dU THE HISTORY OF DISCOVERY AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA, NEW ZEALAND, FEOM THE EARLIEST DATE TO THE PEESENT DAY. BY WILLIAM lOWITT, AUTHOR OF "two TEAKS IN VICTOEIA," ETC., ETC. liil) JWaps of t])t Heccnt ISiplorations, from ©ffictal Sources. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOLUME II. LONDON : LONGMAN, aEEEN, LONGMAN, EOBEETS, AND GEBEN, PATEENOSTEE EOW. MDCCCLXT, BILLING, PKINTEE AND BTEBEOITPF^, GCILDFOBSi SUBUBY. CONTENTS OF VOL U. CHAPTER I. DR. LEICHHARDT^S EXPEDITION OVERLAND FROM MORETON BAY TO PORT ESSINGTON IN THE YEARS 1814 AND 1815. Page Proposition to send Sir Thomas Mitchell on an expedition across the coivti- nent. Dr. Leichhardt fiually employed. Captain Sturt about to start from Adelaide for the same point. Dr. Leichhardt's antecedents. Rather scantily supplied with instruments. His party. At Brisbane. Abundant supphes offered. Their equipments. Messrs. Hodgson and Gilbert join the expedition. Start on the 1st of September. Ci-oss the Darling Dowms. Acacia scrubs. Leichhardt notes all facts of natiu-al history. Trouble ^vith the native guides. Dawson Eiver. Calvert Plains. Pursued by hornets. Lakes and mountains. Expedition Eauge. Mount jSicholson. The Boyd. Sandstone Eocks. Creek of the Euined Castles. Bigge's Mountain. Albinia Downs. Comet Creek and Comet Eange. Startled natives from their dinner. Abundance of kangaroos. The Mackenzie. Wild beans which make good coffee. Mount Stewart. Honey plentiful. West Hill. A very mountainous region before them. Calvert's Peak, Gilbert's Downs, Lowe's, MacArthur's and Eoper's Peaks. Leichhardt makes a recoanoissance northward. Mountainous region. Zamia Creek. Black ants and hornets. Alarmed black woman and mfant. Coxon'sPeik. Charley and Biown, the blacks, dismissed, but allowed to come back to the party. Intense heat. The Isaac's and Suttor. Fine valleys. Black man and woman mount into trees. The deaf black woman's fright at seeing Leichhardt on horseback. Water, water plants, and water fowl. Mount M'Connell. The Burdekin. Pelicans and black swans. Geological cha- racter of the rocks. Mount Graham. Gourds and calabash. Numerous fig trees. The figs full of ants. Luxuriant wild beans. Eoby's and Por- ter's Eanges. Clarke River. Basaltic dykes and fossiliferous limestone. Only thirty miles fi-om Halifax Bay. Hitherto a coast journey. Now sti'ike more westward. The Pen'y. Fine country. Interesting descrip- tions of the routine of a day on the journey. Basaltic rocks, lava, lagoons. Mulberry trees. DividingRange from 20(X) to 3000 feet high. Granite, basalt, and lava. Obliged to diverge. Question of the blacks about the bullocks. Want of water. Separation Creek. A traveller's trials and pleasm-es. Blacks again fly, and leave their dinner. Fine rock crystal in a bag. New trees and plants. Daring kites. The Lynd. Kirchener's Range. Fig and cotton ti'ees. Sandstone country. A sawfish found. Superior huts of the natives. The Mitchell Eiver. The gum-tree ants. The crocodile. Palm trees app ar. Natives numerous and hostile. At- tempt to di'ive off the cattle. "Slm-der of Mr. Gilbert. A noctm-nal fight. Calvert and Eoper woimded severely. The night intensely cold. Chase away the natives. Gilbert's funeral. In sight of the Gulf of Cai-pen- taria. A wild plum found. Fine grassy country. R^ach the salt water. a i 219661 {y CONTENTS. Page Lagoons with white, bhie, and pint lilies. A native sTJddenly appears in the camp. Native melons. The Gilbert River. GreviUeas, Barthenias, and Ballbm-ias aboimd. Nmnerous natives. Kill abundance of ducks, Bpoonbills, and three emus. Cross the Plains of Promise. Pugnacious native bov- The Albert Eivcr. Carving of an emu's foot. Audacity of natives. The river Leichhardt. The Nicholson. Emu trap. Cross a succession of rivers to Tasman's Eiver. Nimierous kinds of animal life. Cycas pahns. Fruit of the pandanus. Seven Emu Eiver. The Eobinson Eiver. Zamia and Cycas pahn groves. Desperate condition of their clothes. Moccasins of bullock hide. Tea and sugar gone. Pound seeds for a beverage. The white-barked tree of Tasman, tigs, and sterculias. The MacArthur salt-water river. Soup of dry bullock hides. Blistering fruit. Cape Maria. Eeduce their baggage. The Limmen Eiver. Swamps, wild geese, ducks, alligators, and thickets of acacias. Native fish traps. The Wickham. Flat -topped sandstone rocks. The Fovir Archers. Their kangaroo dog died. Strike westward across the Ai-uheim Peninsula for Port Essmgton. The Eoper Eiver. Abandon more luggage and botanical specimens. A horse drowned. Cattle very much exhausted. Great swamps full of water fowl. Natives with English articles of dress. More speaking some English. East Alligator Eiver. Eocks, hills, swamps, wild geese, and flying foxes. Shoot a buffalo. Port Essington. Eetiu-n by sea to Sydney. Honours and rewards. Feesh Expedition in 1847. Not heard of again. Traces of Leichhardt seen by Gregory and Walker. Lost probably in the great western desert. His supplies. Mr. Hoveden Hely sent rii quest of Leichhardt. Journey fruitless. Blacks' report, Leichhardt murdered with all his party. Seven- teen years passed without certain infoiination of Leichhardt's fate. . 1 CHAPTER 11. THE EXPEDITION OF CAPTAIN STURT INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA IN THE YEARS 1844, 45, AND 46. Seasons for the expedition. — Stuart's theory of an inland sea. His hope to clear this up. His party, and its equipments. Start August 18th, 1844. Eeach Mr. Eyre's station at Moorundi, on the Mm-ray. Captain Sturt re- strained by liis instructions from crossing to the North Sea. Mischiefs of stay-at-home wisdom. Leave Moorundi accompanied for some distance by Mr. Eyre. The Eiver Eufus. Nadbuck and Toonda, black guides. Laid- ley's Ponds. The building rat. Quit the Darhng. Mitchell, Stm-t, Burke, and Wills all make journeys nortliwards fi'om this point. Native remem- brance of Sir Thomas Mitchell's castigation. Despatches from Adelaide by three natives. Their excessive fatigue. Talkativeness of Camboh. Mr. Poole reconnoitres a-head. Sturt moves to Cawndilla Lake. Measures a base line. Goes a-head to explore. Treachery of Topar, a native. The country destitute of water. Finds the Clianthus Damperi. A terrible hurricane. Break up camp, and advance. The Coonbaralba Eange. Lewis's Hiil. Stopped by rocks. Vast desert plains on each side of the ranges. Mr. Poole goes S.W. to seek Lake Torrens. Eeaclied Lake Blanche. Mr. Flood precedes the main party to seek for water. Tremend- ous lieat. Flood finds a httle creek. Ihey advance. See Moiuits Lyell and Babbage from the hUls. Ciu'ious liollow balls. Parties go out to seek for water. Abimdance of emus and kangaroos. A visit from the natives. An excursion eastward. Burning })]ains. News of water nortliward. J>ru}8 fallnig to pieces with tlie heat. Dreadful travelling in the torrid heat. Two bullocks killed by it. Motuit Arrowsmith, the magnetic hill. Plague of ants and flies. Camped in a pleasant glen by deep water in latitude 29" 40' 14" S., longitude 141" 30' 41". Detained there by drought for six CONTENTS. V Page months. Theii' experiences there. Healtli of Messrs. Poole and Browne failing. Captain Stiu't and others attacked by scurvy. The captain witli a party rides forward to reconnoitre, carrying water-barrels. Keacli within twenty or thirty miles of Cooper's Creek, but driven back. Two horses abandoned. Another attempt westward. Return to the camp. Discover a grassy valley which they call the Park. Ellects of the heat on the ground and on their implements. Make an underground room. All the birds leave. A solitary native appears. A desert philosopher. Chain a hue of thirty miles towards Lake Torreus. Rain and flood in the creek. Mr. Poole dies. A monument to him jiiled on Red Hill. Captain Sturt pro- ceeds westward with a hght party to Lake Blanclie. Verifies Mr. Eyre's character of the country. Proceed N.W. The bare desert destroys all idea of an mland sea. A creek, with native huts and troughs for grinding seeds. The Stony Desert. Eyre's Creek. They retm-u. Water hole with fish. Reach their camp, which tliey name Fort Grey. Captain Sturt entreats Mr. Browne to return to Adelaide on account of his health, but in vain. A last efl'ort to penetrate northward. Endeavour to trace the ex- tent of the Stony Desert eastward. Report as of a cannon in the desert. Dismal sandy regions. Salt Lake. The Stony Desert again, a gloomy, herbless, treeless region. Eleven days over this horrid desert. Exhausted condition of the horses. Reach Cooper's Creek, and name it. Stiu-t's ac- count of this creek. The natives friendly. Signs of floods, and abimdanee of water fowl and fish. Leave behind a roan horse. Traced the creek eastward into hollow plains, bearing marks of periodical floods. Return to Port Grey. Leave another horse. Bawley Plains. Intense heat again. Return journey to Adelaide. Results of this expedition, the explosion of an inland sea, and confirmation of desert, but westward. Exploration of the south-eastern sea coast of South Austraha by Governor Grey in 1844 . 42 » CHAPTER III. EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIACONTINUED. 1. Expedition of Messrs. Landoe and Lefeot in seaech of an In- land Sea, in 1843. Journal publislied in Perth Inquirer, Leave York, January 9. Proceed to the Hotham River. Coimtry level. Cross a large river. Byriering Lake. Lake Novring. Salt Lakes. Go down a fresh water lake. Discover a river named the Landor. Another named the Lefroy. See two Timor ponies. Return by a branch of the Hotham. General report of the country. 2. Expedition of Me. Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia, east- ward of Perth, accompanied by Mr. H. Gheqoey and others. Set out from York, Pass over heights to Cape Riche. The Jeeramungup. Good grazing country. Mount Madden and Mount Short. Poor country and salt lakes. Bremer Range. Mount Gordon. Fitzgerald Range. Barren country. Severe journey to the Russell Range : no grass, no water. Return by tlie shore to Cape Riche. Howick Hill, Mount Merivale, and Mount Hawes, named by them. The streamlet Gore and inlet Lort, Philhps's River, and Eyre's named by them. Fomid coal-beds at the junction of tJie Elwes and Jeeramungup. Between the Elwes and Cape Richie named Mount Bland, Gairdner River, and Gordon Inlet. In then- homeward route by Bunbury, came on a sandal- wood-cut ting station. Return to Perth. 3. Expedition of Messrs. Gregory into the interioe of Western AusTEALiA. Start from Boyeen Spring, on Swan River, August 7th. Lake Brown, See ranges from N. to E.S.E. Eastward a discouraging country. Columns of red sand or dust. Took a N.W. course. Vast flats and bogs. Cross them by means of hurdles. Lake Moore. Salt, gypsum, and mud beds. Still on to September 3rd over wretched country. Strike tlie Arrow- vi CONTENTS. Page smith River. Followed the river down to its mouth. Found beds of coal. Follow the coast homewards. 4. YoTASE OF Lieutenant Helpman to examine the coai of the ARROWtiMiTU. Examined the country from the Arrowsmitli to the Hutt. Mistook the rivers as laid down by Captahi Grey. The ei-ror rectified by Mr. Arrowsmith. Mr, Hillman's trip to Lake Moore. 5. Settlees' Expedition noethwakd fkom Perth tjndee A. C. Gregory. Instructions for the tour from the Local Government. The object, to discover ])asture lands. Joined by friends at Toodyay. At Arrowsmith Creek. Irwin Plains. — Large extent of good pastui-age land found. Also on Champion Bay. The Murchison country poor. Freycinet Harbour. Country around wretched. Found lead ore at the Hutt. Some good land on the Bowes. Return to Perth. 6. Visit of Goveenoe Fitzgerald to the Murchison. Sailed to Cham- pion Bay. Find no coal, but lead in the Murchison. Attacked by natives. The Governor speared tlu-ough the thigh. Shot one man. Mining com- menced on the Murchison and Bowes . . . .77 CHAPTER IV. SIR THOMAS MITCHELL^S FOURTH EXPEDITION. DISCOVERY OF THE BARCOO. Need of an overland route from New South Wales to the Gulf of Carpen- taria. Two iron boats built. Expedition left Paramatta November the 7th, 1854. The party well selected and equipped. Blacks meet them on the Bogan to inquire their object. An old native resembhng Socrates offers himself again. Traces of conflict between the natives and the squatters. Want of water. The Bogan dry. Attacked by ophthalmia. Encamp on a creek, and wait. Piper, the native guide, dismissed. On the 12th of April advance. Sudden coming down of waters in the Mac- quarie. A furious flood carrying trees along with it. Reach the Barwan. Messrs. Russell's exploration in ISl-l. Surprising changes. The white man now lord of the region. The Narran. The Balonne, a fine large river. The Calgoa. Sir Tliomas now marks his camping places on trees. Lake Parachute. Advances with a liglit party. Lakes and lagoons. Lake Tm-animga. Moimt Toolumba. Name this district Fitzroy Downs. Natives. The Maranoa and Am by. Curious embassage from the na- tives. Warned away by them. Mr. Kennedy, Sir Thomas's second in command, brings up the rear detachment. Sir Thomas agam starts north- wards. Distress for water. Water found through a dream. A sulpliurous stream, the Salvator. The Claude, fertility of its banks. Abundance of fossil wood. Entei'ed the tropics. The Belyando. Vast numbers of wild fowl and kangaroos. Menacing natives. Return to the Salvator. Beauty and fertihty of the country. Remarkable meteor. The Claude. Encamp in a mountain gorge. The depot fixed tliere. Sir Thomas sets out north- westward The Nine. Discover the Barcoo. Sir Thomas's warm eulo- guim of the river and country around. Pronounced by him the finest liver and district of Australia. Return homewards. See marks of squatters already on their track . . . . .92 CHAPTER V. KENNEDY^S EXPLORATIONS OF THE BARCOO AND OF THE YORK PENINSULA, 1847. Edward Kennedy sent to trace the Barcoo, and find a route to Carpentaria. Crossed the Barcoo at Sir Thomas Mitchell's lowest point on August the 13th. Found the river running a fresh coui-se. The Thomson falling CONTENTS. VU Page into the Barcoo. Traces the Barcoo down 100 miles. Then lightens his luggage, and advances downwards through a wretched country to latitude 26" 13' 9", longitude 142" 20'. A low, flat country. The river dividing into many channels. Convinced that it was identical with Cooper's Creek. Returns northwards. The natives had plundered his buried stores. Obliged by this to retui'u home. Keunedj^'s journal edited by the Eev. , W. B. Clarke. Kennedy's Expedition to the Yoek Peninsula. Proposed plan of a new expedition towards the Gulf. Provisions to be carried by ship to Albany. York Peninsula to be first examined, then the route towards Carpentaria. Kennedy and pai'ty land at Rockingham Bay ia May, 1848. Compelled to diverge to the south-west by the moimtains Aban- don their carts and heavy stores. Leave eight men at Weymouth Bay. Kennedy and four men, including Jackey, the native guide, push on for Albany. One of the party wounded by a gun, which impeded them. Leave him and the other two whites, and Kennedy and Jackey proceed towards Albany alone. Attacked by natives near Albany. Kennedy killed. Jackey reaches Albany with his journal. Sufferings and deaths in the party at Weymouth Bay. Only two saved. Relief party from the " Ariel." The three other men sought for in vain. Ten out of the original thirteen of this expedition perished. Generous nature of Edward Kennedy . . . . . . , 108 CHAPTER VI. THE EXPEDITION OF MR. ROBERT AUSTIN, ASSISTANT SURVEYOR, INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1854. Objects of the expedition. The party. Left Mombe Kine, on Swan River, in July. The samphire plains toWaddoming. The salt lake Cow-cowing. Thence a poor countiy to Mount Marshall. A miserable region of dead scrub to Momit Kenneth. Views from Moimt Kenneth sterile and forbidding. Journey northward over this desert to August 20th. Their horses poisoned by a shrub. Fourteen died. Mount Magnet. Views all I'ound still dismal. Miseries of tight boots. West Mount Magnet. Rude, rocky, and scrubby country. Natives refuse to eat a new kind of kangaroo. Believed it a demon. The Carved Cave Spring. Native art. Accident to Farmer by his own gun. Poison plants again. Farmer dies of lock-jaw. Bequeathes his property. Buried near a hill named Mount Farmer. Mount Charles. Views round into rocky and scrubby regions. Native cross, and springes for emus. Mounts Lake and Murchison. Mm'chison river. Ad- vanced to within fifty miles of Shark's Bay. Driven back by wretched, waterless country. Momits Nari-yer, Welcome, Grass, and Viuden. Suf- ferings on the retreat to the Geraldine Mines. Bury luggage. Native guide nearly dead. Generous offer of Captain Sanford, but unavaihng. Return to Perth. Mr. Austin's estimate of the lands passed over. Mr. Phillip's Report ...... 120 CHAPTER VII. EXPEDITION FOR THE EXPLORATION OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1855-6, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. A. C. GREGORY. Mr. LTzzieUi offers £10,000 for an expedition to explore the north of Australia. Offer of Mr. W. S. Lmdsay, M.P. Undertaken by the Government. Outfit to be completed at Moreton Bay. The party. Sailed from Brisbane August 12th, 1855. Reached Port Patterson, Arnheim's Land, September 2ud. Ran on a rock. Great damage to, and loss of horses. Land at viii CONTENTS. Page Point Pearce. Part of the expedition went by land to the higher part of the river. Two horses poisoned. Horses attacked by aUigators on Fitz- maurice Eiver. The party ascending the river struck on a rock. Great loss of stores and sheep. Out of 200 shipped, only twenty-six reached the camp ahve. Eules laid down for the conduct of the party. Their good eSect. Set out a small party southward. Exploration of the Victoria for 100 miles. Return to camp. Fresh exploration in January, 1856. Stupendous rocks on the river coui'se. Basaltic country with deep gullies. The head waters of the Victoria. Dividmg range. Wretched country. Eetreat before the heat and drought. Mount Miiller. Follow the Wick- ham to the Victoria. Serious injury to one of tlie party. Party formed to proceed towards Cai'pentaria. Start on 21st of June. Reach a creek of the Roper, July 12th. The Roper. Flat coiuitry. Creeks and lagoons. Marks of floods. The gigantic water-hly. Proceed S.E., leave basaltic country. Blacks try to surprise them. Two horses poisoned. Bad country. Limmen Bight. MacAdam range and MacArtliur river. Sand- stone hills. Cross the Robinson and Leichhardt rivers. Country better. Brimstone and basalt. Nicholson River. Poor Countiy. Beame's Brook a branch of the Albert. The Tom Tough not arrived. Determined to push on for the east course. Buried canisters to say this. September 3rd, continued their journey. Plains of Promise disappoint them. The Leich- hardt. Attacked by the natives. The spring season, yet the country looked poor. Betwixt tlie Flinders and Gilbert saw good country. Gil- bert nearly dry. Arrive at ranges 2500 feet high. Head waters of the Lynd. Basaltic country well grassed. Reach the Biu'dekin in October. Trees marked with an iron axe. Camp of Leichhardt. Rocks of various kinds. Trace the Bin-dekin to the " Suttor and Belyando." On the Comet noticed a camp of Leichhardt's. Arrival at Brisbane. The expedition completed in sixteen months. Objects accomplished by this expedition. The part of the expedition which went in the Tom Tough to Timor for supplies reaches Sydney by sea. Mr. Baines' boat-voyage of 650 miles. Remarks of Captain Sturt on Mr. Gregory's discoveries, and on the theory of the Australian interior. — Theory of Mr. Alfred Howitt. Diagram in illustration of it. Reports of Messra. Elsey, Wilson, Flood, Baines, and Lieutenant Chimmo ...... 133 CHAPTER VIII. THE EXPEDITIONS OF JOHN M^DOUALL STUART, EXTENDING FROM ADELAIDE TO THE NORTH SEA, FROM 1858 TO 1862. Mr. Stuart, draftsman of Captain Sturt's expedition, in 1844-5. — Aided in liis attempts at discovery by Messrs. Finke and Chambers. In 1858 passed Lake Torrens for the north-west. Mr. Babbage at Yalticourie invites him to Coulthardt's fmaeral, and proposes to accompany him on his expe- dition. Mr. Stuart excuses himself. Bottle Hill. Bad country. En- quires after Wingillpin. Mr. Stuart's idea of Wingillpin. Mount Harail ton. Stony country. Mr. Stuart looking out for Cooper's Creek to the west. Supposes a creek near Mount Hamilton, to form the Glenelg of Captain Grey in Western Australia. Turns soutii, finding scrub and salt lagoons. Turned next N.W. till the 1st of August. Worthless country. Near Lake Gairdner. Proceeds towards Denial Bay. Dismal country about Mount Finke. Reach Gibson's Station, Streaky Bay. Return by Mount Arden. Sxuaut's Second Joueney into the vicinity of Lake Toreens. As- sisted by Messrs. Finke and Chambers. Ascends the eastern side of Lake Torrens. Finniss's Springs. Mount Hamilton. Mount Hugh. Elizabeth Springs. Douglas Creek. Davenport Range. Other springs. The Hanson Range. Mounts Kingston and Younghusband. Good country. Barrow CONTENTS. IX ] and Freelinor Springs. Neale Creek. Moimt O'Halloran. No water; Eeturns to Glen's Station, Termination Hill. TiiinD Expedition. From tlie Spring of Hope to Mount Anna. Wild grape at Parry's Springs. Thinks he saw Lake Torrens. December 20th set liis men to dig for gold. No gold. Eeturned to Chambers' Creek. Fourth Expedition towaeds the centre op the continent. Ad- vances beyond the Neale to new ground. Mount Ben and Head's Eange. Goes westward. Wretched scrub. West Neale. Enter extensive ranges. Mounts Beddome, Daniel, Humphries, and the Twins. Gw^der and Finke Creeks. Poor country. Extraordinary sandstone rock, which he names Chambers' Pillar. Numerous liills named, ending in Mount Stuart. This he named Central Mount Stuart, as the centre of Australia, and planted a flag on it. Went west 150 miles, naming several hiUs, but found all barren scrub. Again went northward till June 26th. Named various hiUs and creeks as far as Mount Samuel. At Kekwick Pond says he met with a native freemason. On Jime 26th at Attack Creek. Tlie native freemasons drive liim back. Sufferings of the party. Mr. Stuart nearly blind. Left a horse alive bogged in a creek. On returning found his bones. Returned to Adelaide. Fifth Expedition. Mr. Stuart's report of his progress in Adelaide. Fund voted for another expedition. November 29th started from Adelaide. His party and equipments. Squatting stations already near the 28th degree of S. latitude. A little dog killed by the heat. Spitting native. Attack Creek. Whittington Eange. Morphett Creek. New plants and trees. Finely grassed country. Mount Pi-imrose. Carruther's and Hunter's Creeks. Sturt's Plains. Asliburton Eange. Vain attempt to go westward toward the Victoria river. Curious baby's coffin. Difficult country. New- castle Water. Mount ShUlinglaw. Natives fii'e the grass, Howell's Ponds. Eetum to Adelaide. Sixth Expedition, in which the Noetheen Coast is reached. — Offers to pi'oceed north again. News of Burke and Wills being found dead at Cooper's Creek, after crossmg the continent. October 21st, 1861, Stuart starts again. Kicked by a horse. December 20th at Moolooloo. His party. Two of these desert. Hottest season of the year. Natives liostile at Mar- chant's Springs, and Mount Hay. April 17, 1862, at their farthest point, HoweU's Springs. Difficulties from drought and dense scrub. Try right and left. Push through. Frew's Water-Hole. King's Ponds. Eeturn to Howell's Ponds, defeated by the scrub. Once more advance. Auld'a and McGorrerey's Ponds. Better coimtry. Daly Waters. New tree. Fine grassy countiy. Blue Grass Swamp. The bean-tree again. Sickness from eating gum. Purdie's Ponds. Strangways River. Hilly region. TaU trees, and plenty of fish. Mount Midler. Reach the Eoper. A horse drowned. Natives firing the grass. Chambers' Eiver. Stony liills. The Waterhouse Creek. Mounts Helpman, Levi, and Watts. Chambers Eange. Fanny and Catherine Creeks. Basaltic country. Mount Stone. Kek- wick's Springs. The Fan palm. The Adelaide Eiver. Splendid view. Palms and tropical plants. Through stony country. Mary Creek. Wil- liam Creek. Priscilla Creek. Very tall grass. Helen Creek. TJie Ade- laide again. The Daly Eange. Eeach the sea in Van Diemen's Gidf, Plant a flag. Return homewards. Natives still fire the grass. Two horses drowned in the Roper. Abandon luggage. Mr. Stuart seized with scurvy. His eyes fail. August 27, a comet is visible. A remarkable native mummy. Reach Attack Creek. Lose several horses tlu'ough exhaus- tion. Stuart much worse. Make long halts. Men and horses failing fast. Have to send ahead to look for water. Everywhere drought. Kill now and then a horse for food. November 26, reacli Jarvis's Station, Moimt Margaret. Stuart travels in a Utter. Reach Adelaide, December 18th. General view of the advantages of these expeditions, and prospects of this northern country. Dr. Hardman's edition of Stuart's Joui-ual. X CONTENTS. Page Question of telegraphic communication across the continent. Lease of 1000 square miles of land to Stuart. Grant of £2000 to Stuart, and different sums to otlier members of liis party. Order iu which the transit of the continent has been made by different explorers . . . 159 CHAPTER IX. THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION OF VICTORIA IN 1860-1 UNDER THE COMMAND OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS. Offer of £1000 by Mr. Ambrose Kyte towards an expedition across the conti- nent. £3400 subscribed by tlie public for this object ; £6000 voted by the Victoria government : total, £12,400. Camels brought from India by Mr. Landells for the joiuney. Committee of Royal Society appointed managers of the expedition business, Robert O'Hara Burke selected as leader. His antecedents. Mr. Landells, manager of the camels. William John Wills, astronomer and surveyor. Names of the party. — Start August the 20th, 1860, in great ecliit fj-om Melbourne. Misgivings of Wills's father. Fer- guson, the foreman, dismissed on the Murrumbidgee. Landells resigns. Prophecies the ruiu of the expedition. Wdls made second in command. His amiable character. JBurke appoints Mr. Wright third in command. Unfitness of Wright. Leaves half of liis expedition with Wright at Me- nindie. Advances to Cooper's Creek. Mr. Wright does not follow. Charged with lookuig out stations for squattei's. Description of the country between Menindie and Cooper's Creek. Mr. Wills advances ninety miles direct northward from Cooper's Creek, but I'eturns from want of water. Wills's description of the country about Cooper's Creek. News of Stuart having crossed tlie continent can-ied by Trooper Lyons to Menindie. Sent on by Wright, but returned without finding the way to Cooper's Creek. Wright sends back to Melbourne for more money. Mr. Wright not appearing at Cooper's Creek, Mr. Burke appoints Brahe to the command at Cooper's Creek, and sets out for the Gulf of Carpentaria witli a small party. His haste. Threatens to throw the scientific iustruraents into a creek. Anxiety at Melbourne regarding the expedition. Efforts of Dr. Wills. An expedition sent iu quest of Burke and Wills under Mr. Alfred W. Howitt . . . . . . .190 CHAPTER X. EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF THAT OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. ALFRED W^ILLIAM HOWITT, 1861-2. Previous bush experience of the leader. — Jom-ney to Stuart's new coimtry in South Australia. His report of that country. Appointed to search for gold in Gippsland. Success. Mr. Howitt met on his way to the Murray by Mr. jjrahe with despatches stating tliat Burke and Wills left Cooper's Creek on the 16tli of December, and nothing had since been heard of them. Dr. Becker, Messrs. Purcell and Stone dead. Great sensation in Melbourne. Wright's despatch. A too late visit of Wright and Brahe to Cooper's Creek. Tlieir leaving it altogether. — Brahe's examination by the Exploration Committee. Mr. Howitt ordered to hasten north in quest of Burke and Wills. Mr. Walker ordered to proceed from Rockhampton to the Gulf of Caqientaria in quest of Burke and Wills. Captain Nor- man, with the Victoria steamer, ordered to the Gulf. The Firefly sent from Brisbane, with a party under Mr. Landsborough, to the Gulf, to pro- cceil thence south for the same object. Mr. Howitt sets out, accompanied ]>y Dr. Wheeler. Mr. Landells offer his services to conduct the camels. CONTENTS. XI Page These not accepted. Howitt anil Wlieclcr left Melbourne July 4, 1861. August 13lli arrived at Pomomai'oo Creek, on the Darling. Menindioand its laud-hunters. Dislikeoftlu' horses to the camels. At Poria Creek Mr. Howitt leaves Burke's track, aud strikes N.W. to Cooper's Creek. Reaches the depot. Fiuds the papers of Burke and Wills buried at Wdls Fort, informing tlu^m of Iku-ke aud Wills liaving retiu'ned thither. Camel tracks. Find various articles. Fiud King amongst the luitives, and leam the death of Burke aud Wills. Fiud the renuiins of the explorers, with field-books and papers. Bui-ied the remains. — Failure of an attempt to send word to Melbourne of the news by carrier pigeons. Presents made to the natives for theh kindness to King. Keturu to the Darling. Mr. Howitt and Dr. Wheeler to Melboiu-ue . .. . 212 CHAPTER XL THE JOURNEY OF BURKE AND WILLS TO THE GULF OF CARPEN- TARIA, AND RETURN TO COOPER^S CREEK. Directed theu" course to Eyre's Creek. — The water in Cooper's Creek at 97'4i of Fahrenheit. Crossed the Stony Desert and found it not very bad. Spent Christmas Eve at a creek on the other side of the desert. On Chi'ist- mas Day struck a creek, now called Burke's Creek. Alternate sand-ridges and grassy plains. King's and Wills's Creek. Austrahan spinach. Patton's Creek. Progress through good coiuitry, naming hills and creeks. River which Bm'ke called the Cloucurry, a branch of the Flinders. Fol- lowed the Flinders to near the sea. A horse swamped in Billy Creek. Proceed on foot. — Here Wills's journal abruptly ceases. — On the 19th of February they are on their way homewards. Burke says they reached the sea, but not the open ocean. In great anxiety about their provisions holding out. Burke ill from eating snake. Lighten the loads of the camels. XiU a camel and a horse for food. Burke beats Grray for pri- vately taking food. Gray cauuot walk. His companions think him shamming. Gray dies. Sunday, April 2Ist, 1861, arrive at the dep6t aud find it deserted only seven liom's before. Their consternation. Find some provisions, but are too weary to follow. Burke decides to make for Moimt Hopeless, Leave memoranda of their retm'n and present route at the depot. Started for Mount Hopeless Aprd 23rd. Received fish from the natives. Camel bogged and killed. Only one camel left. Kdl that. Wills makes an excursion to find a better track. Treated to " nardoo," a seed, by the natives. Nardoo bread. Bury part of their provisions and return to the depot. Rapidly sink on tlie nardoo food. Bm-ke and King set out to find the natives. Too weak to carry anything. Bui'ke dies. King retm-ns and finds Wills dead. Joins the natives. Affecting notes in Wills's diary. Letter to his father in prospect of death. Hasty notes of Bm-ke. King's life amongst the natives. Return of Howitt and party to Meuindie. His opinion of the natives at Cooper's Creek . 