson, Captain-- +(Afterwards the first Governor of New Zealand.) In H.M.S. RATTLESNAKE; +surveyed and named Hobson's Bay. 1836. + +Hodgkinson, W. O.-- +Commanded expedition sent by the Queensland Government to decide the +amount of pastoral country existing to the Westward of the Diamantina +River. Mr. Hodgkinson had been one of M'Kinlay's party when that explorer +traversed the continent. This was the last exploring expedition sent out +by the South Australian Government, 1876. + +"Hormuzeer" and "Chesterfield"-- +Under command Matthew B. Alt; through Torres Straits. 1793. + +Horrocks, J. A.-- +Died, soon after start of his expedition, at head of Spencer's Gulf. +1843. + +Hovell, W. H.-- +With H. Hume, across to Port Phillip; made the first successful trip from +the eastern to the southern coast. The first white men to see the +Australian Alps. 1824. + +Howitt, A. W.-- +In charge of relief party for Burke and Wills. King, the only survivor, +found. Howitt was eventually sent back to disinter the remains of the +explorers, and bring them to Melbourne, where they received a public +funeral, and a statue was erected to their memory. 1861. + +Hulkes and Oakden-- +West side of Lake Torrens. 1851. + +Hume, Hamilton-- +And his brother, John Kennedy Hume, explored the country round Berrima. +The first Australian born explorer. 1814. + +With Meehan, surveyor. Discovered Lake George, Lake Bathurst, and +Goulburn Plains. 1817. + +With Messrs. Oxley and Meehan to Jarvis Bay. 1819. + +With Hovell, across to Port Phillip. 1824. + +Accompanied Charles Sturt on his first expedition to trace the source of +the Macquarie. 1828-9. + +Hunt, C. C.-- +With Mr. Ridley to the De Grey River. 1863. + +Jansen, Gerrit-- +In command of the ZEEHAAN, and Abel Janz Tasman in the HEEMSKIRK, +discovered Van Dieman's Land. Afterwards took possession of New Holland. +1642. + +Jardine, A.-- +Police Magistrate at Rockhampton; took command of the settlement at Cape +York, Somerset. 1863. + +Jardine, Frank, and Alexander Jardine-- +Overland with cattle from Carpentaria Downs Stationthen the farthest +occupied country to the north-west--to Somerset. Cross the head of the +Batavia River, probably the first white men on it since the old Dutch +visits. 1864-65. + +Johnson, Lieutenant, R.N.-- +In the cutter SNAPPER, sent in search of Captain Stewart Discovered the +Clyde River. 1820. + +Kayzer, E. A.-- +Second in charge, also surveyor and mineralogist, of the North-West +Expedition, led by W.O. Hodgkinson. 1876. + +Kennedy, E. B.-- +Led an expedition to decide final course of Mitchell's, Barcoo +(Victoria). Instead of finding on the Victoria a highway to the Gulf, +they lost it in marshes. Follow the Warrego through fine grazing country. +Named the Thompson. 1847. + +Fatal venture up Cape York Peninsula. 1848. + +Kindur, The-- +A mysterious river in the unknown interior, supposed to run north-west. A +runaway convict, named Clarke, brought up the story first. He said he had +heard of it from the natives, so determined to make his escape and follow +it, to see if it would lead him to another country. He started on his +adventurous trip and said he followed the river to the sea. When at the +mouth of the river he ascended a hill, and seaward saw an island +inhabited, the natives told him, by copper-coloured men, who came in +their canoes to the mainland for scented wood. He introduced various +details of large plains which he had crossed, and a large burning +mountain, but as he saw no prospect of getting away from Australia, he +returned. Surveyor Mitchell took charge of an expedition to investigate +the truth of his story. 1831. + +King, Captain Phillip P.-- +(Son of Governor King) In the MERMAID; sailed from Sydney accompanied by +Mr. Allan Cunningham, botanist. His mission was to explore those portions +of the coast left unvisited by previous navigators. Sailing by Cape +Leeuwin, King examined the west and north-west coast, sailing from the +north coast to Timor to refit. 1818. In 1819 he surveyed the +lately-discovered Port Macquarie and visited Van Dieman's Land. Leaving +Port Jackson, Captain King returned to the scene of his labours by way of +the east coast, crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria and discovered Cambridge +Gulf. In 1820 he left Port Jackson for his third voyage to the north +coast; examined minutely the north-west coast. The MERMAID having sprung +a leak, for the safety of the crew, Captain King had to return to Sydney. +A brig was purchased, and rechristened the BATHURST. After surveying the +north-west and west coast--and 'naming Dampier's Archipelago, Cygnet Bay, +and Roebuck Bay, after Dampier and his vessels--he sailed to the +Mauritius to refit. Returning to New Holland, he continued the survey of +King George's Sound and the west coast. This concluded Captain King's +fourth and last voyage round the Australian coast. 1817-20. + +King, John-- +The only survivor of Burke and Wills' party. Rescued by Edwin J. Welch, +second in command of A. W. Howitt's relief party. 1861. + +La Place, Captain-- +From Toulon, visited Hobart Town and New Zealand. 1829. + +Landor and Lefroy-- +In Western Australia. 1843. + +Landsborough, William-- +Leader of the Queensland search party for Burke and Wills. journey by sea +to the mouth of the Albert River, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. After +exploring the country to the south, and discovering some rivers and many +tributary creeks, Landsborough returned to the depôt on the Albert and +heard tidings of Walker's relief party. He determined then to return +overland instead of by sea. Making for the Flinders, by way of the +Leichhardt, was rewarded, on following up the river, by being the +discoverer of the beautiful downs country through which it runs. From +thence to Bowen Downs, discovered by himself and Buchanan two years +previously. The party finally proceeded to Melbourne. 1861-62. + +Takes charge of the new township of Burketown, in the Gulf of +Carpentaria. 1863. + +Lawson, Lieutenant William-- +With Wentworth and Blaxland, succeeded in crossing the Blue Mountains. +1813. + +Lawson, Lieutenant William, and Scott-- +Attempted to reach Liverpool Plains. Discovered the Goulburn River. 1822. + +"Leeuwin" (The) (Lioness). Commander unknown-- +Visited the west coast and named the Houtman Abrolhos reef after a Dutch +navigator of distinction. 1622. + +Lefroy (and Party)-- +Eastward of York, Western Australia; finding valuable pastoral and +agricultural land. 1863. + +Leichhardt, Ludwig-- +Left Jimbour Station, on the Darling Downs, in charge of an expedition to +Port Essington, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Gilbert, the naturalist +accompanying the party, killed by the blacks. 