239 CHAPTER XII. THE EXPLORATION EXPEDITION OF MR. McKINLAY IN SEARCH OP BURKE AND WILLS IN 1861 AND 1863. Order in which explorers have crossed Australia. McKinlay second as to the whole width. McKinlay summoned from Melbom-ne. Sets out at once. His party. Evidently well qualified for his oUIce. Left Adelaide August the 16th, 1861. Baker's Station on Blanche Water. Squatting stations beyond Eji-e's farthest point. Dry and stony country to Lake Hope. Mr. Elder and Mr. Stuckey. A pelican choked by a fish. Lakes Camel, Periguudi, and Buchanan. Straying of horses and camels. Hear from natives of white men at Cooper's Creek, and one of them dead. xil CONTENTS. Page Ml', McKinlay sets out for Cooper's Creek. Sees natives in European clothing. Further rumours of the white men. Lake Kadhi-baerri. Found a flattened pint pot. Abundance of grass and clover. Found a muti- lated body in a grave. Story of a battle with white men. Fragments of a tm can, a nautical ahnanae, &c. Hear of iron-work of saddles, a pistol, &c. A native digs up some baked horse hair for stuffing saddles. Probably the grave was Grray's. The natives of ('ooper's Creek are fired on. Probable cause of this. McKinlay and party imagine these natives to have killed and eaten Burke and his party. Name the water Lake Massacre. McKinlay sends despatches to Adelaide with news of his discovery. Laid up with the hot weather. Natives teU of a flood coming down Cooper's Creek. McKinlay rides there to see. No signs of flood. Trees marked by Howitt, indicating the graves of Burke and Wills. Saw a cobby horse. Deposited memorandum at Burke's grave of his visit, and intentmu to go northward. Moved on December tlie 20th. Dreadful jom'ney to Lake McKinlay. A bidlock killed by the heat. The black guide quits them. Lake Moolionboorraua. Heat awfid. Lake Jeannie. Spent Clu'istmas Day there. Natives makmg uardoo cakes. Lake Appam-barra. Naked country. Lake Hodgkinson. Natives' report, White fellows arrived at Lake Buchanan. A myth. Discovers various other lakes and creeks. Mount McDonnell. Abundance of wild-fowl. A peep at the Stony Desert. Fom' months nearly spent here. Start January the 6th, 1862. Compelled by intense heat and want of shelter to retreat to Lake Hodgkinson again. This lake soon dried up. Another ride to the Stony Desert. — Camp on Hayward's Creek tiU the 10th of February. Rain and thunder. The country now deep mud. Passed a camp of Burke's, and remains of his horse Billy. Sm-roimded by vast floods. Hamilton and Groyder's table-topped hills. — Passed the Stony Desert ; still m the midst of floods. Escape Camp. Was Leiclihardt caught ia such a flood ? The natives thereabout possess goat's hair. No goats probably ever there but Leichhardt's. Daly Eauges. Shepherd lost for six days. Name many creeks and ranges. Enter the tropical regions. Pahns and grass up to the neck. Ant-hills like decaying columns. Natives fh-mg the grass. New trees. Copper was found. Country looked auriferous. Marks of great floods. Movmts Elephant and McPherson. Jessie and Jeannie Creeks. Cx'ossed the track of Burke and WiUs on the Cloncm-ry. Struck the Leichhardt on the 9th of May. Its aspect. Many windings. Set their own baggage on fire. Stokes's Plains of Promise. Keached the tidal part of the river, but could not get at the sea for swamps and mangrove creeks. Collect salt for theii' journey. The grass too strong for sheep. Commence the route to Port Denison. Only two bullocks left, and no tea, sugar, or flour. Trees marked by Landsborough. Make boots for the sore-footed camels. Cross the Flimlers and the Nonnau. Involved ia ranges. Kdled their last bullock. Mountains. Silk cotton growing. Wonderful view of rocky country. A terrible country. The lliver Gilbert. Losing horses from fatigue. Kill the last bullock. Several men very iU. Reached the Burdekin July tlie 5th. — StiU killing horses for food, or leaving them be- hind. Only two pack horses and one camel left. Crossed the Burdekia on a raft amongst alligators. Killed their last camel. Reach the station of Harvey and Somcrs. Met there with Mi-. Brahe. Returned by Rock- liampton, Sydney, and Melbourne, to Adelaide . . . 254 CHAPTER XIII. LANDSBOROUGH's expedition from the gulf of CARPENTARIA IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS, 1861. Mr. Orkney sends his yacht, Sir Charles Hotham, to look out in the Gulf of Carpentaria for the lost explorers. Disabled on the voyage. The CONTENTS. XIU Page Government of Queensland send out Landsborougli and party. Tlie Firefly carrying the expedition stranded on Sir Cliarles liardy's Island. Lose five horses. Assisted to the mouth of the Albert by tlie Victoria. Anchored ■ in the Albert. Mr. Landsborough explores the Albert 120 miles. Driven back by natives and want of water. Finds Mr. "Walker had been at the Albert, and gone back on the traces of Burke and Wills. Insists on going too. Sets out on the lOtli of February, 1862. Sees tracks of Walker, but does not follow them. Ceases to speak of Burke and Wills, but strikes eastward in quest of good lands. Follows the Flinders 200 miles to the south-eastward. Crosses the Jardine Creek and Eanges. The 'I'liomson. Follows it. and crosses tlie Barcoo and Warrego. At Williams's Station on that river hears of the death of Burke and Wills. Descends the Darling, and thence to Melbourne. Visits London. His skirmish with Mr Craw- ford about the growth of wool. Mr. Landsborough's real service is to have found a good track to the Grulf from Queensland, and good laud for squatters. Comments of the Melbourne Argus on his tour. . . 284 CHAPTER XIV. MR. FREDERICK WALKER^S EXPEDITION IN QUEST OF BURKE AND WILLS. Mr. Walker celebrated in Queensland for explorations attended by blacks. His prompt attention to the calls on him to go in quest of the missing ex- plorers. Started from Dutton's Station on the Dawson, September 7th, 1861. By the 16th reached the Nogoa. Went north to the Poma. Crossed the Ranges by his own. Walker's Pass. Began to mark trees where the new country commenced. Crossed at the Barcoo on the 27th. October 15th, found a tree marked by Gregory. Found two trees marked by Leich- hardt. Went north-west for the Alice. Saw tracks of horses, which they thought Leichhardt's- Advanced over ranges to the Thomson. Saw other traces of Leichhardt. Kemarks of Patrick, the native, on a vast view from Mount Macalister. Head waters of tLeBarkly. Camlaroyand Houghton Creeks. Moiuits Gilbee and Castor and Pollux. Basaltic country on the Barkly, with good grazing land. Struck a tributary of the Flinders, the Norman. Numerous rivers and creek, chiefly dry. A fight with the natives. Their horses scarcely able to travel. Blacks say water all the way now. They must stick to the river. The junction of the Norman and Flinders. Traces of Burke and Wills. Second time traces of them on their return. Walker zealous to get supplies from the steamer, and follow these traces. Leaves of a memorandum book. Morning Inlet. Another fight with the natives. Other natives tell them of whites on the Albert River. Pushed over the box flats. Saw a tree marked V., and a broad arrow. Blacks try to cut them ofi' from the Albert. See a tree marked " Dig, "and find a paper in a bottle directing them to the Victoria. Arrived at the vessel in a storm of rain. The journey from Rockhampton thus made in three months and twelve days. Returns to track Burke and Wills. Lost them on the flooded flats of the Flinders. Burke's last camp, lielieves Burke gone towards Queensland. Follows along the Norman. Recovers a horse. Jardine Creek. Mount Barry. Mounts Pylades and Orestes. Mount Picken. Numerous flooded creeks. Very mountainous region. On the Gilbert. Mounts Mica and Granite. The Cordilleras or dividing range. The Lynd. All boots worn out and hoi-ses lamed by the sharp slates. Enormous quartz reefs. Quartz Creek. The Yananoa. The Clarke. The Burdekin and a large tributary. A very bad grass. Halt on accoimt of the knocked-up hoi'ses. A hght partj' goes on to seek provi- sions. A bad country. Reach the station of Messrs. Wood and Robinson. Reach Rockhampton June 4, having done the journey from the Gulf in five months and two weeks. Great promptness and merit of Mr. Walker. . 297 xiv COXTENTS. CHAPTER XV. EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN' 1856 57 58, AXD 59. Page Eenewed spirit of discovery in South jiustralia. The causes. Mr. Babbage sent to examine the couiitry, Tanunda and Angaston, etc. Collected 3C)0 geologic specimens. Captain Cadell reports gold in Kangaroo Island. Tolmer's like report. Tolmer despatched to find it. llr. Babbage sent to search for gold farther north. The Adelaide Pliilosophical Society re- commends exploration 2«^.W. Mr. Babbage discovers Blanche Water, ete. Me. Babba&e's thied tbip, sow ix quest of iaxd. Mr. Babbage's objects. His party and equipment. Set out in February, 1857. Difficulties from drought. Dromedaries recommended. Discovers the remains of Coidt- hard. Coulthard, .Scott, and Brooks, land-hunters. Coulthard lost. Gene- rous offer of Mr. Swinden for his discovery. Mr. Babbage finds his remains. Affecting account of his death. Babbage proceeds westward by Lake Gairdner and other salt lakes. Lakes Hart and Younghusband. Betums toEhzabeth Creek. Dissatisfaction in Adelaide at Mr. Babbage's progress. ^Ir. C. Gregory sent to assist him. Finds Mr. Babbage absent, sends back part of his horses and drays, and goes to seek him. Mr. Bab- bage's resentment. Major Warburton sent to supersede liim. The Major finds 3Ir. Babbage gone north-west. Overtakes him, and turns him back. The Major returns himself, without further progress. Mr. Babbage's real services. Expedition of Me. Hack feom Steeakt Bat. Also of Messes. Millbe A>'D DrxTOX from the same point. Mr. Hack cent to examine the country north and east of Streaky Bay. His explorations amongst the salt lakes. Indifferent country. Goes by the Gawler Eanges and Baiter's Range to the bead of Spencer's Gulf. Messrs. Miller and Dutton proceed JS'.VV. from Streaky Bay into the interior. Betum for want of water. , . 311 CHAPTER XYI. EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN SOUTH AU.STRALIA IN 1856 57 58, AND 59, CONTINUED. ExFBDiTioKS OP Messes. Gotdee AXD Feeelixg ix 18.56-7-8. Mr. Goy- der sent to examine the country about Blanche Water, and make a trigono- metric survey of it. His marvellous report. Great sensation in Ade- laide. The possessors of flocks and herd.=i already on the way to this Goshen. Those of Victoria on the same march. Captain Freeling sent to ascertain the truth of these tidings. Finds all the results of mirage. His report. Clo.se examination of Lake Torrens. Its old character restorerL Mr. Swinden's discovery of available land west of Lake Torrens. MaJOE WAEBrBTOS'S EXPEDITIO>- TO LaKE GaIBDNEH WITH THE HOK. S. Dave>'POET. Proceed from Streaky Bay to the Crawler Eanges. Thence to Lake Gairdner. TTieory of the country. Low estimate of it. ifr. Davenport's progress west. Major Warburton's examination of the lakes. Mk. Paeet's SrETETTSG ExPEDiTioK i^EAE Lake Toeeexs. Ecports all barren. ExpEi>iTio>' OF GovEBNOE McDoiTJiELL TO LoDDOK SPEUfOS. His Voyage up the Darling in 1859. ..... 328 CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER XYII. AUGrsirs c. gregort's expedition ix quest of dr. leich- HARDT^S REMAINS. Pag« A ponTict reports L^ichliardt alire and in captiritr in the interior. Mr. Helv's journey to ascertain the fact. Keport* Leichhardt murdered by the natives. In ISoS, the New South Wales Crovernment sent out Mr. A. C. GrregorT from Moreton Bar to seek for traces of Leichhardt. Traces of Leichhardt on the Barcoo near Moimt Innistilleu eighty nules beyond Hely's farthest point. Proceeds to the Alice. A terrible country. Loses all traces of Leichhardt. Imagines him gone west. Traces down the Thomson. Kelum to the Barcoo. Follows down that river to ascertain its real course. Arrives at Cooper's Creek, thus identifying the two waters. Traces the course of Cooper's Creek by Strzelecki's Creek to Lake Torreus. Thus demonstrates the flow of this water from the Mpuutains of the east to Spencer's Gulf. Crosses Lake Torrens on solid bottom. Arrival in Adelaide. The fate of Leichhardt still a mystery. . . . 337 CHAPTER X^^II. EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN 1858 AND 1861, BY MR. FRANK T. GREGORY. Expeditions ix "VTdsterx ArsTRAUA, 1S5S. — Frank Gre^ry and party examine the country between the river Grascoyne and Mount Murchisou. Proceed to the GreraJdine Mines. Mount Nairn on the Murchison. Eeach the Gasooyiie. Country well grassed. Lockyer's Eange. Lyons Kiver. The Alma. Mount Augustus SLHXt feet. Good country. Proceed S.S.E. Mounts Gould and Hale. Extensive tracts of good country. Eeturu to the Nairn and Geraldine Miues. The natives numerous, and sometimes troublesome. New pigeons and new vegetables. Melons and sweet pota- toes. Greologic character of the country. Babbage Island. New yam. ExproiTiox OF Mb. F. T. Gbegokt rNTO the ixtkriok of De "Witt's Land, ix 1S61. Land at Nickol Bay. Discover the Fortescue. The Hammersley Ranges. Mounts Augustus, Phillips, Samson. The Barlee Ranges. Neighbourhood of tlie Lyons. Second progress eastward. The Sherlock, Yule, and Oakover Kivet^. Ranges in the interior. Great ex- tents of pasturable land. The rivers Strelley, Shaw, and De Gi-ey. Great sea-flats. Sufl'erings in the last journey. Character of the climate and country,., Pearl oyster-beds. Natural productions. Return. . . 343 CHAPTER XIX. EXPEDITION FOR BRINGING DOWN THE REMAINS OF BURKE AND WILLS. "Wonderful progress of Austi-alia since this history commenced. — The expedi- tion to bring down the remaius of Biu-ke and Wills sets out from Mel- K>urne in December, 1S6I. The party and equipment. T.ary the route from Menindie. Pi-oceed more eastward. Ttie comitry better. Mount Babbage. Boally and Bultilla Creeks. Intense heat and flics. Cadell's Range. Take the old route at Altolka. Rains and grass. Getting Camels over Wilkie's Creek. February the 27th, reach WiUs's grave. Mr. Howitt starts to examine the route towards Mount Hopeless. Find McKiulay's mark at Burke's grave. A wilful guide- Return to camp. On March 5th, set out to ivach Mount Hopeless. Strzelecki's creek. Gregory's camp. XVI CONTENTS. Page Miserable country. Reach Blanche Water. Baker's Station. Blacks eat- ing poisoned sugar. Barren cattle stations. Return by Lake Hope. Still very wretched country. Lake Hope. Idea that the waters from Cooper's Creek pass this way. McKiulay's guide. Reacli the Depot. Coming down of a great flood. Remove the remains of Wills out of its reach. Ex- plore the country northwards. High rocks and red sand-hills. Bateman's Creek. Frightened natives. Other creeks. Natives say McKinlay's party detained by floods. Search for McKuilay's party. Teniel Ranges. Lake Lipsom. Kyejoran Creek. WiUiam's Creek. A funeral oration. Regain the Depot. Hunt down a cow and calf Catch Sturt's roan horse. Much frying of beef. Dishonest black guide. The flood still coming down. Arrival of Corporal Wanchope with despatches. Howitt returns with him to Blanche Water. Returns to the Depot. — Orders to wait for arrival of Laudsborough from the gulf, and to look out for McKinlay. Journey north-west across the Stony Desert. Appearance of the desert at the time. Very passable. Lake Short. Odd conduct of the guide. Tracks thought to be of McKinlay's p^rty. Vain search for the party. Terrible country. Other horse tracks, supposed of land-hunters. Sampson's Range. Rumours of McKinlay. A camel lost. Another journey to Blanche Water for sup- plies. Angipena Police Station. Singular scenery. jWilpena Pound. Striking scenery of Jacob's Station. Constant war with the blacks. Try to kill Howitt's black boy. Bloodless aiFair with them. Their lan- guage imitated by the settlers in their converse with them. Evident fate of the aborigines. Seventeen years' residence of a sailor amongst them. His desire to mediate between the blacks and squatters. Opinion of Mr. Wentworth, that the whites are always the aggressors. Before setting out with the remains of Bm"ke and Wills, Howitt buries suppKes of food and clothing at the Depot, should any exploring party arrive tiiere. Journey down to Adelaide. An attempt made from Jacob's Station to open up a route eastward to the Darling. Found impracticable. Arrive at Adelaide. Dinner to McKinlay. Honours to the deceased at Adelaide. Arrival of the remains at Melbourne. Their reception by the committee. Lying in state. Meeting to receive tlie explorers. The funeral of Burke and Wills. Addresses of satisfaction presented to Howitt and his party, Cap- tain Norman and Mr. Kyte, the originators of the expedition. Grants by government to the relatives of Mr. Wills, to the nurse of Burke, and others. ..... .352 CHAPTER XX. CONCLUSION OF DISCOVERY IN AUSTRALIA. Introduction of steam on the Murray and other rivers by Captain CadeU, Mr. Randall, and others. Impulse given by the late expeditions across the continent. Squatters advancing on all the tracks of Gregory, Walker, and Landsborough on the east — on tliose of Stuart and McKinlay centrally. Advances into York Peninsula. Two towns to be built there. Other squatters on the Belyando, Burdekin, and Lynd. Advances on the track of Burke and Wills. In the Stony Desert itself. Of others on Lake Hope. — In Western Australia the same spread of flocks and herds into new regions. Nickol Bay. The De Grey region. Doubtful Bay. Cam- den Harbour. Applications for islands in Shark's Bay in Recherche Archi- chipelago. Settlement in Dampier's Land. Further attempts to explore the country on the Australian Bight. New settlement on the Adelaide under Colonel Finniss. Conditions of sale of lands. Immediately bought up. News of Colonel Finniss at Adam's Bay. Hopes entertained from this settlement in the north-west. Feksh Explorations in the nobth-east. Dalrymple's tour in tlie district of the Burdekin. Traces its course to tlie Rockingham Bay. Exploration CONTENTS. XVll Page of its mouth by Governor Bowen. Voyage of the Governor to Cape York to examine the site of a settlement. His admiration of the scenery along the coast. Advantages of the Great Barrier Keef. Progress of steam navigation on the east course. Sir Charles Nicholson recommends the exploration of New Guinea. Importance of that island to Australia. Mr. Scott traces the valley of the Burdekin from the Valley of Lagoona to the sea. A new port and town contemplated at Rockingham Bay, and direct road to the Lagoons. Amazing advance of settlement northwards. Dis- coveries of other kinds than geographical. Prospects of the great future. . 381 CHAPTER XXL INCIDENTS OF DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND. The survey of the coasts by Drury, D'TJrville, and Stokes. Early explorers, Brunner, Monro, Mitchell, Dashwood, Thomson, Lieutenant-Governor Eyre. Discoteey in the Northern Island. Earliest explorers, traders, Pakeha-Maories, missionaries. Dr. Dieffenbach and Captain Symonds. Dieffenbach visits the islands in Cook's Straits. Examines the country north of Port Nicholson. Settlement of Wellington. Dieffenbach ascends Mount Egmont. Lands in the Bay of Islands, accompanied by Captain Bernard. Explores the north-east peninsula. Natives, missionaries, etc. Set out, accompanied by Captain Symonds and Lieutenant Best, for the interior. The Waipa river. A stupendous rata tree. The chief Te- Wliero-Whero. The Waikato river. A volcanic country. Hot springs, sulphur jets, and boiling mud springs. The great central lake, Taupo. Forbidden to ascend the volcano Tongariro. Former ascent of it by Mr. Bidwell. The Warm Lake. The Valley of the Thames. Eetum to Auckland. Explorations and death of Captain Symonds. Explorations of Dr. Hochstetter, Messrs. Purchas and Heaphy. Dana's visit to the Bay of Islands. Hochstetter's journey to the Waipa, Waikato, and Ton- garira, accompanied by Dr. Haast, Captain Drummond Hay, Bruno Hamel, and Herr Koch. They go over the same groimd as Dr. Dieffenbach. The caves in the limestone district. The Mora Cave. Geologic results of this journey. Gold discoveries. German and French savans and naturalists, discoverers in New Zealand and Australia. Progress of botanical know- ledge in New Zealand. Missionaries as openers-up of these islands. Collectors of Maori knowledge and poetry ..... 398 CHAPTER XXII. DISCOVERY OF THE INSULARITY OF THE SOUTH ISLAND. Discovery of the insularity of the South Island by Stewart, a sealer. Settle- ment of the Middle Island in 1847. The River Owerrie already explored in 1840 by the Pelorus. Settlement of Otago by WiUiam Cargill, of Can- terbury, by a Company projected by Gibbon Wakefield in 1850. Failure of the project. Surveys of Captain Stokes of the coasts of the Foveaux Strait. Discovery of the ports and rivers of the southern extremity of the Middle Island. Explores the New River. Explorations of Mr. Ham- ilton and Mr. Spencer. Journey from Jacob's River to Otago. Account of the South Island by Captain Stokes. Surveys of Mr. Tuckett. Discov- eries of Brown, Duppa, and Thomson. Survey of M'Kerrow of the Lake District of Otago. • • • • • 418 VOL. II. h XVIU CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIII. DISCOVERIES IN THE MIDDLE ISLAND CONTINUED. Page Mr. Dobson's discovery of a route over the Canterbury Mountains to the west coast. Discoveries of Mr. Torlesse. Harper's expedition to the west coast. Mr, Dobson's attempt to find a way through the mountains to Nelson. Surveys of Mr. Eochfort on tlie mountains westward. Discoveries of Mr. Mackay. Db. Haast's Explouations of the Mountains and Riyees of the Middle Island. Report of Dr. Haast's explorations in 1860. Proceeds from Nelson with a party to discover a route to the Buller on the west coast. Wairau Valley. Lake Howard. Passes discovered by Brunner, Heaphy, and Fox. Junction of tlie Tutaki and Buller. Ascend Mount Murchison. Cross the Buller and various rivers to the G-rey. Ascend the Grey. Vast view from Mount Deception. Lakes Brunner and Hoch- stetter. Beds of coal on tlie Grey. Follow the coast north. Mounts Eochfort, William, and Frederick. Follow the coast to Cape Farewell, and sail to Nelson. Explorations of the Cauterbury Mountains in 1861. Death, by drowning, of his companion. Dr. Sinclair. Continues these ex- plorations in 1862, Sources of the Kowai. Ascends Mount Torlesse. Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. The Great Tasman glacier and Moorhouse Eange. Poetic beauty of the Southern Alps. In 1863 Dr. Haast pursued his explorations into the mountains of Otago. Dr. Drake reports good country between the Elvers Grey and Hokitika. Further explorations of Dr. Haast. Dr. Hector, in 1863, discovered the Eiver Kaduku, tlie lake Kakapo, and a track to the central lake, Wakatipua. A direct highway across the island. Part of these discoveries made previously by Messrs. I Caple, Alabaster, and others. Passes discovered by Mr. Eochfort and Mr. Clarke. These explorations small in extent, but arduous from the obsta- cles of high mountains, glaciers, and impetuous rivers. Mr. Rochfort's surveys. Mr. A. Dobson. ..... 427 CHAPTER XXIV. OPENING COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST COAST. Opening the way to the West Coast. — Arduous nature of the undertaking. The fatalities of 1863. The story of the loss of Mr. Wliitcombe. Losa OF Me. Chaelton Howitt and Paett. Life and Character of Mr. Charl- ton Howitt. Sojourn in Australia. Employed in Canterbury to seek for gold. Engaged in making a bridle-road over the mountains to the West Coast. Eeputation for zeal and energy. Progress of the work. Wetness of the West Coast. Mode of subsistence in the mountains. Bird-catch- ing. Mr. HeiTies' account of ci'ossing the mountains. The grandeur of the mountain scenery. The charms of the forests of New Zealand. Enor- mous and curious trees. Mr. Howitt and two men drowned in Lake Brun- ner. The sufferings of James Hammett the survivor. Unavailing re- searches for the remains of the drowned. Subsequent drowning of Mr. Townsend in the Grey. Eemarks on the climate of the West Coast. Con- cluding remarks. Probable extinction of the native race. Eemarkable exemplification of native rights by a native. Persuasion of the Maories of tlieir own fate. Appeal to our countrymen in New Zealand on their behalf . . . . . . .439 . THE . HISTORY OF DISCOVERY IN • AUSTEALIA, TASMANIA AND NEW ZEALAND. CHAPTER I. DR. LEICHHARDt's EXPEDITION OVERLAND FROM MORETON BAY TO PORT ESSINGTON IN THE YEARS 1844 AND 1845. Proposition to send Sir Thomas Mitchell on an expedition across the continent. — Dr. Leichhardt fiually employed. — Captain Sturt about to start from Ade- laide for the same point. — Dr. Leichhardt's antecedents. — Rather scantily supplied -nith instruments. — His party. — xit Brisbane. — Abundant supplies ofiered. — Their equipments. — Messrs. Hodgson and G-ilbert join the expedi- tion.- -Start on the 1st of September. — Cross the Darling Downs. — Acacia scrubs. — Leichhardt notes all facts of natural history. — Trouble with the native guides. — Dawson River. — Calvert Plains. — Pui'sued by hornets. — Lakes and moimtaius. — Expedition Range. — Mount Nicholson.— The Boyd. — Sandstone rocks. — Creek of the Ruined Castles. — Bigge's Mountain. — Albinia Downs. — Comet Creek and Comet Range. — Startled natives from then- dinner. — Abundance of kangaroos, — The Mackenzie. — Wild beans which make good coffee. Mount Stewart. — Honey plentiful. — West Hill. — A very mountainous region before them. — Calvert's Peak, Grilbert's Downs, Lowe's, MacArthiu*'s, and Roper's Peaks. — Leiclihardt makes a reconnoitrance northward. — Moim- tainous region. — Zamia Creek. — Black ants and hornets. — Alarmed black women and infant. — Coxon's Peak. — Charley and Brown, the blacks, dismissed, but allowed to come back to the party. — Intense heat. — The Isaac's and Sui- tor. — Fine valleys. — Black man and woman moimt into trees. — The deaf black woman's fright at seeing Leichhardt on horseback.— Water, water plants, and water fowl. — Mount M'ConneU. — The Burdekin.— Pelicans and black swans. — Greological character of the rocks. — Mount Grraham. — Gom-ds and calabash. — Nimierous fig trees. — The figs fidl of ants. — Luxuriant wild beans. — Roby's and Porter's Ranges. — Clarke River. — Basaltic dykes and fossiliferous lime- stone. — Only thh'ty miles from Halifax Bay. — Hitherto a coast jom-uey. — Now strike more westward. — The Perry. — Einc comiti-y. — Interesting descrip- tions of the routine of a day on the journey. — Basaltic rocks, lava, lagoons. — Mulberry trees. — Dividing range from 2000 to 3000 feet high. — Granite, VOL. II. 1 2 A NEW EXPEDITION PROJECTED. basalt, and lava. — Obliged to diverge. — Question of the blacks about tlie bxJ- locks. — Waut of water. — Separation Creek. — A traveller's trials and pleasures. — Blacks again fly, and leave their dinner. — Pine rock crystal in a bag. — New trees and plants. — Daring kites. — The Lynd. — Kirchener's Eauge. — Fig and cotton trees. —Sandstone country. — A sawfish found. — Superior huts of the natives. — The Mitchell River. — The gum-tree ants. — Tlie crocodile. — Palm trees appear. — Natives nmnerous and hostile. — Attempt to drive off the cattle. — Mvu'der of Mr. Gilbert. — A nocturnal fight. — Calvert and Roper wounded severely. — The night intensely cold.— Chase away the natives. — Gilbert's funeral. — In sight of the Gulf of Carpentaria. — A wild plum found. — Fine grassy country. — Reach the salt water. — Lagoons, with white, blue, and pink lilies. — A native suddenly appears in the camp. — Native melons. — The Gilbert River. — Grevilleas, Barthenias, and Balfourias aboimd. — Numei'ous natives. — Kill abundance of ducks, spoonbills, and three emus. — Cross the Plains of Promise. — Pugnacious native boy. — The Albert River. — Carving of an emu's foot. — Audacity of natives. — The river Leichhardt. — The Nicholson. — Emu trap. — Cross a succession of rivers to Tasman's River. — Numerous kinds of animal life. — Cycas pahns. — Fruit of the pandamis.— Seven Emu River. — The Robinson River. — Zamia and Cycas palm groves. Desperate condition of their clothes. — Moccasins of bullock hide. — Tea and sugar gone. — Pound seeds for a beverage. — The white-barked tree of Tasman, figs, and stercidias. — The MacAi'thm- salt-water river. — Soup of dry bidlock hides. — Blistering fi'iTit. — Cape Maria. — Reduce their baggage. — The Limmen River. — Swamps, wild geese, ducks, alligators, and thickets of acacias. — Native fish traps. — The Wickham. — Flat-topped sandstone rocks. — The Fom* Archers. — Their kan- garoo dog died. — Strike westward across the Arnheim Peninsula for Port Essington. — The Roper River. — Abandon more luggage and botanical speci- mens. — A horse drowned. — Cattle very much exhausted. — Great swamps full of water fowl. — Natives with English articles of dress. — More speaking some English. — East Alligator River. — Rocks, hills, swamps, wild geese, and flying foxes. — Shoot a buffalo. — Port Essington. — Return by sea to Sydney.— Honours and rewards. FEEf3H Expedition in 1847. — Not heard of again. — Traces of Leichhardt seen by Gregory and Walker. — Lost probably in the great western desert. — His sup- plies. — Mr. Hoveden Hely sent in quest of Leichhardt. — Journey fruitless. — Blacks' report, Leichhardt murdered with all his party. — Seventeen years passed without certain information of Leichhardt's fate. Various expeditions of discovery liad, as we have seen, been sent to the westward side of tlie Australian conti- nent of late years, and mucli progress made in a know- ledge of it. It was now the turn of Eastern Australia to make another advance, and to carry the same spirit of inquiry northward and westward beyond the regions into which Oxley, Cunningham, Sturt, and Mitchell Iiad penetrated. Dr. Ludvig Leichhardt had been for two years engaged in explorations to the north of Moreton Bay, and, on returning to Sydney in the autumn of 1844, found the public and the colonial government proposing to send an expedition overland from Moreton Bay to Port Essing-ton. Sir Thomas Mitchell was the person on whom the attention of the public was fixed to con- DR. LEICHHARDT S ANTECEDENTS. 3 duct tliis expedition. Considerable delay, however, had occurred in the course of correspondence with the Secre- tary of State for the Colonies on the subject, and it was now understood that Captain Stui*t was about to start from Adelaide on an expedition towards the same point. The people of New South Wales were naturally anxious not to be forestalled in the honour of the projected pro- <^ress through the continent, and at this moment Dr. Leichhardt oifered himself as willing to head such a party as could be fitted out hy public subscription, and to start immediately. His reputation for the necessary accompHshments and experience in bush travel at once secured the acceptance of his offer. It was an offer that was not likely to have many qualified competitors. The narratives of the gentleman just mentioned, as well as those of Grey and Eyre, had made the pre-eminent hazards and hardships of such an enterprise well known. "Many," says Dr. Leichliardt, "considered the very conception of such an undertaking as madness on my part, and the consequence of a blind enthusiasm, nou- rished either by a deep devotion to science, or an unrea- sonal^le craving for fame ; while others did not feel justified in assisting a man who, they considered, was setting out v^ith an intention of committing suicide." In Sydney Leichhardt had been chiefly known as a lecturer on botany. In his previous enterprise he had associated with the natives as he advanced, and his medi- cal skill, which he employed for their benefit, had given him great acceptance with them. Though born in Grer- many he was educated in Paris, but he had resided a long time amongst the English. His past experience had given Leichhardt confidence of success ; many generous friends were foimd to forward the object, and by the 13th of August, 1844, all was ready for the undertaking. The only instruments that he carried with him were a sextant and artificial horizon, a chronometer, a hand Kater's compass, a small ther- mometer, and Arrowsmith's map of the continent of New Holland. It is evident that by taking only one of 1—2 4 RECEIVED AT BRISBANE. each of these iustruments he ran great risks of having an entire stop x^nt to his scientific observations, but an expeditions preparation and hghtness of carriage were the offsets to this danger. His party was Hmited to six individuals on leaving Sydney, namely : — Mr. James Calvert ; Mr. John Eoper ; John Murphy, a lad about 1 6 years old ; William Phillips, a prisoner of the crown ; and Harry Brown, a native of the Newcastle tribe, making with himself the six. They left Sydney on the 13th of August, for Moreton Bay, in the steamer " Sovereign," and arrived in Brisbane after an unusually tedious voyage of a week, causing much suffering to his horses from want of food and water. At Brisbane Dr. Leichhardt was received with enthusiasm, and was overloaded with presents of all sorts of things that could be useful on such a journey. The principal population there belonging to the squatting interest, were well aware of the vast advantage to them of such expeditions, which lay open new regions for their occupation. Many of the supplies offered he was obliged to decline, because they would have overloaded his horses and bullocks. He had now of cattle sixteen head; of horses seventeen. Of provisions he had 1200 lbs. of flour; 2001bs. of sugar; 801bs. of tea; 201bs. of gelatine, and other articles of less consideration, but likely to add much to their comfort. They had 301bs. of powder, and S l^ags of shot of different sizes, chiefly of No. 4 and No. 6. Every one had provided himself with two pair of strong trousers, three strong shirts, and two pair of shoes ; and some of the party had ponchos, made of light, strong calico, saturated with oil, which proved very useful in keeping out the vv^et, but must have been very dangerous had they caught fire, as they would be all a-flame in an instant, and before they could be stripped over the head. They considered this a sufficient supply for seven months, in which time they calculated on completing the journey. Besides these they had a light spring cart to carry part of the stores, THE EXPEDITION SETS OUT. 5 but tlicy soon broke the sliafts of it, iiud abandoned it. This was to be regretted, as Sir Thomas Mitchell had shown how well cai'ts of a proper construction may be taken in very long journeys of this kind, and how greatly they relieve the labour of horses and buUoclvS in a hot climate like Australia, where the loads on the backs of cattle heat and exhaust them. Numbers of young men at Brisbane were anxious to join the expedition, but Dr. Leichhardt resisted these importunities, except in the case of Mr. Pemberton Hodg-son and Mr. (iilbert. The latter was a collector for Mr. Grould, the zoologist, and justly thought it a fine opportunity of coming in contact Avith new species of birds and quadrupeds. These gentlemen equipped themselves, and added two bullocks and four horses to the expedition. Besides these gentlemen Dr. Leichhardt took on from Brisbane Caleb, an American negro, and Charley, a native of the Bathurst tribe. It was the end of September before they set out, and left the station of Messrs. Campbell and Stephens. They had a dray lent them to convey some of their heavy stores as far as Darling Downs, and in no part of their journey did they encounter more difficulties than in this portion of it. There had been heavy rains, which had flooded the brooks or creeks, as there named, and made the ground so soft that their loaded carriages and cattle sunk into it. Then the bullocks, unused to iDurdens, were unruly, and threw their loads and broke the pack- saddles, which they had continually to repair and alter, so as to make them fit their particular beasts. They only made ten miles by a very long clay's work on the first day. At night the bullocks, like sensible beasts, not liking this new business, endeavoured to wander back again, and had to be watched and hunted up. The horses being well hobbled, occasioned much less trouble. They passed the stations of Messrs. Hughes and Isaacs, and of Mr. Coxon, and on the 30th of September arrived at Jimba, the utmost limit to which the occupation by squatters extended. 6 CROSS THE DARLING DOWNS. Tliey had now crossed the Darling Downs, for these hist stations were on the western slopes of the Coast Eange, established on creeks running thence to join the Condamine Eiver. The Darling Downs are from 1800 to 2000 feet above the sea level, and the country, as they passed down from them, was covered wdth most luxuriant grass and herbage, and the trees such as will be frequently mentioned in this narrative, therefore I will give the account of them in Leichhardt's own words : — " Plants of the leguminosa and compositse were by far the most j)revalent ; the colour of the former, generally a showy red, that of the latter, a bright yellow. Belts of open forest land, principally composed of the box-tree of the colonists, a species of eucalyptus, (in no respect resembling the box of Eui'ope), separate the different plains ; and the patches of scrub, consisting of several species of acacias, and of a variety of small trees appear to be the outposts of the extensive scrubs of the interior. There are particularly three species of acacias which bestow a peculiar character on these scrubs. The one is the myal, acacia ^Dendula, first seen by Oxley on Liverpool Plains, and afterwards at the Barwan and Darling Downs, whose drooping foliage and rich yellow blossoms render it extremely elegant and ornamental. The second, the acacia of Coxon, resembles the myal, without its drooping character, its narrow, lanceolate phyllodia rather stiff, its yellowish branches erect. The third is the Bricklow acacia, which seems to be identical with the rosewood acacia of Moreton Bay. The latter, however, is a fine tree, fifty or sixty feet^high, whereas the former is either a small tree or a scrub." — P. 3. It may be as well here to observe that every page of Leichhardt's Journal abounds with the names, and often description of the plants and animals seen, so that it would be impossible to notice them all, except by devoting a space equal to his journal to them ; and as the great object of this history is geographical discovery, I shall only notice such as are particularly remarkable, or are necessary to characterize the district where they appear. THE VERVAIN PLAINS. 7 Tlirougli such a country as already described, the party proij^ressed till the 1 7th of October, when tlic two natives, Charley and iirown, became insolent and refrac- tory, and Charley, threatening to shoot Mr. Gilbert, was dismissed, but allowed to return. They named a creek Hodgson's Creek, and saw a bird, which from the noise it made, they called the Glucking Bird, and which they met with on various parts of their route. On the 3rd of November they began to fear that their party was too large for their stores, and Mr. Hodgson and Caleb the negro retui'ned. On the 6th of November they saw a small river in latitude 26° 3' 44'^, which they named Dawson River, and beyond it crossed fertile plains, which they called Calvert's Plains, showing here and there sand-stone ridges, covered mth bastard box, and silver- leaved iron-bark trees. They saw kangaroos, emus, pigeons, ducks, and various other birds. On the 10th they came again upon the Dawson, now divided into a number of ana-branches, making a perfect maze in the valley, and Charley the black said he never saw such a " rum river in his life." On the 14th they came, in travelling down the Daw- son, on plains which, from the abundance of that plant, they named Vervain Plains. They shot occasionally an old man, or largest sized kangaroo, and were pursued by swarms of hornets, whose nests, suspended to branches, the cattle passing under with their loads, disturbed. They now, on some fine sheets of water, encountered the corypha palms, growing to the height of twenty-five or thirty feet, and beheld numbers of native companions — Ardea antif/o?ie, strutting along the banks, whilst ducks abounded on the lakes. They soon after crossed hills, which they named Gilbert's lianges, from Mr. Gilbert, of the party. Between these and Lynd's Eange, more to the south, they named a creek Palm-tree Creek, and a range of hills running north and south, and separating this creek from the Dawson, they named Middle Range. On reedy flats at the upper end of Palm-tree Creek, grew a^bundance of atriplex, or fat hen, and sowthistle, which 8 ENTER A MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY. they found, wlien young, as I and my sons also did in our bush life, made excellent greens, when boiled. They crossed also a creek, which they named Eobinson's Creek, seeming to flow from the same quarter as Palm-tree Creek. On the left bank of Eobinson's Creek, they saw a wide sheet of water, and beyond it, a range covered mth dense scrub, which they named Murphy's Lake and Range. On the Condamine they had seen small orange trees in blossom, and on Eobinson's Creek they found the same species of trees with fruit just setting. They had now entered quite a mountainous country ; the scenery beautiful, but the burr and spear-grass— oristida — greatly tormenting them. The lakes that they saw were partly covered by a yellow villarsia ; there were black swans, and whisthng ducks. In a camj) of the natives here, they found several fine kangaroo nets, made of the bark of sterculia, one of wliich they took, leaving instead a brass-hilted sword, four fish-hooks, and a silk handkerchief. Amongst the variety of ants seen in that neighbourhood, the funnel-ant was the most curious. It sinks perpendicular holes into the earth, and keeps the mouth of them open by an elevated wall, sloping outwards, like a funnel. The presence of these ants indicates a rotten soil, into which horses and cattle sink beneath their fetlocks in dry weather, but in wet weather the soil is much firmer. Kangaroos and emus abounded. On the 27tli of November they ascended a range of hills, and travelled four or five miles along their level summit, which was covered with open forest, interspersed with thickets of acacias and casuarinas. From the ex- tremity of the range they had a fine view of other hills with conspicuous peaks, cupolas, and walls of rock, ex- tending from west by north to north-west. The most distant range was particularly striking and imposing. This Leichhardt called Expedition Eange, and to a bell- shaped mountain, bearing north 68° west, he gave the name of Mount Nicholson, in honour of Dr., now Sir Charles Nicholson, who first introduced iyto the Legis- THE CREEK OF THE RUINED CASTLES. 9 lative Council of New South Wales the subject of an overhind expedition to Port Essington. To a sharp peak, N. 06° W., he gave the name of Aldis's Peak, after Mr. Aldis, of Sydney. The next day, when in latitude 25° 19' Id", they came upon a river, which they named the Boyd, running in various channels from these hills in a S.W. direction, and which was afterwards discovered to fall into the Dawson. All these ranges were of sandstone, and im- pressions of calamites were visible in one of the gulKes. From these guUies, densely filled by masses of cypress, ]nne, and scrub, they descended a space into a valley finely grassed, and adorned with corypha palms and ca- suarinas. This valley, surrounded by high sandstone rocks, fissured and broken like pillars and walls, and the high gates of ruined castles, reminded the Doctor of Grer- many, and he named the creek running through it, the Creek of the Euined Castles. The Avhole system of these creeks and glens he thought admirably adapted for a cattle station. The Wonga-Wonga, and a variety of other pigeons, inhabit these glens. On the 2nd of December, they followed down a creek, leading north-west, which they named Zamia Creek, from a magnificent Zamia of ten feet high and nine inches in diameter, bearing elongated cones, not yet ripe. A va- riety of plants and trees flourished in this glen ; and a large mountain overlooking it, they named Bigge's moun- tain. On the 7th they encamped a few miles from Mount Aldis, where kangaroos abounded. Here the natives, who had been following them some time under cover of the scrub, managed to spear one of the horses in the shoulder. Mounts Nicholson and Aldis were found on nearer view to be of basaltic formation. They found two sorts of capparis in this district in fruit, which were eatable. To the N.W. by E., they saw ranges, which they named Christmas Banges, hoping to reach them by Christmas. In exploring these ranges and glens, they lost one of their fine kangaroo dogs, and some of the party very 10 SPEND THEIR CHRISTMAS AT BROWn's LAGOON. nearly lost themselves. Mr. Calvert and Brown were out all one niglit in tlie bush. In the scrub they found native lemons ripe, and of the amazing size of half an inch in diameter. These they made into a dish re- sembling gooseberry fool. On the 18th they killed a bullock and jerked the flesh ; that is, dried it, cut into strips, in the sun, and melting the fat, rubbed their har- ness, saddles, &c. with it, to prevent the sun cracking them. They remained at this camp by some fine waters, which they called Brown's Lagoons, because Brown, the native, found them, and there spent their Christmas, having passed through a great myal forest, and seen a variety of birds and flowering plants. Their Christmas dinner consisted of suet pudding and stewed cockatoos. They must have been, as they expected, under Christ- mas Range, for on the 28th, they were at Albinia Downs, where they camped, and on the 30th at Comet Creek, under Comet Range. By this creek they found the re- mains of a hut, consisting of a ridge-pole and two forked stakes about six feet high, both having been cut with a sharp iron to^^ihawk, which led them to believe it the work of s me runaway convict from Moreton Bay. Here, too, they suddenly came upon a camp of the na- tives, who fled crying, as it seemed to them, " white- fellow ! white-fellow !" Brown said he saw a half-caste amongst them, which led Leichhardt to think that a white man was probably living with them. They found at their fires a capital dinner just ready, of roasted eggs, of brush turkey, roasted opossum, bandicoots and igua- nas. In their dillis, or small baskets, were roots or tubers of an inch long, and half an inch thick, of an agreeable flavour, probably the murnong, or native yam. There were opossum cloaks, kangaroo nets, and dillis neatly worked of koorajong bark, with spears of Brick- low acacia lying about, which they left as they found them, with the exception of a single turkey egg, which they ate, and pronounced excellent. From the last day of December, 1844, to Januaiy 12th, 1845, the party camped on the Comet Creek, and NOT MOLESTED BY THE NATIVES. 11 in its immediate ueig-libourliood at a branch creek. Here Dr. Leicliliardt disco\'ered a red passion-flower twining- round the trunk of a gum-tree, a cUmbing* capparis, and other plants. The valley was rich with verdure. They found portulac g-i-owing along the creek, which furnished an acceptable vegetable for their table. There were swarms of cockatoos greater than they had ever seen, vast numbers of ducks about the lagoons, and birds of various kinds and colours. Hitting about after the insects. There were plenty of kangaroos, wallabies, brush tur- keys, and bronze-winged pigeons. The natives, though in considerable numbers, did not molest them. In one of their exploratory excursions, they came ujDon a river into which the Comet Creek fell, and they called it the Mackenzie, after Sir Evan Mackenzie. On the 12tli of January they removed the camp to the Mackenzie, which at that season, though frequently from fifty to a hundred yards broad, formed only a chain of ponds or lakes, some of them of seven or eight miles long. The course of the river was towards the north-east, and has since been found to be a branch pf. the Fitzroy falling into Keppel Bay. The latitude of their camp was 23° 33' 3 8'^ A little to the north of the junction of Comet Creek with the Mackenzie, they crossed the hne afterwards taken by the North Austrahan Expedi- tion in 1856. In the dry and sandy parts of the river bed they found a bean with racemes of pink blossoms, running along the ground, or climbing round shrubs and trees. Its pods were from three to five inches long, and half an inch broad, containing from four to six seeds, very similar to a horse bean. This plant was afterwards found growing in the sandy beds, or along the bergs of almost all the broad rivers, and was always a welcome sight, for the seeds after roasting and pounding, afforded them a very agreeable substitute for coffee. Here find- ing the river running to the east, they began to fear the want of water as they proceeded noi-th-west, and spite of all the game they had seen, not having procured suffi- cient meat, they killed a bullock and jerked its flesh. The 12 THE COUNTRY ABOUNDING WITH CREEKS. natives appeared numerous, and tliey found tliem speak- ing a difierent idiom. Taking Brown with him, the Doctor set out to explore the country northwards. They found some fine lagoons, and in latitude 23° 10', ascended a hill which they named Mount Stewart. Having advanced still farther to the north-v/est, among hills and dense scrubs, they turned back, but soon lost their way, and were four days wandering in the bush, in a state of all but utter starva- tion. The whole country over which they had travelled was of sandstone, with occasional outbreaks of basalt, and its attendant black, fertile soil. The plains and creeks abounded with fossil wood, charged with iron-ore and silica. On the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of January, 1845, they travelled forward over the country which the Doctor had just explored, and encamped at a place about twenty-five miles north-west from Mount Stew- arts' Creek, and about thirty-fom* miles from the Mac- kenzie. Here Charley procm-ed them abundance of honey from the hollow trees, which was extremely aro- matic, from the quantity of marjoram growing there. To the Avestward of their camp on the 25th of Janu- ary, thev saw a large hill which they called West Hill ; and north and north-east they saw a very mountainous region. The country amongst the hills where they were abounded with creeks ; the one on which they encamped they named Newman's Creek. In an excursion along the hills, they at length saw extensive plains open out towards the west. These plains were richly grassed. To the various peaks of this range the Doctor gave the names of lloper's Peak, after one of the party ; to another Scott's Peak, to another Macarthur's Peak, to another Calvert's Peak, all after gentlemen of the colony. To the most remarkable he gave the names of Grilbert's Downs, after Mr. Gilbert of his party ; and to one south- west of Macarthur's Peak, Lowe's Peak after Mr. Eobert Lowe. There seemed, he observes, no end of isolated conical mountains, resembling the extinct volcanoes of Auvergne. But there was a dreadful want of water, THE DOCTOR RECONNOITRES NORTHWARDS. 1 ."i wliicli was a groat drawback from tlie beauty of tliu scenery. If water were plentiful, the Doctor remarks, the downs of Peak Range would be inferior to no country in the world. On iloper's Peak they found a yellow hibiscus, a new species. Mr. Gilbert made an expedition on horseback across the plains to the north-west, and found them rising in a succession of terraces till there appeared again in that direction other hills more imposing than Peak Range ; but there was no water, except in one lagoon which abounded with ducks. The trees were variously marked by the natives, and one mark resembling an anchor or broad arrow, he imagined had been made, though it was with a stone tomahawk, by some shipwrecked sailor, or runaway convict from Moreton Bay, when it was a penal settlement. At this they calculated their longi- tude to be 148° 19', their latitude 22° 57', and that they were 175 miles from Keppel's Bay, and 100 miles from Broad Sound. On the 2nd of February, Dr. Leichhardt took the two black-fellows with him, and rode northward to re- connoitre, and having passed Roper's and Scott's Peaks, they came to water in holes in the bed of a creek. Still advancing northward, they left the sandstone, and en- tered on a basaltic and fine country, with plenty of grass, though dried by the heat. They then came to a fine mountain, w^hich they named Phillips' Mountain, and other peaks of Peak Range, which they named Fletcher's Awl, Lord's Table Range, and Campbell's Peak. On the 12th of February they came through a rocky, sand- stone country, to a creek in a rich plain, vdiich they named Hughes' Creek. Here they camped. The country around greatly resembled that of Zamia Creek. On the sandy ridges grew abundance of grass-trees, and there they first found the graceful drooping tea-tree, Melaleuca Leucodendron, which always after was found to be near v/ater. An adjoining creek they named Tombstone Creek, from the upright isolated masses of sandstone, at the junction of the two creeks, thus worn by the waters. 14 COME UPON TWO BLACK WOMEN. Here the}' killed and feasted on two emus, and lioney wliicli Charley procured. A crow was shot and roasted, which they were astonished to find tender and excel- lent. They were, however, much tormented by black ants and hornets. On the 13th of February they came upon the dry channel of a river, which promised to be of importance. It came from the north and north-west ; large Hooded gums and casuarinas g-rew at intervals along its banks, with fine, open timbered flats on each side, terminated at a distance by belts of scrul). They suddenly, near the river, came upon two black women digging roots, and another, perched on the top of a high flooded gum- tree, was chopping out an opossum or a bee's-nest. The poor women on seeing them set up the most piteous screams, and began swinging their sticks and beating the trees, as if they were wild beasts, and were thus to be frightened away. In spite of friendly signs, the two women on the ground ran off, and the one on the tree refused to come down. When, however, they shouted " Yarrai," — water, she pointed down the river, and an- swered " Yarrai ya," which information they afterwards found correct. At the foot of the tree they found an infant, swathed in layers of tea-tree bark, and three or four large yams. Suddenly a great number of men, women and boys came running to the delivery of the screaming woman in the tree, but, on riding towards them, they turned and ran ofl' into the scrub. Having encamped at a lagoon near the channel of the river, the natives camping somewhere near, they began to trace the river northwards towards its sources. They soon came to ranges on its left bank, which they named Ooxon's Peak and Range, which were of sandstone, and fell off in terraces towards the east. The whole country to the coast appeared to be sandstone, and all in that direction was one immense sea of forest and scrub. Several streams appeared to faU into the Isaacs, as they named this river, or rather bed of a river, near this place. From Coxon's Range the exj^loring party re- DISAFFECTION OF THEIR BLACK SERVANTS. 15 turned to tlio river, Avliere they killed and cured a bnl- lock, and this time they made the discovery that the fat would dry just as Avell as the lean, and thus they added a g-reat essential to tlieir comfort, as the meat was far superior fried in a portion of fat, and on particular occa- sions they could indulge in fat-cakes, made of flour, and fried in tlieir ]rdu, a bush dainty to which I can add my approving testimony. At this place the two black fellows, Charley and Brown, Avho had for some time showed symptoms of disaffection, came to such a pitch — Charley even striking Leichhardt in the face — that Leichhardt banished them from the camp, which soon brought them to their senses. They begged humbly to be taken back, which, after some hesitation, was accorded, and they were ever after the better for it. Here, too, they lost their little terrier dog from intense heat, and their remaining kangaroo dog was only saved by Mr. Grilbert carrying it on horse- back during the terrible heat of the 21st of February. In following up the Isaacs they suffered still from scarcity of water; but on the 1st of March they arrived at some fine water-holes in the north branch of the Isaacs, and there they encamped,in latitude 21°42',longitude 148° 50'. After tracing the Isaacs up to its source, about seventy miles, seeing abundance of wallabies in its rocky caves, they came to the head of another creek, which they called Suttor Creek, and going four or five miles down it found fine water -holes. The valley of the Isaacs, says Dr. Leichhardt, is a fine country, running between two ranges ; perhaps one better adapted to pastoral pur- suits is not to be found. There was a want of water, but that season was a remarkably dry one all over the colony. The country of the Suttor near the head was rocky, but became more oj)en in descending. Casuarinas and Corypha palms adorned the feet of the ranges, both of the Isaacs and the Suttor, and the abundance of marjoram near the scrubs filled the air with a most ex- quisite odour. Mr. Eoper made an excursion westward, and brought word of fine plains, with rich, black soil. 16 TIMIDITY OJ' THE NATIVES. Travelling onward, tliey came to another watercourse running- north, which appeared to be the main channel of the Suttor. Its bed was sandy and shallow, with occasional patches of reeds ; on its left were scrubs, on its right well -grassed Hats, with l^astard box and iron- bark. Coming suddenly on a native man and woman, they hastily mounted into two trees, and on whichever side the travellers went to speak to them they moved round to the other, and kept their faces averted, no doubt from fear of magic, or deeming these white men spirits. They found here a new species of datura, and a species of hehotrope extremely fragrant. The Mac- kenzie bean, and other papilionacious Howers were abun- dant. Natives were numerous ; and for the first time since leaving Moreton Bay they came on primitive rock : there was a curiously close occurrence of flint mth granite rock. " Whilst riding on Easter Sunday with Charley along the banks of the Suttor," says Dr. Leichhardt, " I saw an old woman walking slowly and thoughtfully through the forest, supporting her slender, and apparently ex- hausted frame with one of the long sticks which the women use for digging roots. A child was running be- fore her. Fearing that she would be too much alarmed if we came too suddenly upon her — as neither our voices in conversation, nor the footfall of our horses, attracted her attention — I cooeed gently. After repeating the call two or three times, she turned her head, and in sudden fright she lifted her arms, and began to beat the air, as if to take wing, then, seizing the child, and shrieking most pitcously, she rapidly crossed the creek, and es- caped to the opposite ridges. What could she think, but that we were some of those imaginary beings, with legends of which the wise men of her people frighten the children into obedience, and whose strange forms, and stranger doings, are the favourite topics of conver- sation amongst the natives at night when seated round their fires ?" As they advanced they came on long reaches of water. THE EIVER BURDEKIN. 