1844-45. + +Last expedition, with the intention of crossing the continent, from +Mitchell's Victoria (Barcoo) River to Perth. 1848. + +Leslie, Patrick-- +Considered the father of settlement on the Darling Downs. Settled on the +Condamine, 1840. + +"L'Esperance" (The) and "Recherche"-- +With Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, to seek La Perouse. Anchored on the +south coast. 1792 + +Lewis, J.W.-- +Took charge of an expedition, sent by the Governor of South Australia, to +determine the channels, directions and size of the many rivers that +flowed from Queensland through South Australia into Lake Eyre. 1875. + +Light, Colonel-- +Surveyed the shores of St. Vincent's Gulf and site of the present +town of Adelaide. 1836. + +"Limmen" (The) "Zeemeuw," and "De Brak"-- +Under command of Abel Janz Tasman. 1644. + +Lindsay, David-- +Sent by the South Australian Government to complete the exploration of +Arnheim's Land. On the whole the country passed over was favourable for +settlement some of it being first class sugar country. 1883. + +Lockyer, Major-- +Made a boat excursion up the Brisbane River. 1825. + +Founded King George's Sound, which was abandoned in 1830 in favour of the +Swan River colony. 1826 + +Macdonald, J. G.-- +With a small party, visited the Plains of Promise. Discovered a more +practicable route for cattle and sheep to the magnificent western +pastoral lands on the Flinders. 1865. + +Macfarlane, Thomas-- +Attempted to get inland north of the Bight, but was forced to turn back +after suffering great hardship. He found fairly-grassed country, but +waterless. 1863. + +Magalhaens-- +A Portuguese navigator in the service of the Emperor of Spain, claims +having touched on the Great South Landthese claims are based on the +authority of an ancient map. 1520. + +Malaspina, Don Alexandro-- +In the DESCOBIERTA and ATREVIDA, Spanish discovery ships, arrived at +Sydney; was imprisoned on his return to Calais. 1793. + +"Mauritius" (The)-- +Commanded by Captain Zeachern, touched on the west coast; discovered and +named the Wilhelm's River, near the North-West Cape, probably the present +Ashburton. 1818. + +Meehan, Surveyor-- +With Hume, discovers Lake George, Lake Bathurst, and Goulburn Plains. +1817. + +With Messrs. Oxley and Hume to Jarvis Bay. 1819. + +Melville Island-- +Settled, 1824. Abandoned, 1829. + +Miller-- +With C. W. Dutton, explored the country back of Fowler's Bay. 1857. + +Mitchell, Major (Sir Thomas)-- +Took charge of an expedition to trace the supposed Kindur. Discovered the +Drummond Range, and worked out the courses of the rivers discovered by +Oxley and Cunningham. 1831-2. + +Accompanied by Richard Cunningham (brother to Allan Cunningham), started +with his second expedition. This was more of a connecting survey than +exploring the unknown. 1833. + +Explores Australia Felix. 1836. + +Barcoo Expedition. This was the last expedition of the Surveyor-General, +and fully confirmed his reputation. 1845-46. + +Died near Sydney. 1855. + +Moreton Bay-- +Penal settlement. 1824. + +Morgan-- +With Messrs. Tench and Dawes, explored south and west of Rose Hill. +Discovered the Nepean River. 1790. + +Mueller, Baron Von-- +Engaged in exploring some of the still unknown portions of the south for +botanical and geographical researches combined. 1847. + +With A. C. Gregory's North Australian expedition. Discovery of Sturt's +Creek. 1855-56. + +Murray, Lieutenant John-- +Succeeded James Grant in the LADY NELSON, discovered Port Phillip, and +made a further exploration of Bass's Straits. 1802. + +M'Cluer, John-- +Sailed along Arnheim's Land to Cape Van Dieman. 1791. + +M'Donnell, Sir Richard Graves-- +Governor of South Australia; made explorations to the Strangways and +Loddon Springs, and up the Murray River to Mount Murchison. 1858. + +M'Kinlay, J.-- +On the Alligator, searching for suitable site for township. His last +expedition. 1864. + +M'Kinlay, John-- +Started from Adelaide with a relief party in search of Burke and Wills. +His trip across the continent did much to dispel the stigma that rested +upon the tract known as desert, and unfit for pastoral occupation. 1861. + +Died at Gawler, in South Australia. 1874. + +M'Intyre, Duncan-- +From Paroo to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Found and buried the bodies of two +unfortunate pioneers, Messrs. Curlewis and M'Culloch. They had been +murdered in their sleep by the natives. 1864. + +Took command of a search expedition for Leichhardt, organised by the +ladies of Victoria, but when in the Gulf of Carpentaria died of malarial +fever. 1865. + +M'Millan, Angus-- +Finds his way through the Snowy Mountains on the search for country. +Discovers a river running through fine grazing plains and forest. This +territory was called Gipps Land. The rivers discovered by him were +afterwards re-named by Count Strzelecki, and retained, whilst those given +by the real discoverer were forgotten. 1840. + +M'Minn, Gilbert, and A. W. Sergison-- +Equipped by the South Australian Government, to ascertain the course of +the Katherine. 1876. + +M'Phee-- +Explorations east of Daly Waters. May be said to have concluded the list +of expeditions between the overland telegraph line and the Queensland +border. 1883. + +Neilson, J. and Brothers-- +From Mount Ranken, on the Darling, to Cooper's Creek, in search of +pastoral country. 1861. + +Nares, Sir George Strong-- +Commander of H.M.S. SALAMANDER, surveyed the east and north-eastern part +of Australia and Torres Straits. 1866-7. + +Nuyts, Captain Pieter-- +In the GULDE ZEEPARD. Accidentally touched on the south coast. Followed +it for about seven or eight hundred miles, and gave to it the name of +Pieter Nuyts' Land, 1627. + +Oakden and Hulkes-- +To the west of Lake Torrens. 