17 siUTOiinded by polyo'onums, and overgrown with l^lue nymplispas, damasoniums, and utricularias, and inhabited by large flocks of ducks. Corypha palms grew in abund- ance. Sometimes the rocks were of sienite, containing hornblende and mica, and then changing to limestone, with flat tops. In latitude 20° 49', a river as large as the Suttor itself joined it, coming from S.W. by W., and which changed the Suttor to the N.E. This tliey named Cape Eiver. The trees about it were silver-leaved iron- bark, rusty-gum, More ton Bay ash, and water-box, but stunted. The flooded gum and drooping tea-tree were alone large enough for building. In latitude 20° 41' 35" the country improved, and was beautifully grassed, openly timbered, sometimes flat, sometimes ridgy, and the ridges covered with pebbles. Here they camped at the foot of a mountain, which they called Mount M'Connell, where the Suttor, sweeping round to the east, joined another river, the bed of which, at its junction, was a mile broad. In the channels considerable streams were flowing north- eastward. There were about it pelicans, numbers of ducks, and black swans, being the most northern point at which they found the last. This river they named the Burdekin. At this camp on the Burdekin they killed another bullock, and moved forward on the 2nd of April. They observed flood-marks which showed that the river was sometimes from fifteen to eighteen feet above its banks. They did not climb Mount M'Connell, but observed that it was composed of domite, and the subordinate hills showed sienite. In the bed of the river there was quite a collection of primitive rocks ; there were pebbles of quartz, quartz-porphyry, felspathic-porphyry, sienite and hornblende. A very conspicuous hill, E.N.E. from the junction of the rivers, they named Mount Graham. They saw various cucurbitaceous fruits, which had been washed down by the floods, and amongst them a large calabash. The banks of the river were intersected by deep gullies and creeks. The forest vegetation was the same as that of the Suttor. They found numerous fig- VOL. II. 2 18 THE RIVER CLARKE. trees, from fifty to sixty feet high, vvitli a rich, shady foliage, and full of fruit of the size of a small apple, of agreeable flavour, but full of ants and small flies. The bed of the river was covered with the leguminous an- nual noticed at the Suttor, which grew so high and thick as nearly to conceal them when amongst it on horse- back. High ranges rose to the north-east, north, and north-west. Those to the east they named the Robey Eange. Still more to the north, in latitude 20° 14', they named the hills Porter's Ranges. Still farther north- ward the country became open and fine, and various creeks fell into the river as they advanced. In latitude 20° 8' 26", a range to the N.E. was named Thacker's Range. This hilly country continued to latitude 19° 12', where a river as large as the Burdekin itself fell into it from the west and south-west, which they named the Clarke, after the Sydney geologist, the Rev. W. B. Clarke. Much fine country was found amongst the hills along the Burdekin, with a great variety of rock formation. In some places great dykes of basalt, in others fossili- ferous limestone. They discovered a new fruit, about half-an-inch long, in taste like the fruit of the Loranthus, of which they eat a great quantity without injury. Some few miles before reachins; the Clarke the river suddenly turned westward, and at this bend a consider- able creek entered, which was named Bowen Creek. This was the nearest point on their journey to the east coast, and only about thirty miles from Halifax Bay. Any one consulting the map will observe, that though the proposed destination of the expedition was Port Essington, Leichhardt had, with a considerably tortuous course, held more nearly northward than westward. It was rather a coast journey than an interior one. No doubt the amount of good country which he found, and the number of new rivers led him 'on in a route so de- viating from his proposed goal. It was all valuable dis- covery of fresh country, and, therefore, he could scarcely be said to be out of his way. It, however, greatly THE DOCTORS DESCIIIPTION OF THEIR DAILY LIFE. 19 lengtliened it. From this point ho struck more west- ward, in direction for the eastern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Somewliat nortli of the junction of Clarke's Eiver witli the Burdekii), in latitude V,f [' [H", they fell in with another river coming- from the north, which they named the Perry. The country about the Perry, Leich- hardt describes as a fine, well grassed one. Here they encamped and killed another bullock. At this place the Doctor gives us a description of their daily life in the bush, which is so complete a picture of such life, that I shall present it to the reader : — *' The routine of one of our days will serve as an ex- ample of all the rest. I usually rise when I hear the merry laugh of the laughing jackass — Dacelo gigantea — which, from its regularity, has not been inaptly named the settler's clock ; a loud cooee then rouses my com- panions ; Brown to make tea, Mr, Calvert to season the stew with salt and marjoram, and myself and the others to wash, and to prepare our breakfast, which for the party consists of two pounds and a half of meat stewed over night ; and to each a quart pot of tea. Mr. Cal- vert then gives to each his portion, and by the time this important duty is performed, Charley generally arrives with the horses, which are then prepared for their day's duty. After breakfast, Charley generally goes with John and Murphy to fetch the bullocks, which are generally brought in a little after seven o'clock, a.m. The work of loading follows, but this requires very little time now, our stock being much reduced ; and, at about a quarter to eight o'clock, we move on, and continue travelKng four hours, and, if possible, select a spot for our camp. " The camp fixed, and the horses and bullocks un- loaded, we have all our allotted duties. To make the fire falls to my share ; Brown's duty is to fetch water for tea ; and Mr. Calvert weighs out a pound and half of flour for a fat cake, which is enjoyed more than any other meal. The large tea-pot being empty, Mr. Cal- 2—2 20 THEIR VARIOUS OCCrPATIONS. vert weighs out two pounds and a half of dry meat to be stewed for our late dinner ; and during the afternoon every one follows his own pursuits, such as washing and mending clothes, repairing saddles, pack-saddles, and packs. My occupation is to write my log, and lay down my route, or make an excursion in the vicinity of the camp to botanize, etc., or ride out reconnoitring. My companions also write down their remarks, and wander about gathering seeds, or looking for curious pebbles. Mr. Gilbert takes his gun to shoot birds. A loud cooee again unites us towards sunset round our table-cloth ; and while enjoying our meal, the subject of the day's journey, the past, the present, and the future, by turns engage our attention, and furnish matter for conversation and remark, according to the respective humour of the parties. Many circumstances have con- spired to make me strangely taciturn, and I am now scarcely pleased even with the chattering humour of my youngest companion, whose spirits instead of flag- ging, have become more buoyant and lively than ever. I consider it, however, my invariable duty to give every information I can, whenever my companions inquire, or show a desire to learn ; and I am happy to find that they are desirous of making themselves familiar with the objects of nature by wdiicli they are surrounded, and of understanding their mutual relations. Mr. Roper is of a more silent disposition ; Mr. Calvert likes to speak, and has a good stock of small talk, with which he often enlivens our dinners. He is in that respect an excellent companion, being full of jokes and stories, which, though old and sometimes quaint, are always pure, and serve the more to exhilarate the party. Mr. Grilbert has travelled much, and consequently has a rich store of im^ressio?is de voyage ; his conversation is generally very pleasing, and instructive, in describing the characters of countries he has seen, and the manners and customs of the people he has known. He is well informed in Aus- tralian ornithology. As night approaches, we retire to our beds. The two blackfellows and myself spread out TIIEY riXD A FINK PASTUIUL COUNTRY. 21 each our own under the canopy of heaven, whilst Messrs. Eoper, Calvert, Gilbert, Murphy, and Phillips, have their tents. Mr. Calvert entertains lloper with his conversation; John amuses Gilbert; Erown tunes ujj his corroborie son^-s, in which Charley, until their late quarrel, generally joined. Brown sings well, and his melodious, plaintive voice, lulls me to sleep, when other- wise I am not disposed. Mr. Phillips is rather singular in his habits, he erects his tent generally at a distance from the rest, under a shady tree, or in a green bower of shrubs, where he makes himself as comfortable as the place will allow, by spreading branches and grass under his couch, and covering his tent with them, to keep it shady and cool, and even planting lilies in blossom — Crinum — before his tent, to enjoy their sight during the short time of our stay. As the night advances, the blackfellow's songs die away ; the chatting tongue of Murphy ceases, after having lulled Mr. Gilbert to sleep, and at last even Mr. Calvert is silent, as lioper's short answers l^ecome few and far between. The neisrhino- of the tethered horses, the distant tinkling of the bell, or the occasional cry of night-birds, alone interrupt the silence of our camp. The fire which was bright as long as the corroborie songster kept it stirred, gradually gets dull, and smoulders slowly under the large pot, in which our meat is simmering ; and the bright constellations of heaven pass unheeded over the heads of the dreaming wanderers of the wilderness, until the summons of the laughing jackass recalls them to the business of the day."— P. 233. In folloAving the Perry N.W.W., they came upon fields of basaltic lava, the rocks coming down close to the river. In the scrub they found a low Mulberry- tree, the fruit of which was good, but small. As they advanced, they arrived at extensive lagoons, in an ex- tensive district of water, grass, mountains, plains, forest- land, and all the elements of a fine pastoral country. They saw a leguminous tree, which thence became com- mon all over the north. At the termination of this stretch of country they came to a dividing range from 22 THE RIVER LYND. two to three thousand feet high. The principal height they named Mount Lang, after Dr. Lang the Sydney historian. These ranges were chiefly of pegmatite, a species of granite, with outbursts of basalt and streams of lava, that had descended to their feet. Finding it imjDossible to cross these mountains, Dr. Leichhardt fol- lowed the feet of the hills for some distance southwards, to get round them, but in vain. He then directed his course northwards with the same intent. At this camp some natives came up, and seeing the bullocks, asked if they were not their gins, an idea furnished by the black- fellow's gins being really their beasts of burden. The travellers to show them the power of fire-arms, shot at a kite settling on one of the trees, but it not being hit, they laughed loudly at the poor fire-arm. Here the party had the misfortune to have the leg of a horse broken, and they therefore, killed it and dried its flesh for use, which they found very fair. Mr. lioper had nearly lost his life by another horse, which he al^surdly caught by the tail to stop him, and received a severe kick in the chest in return. In this journey some of them were fifty hours without water, but on May 17th they came upon a creek, which they called Separation Creek, in re- gard to its geological position between granite and ba- saltic formations. North of this creek they found a passage through the hills, and having rounded them south- ward, came upon a river, to their satistaction floAvning N.W., which they named the Lynd. Whilst encamp- ing on its banks, let us take another peep into the mind of the traveller and its Avorkings on such a journey ; — " During the leisure moments of the day, or at the commencement of night, when seated at my fire, all my thoughts seemed rivetted to the progress and success of my journey, and to the new objects we liad met with during the day. I had then to com])el myself to think of absent friends and past times, and the thoughts that they supposed me dead, or unsuccessful in my enterprise, brought me back innnediately to my favourite object. Much, indeed, the greater portion of my journey had A traveller's delight at finding water. 23 been occupied in long* reconnoitring^ rides ; and he wlio is thus occupied is in a continual state of excitement, now buoyant with hope, as he urges on his horse towards some distant range, or blue mountain, or as he follows the favourable bend of a river ; now all despairing and miserable, as he approaches the foot of the range without finding water, from which he could again start with renewed strength, or as the river turns in an unfa- vourable direction, and slips out of his course. Evening approaches ; the sun has sunk below the horizon for some time, but still he strains his eye through the gloom for the dark verdure of a creek, or strives to follow the arrow flight of a pigeon, the flapping of whose mngs had filled him with a sudden hope, from which he re- lapses again into a still greater sadness ; with a sickened heart he drops his head to a broken and interrupted rest, whilst his horse is standing hobbled at his side, unwil- ling from excessive thirst to feed on the dry grass. How often have I found myself in these different states of the brightest hope and the deepest misery, riding along, thirsty, almost lifeless, and ready to drop from my saddle with fatigue ; the poor horse tired like his rider, foot- sore, stumbling over every stone, running heedlessly against the trees, and wounding my knees ! But, sud- denly, the note of Grallina Australis, the call of cock- atoos, or the croaking of frogs, is heard, and hopes are bright again ; water is certainly at hand ; the spur is applied to the flank of the tired beast, which already partakes in his rider's anticipations, and quickens his pace, and a lagoon, a creek, or a river is before him. The horse is soon unsaddled, hobbled, and well washed ; a fire is made, the teapot is put to the fire, the meat is dressed, the enjoyment of the poor reconnoitrer is per- fect, and a prayer of thanlvfulness to the Almighty Grod, who protects the wanderer on his journey, bursts from his grateful lips." — P. 266. The course of the Lynd proved the most rocky and mountainous country they had ever travelled. The ranges formed the banks of the river itself, and frequently 24 THEY COME UPON A CAMP OF NATIVES. even entered its bed. Issuing from the granite and basaltic passes in latitude 17° 54' 4'', tbey suddenly came on a camp of natives, who fled, and left their dinner of roasted bandicoot and yams. Their knives also left behind were formed of sharp flints bound to handles with human hair. A fine rock crystal was found in one of their bags. On this more open, but still rough, coun- try they found various new trees and plants ; a new Grevillea, with scarlet flowers ; the native cotton trees, with bright yellow ones, and large cajDSules of silky cotton ; the exocarpus latifolius, a very diflerent shrub from the exocarpus cupressiformis, or native cherry, with fruit which was agreeable, as was its kernel. Here they killed another bullock, but found plenty of work to defend the drying meat from the kites, mihus isiurus and the crows. Here they found all their salt used up, and had to imitate the natives, and do without it. On the 1st of June they camped upon the Lynd in latitude 17° 45' 40". Soon after they sui'prised some natives in their camp, who left their kooKmans, water ves- sels, full of bee-bread, the tubers of a vine, the roots of a bean, and bitter potatoes — their supper. Here also they saw one of the venerated rock crystals. The koolimans were made of the inner layer of the bark of the stringy- bark tree. The whole extent of this mountainous country was of porphyry with crystals of quartz and felsjDar in a grey paste. On both sides of it the rocks were of granite and pegmatite with talc schist in the bed of the river. The Lynd ran north-west. On the 5th they arrived at a range which they named Kirchner's Range, where the river was half a mile wide, j^arts of the channel being scrub, in wliich they saw a species of myrtle. The sarcocephalus was the chief tree of the river, but the clustered fig of the Burdekin and the cot- ton were there. On the 8th of June they came upon sandstone and a consequent change of vegetation. Various creeks fell into the river. Seeing that the natives steeped the liowers of tlie drooping tea-tree for drink on account of THE MITCHELL KIVEK. ZO their lioney, they did the same, and found it very agree- able. They were astonished to find on tlie banks of the river a saw-fisli which, they imai^ined, confined itself exckisively to salt water. Another thing too surprised them, which were tw^o-storied huts, or gunyahs of the natives, formed by a floor of stringy bark raised on four ])()les, and otlier bark bent over the floor so as at once to secure a defence from damp below and rain above. On the IGth, in latitude 17° 58', they found the Lynd fall- ing into another river, which they named the Mitchell after the explorer. The bed of the Mitchell was very broad, sandy, and quite bare of vegetation, showing the frequent recurrence of floods, A small stream w^andered through the sheet of sand, and sometimes expanded into large w^ater holes. The bergs were covered with fine blood-wood trees, stringy-bark, and box. At a distance from the river the trees became scanty and scattered, and still farther, small plains extended, clothed but sparingly with av,dry grass. These plains were bounded by a forest of the acacia of Expedition Eange. Running parallel with the river, were large and deep lagoons full of large and various fish, and covered mth the broad leaves of the villarsia and nympha^^a. Such was the scenery of the Mitchell, as first seen. Near here they had the misfortune to find their pony poisoned by eating some deleterious plant, or bitten by a serpent. It was swollen, bleeding from the mouth, and dead, when found. Here they killed another of their cattle. On the Lynd they had also, for the first time, become acquainted with the green ant, which lives in trees, and is such a nuisance to those who pass under. In the Mitchell they now, for the first time also, saw the crocodile. This Avas a proof that they were approaching the sea. They now began to see a change in the vegetation and the birds. They procured also from the natives a quantity of the nymphiea seeds, wliich they fried in fat, and found very agreeable and nutritive. They also began to see palm trees larger than the cory- pha, some forty and fifty feet high. 2G MR. GILBERT IS KILLED. Dr. Leicliliardt, now finding that tlie Mitcliell would Lead them too far towards tlie north, determined to cut across westward to the Gulf of Carpentaiia. This he did in latitude 15° 52' 38''. Having travelled a few miles, they encamped by a lagoon. The kites here were so daring that they hung on the trees over their heads, and whilst at dinner pounced down on their plates, and carried off their meat. One, not satisfied with imitating the harpies of Yirgil, snatched a skinned specimen of a new species of honey-bird out of Mr. Grilbert's tin case. What was worse, they found the country swarming with natives, and these of a hostile disposition. They disco- vered a strong party of them driving oft' their bullocks, and another party prepared to spear them. The firing of a gun put them to flight, but they did not abandon their hostile intentions. The next day the party tra- velled about nine miles over a beautiful country of plains, forest lands, and chains of lagoons. They crossed a stream which they beheved to be the Nassau ; and at evening they encamped by a lagoon surrounded by a narrow belt of small tea trees. At night, under cover of these tea trees, the treacherous natives stole upon them, and, when the part had just retired to rest, at- tacked them with a shower of spears, whicli killed the naturalist, Mr. Gilbert. The scene is thus described by Leichhardt : — " As the water occupied the lower part of this basin only, I deposited our luggage in the upper j)art. Mr. Koper and Mr. Calvert made their tent within the belt of trees, with its opening towards the heap of luggage, whilst Mr. Gilbert and Murphy constructed theirs amongst the little trees, with its entrance from the camp. Mr. Phillips's was, as usual, far from the others, and at the opposite side of the water. Our fire-place was made outside of the trees, on the banks. Brown had shot six whistling ducks and four teal, which gave us a good dinner, dming whicli the principal topic of conversation was our probable distance from the sea coast, as it was here that we first found broken sea-shells leichhaudt's description of the scene. 27 at tlie fires of the natives. After dinner, Messrs. ]{oper and Calvert retired to their tent, and Mr. Gilbert, Jolin, and Brown, were platting palm-leaves to make a hat, and I stood musing near their fire-place, looking at their work, and occasionally joining in their conversation. Mr. Gilbert was congratulating himself upon having succeeded in learning to ])lat ; and when he had nearly completed a yard, he retired with John to their tent. It was about seven o'clock, and I stretched myself on the ground, as usual, at a little distance from the fire, and fell into a doze, from which I was suddenly roused by a loud noise, and a call for help from Calvert and Eoper. Natives had suddenly attacked us. They had doubtless watched our movements during the forenoon, and marked the position of the difierent tents, and as soon as it was dark, sneaked upon us, and threw a shower of spears at the tents of Calvert, lioper, and Gilbert, and a few at that of Phillips, and also one or two towards the fire. Charley and Brown called for caps, which I hastened to find, and as soon as they were provided, they discharged their guns into the crowd of natives, who instantly fled, leaving Calvert and lloper pierced with several spears, and severely beaten by their waddies. Several of these spears were barbed, and could not be extracted without difficulty. I had to force one through the arm of Roper, to break ofi' the barb, and to cut another out of the groin of Mr. Calvert. John Mui'phy had succeeded in getting out of the tent and concealing himself behind a tree, whence he fired at the natives, and severely wounded one of them before Brown had discharged his gun. Not seeing Mr. Gilbert, I asked for him, when Charley told me that our unfortunate companion was no more ! He had come out of his tent with his gun, shot and powder, and handed them to him, when he instantly dropped down dead. Upon receiving this aftecting intelligence, JL hastened to the spot, and found Charley's account too true. He was lying on the ground at a little distance from our fire, and upon examining him, I soon found, to my sorrow, that every sign of life had disappeared. The 28 PRECAUTIONS TAKEN TO PREVENT ANOTHER SURPRISE. body was, however, still warm, and I opened the veins of both arms, as well as the temporal artery, but in vain ; the stream of life had stopped, and he was numbered with the dead. " As soon as we recovered from the panic into which we were thrown by this fatal event, ever}^ precaution was taken to prevent another surprise. We watched through the night, and extinguished our fires, to conceal our individual position from the natives. " A strong wind blew from the southward, which made the night distressingly cold ; it seemed as if the wind blew through our bodies. Under all the circum- stances that had happened, we passed an anxious night in a state of most painful suspense as to the fate of our still surviving companions. Mr. Roper had received two or three spear wounds in the scalp of his head ; one spear had passed through his left arm, another into his cheek, below the jugal bone, and penetrated the orbit and injured the optic nerve, and another in his loins, besides a heavy blow on the left shoulder. Mr. Galvei't had received several severe blows from a waddi ; one on the nose, which had crushed the nasal bones ; one on the elbow, and another on the back of his hand ; be- sides which a barbed spear had entered his groin. Both suffered great pain, and were scarcely able to move. The spear that had terminated poor Gilbert's existence had entered the chest between the clavical and the neck, but made so small a wound, that for some time I was unable to detect it. From the direction of the wound, he had probably received the spear when stooping to leave his tent. " The dawning of the morning, the 29th, was gladly welcomed, and I proceeded to examine and dress the wounds of my companions more carefully than I had been able to do in the darkness of the night. Very early, we heard the coofees of the natives, who seemed wailing, as if one of their number was either killed or severely wounded ; for we found stains of blood on their tracks. They disappeared, however, very soon, for on reconuoi- COME IN SIGHT OF THE GULF. 29 tiing" the place, I saw notliini;" of tlieni. T interred the body of our ill-fated conipauion in the afternoon, and read the funeral service of the Church of England over him. A large fire Avas afterwards made over the grave, to prevent the natives detecting and disturbing the body. Our cattle and horses, fortunately, had not been molested." — P. 307. Almost every Australian expedition of exploration seems as if it must have its victim, and thus fell poor Gilbert, a martyr to his zeal in his pursuit of knowledge of natural history. For fear of the return of the natives, and of their injuring or killing their cattle and horses, the party was compelled to proceed on their journey, notwithstanding the wounded condition of Calvert and Eoper ; but although the shaking of the horses on which they were mounted was extremely painful, their wounds healed well and rapidly, no doubt from the healthy state of their bodies from constant exercise and simple diet. On the 1st of July they left this disastrous spot, and travelled on towards the gulf till the 5th, when they came in sight of it. Their journey was over plains abounding with emus and pandanus groves, with ant- hills built up like turretted pillars live feet high, in rows and clusters, presenting a strange appearance. They also found a middle-sized, shady tree, with a leaf like an elm, bearing a sort of oblong, yellow j)lum, with a rather rough stone. They called this tree the Nonda, from one resembling it in the Moreton Bay district. The natives and the emus fed largely on it, and the travellers found it very agreeable. On reaching a salt-water creek lined with mangrove trees. Brown speared a mullet, and they then came upon a fine salt-water river, whose banks were covered with an open, well grassed forest. " The first sight of the salt water," says Leichhardt, " was hailed by all with feelings of indescribable plea- sure, and by none more than by myself, although tinc- tured with regret in not having succeeded in bringing my whole party to the end of what I was sanguine enough to think the most difficult part of my journey. 80 A NATIVE IN THE CAMP. We had now discovered a line of communication by land between the eastern coast of Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria. We had travelled along never failing, and, for the most part, running waters, and over an excellent country, available, almost in its whole extent, for pas- toral purposes." Having reached this first great point in their journey, they remained in camp the whole day, to rest the animals ; and some of the men went to fish, hoping to catch enough to dry and carry witb them, but were disappointed in the quantity. They were now come upon that great region of plains on the south-eastern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, which Captain Stokes thought so favourable for a settle- ment, and as a point of departure into the interior. From the 7th of July to the 9th they travelled over such plains till they reached Van Diemen Eiver, wliich they found seventy or eighty yards broad, with steep banks, and a fine sandy bed, containing detached pools of water surrounded by polygonum. The country around was a fine, open, grassy, forest land, in wliich the apple-gum prevailed, and with many swampy, grassy lagoons, covered mth white, blue and pink nymphseas. Acacias, mangrove-myrtle trees, and Grevilleas abounded on their way thither. Suddenly one evening, a native stood in the midst of their camp, as much surprised to see himself there as they were at the apparition. He had, no doubt, mistaken the fire for that of his own people. On discovering liis error, he climbed up into a tree, whence it was in vain to persuade him to descend. He stood and birred and poohed, and spat at them, frantically shouting " Mareka ! Mareka !" He then began to sing his most lamentable corroborie songs, and then cried like a child. As nothing could pacify him, as, on approaching him, he broke ofi' branches and flung at them, they at length retired to a distance to allow him to descend, which he did in quick time, and disappeared. The next morning the whole tribe ap- peared at a distance, armed, and watching them depart, but not venturing to approach. THEY REACH THE RIVER ALBERT. 31 They passed mncli euphorbia on the plains, which tlio horses eat without damage, and also native melons, which were tolerable when peeled. The kites were as audacious here as before, and one pounced down and carried off out of the doctor's hand the fat gizzard of a bustard, which he was just going to grill. About thir- teen miles more south, they crossed a small river, in a very beautiful and grassy country, which they named the Gilbert, after their lost companion. The camps of the natives were numerous, and various Grevilleas, bau- hinias, Balfourias, box, and apple-gums abounded. They saw at the native camps, huts four or five feet high, and eight or ten feet in diameter ; one of them was storied, as those at the Lynd. They were thatched with straw or tea-tree bark. On the 17th they reached the river Carron, which was rather a large creek, dry, but having parallel lagoons near it, covered with nymphseas, and made pleasant by forests of Grevillea and the beautiful drooping tea-tree. Charley occasionally shot an emu or a black ibis, but not sufficient to satisfy him, and he said it was a miserable country, nothing to shoot at, nothing to look at but box-trees and ant-hills. The Doctor, however, thought squatters would form a different opinion of it. As they advanced the game increased, and they killed above fifty ducks, spoonbills, etc., and three emus. Crossing the Plains of Promise of Captain Stokes, they suddenly surprised a native camp, where the people all escaped except a little boy, who had been asleep. He was very much frightened, but defended himself manfully, throwing a stick at Leichhardt, and struggling stoutly when the Doctor caught hold of him to give him a present. His mother, seeing this, came down a hill to meet him, and joked him, and laughed at his adventure, perceiving that no harm was meant. On the 6tli of August they had reached the river Albert, having seen evidence all the way of a numerous native population, and finding in one place the foot of an emu very well carved in the bark of a tree. In one case they had to 32 CROSS NUMEROUS CREEKS. discharge their pistols over the heads of the blacks, who came out against them armed. In some of their camps they found good supplies of convolvulus roots and terminalia gum. Here they killed another bullock. They had also crossed a river, which has since been named Leichhardt's River. Emus and other game were plentiful on these plains. On the 20th of August they arrived at a small, Irat running river, in longitude 138° 55', which they named the Nicholson, after an early patron of Dr. Leichhardt's, Dr. Nicholson of Bristol. On the 25th of August, on a lagoon they saw the contrivance, which they had no- ticed once before, of the natives to take emus. They had made a fence of dry sticks all round the lagoon, ex- cept at one place, and lying in wait for these birds when they came to drink, as soon as they entered the margin of the lagoon through the opening, they ran forward and entered after them. As these birds cannot fly, they were now in a complete trap, and easily killed. Still journeying along the Grulf, they crossed suc- cessively a number of creeks and small rivers, Moonlight Creek, Smith's Creek, the Marlow, Turner's Creek, Wentworth's Creek, the Van Alphen of the Dutch navigators, Calvert's River, and on the 9th of September camped on Abel Tasman's River, in longitude 137° 23'. Here they came upon a rocky country, where they least expected it, and they encamped at a little creek running through a sandstone channel. Instead of the silence Avhich had long prevailed at night, here a variety of sounds enlivened it. Frogs croaked amongst the reeds, crickets chirped, and owls hooted. They heard the cries of goat-suckers and the bleating of wallabies, that came down to drink, and w^ere alarmed at the horses. Fish splashed in the water, and mosquitoes hummed. The banks of the river showed Cycas palms; the glucking bird was heard again. The pandanus fruit, fine-looking, was ripe, but took the skin off theii- mouths in eating it, and was only rendered mild by scraping off the pulp and boiling it. STOPPED BY THE RIVEIl MACAUTHUR. 33 In longitude 137° -V they came to a river, which they called Seven Emu Eiver, Ijecause they killed so many young emus there, and now travelled on through a suc- cession of zamia and cycas groves, and scrubs of tea- tree and salicornia, to a river, which they called the Kobinson. Here they observed in the camps of the natives that they first boiled the pandanus fruit, to ob- tain the sweet substance between its fibres, and then roasted it for the kernels. They were falling into a desperate condition as regarded shirts and other clothing, and had only preserved their shoes by wearing mocassins of bullock hide over the softer country. Mr. Gilbert's stock of clothes had been divided amongst them, and aided a little. Their tea was also exhausted, as their sugar had long been. They pounded and boiled the seeds of the sterculia for a l3everage. The emus here they found so dry that they did not famish oil enough to fry their own flesh. The leguminous iron-bark, the white-barked tree of Tasman, the fig-tree, and sterculia grew in the forest. On the 21st of September they were stopped by the largest salt-water river which they had seen, and had to ascend it a great way before they could cross it. They named it Macarthur, after James and William Mac- arthur of Camden. They here discovered that the hide of bullocks made good soup,'^and henceforward this be- came a great resource to them, even pieces of hide that had long been dried and used to cover other things. They discovered here, too, that the fruit of the drooping grevillea had a great power of raising blisters, and also of rendering the skin where it touched black as nitrate of silver. The bean of the Mackenzie now furnished them their coffee : they were reduced to all kinds of ex- periments to live. On October the 6th they saw an island out at sea, Avhicli they believed to be what was marked in Arrow- smith's map as Cape Maria. This was a place notable to the travellers from the sacrifice demanded. The di- minished number of the pack-bullocks, and the ex- VOL. 11. 8 34 COMPELLED TO MAKE A GREAT SACRIEICE. hausted condition of both them and the horses, com- pelled them to reduce their baggage. Dr. Leichhardt had to abandon his paper for diyiug plants, his speci- mens of woods, and a small collection of specimens of rocks made by Mr. Grilbert, as well as all the duplicates of the zoological specimens. Such a sacrifice could not be made without a lively regret. Near this point they discovered a river, which from falHng into the Limmen Bight, they called the Lim- men Bight Eiver. In the swamps near it they found the younger leaves of the bulrush tolerable eating. They were now again amongst mid geese and ducks, alligators, and thickets of acacia. In crossing the river they saw a long, funnel-shaped, fish-trap, made by the natives of the flexible stems of flagellaria. The latitude was now 15° 13' (P) and longitude, 135° 30'. From the Limmen Bight Eiver to one which they called the Wickham, they passed over stony ranges, and amongst lagoons, and through scrubby country, and saw south- ward four flat-topped cones of sand-stone, which they named The Four Archers, from four brothers of that name at Moreton Bay. The country abounded with wallabies and large kangaroos. After leaving the Wick- ham they lost their kangaroo dog, through fatigue and thirst, a great loss to them, as he had furnished their table on many an occasion. They now struck westward across the great Amhem peninsular, for Port Essington, and on October the lOtli, they came upon a river flowing from the west towards the Bight, which they named after one of the party, the Boper. The country was still of the same character, the natives numerous. In passing this river, which lay deep between muddy banks, they had three of their horses drowned, and here, in fact, misfortunes began to come rapidly upon them with their cattle. This obliged the Doctor to abandon a great part of his botanical collections, as well as that of Mr. Gilbert. On the 23rd of October they named a creek Hodgson's Creek, and TIIEY REACH SOUTH ALLIGATOR RIVER. 35 soo]i after the river Eoper divided into two branches, the northern branch of wliich tliey named tlie Wilton. Following the more eastward flowing branch they again had a horse drowned, by which their horses were reduced to nine. The country still continued rocky. Eound the water holes grew a species of native .tobacco. On the 37th they found themselves on fine grassy plains, but were nearly surprised again in their camj) by hostile natives. They were able to shoot abundance of flying foxes. Their cattle were growing very much exhausted with the heat and rocky roads, but they were so urged by necessity they could give them very little rest. They were compelled soon to kill two other bullocks for food, and became more and more involved amongst rocks and gulHes. They had but one bullock left, when, on the 24th of November, they reached the South Alligator Eiver, about 60 miles from its mouth, and 140 miles from Port Essington. The bed of the river was densely fringed with pandanus ; the hollows and flats were covered with groves of drooping tea-trees. Ridges of sand-stone and conglomerate approached the river in several places, and at their base were seen some fine reedy and rushy lagoons, teeming with, wild fowl, and around them were black ibises, and white and black cockatoos. As they advanced they were impeded by great swamps, and the water pools swanned with wild fowl. On the 26th they fell in with natives, who had an English shawl and neckerchief, and an iron tomahawk, showing their vicinity to white people. They knew Pichenelumbo, Van Diemen's Grulf, and pointed north- west when the travellers asked for it. Amongst these swamps and lagoons, interspersed by rich grassy plains, they had plenty of fish and game, and they understood the use of fire-arms, and wanted Brown to go and shoot geese for them. On the 2nd of December they came upon natives speaking English, and were delighted to hear the words " Commandant !" " Come here !" " Veiy good !" "What's your name?" etc. They were a well-fonned 3—2 36 KINDLY RECEIVED BY CAPTAIN MACARTHUR. race, and very kind, giving them the rind of the rose- coloured enganea apple ; the cabbage of the Seaforthia palm, and the nut-like swelling of the rhizoma of either a grass or sedge, the last being found excellent. One of these natives went as guide with them to the East Alligator, which they reached December 3rd. The country still abounded with geese and flying foxes, of which the travellers procui'ed numbers. E-ocks and hills to the north and east drove them near to the coast. On the 9th of December they saw the track of a buflalo. Natives still flocked around them, from whom the travellers asked for "Allamur," the thick part of the sedge before mentioned. One of these natives, named Nyuall, contrasted the condition of these white jDeople with those of Balanda, Port Essington : — " You no bread, no flour, no rice, no backi, you no good ! Balanda plenty bread, plenty flour, plenty rice, plenty backi ! Balanda very good!" On the 11th they managed to shoot a buflalo, which put them out of all danger of want of meat, and enabled them to take on their last bullock to Port Essington. These buffaloes had been introduced from Malay to Port Essington and Eaffles Bay, and, straying into the forest, w^re, as the natives asserted, become numerous. Nothing further of moment occurred from this time to the 17th of December, Avhen they arrived at Port Essington. The conclusion of this narrative may be given in their own words : — " On the Vollir we came on a cart road, wdiich wound round the foot of a high hill ; and having j)a8sed the garden, with its fine cocoa-nut palms, the white houses, and a row of snug thatched cottages, burst suddenly upon us ; the house of the commandant being to the right, and separated from the rest. We were most kindly received by Captain Macarthm*, the commandant of Port Essington, and by the other officers, who with the greatest kindness and attention su2:)pUed us with every- thing that we wanted. I was, says Dr. Leichhardt, deeply affected in finding myself again in ci^dhzed society, and could scarcely speak, the words growing big THEY ARRIVE AT SYDNEY. 37 with tears and emotion ; and even now, when considering with what small means the Almic^hty had enabled me to perform such a long journey, my heart thrills in grateful acknowledgment of his infinite kindness." After a month's stay at Port Essington, the party embarked in the schooner Heroine, Captain Mackenzie, and arrived in Sydney on the 29th of March, 1846, where they were naturally received with great exultation. It liad long been imagined that the whole expedition had perished. In 1845 Mr. Hodgson was sent out with a pai-ty, to endeavour to ascertain the truth of these rumours, but the reports of the different tribes, and other indications, convinced him that tlie expedition was safe, and he returned. A pubKc subscription was now raised to reward the successful adventurers, and £1500 was soon raised. To this the colonial government added £1000; and these sums were presented at a public meeting, at which the speaker of the assembly. Dr., now Sir Charles Nicholson, presided. Of these amounts Dr. Leichhardt received as his portion £1454. The two natives. Brown and Charley were not forgotten, they received about £100. Leichhardt did not long remain at rest. In the beginning of the year 1847 he set out on an expedition, the object of which was to examine the country between ^litchell's last track and his own ; but owing to a series of accidents and mischances which befel his party, he was obhged to return. Nothing daunted, however, by this failure, he showed himself ready to engage in a far more arduous enterprise. The object of the new expe- dition was to explore the interior of Australia ; to discover the extent of Sturt's Desert, and the character of the western and north-western coast, so as to observe the gradual change in animal life from ono side of the continent to the other. It is obvious from what Stuart, Gregory, M'Kinlay, Howitt, and others have since seen of this great western desert, that it was next to an impossi- l^ihty to penetrate through it after a long and exhausting journey from the eastern coast. Instead of a Central, 219SGi 38 DR. LEICHHARDT SETS OUT ON A NEW EXPEDITION. it has been sliown to be a Western Desert, and at tbe spot where Mr. Walker, in 1862, came upon his trail, and saw trees marked with the letter L. namely, in latitude 22°, and longitude 145°, he was moving directly towards this terrible desert, yet was considerably to the east of Landsborough's tract from the Grulf of Carpentaria southward which skirted this desert, at least 250 miles east of M'Kinlay's tract, and 350 miles east of the tract of Burke and Wills, which still only passed partially through it. He had, therefore, little less than 2000 miles still between him and the western coast, and nearly the whole of it through this burning desert, which has still defied every effort to penetrate it in that direction, which has defied all the efiforts of explorers from south to north, except those of Burke and Wills at the east of this line, and Stuart's, made by successive eftbrts from difierent points. No wonder then that he never re- appeared, and that the fate of himself and all his party remains a mystery yet to be solved. Dr. Leichhardt did not expect himself to complete this overland journey to Swan River in less that two years and a half. He set out in October of 1847 from Sydney for Moreton Bay. He proposed to make his way to the Barcoo, the Victoria E-iver of Mitchell, or to follow his old route as far as Peak Bange, before he struck oflT westward; as his course, however, depended on water, he thought it prol^able that he should be obliged to reach the Gulf of Carpentaria, and follow up some river to its source. This accomplished, he would endeavour to find the most practicable route to Swan Biver. By a letter received from him December G, 1847, his party consisted of six whites and two blacks. The whites were himself, the Messrs. Hentig, Classen, a German, and relative of Leichhardt's, Donald Stuart, and Kelly. His stock consisted of fifty bullocks, twenty of which had been presented to him by J. P. Bobinson, and thirty by the government ; thirteen mules, twelve horses, and 270 goats. His provisions consisted of 800 pounds of flour, 120 pounds of tea, 100 j^ounds of salt. He FEARS THAT HE HAD BEEN MURDERED. 39 liad 250 pounds ol' shot, and forty pounds of powder. In the letter received from liim February tlie Sfith, 1848, he dechired liis intention of saih'np^ down the Condamine, going to the higoon, following Mitchell's outward track to the most northern bend of the Victoria, and then proceeding northward to some decided water of the gulf, and then to resume his original course westward. He expected to reach Swan Kiver about the end of 1849 or the beginning of 1850. But more than that time elapsed, and there were no tidings of him and his party. Fears were first excited for the safety of Leichhardt towards the close of 1850. Three years had nearly elapsed since his departure, and it was now called to mind that, though he had been suc- cessful in one expedition, he had failed in another, and Kennedy's fate was ominously mentioned. It was sug- gested that an expedition should be fitted out for the double purpose of making a journey to the Grulf of Carpentaria, and searching for the lost adventurer ; but it was not till the month of January, 1852, that an expedition, under Mr. Hoveden Hely, was sent out for the latter purpose. It consisted of seven white men and three blacks, and was provided with sixteen horses and fifteen mules, and supplied with provisions for nine months. He proposed to proceed from the Darling Downs along the Dawson as far as Peak Range, where, in a spot known to himself, he hoped to find letters or other traces of Leichhardt. In this object he failed, and he wrote from the Balonne Eiver in July to the Colonial Secretary, stating that in consequence of j)osi- tive assurances by the natives of the murder of a party of white men on a creek ten days' journey from Mount Abundance, he had altered his route. Two blacks, one of whom professed to knov/ all tlie circumstances of the murder, led him to an old camping place of Sir Thomas Mitchell's, and picked up sheep's bones and other remains as proofs of their story. The account given by one of the blacks, then only about sixteen, was that he remembered the massacre 40 NATIVE ACCOUNTS OF THE MURDER. taking place when he was young ; that the cause of of- fence was the ill-usage of some black women by two blacks acting as guides to the party. They, the natives, followed the party several da^^s, and speared the travel- lers while they were asleep ; that only one shot was fired by the whites, which killed one black ; and that the natives had driven off and killed all the horses and mules, but that some of the bullocks had escaped, and were still roaming the forest. In latitude 26° 4' S. Hely's party, on the river Maranoa, received further information from some gins, who told him that, at a place seven days' journey onwards, they would find the scene of the murder, and plenty of saddles and other accoutrements lying about. This story was repeated by other gins, but, on arriving at the place, they found no such indications of the white men, or saddles, and the like. An old woman there said that a big water had swept them away ; but the party rightly concluded that had this been the case, various articles belonging to the explorers would still remain in the tribe. Ten miles farther they came on a camping place of Leichhardt's, where his mark was seen on a tree ; he could not have been murdered, therefore, at the spot named by the blacks. The scene now again shifted onwards as much farther, and two blacks offered themselves as guides, but, when they were within four days' journey of the spot last named, the blacks absconded. This was in latitude about 25° 21' S. Since then Walker came upon Leich- hardt's track considerably farther north in latitude 22° 30' S., between the Belyando and Thomson rivers. After going on some distance farther, and provisions failing, Hely turned back, and on regaining the Balonne in fourteen days after the desertion of their interpreter, found him there, who excused himself by saying the natives were deceiving them, and would never have led them to the real place of massacre, as they would have been speared in revenge. Hely reached the Darling Downs on his return in four months from the time of his departure thence. The fate of Leichhardt Avas thus still THESE ACCOUNTS DOUBTED. 41 left in mystery, for though Hely himself fully believed the stories of the blacks, the public did not give the same credit to it. Thoiigli all the blacks had kept to the same account, and some of them had accurately described the leading persons of the party, it was regarded as proving nothing but that they had really seen the tra- vellers on their route. The story once invented would be propagated through the tribe, and in the same manner, ])ut no relics of the lost adventurers ever turned up to sup23ort the story. For many years there were those in Australia who pertinaciously continued to believe the party alive. Still five, ten, seventeen years have passed over, and the most hopeful must now have ceased to hope. Since them other adventurers have fallen in those deserts of torrid sands, showing how soon the sultry sterility, the waterless and foodless wastes of the interior can pull down human life. 42 CHAPTER 11. THE EXPEDITION OF CAPTAIN STURT INTO CENTRAL AUS- TRALIA IN THE YEARS 1844, 45, AND 46. Reasons for the expedition. — Start's theory of an inland sea. — His hope to clear tliis up. — His party, and its equipments. — Stai-t August 18, 1844. — Reach Mr. Eyre's station at Moorundi, on tlie i\Iurray. — Captain Sturt restrained by his instructions from crossing to the North Sea. — Mischiefs of stay-at-home wis- dom. — Leave Moorundi accompanied for some distance by Mr. Eyre. — The river Rufus. — Nadbuck and Toonda, black guides. — Laidlcy's Ponds. — The building rat. — Quit the Darling. — Mitchell, Sturt, Burke, and Wills all make journeys northwards from this point. — Native remembrance of Sir Thomas Mitchell's castigation. — Despatches from Adelaide by three natives. — Their excessive fatigue. — Talkativoiessof Camboli. — IMr. Poole reconnoitres a-head. — Sturt moves to Cawndilla Lake. — Measures a base line. — Goes a-head to ex- plore. — Treachery of Topar, a native. — The covmtry destitute of water. — Finds the Cliantlius Damperi. — A terrible hurricane. — Break up camp, and advance. • — The Coonbaralba Range. — Lewis's Hill. — Stopped by rocks. — Vast desert plains on each side of the ranges. — Mr. Poole goes S.W. to seek Lake Torrcns. — Reached Lake Blanche. — Mr. Flood precedes the main party to seek for water. — Tremendous heat. — Flood finds a little creek. — They advance. — See ■ Mounts Lyell and Babbage from the hills. — Curious hollow balls. — Parties go out to seek for water. — Abundance of emus and kangaroos. — A visit from natives. — An excursion eastward. — Burning plains. — News of water north- ward. — Drays falling to pieces with the heat. — Dreadful travelling in the ton-id heat. — Two bullocks killed by it. Mount Arrowsmith, the magnetic hill. — Plague of ants and flies. — Camped in a pleasant glen by deep water in latitude 29" 40' 14" S., longitude 141" 30' 41".— Detained there by draught for six months. — Their experiences there. — Health of Messrs. Poole and Browne fail- ing. — Captain Sturt and otliers attacked by scurvy. — The captain with a party rides forward to reconnoitre, carrying water barrels. — Reach within twenty or thirty miles of Cooper's Creek, but di'iven back. — Two horses abandoned. — Another attempt westward.- — Return to the camp. — Discover a gvas.sy valley wliicli they call tlie Park.— Ellects of the heat on the ground and on their implements. — Make an undergroimd room. — All tlie birds leave. — A solitary native appears. — A desert ]3hiIosopher. — Chain a line of thirty miles towards Lake Torrens. — Rain and ilood in the creek. — Mr. Poole dies. — A monument to him ])iled on Red Hill. — Captain Sturt proceeds westward with a liglit party to Lake Blanche. — Verifies Mr. Eyre's character of the country. — Proceed N.W. — The bare desert destroys all idea of an inland sea. — A creek, with native huts and troughs for grinding seeds. — The Stony Desert. — Eyre's Creek. — They return. — Water hole with fish. — Reach their camp, which they name Fort Grey. — Captain Sturt entreats Mr. Browne to return to Adelaide on account of his health, but in vain. — A last effort to penetrate northward. — Endeavour to trace the extent of the Stony Desert eastward. — Report as of a cannon in the desert. — Dismal sandy regions. — Salt Lake. — Tlie Stony Desert again, a gloomy, herbless, treeless region. — Eleven days over this horrid desert. — Ex- hausted condition of the horses. — Reach Cooper's Creek, and name it. — Sturt's account of this creek. — The natives friendlj'. — Signs of floods, and abundance of water fowl and fish.^ — -Leave behind a roan horse. — Traced the creek east- ward into hollow plains, bearing marks of periodical floods. — Return to Fort Grey. — Leave another horse. — Bawley Plains. — Intense lieat again. — Return, journey to Adelaide. — Results of this ex])edition, tlie explosion of an inland sea, and confirmation of desert, but westward. — Exploration of the south- eastern seaboard of South Austi'alia by Governor Grey in 1844. SiMULTANEOTTsiiT witli tlio expedition of Leiohhardt, two REASONS roil CAPTAIN STURT's NEW EXPEDITION. 43 others were in operation, tliat of Sir Thomas Mitchell in the north-east of the continent, in which he traced down a considerable river, to which, in an excess of loyalty, he gave the name of Victoria, there being' already a Victoria on the western coast, and which eastern river is much better called by its aboriginal name, the Barcoo ; and the expedition of Sturt to ascertain the nature of the interior of the continent. Mitchell's discovery lay south-east of Leichhardt's track, and was followed up by the unfortunate Kennedy, who found another river wliicli he named the Thomson falUng into it, and traced the united stream, or channel of a stream, S.S.W. into lati- tude 2G° 13' 9", longitude 142° 20', that is, into the immediate vicinity of Cooper's Creek, with which it is, no doubt, connected, Sturt's position of Cooper's Creek being latitude 27" 40', longitude 141° 51'. The reason for Captain Sturt again taking the field after sixteen years of quiet domestic life, are detailed by him in the opening of his account of this expedition. He had adopted an opinion that what is now the conti- nent of Australia, had formerly been an archipelago of islands, and that the immense plains into which not only himself, but Oxley, Cunningham, and Mitchell had descended in proceeding towards the centre of the conti- nent had been the sea-beds of the channels which had once separated the islands. All that Mitchell, Grey, and Eyre had done in their attempts to penetrate the burning and sandy deserts towards the interior, had only confirmed this idea. In an overland expedition which Captain Sturt had made in 1838, from Sydney, aloug the Murray to Adelaide, a journey which had also been made by Mr. Eyre and other gentlemen. Captain Sturt found that the channel of the Murray was one great fossil bed, and that the city of Adelaide stood on the same great fossil bed. It, therefore, appeared to him that a great ocean current had sometime set in from the north, and had swept southward, carrying the enormous mass of shells along with it, till being checked south- ward by some cause, probably by the accumulation of 44 HIS VIEAVS RELATIVE TO THE CONTINENT OF AUSTRALIA. sand, this bed had been there deposited and covered with sand. Finally, he says : — " The information which I had collected as to the extent of the fossil bed, and my own past experience, led me to the following conclu- sions. That the continent of Australia has been sub- jected to great changes from subigneous agency, and that it had been bodily raised to its present level above the sea; that as far as we can judge, the north and north-east portions of the continent are higher than the southern or south-west portions of it ; and that there has been consequently a current or rush of waters from the one point to the other, that this current was too di- vided in its progress into two branches by hills, or some other intervening obstacle, and that one branch of it, following the line of the Darling, discharged itself into the sea, through the opening between the western shore of Encounter Bay and Cape Bernouilli ; that the other taking a more westerly direction, escaped through the Great Australian Bight. From what I could judge, the desert I traversed is about the breadth of that re- markable line of coast, and I am inclined to think that the desert retains its breadth the whole way, or it comes gradually round to the south, thus forming a double curve, from the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the N.E. angle of the continent, to the Great Bight on the south-west coast." For these reasons Captain Sturt imagined that the province of South Australia had l^een an island. He set out with the impression that he should ]3i'obably find that in the centre of the continent, the sea-current cut oft' southward by accumulations of sand or by the elevation of the land by subterranean powers, yet re- mained as a great internal sea, probably surrounded by deserts of sand. This was the question which he pro- posed, if successful, to settle. He, therefore, addressed a letter to Lord Stanley, the present Lord Derby, ten- dering his services for the object. The scheme was sup- ported by Sir Ealph Darling, under whose auspices he had performed his previous and most valuable expeditions, NAMES OF THE PARTY. 45 and this offer was accepted. Captain Stui-t was now a resident at Adelaide, and Captain Crey, the ex- plorer of the western coast, the Governor of South Aus- tralia. Under such circumstances, the expedition was likely to have all necessary advantages. On the i2th of August, 1844, the expedition was prepared to set out. It consisted of: — Captain Stui't, Leader. Mr. James Poole, Assistant. „ John Harris BroAvne, Surgeon. „ M'Dougall Stuart, Draftsman. „ Louis Piesse, Store/vcejjer. Daniel Brock, Collector. George Davenport, •) ^ . Joseph Cowley, ) Eobert Flood, Stockman. David Morgan, attender on the horses. Hugh Foulkes, "^ John Jones, j Turpin, [> Bidlock Drivers. William* Lewis, sailor, j John Mack. J John Kirby, tvith the sheejo. Besides these, two natives, Camboli from near Lake Bonney on the Murray, and Nadbuck from another part of the Murray, attended them, one as far as his tribe on the Murray, the other to Willi orara on the Darling. Nadbuck w^as an elderly man, but active, bustling, and very gallant to the ladies, as well as politic in his proceed- ings "with the other natives. He was very useful, and grew very much attached to them while mtli them. They had eleven horses, thirty bullocks, a boat and boat-carriage, one horse-dray,, one spring-cart, three drays, two hundred sheep, four kangaroo dogs, two sheep dogs. The instruments sent out of England were but indifferent, and the tubes of the barometers were soon broken, which prevented them calculating accurately the altitude of hills. After sending the drays on be- ibre to Moorundi, Mr. Eyre's station on the Murra}', 46 LOED Stanley's instuuctions. Captain Sturt breakfasted with a party of friends at Mr. Torrens', on the 1 5th, and then mounted his horse, and rode after his party. He had had his sheep shorn that they might travel more coolly ; and he remarks, that during the time that he was in the hot regions, the wool ceased altogether to grow, as did their own hair and nails, a sufficient fact for those who profess to believe that sheep-stations may be extended into those regions. With this exception, the sheep bore the jour- ney extremely well, and continued fat in the hottest desert, and most burnt-up deserts, but their flesh lost nearly all taste. On the ISth of August, Captain Sturt arrived at Mr. Eyre's residence at Moorundi, on the banks of the Murray, where he and Mr. Gilles had purchased a gov- ernment section of land of 4000 acres, and with which they would have a wide range of the waste pasture land for their cattle, some of the richest meadow land on the Murray. There Mr. Eyre was also district magistrate, and protector of the aborigines. On reaching the neighbourhood of Moorundi, they saw one of their horses, wliich had been taken wild from the bush on the Murray, and had escaped from the paddock at Adelaide, and was agreeably at home amongst the horses of the settlers at Moorundi. They caught him, and took him, and he was the first of three horses which they had to abandon in the desert. In the instructions from Lord Stanley, or rather from Sir John Barrow, to whom the captain's proposed plans had been referred, Captain Sturt was restrained from prosecuting the whole of his intentions. Sir John in liis wisdom, talked almost familiarly of a range of moun- tains running from N.E. to S.W., about latitude 28° or 29°. That this range must divide the waters, some run- ning thence north, the others running south from this line of mountains. So Captain Sturt was on no account to attempt to cross this line and trace any river up to the north coast, but to confine himself to ascertaining the existence of this range, and the rivers running out MR. EYRE ACCOMrANIES THE PARTY. 47 of it southwards. By this stay-at-home wisdom, always the most confident, Sturt's farthest north instead of beinSturt CAPTAIN STURT RETURNS HOME. 71 arrived at Moorundi, the residence of Mr. Eyre, on the Murray. Mr. Ep-e was absent, on a visit to England. On tlie 17th, the Captain again mounted liis horse, the first time since November, and being met on the road by his friends, Mr. Charles Campbell, and Mr. A. Hardy, with a carriage, arrived in Adelaide at midnight of the 19th of January ; and, crossing his threshold, lifted his wife from the floor, where she had fallen on hearing the carriage stop at the door. Thus terminated an expedition of nearly a year and a half of a most arduous character, in which the idea of an inland sea was exploded, and that of a great central desert tending westward firmly established. EXPLORATION OP THE SOUTH-EASTERN SEA-BOARD OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA BY GOVERNOR GREY IN 1844. Captain Grey, the explorer of Western Australia, now Governor of South Australia, showed that the old spirit of bush travel was not extinct in him. The overland route, which had been opened from New South Wales and Port Pliillip by Eyre, Hawdon, Bonney, and others, had proved for ]Dart of the way very difficult, and that part lay on the borders of South Australia. The country l3etwixt Adelaide and the Eiver Glenelg was supposed to be of little value, and, therefore, not likely to soon pos- sess a continued line of settlements between the two colonies. Captain Grey resolved to examine that^ dis- tiict, and took with him Mr. Bonney, the commissioner of Cro^vn Lands, who had been the first to find an over- land track from Port Phillip for cattle. It appears that Mr. Eyre, amongst his early adventures, had set out from Sydney to conduct cattle overland to Adelaide. He started on the 8th of November, 1837, from Sydney. He diverged to the south of the MuiTay, hoping to strike a more direct and practical path to Adelaide, but the country into which he had advanced pro\ing sterile and destitute of water in the extreme, he 72 A STRANGE PHENOMENON. was obliged, when about 200 miles from his destination, to retrace his steps to where he quitted the river. Owing to this detention, he did not reach Adelaide till the 13tli of July, 183S. He had only six men on this expedition, and conducted 300 cattle and three drays through a wild journey of 1200 miles or more in safety. In the mean- time, however, it appears that Messrs. Hawdon and Bonney, setting out from the Port Phillip district, had reached Adelaide before him. Mr. Eyre then set out again from New South Wales on the 5th of December, 1838, with 1000 sheep and 600 cattle, and arrived safely in Adelaide on the 23rd of February, 1839, having been less than three months on the road. On his first over- land journey, he discovered the Lake Hindmarsh. By the spirited services of Messrs. Eyre, Hawdon, and Bon- ney, a great overland route from Port Phillip to Adelaide was opened up, but Grovernor Grey thought that a still more advantageous one might probably be found nearer the coast, and thus avoiding the great mallee scrubs nearer to the Murray. Besides Mr. Bonne}^ Captain Grey took with him Mr, Burr, the deputy surveyor-general, a gentleman accus- tomed to the Imsh, and Mr. Gr. P. Angus, an artist. The account of the expedition is given by Mr. Burr. They set out from Adelaide on the 10th of April, and proceeded with drays and a number of sheep hj Mount Barker, Lake Victoria, formerly Alexandrina, and Lake Albert, to the Coorong. They imagined this part of the country was unknown, but they soon met one party after another coming overland from Port Phillip with cattle and horses. They found the natives living in huts very superior to those commonly seen amongst them. On the 20th, they encamj^ed on the spot where M'Grath was murdered by the natives about two years before. On the Coorong, on the 23rd, they came to one. of those singular appearances which have also been found on an Island in Bass's Straits. Mr. Burr thus describes this strange phenomenon: — "Amongst the sand hills between the Coorong and the sea, we saw several spots ARRIVE AT CAPE MORARD-DE-GALLES. 