1851. + +Overlanders-- +"The first overlanders with stock from Sydney side to Port Phillip were +Messrs. Ebden (afterwards treasurer), Joe Hawdon, Gardener (of Gardener's +Creek), and Captain Hepburn. This was in 1837, one year before Mr. +Mackinnon arrived in the colonies. In 1838 Captain Hepburn made a second +overland trip, starting from Braidwood, New South Wales, with sheep +purchased from Captain Coghill of that place, and in January same year +(1838), Mr. Gardener started on second trip with 460 head of cattle +purchased from my father, the late Dr. Reid. of Inverary Park, in Argyle; +delivery of same made by myself at Yass end of January month. This trip +with Mr. Gardener so far imbued me with the love for adventure that I +followed with stock the June following, and formed stations on the Ovens +River, near where the town of Wangaratta now stands. The first +overlanders with stock to Adelaide were Joe Hawdon and Eyre, the latter +afterwards celebrated as an explorer. Well can I remember the excitement +caused by the then so-called race, who should be first to Adelaide, +Hawdon or Eyre, but Hawdon was too good a bushman for Eyre and had more +experience, and was a better judge of the season (it was a dry one). +Hawdon wisely followed the course of the Murray right to Lake +Alexandrina, and consequently had food and water in abundance. Eyre +crossed from Goulburn to go over the Wimmera Plains--no doubt a shorter +way had the season been propitious, but as it turned out dry he had to +retrace his steps, and follow the track of friend Hawdon. Hawdon by this +time had a long start, and arrived in Adelaide two weeks before Eyre, and +had his stock disposed of. I may remark very few of us overlanders are +now left, but should this meet the eye of any such of 1837 and 1838, I +make no doubt they will remember the facts above stated."--Extract from +"Answers to Correspondents," from Mr. David Reid, Moorwatha, Victoria, in +the AUSTRALASIAN, May 4th, 1888. + +Orr, John (and party)-- +Expedition through Gippsland. Confirmed the previous glowing reports. +1841. + +Ovens, Major-- +With Captain Curry, started on an exploring trip south of Lake George. +Discovered Morumbidgee River and Monaroo Plains. 1823. + +Oxley, John-- +With Lieutenant Charles Robbins, in the cutter INTEGRITY, examined +Western Port, with a view to settlement; opinion unfavourable. 1804-5. + +Surveyor-General of New South Wales. Second in command, Mr. Evans. +Accompanied by Mr. Allan Cunningham, King's botanist, and Charles Fraser, +Colonial botanist, William Parr, mineralogist, eight men, and two boats, +for the purpose of tracing the Lachlan and Macquarie. Return in 1817. The +following year again started, discovering the Castlereagh River, +Liverpool Plains, Apsley River, and the Goulburn Valley. Following down +the River Hastings, they discovered and named Port Macquarie. 1817-18. + +Accompanied by Messrs. Meehan and Hume, made a short excursion to Jarvis +Bay. Oxley returned by sea his companions overland. 1819. + +In the MERMAID with Messrs. Uniacke and Lieutenant Stirling, left Port +Jackson to investigate the coast north of Sydney, with the view of +forming a penal settlement. They examine Port Curtis, Port Bowen, and +Moreton Bay. Discovered the Boyne and Brisbane Rivers. 1823. + +Died near Sydney, 1828. He had been a successful explorer, although in no +case attaining the objects aimed at, had always brought his men through +in safety, and had opened up vast tracts of country. [See Appendix.] + +O'Donnell and Carr Boyd-- +From the overland telegraph line to Western Australia, finding good +country, but no new geographical discovery. 1883. + +O'Donnell (and party)-- +From the Katherine Telegraph Station, overland telegraph line to Western +Australia. 1884-5. + +Parry, S.-- +Government Surveyor, examined the country round Lake Torrens. 1858. + +Paterson, Colonel-- +Intending if possible to cross the Blue Mountains, rowed up the +Hawkesbury, and named the highest point reached "The Grose." 1793. + +Pelsart, Francis-- +In the BATAVIA. Wrecked on Houtman's Abrolhos. 1629. + +"Pera" (The) and "Arnheim"-- +Yachts commanded by Captain Jan Carstens, touched on the north coast. +Pera Head in the Gulf of Carpentaria a memorial of this visit. 1623. + +Perouse, Jean Francois Galup de La-- +At Botany Bay with the ASTROLABE and BOUSSOLE. 1778. + +Phillip, Governor-- +Arrived at Botany Bay with the first fleet. 1788. + +Pool, Captain Gerrit Tomaz-- +In the KLYN, AMSTERDAM, and WEZEL, from Banda, was murdered on the New +Guinea coast--the same spot where Captain Carstens met his death. The +supercargo continued the voyage, re-visiting Arnheim's Land. 1636. + +Poole-- +Second in command in Sturt's Great Central Desert expedition died of +scurvy; and was buried at Depôt Glen. 1845. + +Port Essington-- +Founded by Sir Gordon Bremer, 1824, and re-settled, 1838. + +Portlock, Captain, Nathan, and Captain Bligh-- +In the PROVIDENCE AND ASSISTANT. Through Torres Straits. 1792. + +Portuguese-- +The claim to the discovery of New Holland in 1540 is doubtful. + +Prout Bros.-- +With one man started out from South Australia looking for country across +the Queensland border. They never returned. Some months afterwards some +of their horses and the bones of one of the brothers were discovered by +Mr. W. J. H. Carr Boyd. It was evident, from the fragments of a diary +found, that they had met their death by thirst on their homeward way. +1878. + +Quiros, Pedro Fernandez de-- +Being second in command to Luis Vaez de Torres sailed from Callao with +two wellarmed vessels and a corvette. After minor discoveries came to a +land supposed by Quiros to be the continent they were in search of, and +named it Australia del Espiritu Santo. 1606. + +Ranken, John C. L.-- +One of the Queensland pioneers. Following closely after the explorers he +formed a station upon the Isaacs, and afterwards took up Afton Downs, on +the Flinders. He then with a party struck north-west, and crossed the +unmarked boundary of South Australia, and finally formed stations on the +head of the Herbert River. 1857-70. + +Receveur, Father le-- +Died at Botany Bay while with La Perouse in the ASTROLABE. Feb. 17th, +1778. + +"Recherche" (The) and "L'Esperance"-- +Under command of Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, in search of the fate of +La Perouse, anchored on the south coast of Australia, 1792. + +"Research" (The)-- +Under command Captain Dillon; on the south coast 1826. + +Ridley and 0. C. Hunt-- +To the De Grey River. 1863. + +Robbins, Lieutenant Charles, and John Oxley-- +In the cutter INTEGRITY, examined Western Port, with a view to +settlement. Opinion unfavourable. 1804-5. + +"Roebuck" (The)-- +Under William Dampier, sent out by the English Government, visited the +west coast of New Holland. 1688. + +Roe, Surveyor-General-- +Started from York; reached the Pallinup, the last stream crossed by Eyre +before reaching Albany on his Great Bight expedition. After suffering +great hardships, arrived at Russell Range, from there returning to Perth. +1848-49. + +Roggentier, Commodore-- +Started for New Holland. Discovered the Thousand Islands. 1721. + +Ross and Son-- +With an equipment of camels and horses, started from the neighbourhood of +Peake Station, on the overland telegraph line, to endeavour to cross the +desert, but were obliged to return; a second effort being alike +unsuccessful. 