73 which are termed sand-patches. They are rather re- markable, for they have the appearance of slirubs com- posed of stone. On inspection, I found that these stone shrubs were invariably hollow, and in several cases, where I examined the inside of these tubes, the appearance was that of a cast taken from the stems or branches of a tree. This leads me to suppose the production of these sand- patches to take place thus. A shrubl^ery, similar to those at present seen on the sand hills, has, at some for- mer period, been wholly, or in part, covered with drifting sand. The trees thus covered would naturally die ; the dead wood absorbs the moisture, and forms a nucleus, around which the lime in the mass would accumulate, and cement the sand in the immediate neighbourhood. This would go on for a time, when a portion of the sand, which covered the shrubbery, being thus cemented, the remainder, which would still be loose, might by some peculiar eddy of the wind, caused by hills or dales formed in the mean time, be drifted to some other sjDot, leaving only the jDortions which had become consolidated, and which have now every appearance of petrified trees. At the same time, I believe that there are similar appear- ances, the origin of which is quite different." In the whole of the way from the Albert to the Grlenelg, they appear to have found a considerable amount of tea-tree swamp, and the country greatly improved as they approached the Grlenelg. In latitude 3G° 30', they found the Coorong, which had run parallel to the sea from the sea-mouth of the Murray, now resolved itself into a series of lakes. Near this place, they came to the great red granite rock projecting into the sea, called by M. Baudin Cape Morard-de-(Talles, lying four miles south of the Cape Bernouilli of Flinders. Here they met a third party of men coming over from Tort Phillip, twelve in number, driving 550 head of cattle, 320 rams, the men being well mounted. They halted two days to visit Lacepede Bay. Thence they went on to Mount Benson, on the way to which they passed over a plain covered, as it apjDeared, with ship-biscuits. Tliej were, in fact, cakes 74 THE devil's punch-bowl, nearly circular of calcareous tula, much resembling bis- cuits. Prom Mount Benson they had an extensive view of an undulating, grassy, and thickly-wooded country, and a good prospect of Gruichen Bay. They had also a line Adew of Cape Hawdon, so called after the discoverer, one of the first overland adventurers from Port Phillip to Adelaide. From this lake the overland route to Port Phillip struck off' eastward. From some ranges they had a view of Rivoli Bay and of several lakes in the intermediate space, as Lake Eliza and Lake George, which, being now first discovered, were named by the governor. On the 2nd of May, they crossed anotlier l^iscuit plain near the sea, and on the 3rd, visited Rivoli Bay, where they fell in with some whaling vessels, the men of which rowed them over to an island covered with penguins. Proceeding from this point to visit Mounts Gambler and Schanck, they ob- tained views of the bay, of Capes Lannes and Martin, the Eeefs, &c., as wtU as of fresh lakes, which the gover- nor named Frome, after the surveyor-general, and Bon- ney, after the commissioner of Crown Lands. They had, turning north-west, views of Mounts Muirhead and Burr. At about twenty-eight miles on their way, they came to a singular chasm in the coral limestone of from 70 to 80 yards wide under perpendicular cliffs. This was filled with water to the depth of lOS-J feet. The governor named it the Devil's Punch-bowl. A mile fur- ther they arrived at another, and soon after at a third well of the same kind, near to Messrs. Arthur's Station. This last was 156 feet deep at the side. Several other wells of a like kind were found in the neighbourhood. They were also shown caverns in which were numerous bones of kangaroos, opossums, wombats, and wild dogs. On the summit of Mount Schanck, which reaches an elevation of 900 feet above the level of the sea, they found three distinct craters, the principal one 500 yards in diameter, the others 200 and 250 yards in diameter. The small craters are on the slope of the main one, all nearly circular, with no water in them, but covered with ARE ROBBED BY TWO YOUNG NATIVES. 75 rich vegetation ou tlie inner and outer slopes. From the summit there is a fine view over tlie country, on the south-east as far into Victoria as Cape Bridgewater. From Mount Schanck to Mount (laml)ier, tliey found tlie country of tlie richest dos(M'ipti()n and tlie scenery beautifuh Mount (iambier they found ratlier loftier than Mount Schanck, and of an oval form. This mount has also three craters, not lying in a triangle as those of Mount Schanck, hut stretching in a line running E.S.E. The north-west one is the largest, and is divided by a ridge, running north and south, across it. One-third of the eastern portion of this crater forms a lake, very deep, and surrounded by perpendicular cliffs. It was covered with ducks. There were several lagoons in the western end. The central crater has no water in it ; the third forms a large, deep lake. The party returned from Mount Gambler in a north-west direction to Mounts Burr and Muirhead. Mount Burr they found to be IGOO feet above the level of the sea. On their return to Eivoli Bay, the governor and Mr. Grisborne went in a whaler's boat to Slierbert's Eock to shoot sea-lions, one of which they killed, and found in its stomach five pebbles, weighing altogether four and a half pounds. They were visited at their camp by two young natives, very merry fellows, v/ho were allowed to sleep, or rather lie down, by a fire near the camp, and who, in the night, made off into the bush, and beyond recovery, with their knives, forks, spoons, a couple of towels, an axe, a sheep killed and hung in a tree, and the hats of two of the soldiers. On the way back they took com- passion on an old native who had been ill, and was abandoned by his tribe, and nearly dead of hunger. They gave him food, and put him in a dray to convey him to Adelaide that he might not be liable to the same fate some other time. But no sooner was he pretty strong again, than he slipped away unobserved. The governor's report of much of the country which they saw, especially as they approached the frontiers of Victoria, was that it was excellent, and in many places 76 PASS OVER A RICH COUNTRY. very beautiful. " From llivoli Bay to Mount Sclianck, and from thence round to Mount Grambier back to Eivoli Bay, we passed," lie says, " for the most part, over a country of the richest description. The soil was a dark brown loam. The trees grew luxuriantly; the black- wood grows there to an enormous size ; besides which, there are several trees quite different to those in the neicrhbourhood of Adelaide. We also saw several new birds." 77 CHAPTEK III. EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA — CON- TINUED. 1. Expedition of Messes. Landoe and Lefeoy in seaecii of an Inland Sea, in 1843. — Journal published in Pertli Inquirer. — Leave York, January 9. — Proceed to the Hotham River. — Country level. — Cross a large river. ■ Byricring Lake. — Lake Novring. — Salt Lakes. — Go down a fresli Avater lake. — Discover a river named the Landor. — Anotiier named tlic Lefroy. — Sec two Timor ponies. — Return by a branch of the Ilotham. — General report of the country. 2. Expedition of Mr. Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia, eastward of Perth, accompanied by Mr. II. Gregory and others. — Set out from York. Pass over heights to Cape Rielie. — The Jecramungup. — Good grazing country. MountMadden and Rlount Sliort. — Poor country and salt lakes. — Bremer Ra'iifre. — Mount Gordon. — Fitzgerald Range. — Barren eoxuitry. — Severe journey totlio Russell Range : no grass, no water. — Return by the shore to Cape Riche.— IIow- ick Hill, Mount Merivale, and Mount Hawes, named by them. — The streamlet Gore and inlet Lort, Phillips's River, and Eyre's named by them. — Found coal- beds at the junction of the Elwes and Jeeramungup. — Between the Elwes and Cape Richie named Mount Bland, Gairdner River, and Gordon Inlet. — In their homeward route by Bunbury, came on a sandal-wood-cutting station. — Return to Perth. 3. Expedition of Messes. Geegoey into the inteeior of Westeen Aus- tralia. — Start from Boyeen Spring, on Swan River, August 7th. — Lake Rrown, — See ranges from N. to E.S.E. — Eastward a discoui'aging country. — Columns of red sand, or dust. — Took a N.AV. course. — Vast flats and bogs. — Cross thcin by means of hurdles. — Lake Moore. — Salt, gypsum, and mud beds. — Still on to September 3rd over wretclied country. — Strike the Arrowsmith River. — Fol- lowed the river down to its mouth. — Found beds of coal. — Follow the coast homewards. 4. VoYASE of Lieutenant IIelpman to examine the coal of the Aeeow- SMiTH. — Examined the country from the Arrowsmith to the Ilutt. — Mistook the rivers as laid down by Captain Grey. — The error rectified by Mr. Arrow- smith. — Mr. Hillman's trip to Lake Moore. 5. Settlees' Expedition noethwaed from Peeth Undee A. C. Geegoey. — Li- atructions for the tour from tiie Local Government. — The object, to discover pasture lands. — Joined by friends at Toodyay. — At Arrowsmitli Creek. — Irwin Plains. — Large extent of good pasturage land found. — Also on Champion Bay. — The Murchison coimtry poor. — Freycinet Harbour. — Country around wretched. — Found lead ore at the Hutt. — Some good laud on the Rowes. — Return to Perth. 0. Visit of Goveenob Fitzgerald to the Muechison.— Sailed to Champion Bay. — Find no coal, but lead in the Murchison. — Attacked by natives.— The Governor speared through the thigh. — Shot one man. — Mining commenced oil the Murchison and Bowes. EXPEDITION OF MESSRS. LANDOR AND LEFKOY IN SKARCll OF AN INLAND SEA, IN 1848. The journal of tliesQ gentlemen was published as a 78 EXPEDITION OF MESSRS. LANDOE AND LEFROY. letter to the Perth Inquirer, It contains the following statements. They left York on the 9tli of January with a pack-horse carrying flour, tea, and sugar for a month. They had two native guides, Konak and Quallet, v/ho Avere ready at all times to carry game, or firewood, or do any little office required of them. They also took from York a native boy, to shoot kangaroos, and act as interpreter when the guides were unintelli- gible to them. Their whole journey out and back only occupied fourteen days, that is, from the 9th to 23rd. They proceeded by Nymbatilhng to the Hotham River, and by Carbal to a mound spring, called by the natives Yungamening. The country was generally level, partly scrub, partly good grazing land. Beyond Yungamen- ing they passed over some hills into another fertile val- ley. Beyond this, on the 14th, they crossed a large river, first flowing east, and then west, and were told by the natives that it was the Williams. The country about it was bad. The valleys were boggy, the hills covered with poison plants. Soon after, they reached a shallow lake, nowhere deeper than up to their knees, but the water fresh and excellent. The lake was about two miles by one and a half. This lake was called Byriering. It abounded with ducks. On the 15th they reached Novring, a salt lake, six miles by three. On the north and west the borders of the lake had good land; on the east and south very bad. From a hill they saw another lake, Quiliding, studded with islands, and the country east and south looking very flat and dreary. The Lake Novring was their most westerly point. Their explorations began where Mr. Harris had ended. They then went east as far as Lake Barkiering, and still more east to Lake Quiliwhirring, quite salt. There, the valley of the lakes divided, running one part north-east, the other east by south. They proceeded due east over a hilly and bad country. Afterwards they went down into a valley, to a fi^esh-water lake, Groondering. On the 17th they reached Dambeling, the largest of the COUNTRY GENERALLY BAD. 79 lakes, fifteen miles by seven or eiglit. It was like tlie others, shallow, witli many low islands in varied and beautiful forms. The water was salt, the land on the north and east was good. They discovered a river run- ning from the north into the lake, equal to the Mackie at York, and named it the Landor. Being now prevented going further eastward by tlic desert country, they turned north and soon crossed a river at least twenty yards wide, its bed full of pools of fresh water, which appeared to have ceased to run within the last few days. It appeared to come from the cast- em desert, and to fall into the Dambeling. They uauied ittheLefroy. Advancing five or six miles northward over good country, they came on a pool of fresh water named Jualing. Near Wardaming, another pool more N.AV., they saw two Timor ponies, but could not catch them. They next crossed the north-east valley of the lakes, and returned by Yarlal and Warnup, to a branch of the Hotham, which they called the Cowit. On the 33rd they were again at Nymbatilling. Their general report of the country they went over was bad, and that it was infested with jDoison. A great deal of the country seen on their return to the Cowit, had* no water for sheep ; all flocks must have wells dug, or tanks made. They could see no traces of the high granite ranges from which Mr. Harris supposed the Williams to come, and as they crossed neither that river nor the Hotham in retm'ning, they felt that they must have headed them. The Lake Dambeliug, they believed to be the large inland water talked of by the natives. Their experience confirmed the desei-t nature of the country farther eastward ; and the most interesting feature of their discoveries was the liiver Lefroy, coming out of the desert, east. Its size and water-worn banks, in conjunction with the level nature of the country, seemed to imply that it eitlier came from a great distance, or from a lake more inland and still larger than Dambeling. 80 EXPEDITION or MR. J. S. ROE. In 1848, in consequence of the strong desire evinced by the public, and especially by that part of it engaged in pastoral pursuits, to ascertain what species of lands lay beyond the more familiar limits of the colony, the govern- ment, then under the rule of his Excellency, the Hon. Charles Fitz-Gerald, sent out two expeditions nearly simultaneously ; one under the conduct of Mr. J. S. Eoe, the Surveyor-General to the south-east of Perth, and the otlier under that of Mr. Augustus C. Gregory, the Assistant-Surveyor, northward of Perth. We pro- ceed to narrate the events of the southern expedition first, and this from Mr. Poe's own report, as made to the Governor of Western Australia, and forwarded by him to the Imperial Colonial Office. EXPEDITION OF MR. J. S. ROE, INTO THE COUNTRY SOUTH-EAST OF PERTH, AND EXTENDING EASTAVARD TO THE BREMER AND FITZ-GERALD RANGES. The number of men and horses employed in tliis ex- pedition are not distinctly stated by Mr. Poe, but the persons of the party appear to have consisted of him- self, Mr. H. Gregory, Mr. Pidley, and two private sol- diers Lee and Burk. They had a considerable number of horses loaded with provisions, etc. They left York on the 14th of September, 1848, ascended the river Avon, and left Nal-Yaring, the upper sheep station of that district, following the compass directions of S. I- S. as intermediate between tracts of country previously traversed. From that point they soon entered on a poor and unpromising country, which led them to an elevated tract of sand plains, w4iich furnishes the sources of the Pivers Avon, Williams, Arthur, Buchanan, and Beaufort. These heights they estimated to be from 1800 to 2000 feet above the sea-level. Descending from these sandy heights, they passed again through a poor country for fifty -five miles, and then came upon a branch of the Pallinup Piver, which they followed down as far as Pailyenup, near the N.E. extremity of Stirling DIVERSITY OF THE COUNTRY. 81 Eange, and not far from Cape Eiclie, the latter pai-t (jf the journey along the Palliuup valley being grassy, and affording plenty of water. At the station of Mr. Cheyne, at Cape liiclie, they met with hospitable entertainment, and there having left their heavier tents, and all other things that they could dispense with, they set forward on the 14th of October, in a north-east direction for the Bremer Ranges. Here, for the first time, we learn that the party consisted of six persons, and eleven horses, and that they took supplies for ninety days, and 30()lbs. of corn for the horses. At Yunganup, on the Pallinu}) lliver, fifteen miles from Mr. Cheyne's station, in latitude 34° 24' iS" S., they made their first halt, and remained, amid ex- cellent grass, till the ISth. Here they had various offers of natives as guides, but they had already one named Bob. The}^ travelled through a generally good country till the 22nd, when they came upon a river with various branches, running through a good grassy country called Jeeramungup. This stream flowed to the sea near Middle Mount Barren. They calculated that there were 15,000 acres of excellent grazing land there, but they soon again entered on poor and scrubby country, with salt and brackish pools. On the 29tli they reached a granite hill, which they named Mount Madden. Here they were fifty miles north of East Mount Barren, and beheld another hill thirteen miles S.E., which they named Mount Short. The rock for- mation was granite, and the country scrubby and poor, and almost destitute of water. Passing by several salt lakes, and being two days without fresh water, on the 3rd of November they reached the Bremer Pange, and named its highest point Mount Gordon. The latitude of these hills was 32° 52' 43" S. M\, however, was barren and inhospitable, and after pushing across sandy plains, and amongst salt lakes, samphire marshes and dense scrub, for thirty miles in a south-east direction, they reached other hiUs 1000 feet above the siUTOunding VOL. II. 6 82 PASS THROUGH A FRIGHTFUL REGION. plains, wliicli tlicy named tlie Fitz-Gerald Eanges, and their different points Peak Charles, and Peak Eleanora. This journey from these hills as far as the Pussell Eanges reminds one of that of Mr. Eyre. They were now in part of that frightful region north of the Re- cherche Archipelago, in which he suffered such miseries, and they found it wholly answering to his description. Sultry, sandy deserts, without grass or water, but tan- talizing them with the prospect of lakes, which always proved salt. On the 18th of November they reached a hill which they named Mount Eidley. Their horses were fast sinking from their want of food and water. After passing between two long salt lakes, on the 17th they encamped under a mass of rocks, which they named Mount Ney, after a favourite horse, which recovered a little under its shadow, and where they left him to rest. On the 23rd they reached the Eussell Eange, in a con- dition of great exhaustion, and fou.nd all a bare, naked mass of rock, 600 feet above the scrubby plain, but not a blade of grass, or the least appearance of fresh water anywhere. Fortunately, near the northern extremity of the range, they found grass and a watercourse, or they must have been lost, and there they remained four days to recruit. Not far to the north rose another hill, which Eyre had named Mount Eagged. Erom these hills Point Malcolm, to the S.E., appeared about fifteen miles distant, mth the broad ocean and the islands of the Eecherche Archipelago. All eastward was one dreary, torrid, and forbidding desert. They had now travelled 1000 miles from Swan Eiver, and felt it absolutely necessary to return. Indeed, after the de- scription of this country by Eyre one wonders why they ventured into it at all. If they hoped on a more north- ern route than his to find a better country, they now learned that what the natives had told him of it was but too true. In returning from the Eussell Eange to Cape Eiche, Mr. Eoe's track was very much the same as Mr. Eyre's, and it is not, therefore, to be expected that he could \ CONSIDERABLE COAL BEDS FOUND. 83 make any material geographical discovery ; but lie named some physical objects, yet unnamed, and made important discoveries of coal-fields. On the 2Sth of November they commenced their return : on the 2nd of December they reached a lofty and remarkable granite hill, which they named Howick Hill, after Lord Grey, then colonial secretary. At this point they were twenty-five miles south of the place at which they had left the horse Ney ; they sent, and found him considerably recovered, and brought him to the camp. On the 7th they reached another high granite hill, fifteen miles N. from Oape-le- Grand, which they named Mount Merivale, and a similar hill, fifteen miles eastward, Mount Hawes. Near lied Island they named a river the Gore, and soon after an inlet the Lort, after Captain Lort Stokes, and the river falling into it, the Young. As they approached East Mount Barren, they came upon indications of coal, and on a river, wdiich they named the Phillips, falling into an inlet which they named the Calham Inlet. In the banks of the Phillips were found cropping out coal shales, and farther on, near a range which they named Eyre's Eange, these indications of coal became stronger. At their camp oriu the 2()th of December, from which East Mount Barren bore S. 28° 45' W., and the north- east of Eyre's Eange "W. ^ S., Mr. Eoe believed the main coal seam of the river would be found. The prin- cipal rock formation was sandstone, mingled -with iron- stone, c[uartz, and coarse conglomerates. On the 26th they came upon the junction of the Elwes and Jeeramungup rivers, falling into the Fitz- Gerald Inlet, and found considerable coal beds. Farther search disclosed still more extensive beds of coal. Into one of these beds they dug three feet, wdthout any sign , of change in it, and the coal on being tried burnt clearly and beautifully, wdthout any snapping or flying, and leaving only a soft, white ash. Mr. Eoe and his com- panions examined the course of the estuary do^vvn to the sea ; saw along its course fresh evidences of coal, and 6—2 84 EXPEDITION OF MESSRS. GREGORY. ascertained tliat a conveyance of the coal to vessels in Doubtful Island Bay might readily be effected. Between the Elwes and Cape Eiche they pointed out and named a double-topped hill, Mount Bland, the Gairdner Eiver, and Gordon Inlet. From their hos- pitable friends, Mr. and Mrs. Cheyne, they returned to Perth, by following up the Pallinup River, on whose banks they found a station for cutting sandal-wood, for exportation to China. They then crossed the Beaufoi't Biver, where they found squatters already removing their flocks and herds to convey them to the Fitz-Uerald Eiver, and the grassy lands betwixt the PallinujD and the Elwes. Taking a W.N.W. course, they reached Bunbury on the coast, and thence pursued the line of the shore to Perth, where they arrived on the 2nd of February, 1849, after an absence of 149 days. They had traversed 1800 miles, and the great result of the expedition was the discovery of coal in two available situations. EXPEDITION OF THE MESSRS. GREGORY INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1846. The party on this expedition consisted of A. C, F. T., and H. C. Gregory. They had four horses, and seven weeks provisions. On the 7th of August they set out from Boyeen Spring, a farm of Mr. Yule's on the head-waters of Swan River, and proceeded thi'ough a swampy country to Lake Brown, where they were on the 12th. Near this lake were Eaglestone Hill, and other hills and lakes, chiefly dry. From this point they proceeded in a north-east direction over a tolerably level country to the 18th, when they ascended a hill of trap rock, of about 300 feet in elevation, and from this they saw other ranges of hills, extending from N. to E.S.E. The view of the country farther eastward was most dis- couraging. It was a level, sandy desert, without the least appearance of vegetation. To the west and north native Arcs were seen, but the extremely bad country to THEY CROSS A FRIGHTFUL SWAMP. 85 the E. and N., and the immense cohmms of red sand or dust, which the numerous whirlwinds raised to tlie heig-lit of from 200 to 500 feet, gave no encouragement to ad- vance in that direction. They were now in hxtitude 30°12'2S^ longitude, by account, 119° 16' 10'', and they now turned about and struck a north-westerly course. The country was generally of a scrubl)y and indifferent character, till August 25th, when they came upon a vast samphire Hat, which was so boggy that they were obliged to get their horses over it by making hurdles of bushes bound with ropes and canvas saddle- bags. These they laid before the horses' feet for them to step upon, and so continually removed them as they advanced. The surface was covered by a hard crust of gypsum and salt, Init this broke through, and without the hurdles the horses sunk up to the shoulders. Having crossed the swamp by this laborious means, and got upon a solid hill of granite, they found themselves on the eastern shore of an immense lake, since named Lake Moore. The great expanse of the lake did not, however, consist of deep water. It extended about ten miles to the east, twelve to the south, fifteen to the west, and eight to the north ; but to the N.E. by E. it formed the visible horizon. Thus, it was more than twenty miles from north to south, and twenty -five from east to west, though it is represented in the Messrs. Gregory's map as much longer than broad. Shallow pools of water, a mile and upwards in extent, and low, wooded, and high rocky islands, were scattered over this vast expanse of salt, gypsum, and white mud. After skirting this unattractive lake to its northern extremity, they held in a northern and north-western course, over a poor country of alternating hills of granite, acacia levels, forests of gum and cypress, and occasional patches of grassy country, till the 3rd of September, when they found themselves amid dry, salt lakes, and hills of trap. From the summit of a hill they could see the salt lakes and marshes still extending northw^ard, and that all the hills within twenty miles appeared of 86 COAL FOUND IN THE BANKS OF THE ARROWSMITH. tlie trap formation. Tliey were now hj account in latitude 28° 24' 20^ longitude 116° 42' 2". Their horses had been twenty-four hours without water, and they saw no prospect of obtaining any 1)y advancing farther ; they therefore took a westerly course, to make the sources of the Hutt, or Arrowsmith river. Continuing in a south-westerly direction over a similar country, on the 8th of September they struck the upper part of the Arrowsmith river, and followed it down, beheving it from its latitude, to be the river Irwin of Grey, from the fact of Sir George Grey having placed all the rivers that he passed too much south. Folio vtdng down the Arrow- smith, not far from its mouth they discovered in its banks two seams of coal, one of five and the other of six feet in thickness. They found this coal burn well, and having made this valuable discovery, they returned home- ward, keeping a line nearly parallel with the coast, at a distance of thirty or forty miles to the Moore river, which they reached on the 20th of September, and on the 22 nd were again at Bolgart Spring, the station of Captain Scully, which they had passed on the day of their setting out, after an absence of 47 days, during which they had travelled 953 miles, tracing 3° of latitude, and nearly 4J° of longitude. VOYAGE OF LIEUTENANT HELPMAN TO EXAMINE THE COAL AT THE ARROWSMITH. On the announcement of the discovery of coal, on what Mr. Gregory believed to be the Irwin of Grey, Lieutenant Helpman of the Champion was despatched, accompanied by some of the Gregorys, to examine and report on this coal bed. The Champion reached Champion Bay on the 6th of December, 1846, where horses and a cart were landed, and on proceeding to the place, they found the seam of coal running entirely across the bed of the river, and six feet thick, as the Gregorys had stated. They dug up two hundred- weight of the coal, and conveyed it in the cart to the coast, where they put it on board. They found Port DISCREPANCIES CLEARED UP. 87 Grrey favoui'able for a coaling port ; and they then set out to examine the country northward as far as the Hutt. In this trip tliey called the Irwin of Grey the Greenough, the Greenoug'h they took for the Chapman. They also reversed the names of Mount Fairfax and the Wizard Hill, as given in Grey's narrative. In reference to these facts, Mr. AiTowsmith, in a note addi*essed to the Geographical Society, after the reading of Lieutenant Helpman's Eeport, on the 13th of December, 1847, explained the discrepancies by showing that " Captain Grey was shipwrecked in Gantheaume Ba}^ in April, 1839 — he and his party travelled thence by land to Perth, and he named every river which he crossed, and the description which he has given of each is so clear, that no difficulty exists in identifying the whole of them with the more recent account of Stokes, Roe, Helpman, and the Gregorys. The difficulties and privations which Captain Grey had to overcome, which may be seen by all who read his very interesting narrative, prevented his obtaining latitudes at the various rivers which he crossed, so that the map of his route, which was laid down by himself from Gantheaume Bay to Water Peak, is too long 14' or 15', and thence to Perth is too short by the same number of miles ; all, however, that is re- quired, is a simple correction of distances." The consequence of this is, says Mr. Arrowsmith, that the names and positions of Mount Fairfax and Wizard HiU of Captain Iving, admit of no change. The names of Mount Fairfax, Wizard Hill, and Mount Hill, were misapplied by Captain Grey, who travelled over many hills of very similar appearance. Captain Stokes, and Lieutenant Helpman have, by sea and land, cleared up this discrepancy very satisfactorily. Captain Grey's names of the rivers admit of no change, as he was the discoverer of the whole of those that flow into the sea between the above latitudes, his distances only require correction. During 1846, the same year that Messrs. Gregory made their tour into the interior of Western Australia, 88 OBJECT or THE SETTLERS EXPEDITION. Mr. Hillman also made an expedition to Lake Moore and back, by way of Moore Eiver. settlers' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR. ASSISTANT SURVEYOR, A. C. GREGORY. Wliilst Mr. Eoe and liis party were exploring south- eastward from Perth, Mr. Augustus Gregory and another party were exploring northward from Perth. The object of both expeditions was tlie same, to discover new districts of good grazing or agricultural lands, and also to find coal. It was directed thus by instructions from Mr. R. E. Madden, the colonial secretary, to proceed to the Grascoigne river, which flows into Shark's Bay. They Avere directed to proceed north and north-east till ahead of Champion Bay, and then approach the Gascoigne from that point. They were directed to examine the course of the Gascoigne, and the nature of the bar at its mouth, to see whether it were practicable for boats. They were then to return south for about 40 miles, and examine a river there, seen but not named, by Captain Grey, and placed by him at Point Long. The discovery of new pasture lands was dwelt upon as of primary importance. " The chief object of this expedition," said the instructions from the colonial secretary, " is the examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by practical men, that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available kind for pasture, has become a thing to be desired, of paramount importance, and an object on the attainment of which the interests, and perhaps the fate of the colony dejoeud." In going out or returning as far south as the Irwin river, Mr. Gregory was to examine carefully the coal-beds which had been discovered there in 184G, by himself and brothers. He was directed to sink down to them, and examine their thickness, and to ascertain whether coal cropped out between these beds and the sea-shore, a distance of 30 or 40 miles, or more northward towards Shark's Bay, where Dr. von Sommer thought coal might again make its appearance. COMPELLED TO RETURN. 