1874. + +Ross and Harvey-- +Explorations around Charlotte Waters, South Australia. 1877. + +Russell, Stuart and Sydenham-- +Followed the Condamine for a hundred miles from below Jimbour, the +northernmost station on a Darling Downs Creek; an extensive tract of +rich grazing country found; since known by the name then bestowed on +it--Cecil Plains. 1841. + +Russell, Stuart-- +Journeyed from Moreton Bay to Wide Bay in a boat, and made an examination +of some of the streams there emptying into the sea. During the same year +Stuart Russell explored the country from Wide Bay to the Boyne (not +Oxley's Boyne) and opened up much available pastoral country. 1842. + +Saunders, Philip, and Adam, John-- +Accompanied by a third man, successfully crossed from Roeburne, in +Western Australia, to the overland telegraph line. 1876. + +Scarr, Frank (Surveyor)-- +Attempted to cross the line to the south of N. Buchanan's track, but was +prevented by the waterless strip of country existing there. Finally made +north, arriving at Tennant's Creek Station, and, owing to the dry season, +did not extend his researches further. 1878. + +Scott and Lieutenant Lawson-- +Attempted to reach the Liverpool Plains. Discovered the Goulburn River. +1822. + +Sergison, A. W., and Gilbert M'Minn-- +Sent by the South Australian Government to ascertain the course of the +Katherine River. 1876. + +Sergison, A. W., and R. Travers-- +Explored the country about the Daly and Fitzmaurice Rivers. 1877. + +Shortland, Lieutenant-- +With three ships, from Sydney to England, passed through Bougainville's +Strait, north-west coast. 1788. + +Discovered Hunter River. 1797. + +Solander, Dr.-- +Swedish botanist. Accompanied Captain Cook in the ENDEAVOUR. 1770. + +Somerset-- +Settlement at Cape York. Mr. Jardine, Police Magistrate at Rockhampton, +took command, and a detachment of marines was stationed there. 1863. + +Stewart, Captain-- +Sent by Governor Macquarie to search for a passage supposed to exist +between Lake Bathurst and the sea. He lost his boat in Twofold Bay, and +on endeavouring to reach Sydney overland, was cut off by the natives. +1820. + +Stirling, Captain-- +Accompanied by Charles Frazer, in H.M.S. SUCCESS, surveyed coast from +King George's Sound to the Swan River. 1828. + +Stock, Edwin (and party)-- +West of Lake Eyre. 1857. + +Stockdale, Harry-- +Started on an expedition from Cambridge Gulf to explore the country in +the neighbourhood with a view to settlement. Landed by steamer in +Cambridge Gulf, and probably the first landing that had taken place since +Captain Stokes. After a hard struggle, reached the telegraph line with +one man; sending back relief to the others. 1884. + +Stokes, Captain John Lort-- +Took command of the BEAGLE on retirement of Captain T. C. Wickham, and +continued the survey, which completed our geographical knowledge of the +Australian coast. The survey continued from 1837 to 1845. + +Strzelecki, Count-- +Followed on M'Millan's tracks when he discovered Gipps Land, and has +often been erroneously considered the discoverer. The object of this trip +was to gather material for his now well-known book, "The Physical +Description of New South Wales, Victoria, and Van Dieman's Land." He +mounted the Alps, and named one of the highest peaks Kosciusko, from its +fancied resemblance to the patriot's tomb at Cracow. 1840. + +Stuart, J. M'Dowall-- +First expedition west of Lake Torrens. 1858. + +Made another start, discovering Hergott Springs and the Neale. His +horses' shoes having given out he returned, remembering the misery he +suffered on his first expedition from the want of them. 1859. + +Left on his third expedition, in the vicinity of Lake Eyre, reached the +centre of Australia and named a tolerable high mount Central Mount +Stuart. Christened the Murchison Range and Tennant's Creek, but failed to +reach the head waters of the Victoria owing to a dry strip of country. +1861. + +Last expedition. Crossed the continent from shore to shore, from the +south coast to the north. His health never recovered the hardships +endured on this journey. 1861-62. + +Died in England. 1869. + +Sturt, Captain Charles (39th Regiment)-- +First expedition, accompanied by H. Hume, to find the course of the +Macquarie, that had baffled Oxley. Discovered the Darling, New Year's +Creek (Bogan). 1828-29. + +Started on his Murrumbidgee expedition. Sailed down the Murray. Found its +confluence with the Darling, and followed the united streams to the lake +that terminated the Murray. 1829-30. + +Great Central Desert expedition, Poole second in command, M'Dowall +Stuart as draftsman. 1844-45. His last expedition. + +Sutherland, Captain-- +On a sealing voyage, visited Port Lincoln. 181 g. + +Swinden, Charles-- +With others looking for pastoral country west of Lake Eyre. 1857. + +Tasman, Abel Janz-- +In command of the HEEMSKIRK, and Gerrit Jansen, with the NEEHAAN, +discovered Van Dieman's Land. Afterwards took possession of New Holland. +1642. + +With the LIMMEN, ZEEMEUW, and DE BRAK. After his discovery of Van +Dieman's Land undertook this second expedition to determine, if possible, +whether Nova Guinea and New Holland were one continent; also, if Tasmania +joined one or the other. His journal has never been found, but an outline +copy of his chart was inlaid in the floor of the Groote Zaal in the +Stadhuys in Amsterdam. Many of the names still retained in the Gulf of +Carpentaria are memorials of his visit. 1644. + +Tench, Captain-- +Crossed the Nepean. 1789. + +With Dawes and Morgan explored south-west of Rose Hill. 1790. + +Testu, Guillaume Le-- +Claims to early discovery of Australia, based upon a map now in the Depôt +de la Guerre, at Paris, bearing his name and the date. 1542. + +Thompson D. (and party)-- +West of Lake Eyre searching for pastoral country. 1857. + +Torres, Luis Vaez de-- +With Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, sailed round Cape York and discovered +Torres Straits. 1606. + +Travers, R-- +With A. W. Sergison, explored the country about the Daly and Fitzmaurice +Rivers. 1877. + +Vancouver, Captain George-- +In the DISCOVERY and CHATHAM, explored the south-west coast, and +discovered and named King George's Sound. 1791. + +"Vergulde Draeck" (The)-- +From Batavia. Lost on Houtman's Abrolhos. 1656. + +Vlaming, William de-- +Came to the South Land in search of the RIDDERSCHAP, a vessel supposed to +have been wrecked on the coast of New Holland. He found and named the +Swan River. At Dirk Hartog's Roads he found the plate left by Hartog, and +added to it another inscription. After careful examination of the coast +as far as North-West Cape, left for Batavia with his ships the GEELVINK, +NYPTANGH, and WEZELTJE. 1695. + +"Vossenbach" "Wayer", and "Nova Hollandia"-- +Under command of Martin Von Delft. Sent to investigate the north coast. +The last voyage of discovery by the Dutch. 1705. + +Walker, Frederick-- +The leader of the Rockhampton search party for and Wills. Pushed through +from the Barcoo to the depôt found on the Gilbert. Fresh provisioned, +they returned and reached the Lower Burdekin well nigh horseless, and +quite starving. 1861-62. + +Examining the country at the back of Rockingham Bay, and marking a +telegraph line from there to the mouth of the Norman River, in the Gulf +of Carpentaria. 1864. + +Warburton, Major-- +Investigated the country west of Lake Torrens. 1857. + +Superseded Babbage. This trip established the definite size and shape of +Lake Torrens, so long the terror of the north, preventing advancement. +1858. + +Led an expedition to cross from the overland telegraph line to Perth. The +expedition was fitted out with camels, but owing to their constant delays +provisions fell short and sickness came. Warburton determined to push +through the desert country he had got into, and travelled chiefly at +night. Being too much occupied in pressing through, had no time to look +at the country on either side. Thus it was all pronounced desert, and of +seventeen camels only two survived, the starving party being obliged to +slaughter some for food. 1873. + +Welch, Edwin J.-- +Surveyor and second in command of A. W. Howitt's relief party for Burke +and Wills. Found King, the only survivor of Burke and Wills' expedition. +Since the death of his companion, King had been existing for nearly three +months with the blacks. 1861. [See Appendix.] + +Wentworth, Charles-- +With Messrs. Lawson and Blaxland, succeeded in crossing the Blue +Mountains. 1813. + +Wickham, Captain John Clements-- +Commander of the BEAGLE. Retired through ill-health. 1841. Succeeded by +Captain J. L. Stokes. Left England 1837 to continue the survey of the +coasts of Australia, and so minutely examined the shores that the outline +of the continent was perfectly complete. The survey continued from 1837 +to 1841. + +Wills, William John-- +Surveyor and astronomer on Burke and Wills' expedition (See Burke.) +1860-61. + +Winnecke and Barclay-- +Two surveyors dispatched by the South Australian Government in 1878 to +reach the Queensland border from the overland telegraph line, it being a +matter of moment to settle the position of the border line between the +two colonies. Another attempt in 1880 proved successful. 1878-80. + +Witt, Willem de-- +In the VIANEN, sighted the north-west coast and reported (see De Witt) it +"a foul and barren shore, green fields, and very wild, barbarous +inhabitants." 1628. + +Zeachern, Captain-- +In the MAURITIUS, claims to have discovered Arnheim's Land. 1618. + +"Zeehaan" (The)-- +Under command of Captain Gerrit Jansen, accompanied by Abel Janz Tasman +in the HEEMSKIRK. Discovered Van Dieman's Land, and took possession of +New Holland. 1642. + +"Zeemeuw," "Limmen," and "De Brak"-- +Under Abel Janz Tasman. 1644. + +"Zeewyck" (The)-- +Lost on Houtman's Abrolhos. In 1839 Captain Stokes found a gun and other +relics of this vessel on one of the islands. 1727. + +Zouch, Lieutenant (N.S.W. Mounted Police)-- +Sent in command of party to arrest the natives who murdered Richard +Cunningham, the botanist to Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition. 1835. [See +Appendix.] + + + + +CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY. + + + +1503--De Gonneville visited the South Seas, and is claimed by the French +to have touched on Australia. + +1520--Magalhaens, the first circumnavigator, claims to have discovered +Australia. (Doubtful.) + +1540--The Portuguese claims to early discovery of Australia are doubtful. + +1542--Guillaume le Testu. Claims based on a map now in the Depôt de la +Guerre, at Paris, indicating Australia. + +1601--Manoel Godinho de Eredia, a Spaniard. (Claim doubtful.) + +1606--The DUYFHEN entered the Gulf of Carpentaria as far as Cape +Keer-Weer (Turn Again). + +1606--Luis Vaez de Torres, with Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, discovered +Torres Straits. + +1616--Dirk Hartog, in the ENDRACHT, visited the west coast. + +1618--Zeachern, in the MAURITIUS, discovered Arnheim's Land. + +1619--John Van Edels on the west coast. + +1622--The Landt van de Leeuwin, south-west cape of Australia, named after +the ship LEEUWIN. + +1623--Jan Carstens, with the yachts PERA and ARNHEIM; on the south-west +coast. + +1627--Pieter Nuyts, in the GULDE ZEEPARD; western and southern coasts. + +1628--Willem de Witt, the VIANEN; north-west coast named after him. + +1628--Pieter Carpenter discovered the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +1629--Francis Pelsart, in the BATAVIA; lost on Houtman's Albrolhos. + +1636--Gerrit Tomaz Pool, with the KLYN, AMSTERDAM, and WEZEL; coast of +Arnheim's Land. + +1642--Abel Janz Tasman and Gerrit Jansen, with the HEEMSKIRK and ZEEHAAN; +discovered Van Dieman's Land, and took possession of New Holland. + +1644--Abel Janz Tasman, with the LIMMEN, ZEEMEUW, and DE BRAK west coasts +of Carpentaria. + +1656--The VERGULDE DRAECK lost on Houtman's Albrohos. + +1688--William Dampier, in the BACHELOR'S DELIGHT and CYGNET, with crews +of buccaneers. + +1695--William de Vlaming, with the GEELVINK, NYPTANGH, and WEZELTJE, +named the Swan River. + +1699--William Dampier, in the ROEBUCK; north-west coast of New Holland. + +1705--Martin Van Delft, with the VOSSENBACH, WAYER, and NOVA HOLLANDIA; +on the west coast. This was the last voyage of discovery by the Dutch. + +1721--Commodore Roggewein started for New Holland; discovered the +"Thousand Islands." + +1727--The ZEEWYCK lost off Houtman's Abrolhos. In 1839, Captain Stokes +found a gun and other relics of this visit on an island. + +1768--De Bougainville discovered the Louisade Archipelago. + +1770--Captain James Cook, in the ENDEAVOUR; landed at Botany Bay; +explored the east coast, and took possession under the name of New South +Wales. + +1772--Captain Marion du Fresne and Captain Crozet, from Nance, in the +MASCARIN and CASTRES to Tasmania. The first visitors after Tasman. From +thence they sailed to New Zealand, where they were murdered by the +Maories. + +1772--Captain Tobias Furneaux, with the ADVENTURE; accompanied Captain +Cook on his second voyage in search of Australia. Separated from the +ENDEAVOUR, and afterwards, when he met Cook, gave as his opinion that +Tasmania and New South Wales were joined, with a deep bay intervening. +This opinion Cook thought sufficient to prevent the necessity of a +further