89 With these important injunctions Mr. Gregory set out with Mr. C. F. Gregory and five horses on tlie 2n{l of September, 1848, for Toodyay, wliere lie arrived the next day, and was there joined "by Messrs. J3urges, J. Walcott, and A. Bedart, with six additional horses. On the 8th they were joined by Private W. King with the cart and provisions, and j^irocuring another horse, they set forward from Welbing on the 9th with ten pack and two i-iding horses, the persons of the party being now six. On the 13th they were at Arrowsmith Creek, and on the follow- ing day entered the Irwin Plains. They calculated that on the Irwin were at least 100,000 acres of land well suited for agriculture, and around Champion I^ay not less than .^ 2 5,000 acres adapted to pasturage. This was a great object gained. They do not seem, so far as ap- pears from their journal, to have made much examination of the coal beds. North of the Irwin, and as far as the Murchison Eiver, the country was poor and scrubby. On the 25th of September they were at the Murchison, a broad channel of a river rather than a river, but with long shallow pools of brackish water, and marks of vio- lent floods. It was bounded on all sides by sandy plains and dense scrubs. On the 1st of October they had reached to near the south point of Freycinet Harbour, having passed over a most miserable, sandy country, and there were compelled to turn back, finding that it would be the destruction of the whole party to attempt to force their way to the Gascoigne River. On reaching the Murchison on their return on the Gtli of October, they examined it down to the sea, and found the tide flowing about five miles up the channel, where it was stopped by rapids. The bar at the mouth appeared passable by whale boats in moderate weather. After this they traced the banks of the river upwards for sixty miles, finding the country one level dense scrub, and the gravel and sand brought down by the floods promising no better country farther eastward. The val- ley of the river was about five miles in width, dense with wattles and cypress. At the Hutt Eiver, on the 90 GOVERNOR FITZGERALD EXAMINES VEINS OF LEAD. 16tli, they picked up sjDecimens of lead ore. On the 18th they entered the rich and grassy valley of the Bowes ; the water, however, was brackish. They calcu- lated that in this valley there was pasturage for 17,000 sheep on 100,000 acres. The existence of garnets, iron pyrites, and a mineral resembling plumbago, seemed to indicate the presence of metals. The remainder of their homeward route was through country too well known to need remark. They arrived at Perth on the 17tli of November, having been absent ten weeks, and reached a distance north from Perth in a direct line of 350 miles, but having, as they calculated, traversed altogether 1500 miles. VISIT OF GOVERNOR FITZGERALD TO THE MURCHISON. In the month following Mr. Gregory's return, namely December the 1st, he again set out for the Murchison in company Avith the governor and Mr. Bland. They were attended by three soldiers, and the governor's servant. This time they proceeded by sea in the Champion for Champion Bay, where they landed on the 3rd. They immediately set forward north, and examined some black shale-like soil on the way, which had been supposed to indicate coal ; but it proved to be only alluvial soil resting on sand. On the Gth they reached the Hutt River. The next day they camped on the left bank of the Murchison. The governor's object was to examine the veins of lead which had been discovered there. They encamped about 500 yards below the large lead vein, and traced it much farther than before, that is, 330 yards along the bed of the river. They saw, how- ever, that steam power would be necessary to work it, on account of the water, and that, if the mouth of the Hutt River, thirty miles distant, did not admit the pas- sage of boats, the ore would have to be carried to Cham- jiion Bay, distant 00 miles. In returning, as they were passing to the west of King's Table Hill, a party of natives surrounded them, and made an attack upon them. The governor, in self defence, shot one man, and was MINING ESTABLISHMENTS COMMENCED. 91 immediately liimsolf tliriist through tlic thigh with a spear. The party still managed to beat back the savages, but were followed by them seven miles towards their boats. In consequence of what was seen in this jom*ney, mining establishments were commenced both on the Murchison and on the Bowes. The rock in which the veins of lead appeared also contained garnets, and copper was afterwards discovered. 92 CHAPTER IV. SIR THOMAS Mitchell's fourth expedition, discovery OF THE BARCOO. Need of an orei-laud route from New South Wales to tlie Gulf of Carpentaria. — Two iron boats built. — Expeclitiou left Paramatta November the 7tb, 1854. — The party well selected and equipped. — Blacks meet them on the Bogan to in- quire their object. — An old native resembling Socrates offers himself again. — Traces of conflict betv.'een the natives and the squatters. — Want of water. — The Bogan dry. — Attacked by ophthalmia. — Encamp on a creek, and wait. — Piper, the native guide, dismissed. — On the 12th of April advance. — Sudden coming down of waters in the Macquarie. — A furious flood carrying trees along with it. — Reacli'tlie Barvvan. — Messrs. Russell's exploration in 1841. — Surpris- ing changes. — The white man now loi'd of tlie region. — The Narran. — Tlie Balonne, a fine large river. — The Calgoa. — Sir Tliomas now mai*ks his camping places on trees. — Lake Parachute. — Advances with a liglit party. — Lakes and lagoons. — Lake Turanimga. — Moimt Toolumba. — Name tliis district Fitzi-oy Downs. — Natives. — The Maranoa and Amby. — Curious embassage from the }uvtives. — Warned away by tliem. — Mr. Kennedy, Sir Thomas's second in com- mand, brings up the rear detachment. — Sir Tiiomas again starts northwards. — Distress for water. — Water found through a dream. — A sulphurous stream, the Salvator. — The Claude, fertility of its banks. — Abundance of fossil wood. — Entered the tropics. — Tlie Belyando. — Vast numbers of wild fowl and kanga- roos. — Menacing natives. — Return to the Salvator. —Beauty and fertility of the country. — Remarkable meteor. — Tlie Claude. — Encamp in a mountain gorge. — The depot fixed tliere. — Sir Thomas sets out north-westward.— The Nine. — Discover the Barcoo. — Sir Thomas's warm eulogium of the river and country around. — Pronounced by him the finest river and district of Australia. — Return homewards.— See marks of squatters already on their track. Towards the end of tlie year 1845, an expedition was projected to discover a passage towards tlie nearest part of tlie Indian Ocean westward of Torres Straits. A trade in horses, required to mount the Indian cavalry, had commenced between India and New South Wales, and the dangerous navigation of the straits proving disadvantageous to this new branch of com- merce, it was desired to establish an overland route from Sydney to the head of the Grulf of CarjDentaria. It was still more desirable, or was thought so, to unite Australia by such a route with India, as India was already united to England by steam communication. In 1845 the Legislative Council of New South Wales voted £1000 towards the expense of such an expedition, and DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION. 03 this vote, being referred to the home government by Sir George Gipps for its approval, received it in tlie course of the year ; and the Legishitive Council tlien increased the vote to £2000, and appointed the veteran exphjrer, Sir Thomas Mitchell, to head the expedition. The governor, who Avas himself an engineer, and a man of restless activity, appeared desirous to lay down tlic ])lan of the expedition himself, and thus, it was supposed, to claim in some degree the honour of it, but Mitchell was not a man to act so much on other persons' plans as on his own, and he succeeded in obtaining, not only the conduct of the expedition, but its projection. Sir Thomas, according to his favourite ideas on this subject, had eight drays made of wood seasoned for the purpose, and two boats built this time, not of canvas, or even of wood, but of iron. The main body of the expedition left Paramatta on the 17th of November for Buree, where they were joined by the leader a month later. They consisted altogether of twenty-eight per- sons. With the excej)tion of five, these were prisoners of the crown, in different stages of probation. The free men were Edward Kennedy, assistant surveyor, and second in command; W. Stephenson, surgeon and col- lector of objects of natural history ; Peter M'Avoy, mounted vidette ; Anthony Brown, tent-keeper ; and William Baldock, keeper of the horses. The others were two mounted videttes, a store-keeper, eight bullock drivers, two carpenters, a blacksmith, a shoemaker, a barometer carrier, two chainmen, two keepers of the horses, a carter and a pioneer, a shepherd and a butcher, a sailmaker and a sailor. These men Avere selected from a large number of volunteers, including several free men. Two black guides, Piper, the former companion of Sir Thomas, and a man named Yuraniah, permanently at- tached themselves to the expedition at Buree. The appurtenances of the expedition consisted of the eight drays, drawn by eighty bullocks, the t^v(J boats, seven- teen horses, and three hght carts. The provisions were 94 A NATIVE OITERS HIMSELF AS GUIDE. computed to last for a year, and included a flock of 250 slieep. No man understood better tlian Sir Thomas liow to arrange and supply an expedition of the kind. All sorts of men were thought of, and each was carefully selected for his particular duty. The barometer, having its espe- cial carrier and carer for, was a most judicious arrange- ment. It was equally foreseeing to have, not only plenty of shoes, but a store of leather and a shoemaker to make it up. The flocks, the bullocks, the horses, the stores, all had experienced keepers. No better appointed explo- ratory expedition had ever set forth from the known parts of the continent to the unknown. The route of the party first lay in the direction of that of 1835. Towards the end of the month they were met by a party of blacks from the Bogau, who had been sent forward by their tribe to ascertain the objects and route of the explorers. One of these blacks had been the guide of Sir Thomas's party in this quarter in 1835, and he now introduced himself, carrying a pre- sent of wild honey, and offered himself as formerly to be their conductor. He was observed to have a countenance greatly resembling that of Socrates. On the 4th of January, 1846, the party had reached the last stations of tlie squatters, and they found abund- ant evidences that these stations had been advanced farther into the wilderness than the natives would per- mit them to remain. They had resisted the encroach- ments of the white man, and for a time successfully. Huts of stockmen burnt down, stock-yards in ruins, and roads again overgrown with grass, showed that the native had triumphantly thrown back the tide of white invasion. It would be only for a time. Fresh squatting companies would appear, armed and combined to drive before them the children of the desert, and once more to cover the fertile plains with their flocks and herds ^ In 1841, the Messrs. Henry Stuart Eussell, and Sydenham Eussell and some of their friends, had made considerable explorations along the courses of the rivers SIR THOMAS AND HIS PARTY REST AT CANNONHA. 95 Condamino and Boyne, in the J]iinya-J>iiiiya country, and the neighhourhood of Wide -Bay. It was now midsunnner of that liemisphere, and the party began to experience the usual suffering from the want of water in those regions. It was necessary be- fore advancing with the whole party, to send forward scouts to discover water. Towards the end of the month, the bed of the Bogan was explored for three days, by an advanced party, but in vain, all Avas dry. The route, therefore, was changed. Amongst the ef- fects of the heat, and glare of burning sand, the men began to suffer severely from ophthalmia, and the leader suffered as much as any. It was necessary to pause on many accounts, and this they were enabled to do on a creek with plenty of water, at a place called by the natives Cannonha. Not only did the oj^hthalmia threaten to compel Sir Thomas to return if he meant to save his sight, but the condition of the vehicles, shrunk and falling to pieces with the effects of the heat, made im- perative a delay. They resolved, therefore, to remain on this creek for a fortnight. The tents were pitched amongst shady bushes, the blacksmith's forge was set up, workshops for the carpenters erected, and all were soon busy in repairing their waggons, whilst the cattle luxuriated on the abundant water in the creek, and fresh grass on its banks. Several articles were found at the bottom of a pond grown dry, such as kettles, a spade, a Eoman balance, sliomng that they had been the property of the white man who had been repulsed from the place by the natives. An old woman, indeed, told tlie interpreter that three white men had been killed in the struggle which took place when this station had been destroyed. Here it was found necessary to send back Piper, the guide of the former, and so far of this expedition. It was found that he had been endeavouring to persuade the two younger and more useful blacks to desert the party. He had allured them by a proposal to go in 96 THEY REACH THE BANKS OE THE DARLING. searcli of gins, and to prevent further mischief he was sent back to Bathurst in charge of a trooper. On the 12th of February, the expedition again set forward, greatly recruited by this rest. In the evening of the next day they beheld a novel and very interesting sight — a flood in the channel of the Macquarie. It exactly resembled what had been witnessed by Sturt and his party on the creek, at their long encampment at Mount Poole. At first they heard a murmuring sound, as if of a distant waterfall, mingled with occa- sional cracks as if of breaking branches. The men hastened to the river bank, where the murmur soon increased into a loud rushing of waters, a louder crack- ing of timber, and anon, the flood came pouring into sight, rolling slowly but victoriously onwards, a foam- ing mass, tossing before it large trees, and snapping their trunks against the banks. The scene was beheld with equal wonder and delight, for indejDendently of its novelty, it j^romised an abundance of that most neces- sary element in that climate. The progress of the flood, though powerful, was so slow that it was more than an hour before the sound of its leading billows ceased to be heard. On the 28tli the party reached the banks of the Barwan, or upper Darling. Grreat was the change which presented itself from that condition of things which had been there witnessed fifteen years before. Then it was the undisputed haunt of the savage ; now flocks and herds were spread over the plains, and the civilization and even wealth of the white man was exhibited in the abodes of the settlers. Formerly, when exploring parties reached this place, they were obliged to fortify themselves against the attacks of the natives, but the whiteman now reigned here supreme. They crossed the river by a ford on a station occupied by Mr. Parnell, and en- camped in latitude 30° 5' 4V'. On the 7th of March, they reached a river named the Narrau, having, since leaving the Barwan, crossed a country never before trodden by the European. THE BALONNE A FINE RIYHll. 97 Their encampment on the Narnm was lorn- hundred and forty-two feet above the level of the sea. As they advanced northwards from this ])oint, they frequently found great want of water, and the bullocks were grow- ing proportionably exhausted. Several of them died, and others strayed at night in search of water and better pasture, thus delaying the movements of the party. At the beginning of April, the party encamped on the banks of the Balonne, as fine a looking river as had been seen in Australia, the Murray excepted. A passage was effected by filling a shallow part of the stream with logs and earth, and the next day they en- camped on the Calgoa, seven miles distant from the Balonne, and near there falling into that river. At this place, Sir Thomas began the system of marking a tree at each camping place, a practice partially carried out by Leichhardt, and a very useful one as furnishing in- dications to those who should" reach those places after- wards, of their real position. As the month advanced, they found the Balonne ex- panding into a magnificent stream, at one point being fully a hundred and twenty yards wide, and presenting a permanent sheet of water, which, for extent, was not to be surpassed by any other river in the colony. At the same time, the country along its course was of the most fertile character. A little later, a lake was seen containing several large islands, and this was named the Lake Para- chute. At this point. Sir Thomas carried into efiect a plan which he had been for some time meditating, namely, to go on with a lighter party, leaving the weaker animals and heavier stores in a suitable depot, under a sufiicient guard. Accordingly, on the 23rd, he set forward with eight men and two native boys, with twelve horses and three light carts, carrying with them provisions for ten weeks. His great object was to ascer- tain at what place the waters began to descend towards the Grulf of Carpentaria, a point of great importance for the main object of the expedition, a route to the Grulf, as a starting-place for India. Mr. Kennedy, who was VOL. II. / 98 WEATHER EXTREMELY COLD. left in charge of the heavier portion of the material of the exjDedition, was to follow in his track after a lapse of three weeks. For several days their course lay amongst lakes and lagoons. There were many natives, but of a most peaceful and friendly nature. They walked into the midst of the camp totally unarmed, and surveyed the carts and tents with evident wonder. Their language sounded soft and agreeable. Very unlike savages in general, they exhibited no desire to plunder. A lake they called Turanimga; the river, the lagoon, and a neighbouring hiU, Toolumba. The weather was at this period extremely cold, and the thermometer at sun- rise, stood at 19 , yet, strange to say, the water was not frozen, and the native guides who slept in the open air, experienced no inconvenience. The district they named the Fitzroy Downs, after Sir Charles Fitzroy, the Grover- nor. Here they met with that singular tree seen by Captain Grrey on the north-west coast, the Grouty-stem Tree, which the reader will find described in the narra- tive of that expedition. On these downs they were visited by eight natives, a father and seven sons. These men were adorned mth iron-ochre, and wore in their hair and beards, some feathers of the white cockatoo. They were of a merry disposition, and in their frequent laughter, showed rows of teeth of surpassing whiteness. Their language was not much understood, but their sonorous names for the hills and creeks were obtained from them, and were noted down. On the 1st of May they struck a river falling into the Balonne, called by the natives the Culba, or Maranoa. Into this' from the east fell a river named the Amby. About the .20th they encamped with plenty of water and grass on the banks of the Maranoa, and resolved to wait the arrival of Kennedy there. During the stay there, one day when Sir Thomas was absent on an exploring ride, two natives appeared before the camp, painted white, amar- tial demonstration, and carrying several spears and boome- rangs. They were followed by two females, also carrying A NATIVE HARANGUE. 99 bundles of spears. The travellers turned out at this sight armed, and stood in rank in front of the tents, and one of the troopers beckoned the natives to retire. These pointed the way which the leader had gone, and motioned them to follow him. As the whites remained stationary, the natives became angry, and poised their spears, at a distance of ten or twelve paces. As the whites still stood firm, the natives now assumed attitudes of insult and contempt, at which the travellers, to intimidate them, fired a musket over their heads. At the report the natives sprang several feet into the air, and made a precipitate retreat, followed by the women. They returned, however, soon after, and adopted another mode of getting rid of their unwelcome visitors — that of argument and reason. The travellers having again turned out armed as before, the chief speaker of the tribe advanced, and pointing to various landmarks and localities, which he indicated as boundaries, announced that this district belonged exclusively to his people. A female standing behind the orator, prompted him, and occasionally joined in his statement with great energy and fluency, pointing also in the various directions indicated by their discourse. They seemed to say : — " These are our lands, bounded here by the mountains, there by the horizon. They are ours by right of possession and occupation, acquired b}' our ancestors ages ago ; they are ours by every title nature confers, for without the animals and birds to which they give subsistence, and the fish which lives in their lakes and rivers, we could not subsist. Other tribes occupy all the lands Ipng beyond the hmits of oui' possessions. If we pass those bounds we are met with war. The pangs of hunger will not save us from the rage of those on whose domain we intrude, nor their piteous condition preserve our women frombondage, and our children from slaughter. This necessity, not unkindness, compels us to require that you pass on, and cease to consume our rightful prey, and still worse, destroy or scare away that which you may not consume. You have provisions; you have 7—2 100 SIR THOMAS AGAIN SETS FORWARD. animals which bear your burdens ; you have health and strength ; you will elsewhere find territories to possess which will inflict no injury. By going you suffer no hardships; by staying, you become the cause of our ruin." These harangues making no impression on the Euro- peans, the black chief proceeded to strike a spear into the ground, and having thus formed a landmark, he proposed by word and gesture, that on the one side the ground should be occupied by the whites, and on the other by the blacks. The arrangement was assented to, and the aborigines, seemingly satisfied, went their way. When Sir Thomas retm-ned, he confirmed the treaty by ordering that the larger of the two reaches near the camp should be left exclusively to the aborigines ; that no white man should visit its banks, and that the cattle should not be allowed to feed in its vicinity. Such an arrangement was not only due to ordinary justice, but was merited by the moderation of the demands made by the tribe, and by their bold and manly demeanour in urging their rights. On the 1st of June Mr. Kennedy announced his approach by a shot. He brought up all his party and provisions in good order; and the very next day Sir Thomas prepared to start on another advance with a similar light party, the only additions to it being the surgeon, and two other men. The remainder again stayed under the command of Mr. Kennedy. The party thus again left for four months, as it was calculated, were to employ themselves in fencing a stockyard, and cultivating a garden. There was to be no intercourse with the natives. On the 4th Sir Thomas set forward, conveying the stores and a boat in a dray, and the light carts drawn hy horses. On the first day's journey a small tribe menaced the paiiy, but a few shots fired into the air, and the sound of the bugle, awed them, and the travellers were allowed to encamp in peace. Towards the end of the month, the party were in great distress for water, but WATER POUND BY THE MEANS OF A DREAM. 101 were rescued in an extraordinary manner. One of the men, Felix Maguire, dreamed that he found a pond, and rising, went directly to the spot indicated by the vision, and there found the much-needed fluid. Twice did the prevision of this man succour the party in a similar manner, and his tact in finding water was at aU times greater than that of any of his companions. On the 2nd of July the explorers came to a running stream, the water of which was clear and sparkling, but tasted strongly of sulphur. The native guide at once pronounced this to be the head of a stream wliich never dried up. They named the river the Salvator, and a lake into which it flowed, the Lake Salvator. An outlet appeared on the southern side of the lake, but its channel was now dry. Proceeding, they soon found water growing scarce, and determined to try another route, which proved most fortunate, for on the 11th they found themselves on the banks of a fine permanent stream, flowing from the west. They named this river the Claude, from the surpassing beauty of the waving lines of woods along its [course. The land in its vicinity was of the most fertile character, but everywhere covered with fragments of fossil wood, silex, agate, and chalce- dony. In some respects this beautiful country appeared to be a land of extremes. One day the explorers met with streams of limpid water, or large and beautiful lakes ; on the next, they were lost amid a labyrinth of dry water-courses, and impassable gullies. In the morning they were encompassed by the remains of petrified trees ; in the afternoon the air around was per- fumed by the fragrance of a sweet-scented shrub. Towards the end of the month the explorers, crossing the tropical line, entered the regions of the sun. The stream of the Claude still pursued its majestic com'se, flowing on to constitute the Belyando, which falls into the Suttor, as the Suttor into the Bm^dekin. Lagoons, covered with wild-fowl, were met with from time to time, and kangaroos in large numbers bounded over the plains. Towards the middle of August the party were at a point 102 HOSTILE NATIVES DISPERSED. where the river, now forming' a series of deep, broad reaches, brimful of pure water, was joined by a tributary from the south-west. The natives showed no friendly feeling. On occasions when Sir Thomas was absent with some of the party, a number of the natives were pretty sure to make their appearance at the camp, and showed a disposition to lay hands on any thing- they could. On one occasion no fewer than seventeen made their appear- ance, armed with clubs, and made signs for the travellers to pack up and follow their leader. The heads of the party appeared to be an old man, and a gigantic fellow of less age. They began to seize on everything within their reach. The travellers restrained their pilfering, but treated them civilly, and asked them to sit down, hoping to obtain some information from them regarding the river which they called the Belyando. Soon, however, a violent altercation took place between the old chief and his colleague. The younger one rose, and approaching the tents, beckoned the rest to follow. It was plain that an assault for plunder was intended. But instantly the men in charge of the tents seized their arms, and formed into line in front of them. This move- ment, and the sight of their mysterious weapons, caused the natives to halt, and the dogs rushing forth furiously upon them, completed their discomfiture. They fled precipitately, followed by the united laughter of the whites, and the old chief's adherents. Sir Thomas now resolved to discontinue the route northwards, seeing plainly that this river did not lead to the Grulf of Carpentaria. The elevation of the coun- tr}^ had decreased, leaving no doubt that the division betwixt the eastern and western waters was to be sought for farther west. It was therefore determined to retrace the wheel tracks to the- head of the Salvator, and thence to explore the country to the north-west. The journey had already produced important results. A Hne of com- munication had been estabhshed between the colony and an important river leading to the eastern coast ; and by it was thrown oj)en a country equal in pastoral resources A REMARKABLE PHENOMENON. 