examination by himself. + +1777--De St. Alouarn anchored near Cape Leeuwin. + +1788--Father le Receveur, naturalist; died at Botany Bay, while with La +Perouse in the ASTROLABE. + +1788--Lieutenant Shortland, with three ships from Sydney to England +passed through Bougainville's Strait, north-west coast. + +1788--Governor Phillip arrived in Botany Bay with the first fleet. + +1788--Jean Francois Galup de la Perouse at Botany Bay. + +1789--Hawkesbury discovered. + +1789--Tench discovered the Nepean. + +1790--Messrs. Tench, Dawes, and Morgan explore south and west of Rose +Hill. + +1791--Captain George Vancouver, in the DISCOVERY and CHATHAM, explored +the south-west coast, and discovered King George's Sound. + +1791--Captain William Bligh passed Cape York in the BOUNTY'S launch. + +1791--Captain Edward Edwards, in search of the mutineers of the BOUNTY, +wrecked on a reef. + +1791--Captain John M'Cluer sailed along Arnheim's Land to Cape Van +Dieman. + +1792--Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux in the RECHERCHE and L'ESPERANCE; to +seek La Perouse. + +1792--Captains William Bligh and Portlock, in the PROVIDENCE and +ASSISTANT; examined Torres Straits. + +1793--Matthew B. Alt and William Bampton, in the ships HORMUZEER and +CHESTERFIELD; through Torres Straits. + +1793--Colonel Paterson rowed up the Hawkesbury, and named the Grose. + +1793--Don Alexandro Malaspina, with the DESCOBIERTA and ATREVIDA, Spanish +discovery ships, arrived at Sydney. Was imprisoned on his return to +Calais. + +1794--John Hayes, with the DUKE and DUCHESS; visited Tasmania re-named +the discoveries of D'Entrecasteaux. + +1794--Quarter-master Hacking attempted to cross the Blue Mountains. + +1795-96--Dr. George Bass and Matthew Flinders in the TOM THUMB. + +1796--Lieutenant Bowen visited Jarvis Bay. + +1796-97--Dr. George Bass; on the Blue Mountains. + +1797-Dr.--George Bass's whaleboat survey of the coast to the southward. + +1797--Lieutenant Shortland discovered the Hunter River. + +1798--Dr. George Bass and Matthew Flinders, in the NORFOLK; discovered +Bass's Straits. + +1798--Quarter-master Hacking revisits the Blue Mountains. + +1799--Matthew Flinders, in the NORFOLK; to Glass-House and Hervey Bays. + +1800--Christopher Dixon, in the ship ELLEGOOD; visited King George's +Sound. + +1801--James Grant, in the LADY NELSON; examined Bass's Straits and +verified Bass's discovery. + +1801--Ensign Barraillier; attempted exploration of the Blue Mountains. + +1801-2--Matthew Flinders, in the INVESTIGATOR; prosecuted his survey of +the coasts of Australia. + +1801-2--Captains Baudin and Hamelin, with the French ships NATURALISTE +and GÉOGRAPHE; on the Australian coasts. + +1802--Lieut. John Murray and Surveyor Grimes, in the LADY NELSON +discovered and surveyed Port Phillip. + +1803--George Cayley, botanist; attempt to discover pass over the Blue +Mountains. + +1803--Lieutenant-Governor Daniel Collins, from England, in H.M.S. +CALCUTTA, to form a penal settlement at Port Phillip, accompanied by the +transport OCEAN. Landed the settlement at "The Sisters," and finally +decided that Port Phillip was unfit to meet the requirements of +settlement. They proceeded to Tasmania, where they were all murdered at +Hobart Town. + +1804-5--Lieutenant Charles Robbins and John Oxley, in the cutter +INTEGRITY; examined Western Port with a view to settlement; opinion +unfavourable. + +1813--Messrs. Wentworth, Lawson, and Blaxland succeeded in crossing the +Blue Mountains. + +1814--Hamilton Hume, with his brother; explored the country round +Berrima. His first trip. + +1815--Deputy-Surveyor Evans discovered the first Australian inland river, +the Macquarie. + +1815--Cox finished a road over the Blue Mountains + +1817--L. de Freycinet, in L'URANIE, touched at Sydney and Shark's Bay. + +1817-20--Captain Phillip P. King, with Allan Cunningham, botanist, in the +cutter MERMAID; survey of the Australian coasts. + +1817--Messrs. Meehan and Hume; discovered Lake George, Lake Bathurst, and +Goulburn Plains. + +1817-19--John Oxley, Surveyor-General of New South Wales; Lachlan and +Macquarie expeditions. + +1819--Surveyor-General Oxley, accompanied by Messrs. Meehan and Hume to +Jarvis Bay. + +1819--Captain Sutherland, on a sailing voyage, visited Port Lincoln. + +1820--Captain Stewart sent by Governor Macquarie with a small party in a +boat to search for a passage supposed to exist between Lake Bathurst and +the sea. He lost his boat in Twofold Bay, and on endeavouring to reach +Sydney overland was cut off by the natives. + +1821-22--Captain Phillip P. King, in the BATHURST; continues the survey. + +1822--Messrs. Lawson and Scott attempted to reach Liverpool Plains; +discover the Goulburn River. + +1822-24--Captain Duperry in LA COQUILLE; voyage amongst the Line Islands + +1823--Captain Currie and Major Ovens on the Murrumbidgee + +1823--Allan Cunningham found Pandora's Pass; a good stock route to the +Liverpool Plains. + +1823--Surveyor-General Oxley investigated Port Curtis, Port Bowen and +Moreton Bay. Discovered the Brisbane River. + +1824--Sir Gordon Bremer, in the TAMAR; to Port Essington. + +1824--Melville Island settled + +1824--Hamilton Hume and W. H. Hovell journey overland to Port Phillip. + +1824--Penal settlement at Moreton Bay. + +1825--Allan Cunningham north of Bathurst. + +1825--Major Lockyer made a boat excursion up the Brisbane River. + +1826--Captain Dillon, in the RESEARCH, on the west coast, + +1826--Major Lockyer, founded King George's Sound settlement. + +1826--Captain Dumont D'Urville, in the ASTROLABE, from touched at Bass's +Strait. + +1826--Fort Wellington and Raffles Bay founded. + +1827-28--Captain Gould on the south coast, near Port Lincoln. + +1827--Allan Cunningham discovers the Darling Downs, the Dumaresque, +Gwydir and Condamine Rivers, etc. + +1828--Allan Cunningham, accompanied by Charles Frazer, botanist connected +the Moreton Bay settlement, with the Darling Downs by way of Cunningham's +Gap. + +1828--Captain James Stirling, accompanied by Charles Frazer, in H.M.S. +SUCCESS; surveyed the coast of King George's Sound to the Swan River. + +1828--Surveyor-General Oxley died near Sydney. + +1828-29--Captain Charles Sturt's first expedition; discovered New Year's +Creek (now the Bogan) and the Darling. + +1829--Hay explored the country back of Parry's Inlet and discovered the +Denmark River. + +1829--Captain Fremantle hoisted the British flag at Fremantle. + +1829--Captain la Place, from Toulon; visited Hobart Town and New Zealand. + +1829--Captain R. Fitzroy, in the BEAGLE; visited King George's Sound. + +1829--Fort Wellington and north coast settlement abandoned. + +1829--Allan Cunningham explored the source of the Brisbane River his last +expedition. + +1839-30--Captain Charles Sturt's Murrumbidgee expedition; sailed down the +Murray. + +1830--Dale from the upper Swan River followed up the Avon. + +1831--Major Bannister crossed from Perth to King George's Sound. + +1831-32--Sir Thomas Mitchell; Kindur expedition. + +1832--Captain C. Barker murdered at Lake Alexandrina by the blacks. + +1833--Surveyor Dixon on the Bogan. + +1833--Sir Thomas Mitchell on the Namoi. + +1833--Richard Cunningham, botanist, brother to Allan Cunningham, murdered +by the blacks while with Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition. + +1835--E. Henty and brother formed a settlement in Portland Bay. + +1836--John Batman landed at Port Phillip, and became a permanent settler +there. + +1836--Captain Sir John Hindmarsh founded Adelaide; first Governor of +South Australia. + +1836--Colonel Light surveyed the shores of St. Vincent's Gulf, and +selected site of present city of Adelaide. + +1836--Captain Hobson (afterwards Governor of New Zealand), in H.M.S +RATTLESNAKE; surveyed and named Hobson's Bay. + +1836--Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition through Australia Felix. + +1837--Captain George Grey (afterwards Governor of South Australia), with +Lieutenant Lushington; explorations on north-west coast. + +1837-Messrs. Hesse and Gellibrand, while exploring Cape Otway country, +were murdered by the blacks. + +1837-45--Captains Wickham and Stokes, in the BEAGLE, surveyed the coasts +of Australia, completing the geographical knowledge of the shores of the +continent. + +1838--E. J. Eyre; Port Phillip to Adelaide; discovered Like Hindmarsh. + +1838--Sir Gordon Bremer re-settled Port Essington. + +1839--Captain George Grey; second expedition; Western Australia. + +1839--Schooner CHAMPION examined the west coast for navigable rivers. + +1839--George Hamilton and party overland from Sydney to Melbourne. (See +Overlanders, page 454 [in Index of Names]) + +1839--Governor Gawler, South Australia; made an excursion to the Murray. + +1839--E. J. Eyre to the head of Spencer's Gulf and Lake Torrens, Port +Lincoln, and Streaky Bay. + +1839--Allan Cunningham died in Sydney. + +1840--Angus M'Millan discovered Gippsland. + +1840--Patrick Leslie, called the father of Darling Downs settlement; +settled on the Condamine. + +1840-41--E. J. Eyre travelled the Great Bight to King George's Sound. + +1841--John Orr and party explored Gippsland. + +1841--Stuart and Sydenham Russell form Cecil Plains Station. + +1841--Dr. Edward Barker, Edward Hobson, and Albert Brodribb were the +first to walk from Melbourne to Gippsland. The present road follows their +track. + +1842--Stuart Russell discovered Boyne River; journeyed from Moreton to +Wide Bay in a boat. + +1842-45--Captain Blackwood, in the FLY; continued the surveys of Captains +Wickham and Stokes; and made a minute examination of the Great Barrier +Reef. + +1843--Count Paul von Strzelecki followed M'Millan's tracks when he +discovered Gippsland. + +1843--Captain Frome, Surveyor-General of South Australia; explorations in +the neighbourhood of Lake Torrens. + +1843--Messrs. Landor and Lefroy; exploration in Western Australia. + +1843--J. A. Horracks was killed by the explosion of his gun at the head +of Spencer's Gulf soon after the start of his expedition. + +1844--45-Captain Charles Sturt; Great Central Desert expedition. + +1844-45--Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt; first expedition, from Jimbour Station, +Darling Downs, to Port Essington; Gilbert, the naturalist, killed by +natives. + +1845-46--Sir Thomas Mitchell; Barcoo expedition. + +1846--Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt's second expedition. + +1846--A. C. Gregory and brothers; first expedition in Western Australia. + +1847--E. Kennedy; to decide the final course of the Victoria, named the +Thompson. + +1847--Baron Von Mueller; expeditions, for botanical and geographical +researches combined, in South Australia and the Australian Alps. + +1848--Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt's last expedition. + +1848--E. Kennedy's fatal venture up Cape York Peninsula. + +1848--A. C. Gregory, with party, explore the Gascoyne. + +1848--Governor Fitzgerald, of Western Australia; examined the new +mineral discovery, accompanied by A. C. Gregory, and named the Geraldine +Aline. + +1848-49--J. S. Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia; from York to +Esperance Bay. + +1851--Messrs. Oakden and Hulkes; on west side of Lake Torrens. + +1852--Hovenden Hely, in charge of search party for Leichhardt; from +Darling Downs. + +1854--R. Austin, Assistant Surveyor-General of Western Australia; in +search of pastoral country, and to examine the interior for auriferous +deposits. + +1855--Sir Thomas Mitchell died near Sydney. + +1855-56--A. C. Gregory and Baron von Mueller North Australian expedition, +in search of Leichhardt; discover Sturt's Creek and the Elsey. + +1855--B. H. Babbage; to examine country north and east of Adelaide for +gold. In a second expedition the same year discovered Blanche Water. + +1857--Campbell and party; west of Lake Torrens; and again, with party, +looking for pastoral country west of Lake Eyre. + +1857--G. W. Goyder, Deputy Surveyor-General of South Australia, to +examine and survey the country about Blanche Water. + +1857--Colonel Freeling, Surveyor-General of South Australia, sent to +verify Goyder's report; decided that Goyder had been misled by a mirage. + +1857--Stephen Hack, with Mr. Miller; examined Gawler Range and sighted +Lake Gairdner. + +1857--Major Warburton crossed Stephen Hack's track. + +1857--Messrs. Miller and Dutton explored country back of Fowler's Bay. + +1858--Sir Richard G. M'Donnel; exploration to Strangways and Loddon +Springs; also up the River Murray to Mount Murchison. + +1858--B. H. Babbage; third expedition from Adelaide; superseded by +Major Warburton. + +1858--Major Warburton, continued the expedition started by B. 11. +Babbage. This trip established the definite size and shape of Lake +Torrens. + +1858--S. Parry, Government Surveyor, South Australia; an expedition round +Lake Torrens, Lake Gregory, and Blanche Water. + +1858--Frank Gregory reached the Gascoyne; discovered Mount Augustus and +Mount Gould. + +1858--A. C. Gregory; Barcoo expedition to search for trace of the course +of Leichhardt's party. Confirmation of the supposed identity of the +Barcoo and Cooper's Creek. + +1858--J. M'Dowall Stuart; first expedition. + +1859--J. M'Dowall Stuart; second expedition; one of his party, Hergott, +discovered and named Hergott Springs. + +1859--George E. Dalrymple, discovered main tributaries of the Lower +Burdekin, Bowen, and Bogie Rivers. + +1860--Edward Cunningham and party explored the Upper Burdekin. + +1861--J. Neilson and brothers; in search of pastoral country; from Mount +Ranken on the Darling to Cooper's Creek. + +1860-61--Burke and Wills' expedition; death of Burke, Wills, and Gray. + +1861--J. M'Dowall Stuart's third expedition; he crossed the continent +after two attempts. + +1861--Frank Gregory discovered the Hammersley Range, Fortescue, +Ashburton, De Grey, and Oakover Rivers. + +1861--Messrs. Dempster and Clarkson; Western Australia; explorations to +the eastward. + +1861-62--William Landsborough, in search of Burke and Wills. + +1861-62--Frederick Walker, leader of the Rockhampton expedition in search +of Burke and Wills. + +1861--Alfred Howitt, in charge of Victorian search party for Burke and +Wills. + +1861--Edwin J. Welch, second in command of Howitt's search party, found +King, only survivor of the Burke and Wills expedition. + +1861-622.--John M'Kinlay with a relief party for Burke and Wills, from +Adelaide. + +1862--G. W. Goyder; explorations in the Great Bight. + +1862--George E. Dalrymple on the waters of the Upper Burdekin. + +1862--Messrs, Delisser and Hardwicke explore from Fowler's Bay to the +edge of the Victorian Desert. + +1863--Thomas Macfarlane attempted to push inland north of the Great +Bight. + +1863--Messrs. H. M. Lefroy and party; eastward of York, Western +Australia. + +1863--C. C. Hunt and Ridley to the De Grey River. + +1863--Colonists landed at the De Grey River, and settled on country +discovered by Frank Gregory. + +1863--Jardine, sen., formed the settlement of Somerset, Cape York. + +1863--William Landsborough; in charge of the new township, Burketown, +Gulf of Carpentaria. + +1864-65--Jardine Brothers; overland to Somerset, on the west coast of +Cape York. + +1864--Colonel Finnis formed a settlement at Escape Cliffs. + +1864--J. M'Kinlay on the Alligator River; searching for suitable site for +a township; his last expedition. + +1864--Duncan M'Intyre; from Paroo to the Gulf of Carpentaria; died there. + +1864--C. C. Hunt; exploration east of York, Western Australia. + +1865--G. W. Goyder; removed settlement of Escape Cliffs to Port Darwin. + +1865--J. G. Macdonald; visited the Plains of Promise. + +1864--Frederick Walker; marking a telegraph line from the back of +Rockingham Bay to the Norman River, Gulf of Carpentaria. + +1866-7--Sir George Strong Nares, in command of H.M.S. SALAMANDER; +surveyed the eastern and north-eastern coasts of Australia and Torres +Straits. + +1869--John Forrest; first expedition to Lake Barlee. + +1869--J. M'Dowall Stuart; died in England. + +1870--John Forrest; travelled the Great Bight, from Perth to Adelaide. + +1871--A. Forrest; took charge of a private expedition in search of new +pastoral country. + +1872--J. W. Lewis; round Lake Eyre to the Queensland border. + +1872--Ernest Giles; first expedition; discovered Lake Amadeus--a large, +dry, salt lake. + +1872--William Hann; explorations to Charlotte Bay. + +1873--Ernest Giles; second trip; death of Gibson; Gibson's Desert named. + +1873--Major Warburton; crossed from Alice Springs, overland telegraph +line, to the Oakover River, Western Australia. + +1873--W. C. Gosse; in charge of Central and Western Exploration +expedition from Alice Springs. + +1874--Ross and son started from Peake Station, but failed in their +endeavours to bridge the desert. + +1874--John Forrest; from the Murchison to the overland telegraph line. + +1874--John M'Kinlay; died at Gawler, South Australia. + +1875--J. W. Lewis, formerly one of Warburton's party, and W. Beresford, +were sent by the South Australian Government to survey the country about +Lake Eyre. + +1875-76--Ernest Giles; third and successful effort to reach Western +Australia; returned to Peake Station. + +1876--Gilbert M'Minn, and A. W. Sergison; to ascertain the course of the +Katherine River. + +1877--A. W. Sergison and R. Travers explored the country round the Daly +and Fitzmaurice Rivers. + +1877--Ross and Harvey; explorations in South Australia. + +1876--W. 0. Hodgkinson; north-west expedition to the Diamantina and +Mulligan. + +1876--Phillip Saunders and Adam Johns; from Roeburn, Western Australia, +to the overland telegraph line. + +1878--Prout Brothers; looking for country across the Queensland border; +never returned. + +1878--N. Buchanan; excursion to the overland telegraph line, from +Queensland border. Discovered Buchanan's Creek. + +1878--Frank Scarr, surveyor, attempted to cross the line south of +Buchanan's track; prevented by waterless belt of country; made north to +Tennant's Creek Station. + +1878-79--Ernest Favenc; in charge of the QUEENSLANDER Transcontinental +Expedition, from Blackall to Powell's Creek Station, overland telegraph +line. + +1879--Alexander Forrest led an expedition from the De Grey River, Western +Australia, to the overland telegraph line; discovered the Ord and +Margaret Rivers. + +1878-80--Winnecke and Barclay, surveyors; to determine the border lines +of Queensland and South Australia. + +1882-83--Ernest Favenc; coast rivers of the Gulf, particularly the +Macarthur; then crossed to the overland telegraph line. + +1883--O'Donnel and Carr Boyd; from the overland telegraph line to +Kimberley District, Western Australia. + +1883--M'Phee; east of Daly Waters. + +1883--David Lindsay; explored Arnheim's Land. + +1884-85--Harry Stockdale; from Cambridge Gulf to the Katherine Telegraph +Station, overland telegraph line. + +1884-5--Messrs. O'Donnel and party; from the Katherine Telegraph Station +to the Kimberley District. + +1888--Ernest Favenc; to examine the country on the Gascoyne and +Murchison, starting from Geraldton, Western Australia. + + + +The End + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Australian Exploration +from 1788 to 1888, by Ernest Favenc + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION *** + +This file should be named 7163.txt or 7163.zip + +Produced by Col Choat. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +https://gutenberg.org or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +https://www.gutenberg.org/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/7163-8.zip b/7163-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8af50c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/7163-8.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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..a0a55b3 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #7163 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7163) |