103 to any hitherto discovered in AustraHa, and t^Teater in ex- tent than all the lands hitherto occupied by the colonists. On the 12th, therefore, the party turned their faces in a homeward direction. Foot-prints on the line of march showed that they had been followed for a considerable distance by numbers of the natives. The shepherd, wdth his small flock, strayed away al)out this time, and was lost during a day and a night. When found by one of the guides, he was in fall march to the eastward, pursu- ing a course directly opposite to that in which the expe- dition was going. On the night of the 24th, a remark- able phenomenon was observed. A rushing wind from the west shook the tents, then a whirling mass of red light passed to the southward, accompanied by a low booming sound. Wlien the meteor reached the horizon, a loud report, like that of a cannon, shook the air ; and so great was the concussion, that the boat vibrated in its carriage for minutes. This event, as elsewhere observ^ed, seems to exj^lain the loud explosions twice heard by Sturt in the interior. On the 24th the party re-crossed the line of Capricorn, and camped at one of their old resting-places, having been exactly one month within the regions of tropical Austraha. It was with feelings of regret that they left the land of glowing sunbeams, for to them it had been a region of pleasant hours, and of bright promise. On the 1st of September, the camp was fixed on one of the downs, about ten miles from the Claude, and the next day they crossed that river. A few days later, they encamped in a mountain gorge, where it was in- tended the main part of the expedition should remain, whilst Sir Thomas made an excursion towards the north- west. Having completed his maps and written a de- spatch, on the 9th he set out, accompanied by three men, with a view of making a final eftbrt to discover a river flowing into Carpentaria. Provisions for a month were borne on two pack-horses. Passing a small river, which received the name of the Nine, the party amved, a few days later, on the banks of a stream, equal in every 104 SIR Thomas's description of the country. respect to any they had hitherto encountered. The trees which hned its banks were traceable to the horizon. Flocks of cockatoos filled the air with their deafening chorus ; water-fowl were in large numbers floating on the ample flood, or flew up and down over the reaches : and columns of smoke, extending in various directions, told that this rich and beautiful spot of creation was not without inhabitants. The country on either side of the river they thought one of the finest regions hitherto seen in Australia. Swarms of bees, remarkable for their smallness, visited the innumerable flowers, and, notwith- standing that the gatherer was not larger than a gnat, the black guide cut out abundance of honey from the trunks of decayed trees ; Nature providing for the so- journer on her wild domains a luxury which art could not improve. " Et durpe quercus sudabant roscida mella." — Virgil, Mn. iv. Sir Thomas thus describes his first view of this beau- tiful country : — " On ascending the range early the next morning, I saw open doAvns and plains, mth a line of river in the midst, the whole extending to the N.N.W., as far as the horizon. Following down the little stream from the valley in which I had passed the night, I soon reached the open country, and during ten successive days I pur- sued the course of that river, through the same sort of country each day, as far as my horse could carry me, and in the same direction again approaching the tropic of Capricorn. In some parts the river formed splendid reaches, as broad and important as the river Murray : in others, it spread into four or five branches, some of them several miles apart. But the whole country is better watered than any part of Australia I have seen, by numerous tributaries arising in the downs. " The soil consists of rich clay, and the hollows give birth to numerous water-courses, in most of which water was abundant. I found at length that I might travel in any direction, and find water at hand, without having THE RIVER VICTORIA. 105 to seek the river, except when I wished to ascei-tain its general course, and observe its cliaracter. The grass consists of panicum, and several new sorts, one of whicli springs green from the old stem. Tlie plains were ver- dant, indeed. The luxuriant pasturage surpassed in quality, as it did in extent, anything I had ever seen. The myall tree and salt-bush (acacia pendula and sal- solse), so essential to a good run, are also there. New birds and ncAv plants marked out this as an essentially different region from any I had previously explored ; and although I could not follow the river throughout its long course at that advanced season, I was convinced that its estuary was in the Grulf of Carpentaria,^ — at all events the country is open and well watered for a direct route thereto. That the river is the most important of Austraha, increasing as it does, by successive tributaries, and not a mere product of distant ranges, admits of no dispute ; and the downs and plains of Central Australia, through which it flows, seem sufficient to supply the whole world with animal food. The natives are few and inoffensive. I happened to surprise one tribe at the lagoon, who did not seem averse to such strangers being in the country : our number being small, they seemed inclined to follow us. I crossed the river at the lowest point I reached, in a great southerly bend, in longitude 144° 34' E., latitude 24° 14' S. ; and from rising ground beyond the left bank, I could trace its downward course far to the northward. I saw no callitris (pine of the colonists) in all that country, but a range, showing sand- stone cliffs, appeared to the southward, in longitude 145°, and latitude 34° 30' S. The country to the northward of the river is,' upon the whole, the best ; yet, in riding ninety miles due east from where I crossed the southern bend, I found plenty of water, and excellent grass ; and gravel there approaches the river, throwing it off to the northward. Kanges extending N.N.E. were occasionally visible from the country to the northward." Sir Thomas bestowed on this river the name of Vic- toria, though it possessed a much more distinctive native 106 THEY RETURN HOMEWARDS. name— tlie Barcoo, seeing tliat there was already a river Victoria on the western coast. The Barcoo was joined by another stream running from the IST.E.j which was called the Alice. Having made this discovery, Sir Thomas turned now determinedly homeward. On the 6th of October, he and his attendants rejoined their companions at the camp near the sources of the Nine, and after a rest of four days, the homeward march was resumed. On the 18th, they regained Kennedy's camp, after an absence of four months and fifteen days. The party under Mr. Ken- nedy w^ere all well ; the cattle and sheep in good condi- tion ; a stockyard had been formed, and a storehouse built ; a garden had l^een fenced in, and cultivated, and now contained melons, cucumbers, and other similar things. As regarded the natives, the j^eople at the camp had only had one encounter with any of them. A woman very much advanced in years and her daughter were met by tlie commandant and one of the native guides. The young woman, at the approach of the strangers, sang a pleasing air ; but the mother, who at first concealed herself amongst some reeds, rendered her naturally hideous person still more hideous by the rage with which she denounced the white men, as though she had a foresight of the decay of her race, which must follow the advent of the strangers. Breaking up the encampment, which had been so long established that it began to present some of the appear- ances of a regular settlement, the entire party com- menced, on the 22nd, their journey towards the colony, deviating slightly from their former track. As they advanced, the hoof marks of horses, pursuing the out- ward course of the expedition, proved that abeady the enterprising squatters had availed themselves of the new path in seeking territories, where flocks and herds, increas- ing in rapid ratio, would soon build up the fortunes of the lucky possessors. On the 21st of November, hea^y rains set in, and the Balonne rising to a considerable height, and inundating the adjacent country, the explo- GEEAT SUCCESS OF THE ENTERPRISE. 107 rers were detained by the waters for upwards of a fort- night. Eesuming their journey on the 1 1 tli of Decem- ber, they crossed the Gwydir. Tliis river, as forming the boundary of a country which had been for a consi- derable time the seat of colonization, was considered the goal of the exploring journey, which had now occupied twelve months all but one day. Two days later, tlie leader set out for Sydney, and in a month the whole expedition had arrived in the metropolis. Such was the last of the great exploring enterprises of Sir Thomas Mitchell. On the whole Sir Thomas must be ranked amongst the greatest of Australian explorers, and the discovery of the vast extent of fine country on the Nammoy, the Barwan, the Culgoa, the Balonne, the Maranoa, the Claude, the Belyando, and Barcoo rivers, was a most important service to the colony. He sur- vived eight years to reap the fame and satisfaction of liis successful enterprises in the opening up of the north- eastern portion of the continent. He finished his very useful career on the 5th of October, 1855, at his resi- dence near Sydney. He had been on the staff of the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular Avar, and received a silver medal and five clasps for his services on the field of battle. Besides his services in cutting roads through the Blue Mountains, in surveying and mapping A'-arious districts of the colony, and besides these his Avell knoANTi achievements as an explorer. Sir Thomas Avas equally devoted to literature and mechanics ; was an accomplished classic and general scholar. He translated the Lusiad of Camoens, and though fond of art and poetry, he Avas equally practical, and, shortly before his death, he applied to the screw propeller the revohdng principle of the boomerang of the Australian natives. His death resulted from bronchitis produced by exposure during a surveying expedition. 108 CHAPTER V. Kennedy's explorations of the barcoo and or the YORK PENINSULA, 1847. Edward Kennedy sent to trace the Barcoo, and find a route to Carpentaria. — Crossed the Barcoo at Sir Thomas Mitchell's lowest point on August the 13th. — Found the river running a fresh course. — The Thomsou falling into the Bai'coo. — Traces the Barcoo down 100 miles. — Then lightens his luggage, and advances downwards through a wretched coiintry to latitude 26° 13' 9", longi- tude 142" 20'. — A low, fiat country. — Tlie river dividing into many channels. — Convinced tliat it was identical witli Cooper's Creek. — Returns northwards. — The natives had j)lundered his bui'ied stores. — Ohliged by this to return home. — Kennedy's journal edited by the Rev. W. B. Clarke. Kennedy's Expedition to the York: Peninsula. — Proposed plan of a new expedition towards the Gridf. — Provisions to be carried by ship to Albany. — York Peninsula to be first examined, then the route towards Cai'pentaria. — Kennedy and party land at Rockingham Bay in May, 1848. — Compelled to diverge to the south-west by the mountains. — Abandon their carts and heavy stores. — Leave eight men at Weymoutli Bay. — Kennedy and foxir men, includ- ing Jackey, the native guide, push on for Albany. — One of the party woimded by a gun, which mipeded them. — Leave him and the other two whites, and Kennedy and Jackey proceed towards Albany alone. — Attacked by natives near Albany. — Kennedy killed. — Jackey reaches Albany with his journal. — Sufferings and deaths in the party at Weymouth Bay. — Only two saved. — Relief party from the " Ariel." — The three other men sought for in vain. — Ten out of the original thirteen of this expedition perished, — Generous nature of Edward Kennedy. THE EXPLORATION OF THE BARCOO. After the laudatory, but at the same time just terms, in wliicli Sir Thomas Mitchell had described Australia Felix, now the colony of Victoria, the eulogies which he had bestowed on the Barcoo river and the adjacent country, were certainly calculated to excite the intensest expectations in New South "Wales. After all his explor- ations of Australian rivers, especially of the Lachlan and Darling, Sir Thomas was not cured of his behef that the great course of Australian waters must be north- west. Indeed, had the Barcoo continued the same course as in the portion which he saw, it would have fallen into the Flinders. The strong and truly surpris- ing terms which Sir Thomas had bestowed upon this river and the adjacent country, naturally stimulated the JVIR. KENNEDY S RESOLUTION. 109 government of New South Wales to have them further explored ; and, unfortunately, the river neither proved " the most important of Australia," nor " the downs and plains thi'ough which it flowed, sufficient to supply the whole world with animal food." The river, soon after he quitted it, took a decided course to the S.S.W., and ran, not through the most fertile regions of Austraha, but into flats resembhng those of the Darhng, and into the sterile deserts towards the centre of the continent. Mr. Edward Kennedy, a young and experienced offi- cer, whom we have seen accompanying Sir Thomas into the interior, was ordered on this ser\dce. Having reached the lowest point of the Barcoo attained by the Surveyor- Cfeneral, on the 13th of August, he crossed over to its right bank, and for some time found it running through fine grassy plains on its north side, but on its southern one, bounded by a low sand-ridge, covered with the bricklow, or brigalow acacia. Some distance onward, he found the river divide into three channels, one only, the southernmost, continuing permanent. The com^se was generally S.S.W., again di\dding into three chan- nels, and several minor water-com-ses ; the latitude 2# 52' 55^ and longitude 144° 11' 26'^ The supply of water in the channel, and in lakes and lagoons formed by the river, had disappeared, and it was with difficulty that they obtained enough for their need. The course which the channel took, so opposite to that of the part seen by Mitchell, convinced Mr. Kennedy, that with his small stock of provisions, he could not reach the Grulf of Carj)entaria, and trace the course of the river too. He wisely resolved, therefore, to determine the course of the river, of which Sir Thomas had raised such expectations. After having traced it down south-south- west for nearly 100 miles, he determined to proceed mth a couple of men as far as latitude 26°, and then to re- turn and follow the river upwards towards the noiih, and thus prolong the route thus far carried towards Carpentaria by Mitchell. J'or this purpose he left his camp on the 20th of 110 DISCOVERY OF THE RIVER THOMSON. August, tmd at twelve miles found several channels united, forming a fine reach, below which, the river took a turn towards the west-south-west, recei\dng the waters of rather a large creek' from the eastward in latitude 25° 3'. In latitude 25° 7', the river was again turned west and west by north, by a low range in its left bank, for nearly thirty miles, and in that course the reaches were from 80 to 120 yards wide; firm plains of poor white soil, extending on each side of the river. In latitude 25° 9' 30'', longitude about 143° IG', a considerable river was found coming from the north-east, and there joining the Barcoo, on wliich Kennedy conferred the name of the Thomson, in honour of Mr. E. Deas Thomson, the Colonial Secretary. On one of the fine reaches of the western course of the Barcoo, it measured 120 yards wide, and seemed to have great depth. Various rocks and small islets in its channel gave such a promise of a great river that Mr. Kennedy there returned to bring up his camp. Having again reached his farthest point downwards, the ground in latitude 25° 24' became so heavy, that •Mr. Kennedy buried a considerable part of his provi- sions, to lighten the loads of the horses, retaining suffi- cient to carry them to Captain Sturt's furthest point on Cooper's Creek, to which point he was now convinced the river would lead them. He was soon compelled to leave more behind, for the horses now frequently sank up to their hocks in the fissures of the plains. Again they found a barren sandstone ridge driving the river westward, and causing its different channels to unite in another fine reach, in latitude 25° 51'. Soon after the river resumed its southerly course, spreading in count- less channels over a smi'ace bearing flood marks six and seven feet above its then level. Mr. Kennedy continued his pursuit of the river, the country becoming more barren, the channel more diy, to latitude 26° 13' 9" longitude 142° 20'. There the river in several channels trended due south, and the lowest point of the range which bounds that fiat country to the eastward, bearing THE NATIVES ROB THEM OF THEIR STORES. Ill Tills being- the case, lie felt satisfied tliat the Barcoo was identical with Cooper's Creek, that creek being abandoned by Stiu't in latitude 27° 46', and loui^i- tude 141° 51'. This river proved another conhrnuitiou of the theory, that a vast extent of the dip of the Aus- tralian continent is from the N.E. to the S.W. Mr. Kennedy now retraced his steps, and regained his encampment on the Barcoo, where he had buried the main portion of their stores, on the l(5tli of August. They had adopted Leichhardt's plan of making a fire over the place where they had buried their stores, that the natives might not see the freshly disturbed ground, and dig down to them. But they had already detected this stratagem, and vv^hen the men got down to the Horn', they reported that the rats had been at it. A little further search showed that not rats but the natives had been at it. They had dug down to the stores, taken away the tarpauling and bags ; emptied the flour and sugar into the hole again, covered them mth a httle straw, and filled up the hole carefully, and made a fire over it, as the travellers had done. Mr. Kennedy not having been able to penetrate very far south, in following the river, had again intended to try to reach the Grulf of Carpentaria ; but the loss of much of their provisions by this work of the natives, put an end to that project altogether. They now, therefore, pursued their homeward way, and were fol- lowed by numbers of natives, who displayed a disposi- tion to attack them, and one indeed, threw his boome- rang at Mr. Kennedy, and it was with difficulty they avoided a collision. The natives followed them for several days, when they fell back, having probably reached the boundary of their district, for other natives soon appeared, who behaved in a friendly manner. On the 7tli of October they reached the spot where they had buried the carts, on account of the roughness of the route onwards, and were only just in time to save them, as the natives had been sounding the ground in two places. From this point their homeward joui*ney 112 INSTRUCTIONS FOR A NEW EXPEDITION. was pursued by Mount Playfair, crossing the Warrego, and following down the Maranoa and Culgoa, to the Barwan, where they came upon a now well-tracked country, and soon after arrived safely in Sydney, where Mr. Kennedy, being appointed to a new expedi- tion for the following year, 1848, namely, of the York Peninsula, was so much occupied in preparation, that he handed over his joui-nal of this tour to the Eev. W. B. Clarke, the celebrated geologist, and one of the earliest announcers of gold in Australia, next to the convicts who found it in cutting the road through the Blue Moun- tains, in 1813. Kennedy's expedition to the york peninsula. Although the loss of provisions had prevented Ken- nedy proceeding to the Gulf of Carpentaria, the gover- nor did not abandon the project, but connected it with another, the exploration of York Peninsula. It was imagined from the superior character of the country along nearly the whole extent of Eastern Australia, that this peninsula would prove a continuation of such country, which added to its situation, would make it the most desirable site of a new colony, on the highway from New South Wales to India audits w^orld of islands. Kennedy's instructions were to proceed by sea to Eock- ingham Bay, and travel thence by land to Princess Charlotte's Bay, and Cape York. After communicating with 'a ship of war at Port Albany, and receiving a stock of provisions to be forwarded thither by the gov- ernment four months after his departure, the explorer was to proceed along the east coast of the Gulf of Car- pentaria to the Watre-Plaets, for the purpose of ascer- taining whether or not that was the estuary of Leich- hardt's Piver Mitchell, and if so, to follow that river to its junction with the Lynd. Thence he was to strike off by a west south-westerly course, to the Flinders, for the purpose of ascertaining the source of that river ; afterv\^ards to connect his jom-ney with Mitchell's discoveries in 1846, by the Belyando Biver, SEVERE MISFORTUNES ATTEND THEM. 113 or some other couveuieut point, uud thence return to Sydney. The route was one of no trifUng laljour and hazard, but with his usual enthusiasm, Edward Kennedy pre- pared for it instantly. His party consisted of twelve men beside himself. They had twenty-seven liorses, tw(j hundred and fifty sheep, with a requisite amount of Hour, tea, sugar, powder and shot. The arms of the party were eight carbines, four guns, one rilie, and thirteen brace of pistols. Leaving Sydney early in the year, they landed at Eockingham Bay on the 21st of May, 1848, and, on the 1st of June commenced their march northward for Cape York. But at their very outset, the country was so mountainous and rocky, some of the ranges rising 2000 feet, that they were compelled to proceed in a south-westward course, before they could advance northwards. They were even in this direction soon forced to abandon their carts, and the heaviest portion of their stores, so that on proceeding a few hundred miles farther, it became evident that their supplies would not hold out to Cape York, and it was concluded to leave eight men at Weymouth Bay, Avhilst Kennedy and the other four, including the native guide, Jacky, should push forward to Port Albany, and send round the schooner ordered thither with fresh suppUes, or the long boat of the Rattlesnake, to bring them on. In steering for Princess Charlotte's Bay, they followed a stream upwards, a hundi'ed miles or more from the east coast, crossed some sources of the Mitchell, and then went down another river, since called Kennedy's Eiver, which falls into Princess Charlotte's Bay. From this point they were enabled to follow the coast line, the country being more open, to Weymouth Bay, and leaving the eight men there, Kennedy and his small troop started thence for Albany, on the 10th of Novem- ber. Misfortune still attended them. They had not pro- ceeded many days when one of the party accidentally wounded himself with a gun ; thus rendering the pro- VOL. II. ^ 114 KENNEDY WOUNDED BY THE NATIVES. gress of the party much slower. Their provisions were rapidly consuming, and they were obliged to kill one of their horses, and dry its flesh to subsist upon it. Three weeks after leaving the rest of the party, the wounded man became too ill to proceed ; Kennedy, therefore, resolved to leave him and the two other white men where they were, and hasten on to Albany, attended only by Jackey the native. He left instructions, that if the wounded man died, the other two were to follow on ; if not, they were to wait till the assistance he proposed to send them should arrive. Thus the leader and the black travelled on till they came in sight of the sea, though yet at a considerable distance from Poi*t Albany, and a bright hope of the termination of all their troubles cheered them on. But the hope was fallacious. They here came upon the haunts of a tribe of natives, who affected great friendliness, frequently rubbing their stomachs, and exclaiming " Pomad ! pomad !" which means " peace ! peace !" Kennedy made them some presents, which they received with apparent satisfaction, but Jackey bade his leader not to trust to them ; they were too officious in their professions of good-will, and the event proved that he was not mistaken. When the travellers resumed their journey after the interview, the blacks dogged their heels for three days, and eventually threw a shower of spears, one of which struck Mr. Kennedy in the back. Jackey fired, and killed one of the assailants, but these renewed the at- tack, sneaking behind the trees, and discharging their spears from time to time. Jackey cut out the spear which his master had received, and Mr. Kennedy then attempted to fire his gim, but it would not go off, the powder being wet ; and he was soon farther disabled by two other spear wounds, whilst Jackey was also wounded. The horses, ha\4ng been also speared, rushed wildly into a swamp. Kennedy, growing weaker, now sat down at the instance of Jackey, while he went to collect the sad- dle-bags. When he returned, he found his master sur- DEATH OF KENNEDY. 115 rounded by the savages, who were stripping him of his watch and other articles about his person. The blacks, having satisfied at once their cruelty and cupidity, now went away, and Jackey xiarried his master into the scrub, to a place where he was more likely to be undisturbed, frequently asking, to use his own unaffectedly touching language, in describing the occurrence — " Are you well now ?" " I don't care for the spear- wound in my leg, Jackey," replied poor Kennedy ; " but I suffer from those two other spear-wounds in my side and my back. I am bad inside." With bold, and not uncommendable candour, Jackey told his master, " that black-fellows always died when they were speared there ;" meaning in the back. " I cannot breath," said Kennedy, growing w^orse. " Mr. Kennedy, are you going to leave me ?" was the affect- ing response of his faithful follower. " Yes, my boy," said the dying man ; "I am going to leave you. I am veiy bad, Jackey. You will take the books to the Cap- tain, Jackey, but not the big ones : the Governor will give anything for them." The guide now tied up the papers, whilst Kennedy, true to the last to his enterprise, asked for paper, to write. Having received pencil and paper, he attempted to put down some final notes in direction, but his strength utterly failing, he fell back. Jackey received him in his arms and supported him till he died ; and then, having fulfilled his duty to his master, whilst living, turned round and paid him the tribute of his tears when dead. " I was crying a good while," he said, " until I got well ; that was about an horn-, and then I buried him. I dug up the ground with a tomahawk, and covered over the body with grass, a shirt and trowsers, and then with logs." That evening Jackey left the fatal spot as it grew dark. The blacks threw spears at him, but by getting into a scrub, and walking half a mile in a creek, with his head only above water, he got away without further 8—2 116 SIX MORE OF THE PAETY DIE. injmy. He now travelled onwards towards Poi*t Albany. Eor two days salt water was his only drink, and for tlie whole of the journey his best food was a few roots, and such snakes, hzards, and guanos, as he could catch. Sheer weakness on several occasions compelled him to rest for an entire day. After a lapse of thirteen days he arrived at Port Albany, and, following Kennedy's final instruc- tions, proceeded to the place where the ship lay, and, having hailed the crew, was taken aboard. In the meantime, the party of eight, left behind at Weymouth Bay, under the command of Mr. Carron, the naturalist of the expedition, were sufiering deeply. Not- withstanding that their position appeared more favour- able than that of those who had to face the perils of a journey through an untrodden forest and hostile tribes, their condition was deplorable. A few days after the departure of the leader, one of the men died, and very soon after, another. The principal food of the party was horse-flesh, and it soon became obvious, that whe- ther from aversion, or from the insufficiency of nutri- ment, the men could not subsist on such diet. In four weeks, six of the party had died, and the survivors were so weak, that they were unable to bury the two who died last, but sunk the bodies in the creek, as a mode of sepulture requiring the least exertion. The camp had frequently been surrounded by a tribe of natives, num- bering sixty or seventy men, who menaced the party, and, on one occasion, threw a shower of spears, which, however, did no injury ; for on the whites discharging a volley of musketry, the assailants fled. When the party were reduced to two or three, humanity appeared to awake in the hearts of the natives, for they now became less troublesome, and even evinced kindness, by supplying to the starving whites small quantities of food. On the 1st of December, the appearance of a schooner in the vicinity of the bay kindled the hopes of those who survived. They hoisted a flag and discharged rockets to attract notice, but the vessel passed, and left DELIVERANCE ARRIVES. 117 their position more gloomy than before. The two men> who now remained, with difficulty procured by shooting, sufficient food on which to sul)sist, the blacks keeping them in constant terror, and their exhaustion rendering it a laborious work to move out of the tent. Their deliverance, however, was at hand. One day, as the month advanced, a party of blacks approached, and one of them put into the hands of Carron a dirty piece of paper, which, on investigation, proved to be a note from Mr. Dobson, of the schooner " Ariel," the vessel which had been sent to Port Albany with provisions for the explorers. The crowd of blacks increased around the tent, and the whites feared lest they should fall vic- tims to treachery just as their safety was about to be realised, when, to their great joy, Dobson himself ap- peared, accompanied by four others, including the faith- ful and determined Jackey. The two survivors were at once removed to the vessel, which was at anchor near the beach, three miles distant ; one of them, owing to his complete exhaustion, being borne on the shoulders of the seamen : the blacks to the last displaying their savage disposition by wounding one of the ship's crew. In this they were true to the character of the natives of the north-east of Australia, Captain Cook, when laid up in Endeavour River, having found them the same. The vessel had previously anchored near the place where Kennedy had left behind the three men ; and a party was landed with a view of making an attempt, under the guidance of Jackey, to rescue them. The party penetrated into the woods till they were within a day's journey of the place, when the men halted. There they met with blacks, who had in their possession arti- cles which Jackey pronounced to have belonged to the white men. As the provisions were faihng, and as the safety of the vessel was at stake, the sailors, beHeving the men to have been murdered, refused to proceed any further, and the search was abandoned, and that the more readily, on account of the other eight men who 118 THE SURVIVORS ARRIVE AT SYDNEY. were awaiting succour at Weymouth Bay. The vessel haidng accomplished its mission at Weymouth Bay, it was found impossible to persuade the sailors to renew the search for the other three, and Captain Dobson set sail for Sydney. Early in March the schooner arrived in Sydney, carrying back three persons, as the sole survivors of the expedition. If all or any of the three left behind at the second encampment, by Kennedy in his chivalrous anxiety to procure succour for all, escaped starvation or the spears of the blacks, they were never again heard of amongst white men. Thus, in all probability, out of this party of thirteen, ten perished, including the leader, making the enterprise one of the most disastrous in the annals of Australian exploration. Carron had kept a journal from the commencement of the exj)edition, and this, mth the story of the aboriginal guide, formed a complete narrative of the progress and melancholy teiTnination of the enterprise. A judicial investigation into the circumstances connected with the expedition was immediately instituted by the govern- ment ; the two European survivors, and Jackey, being the principal witnesses. The whole of the evidence went to show that the conduct of the leader in no way detracted from the honours which he had previously won in this arduous field of enterprise. His surviving companions were unanimous in declaring that he had done all that was possible to save the party, and to alleviate the misfortunes of those under his care. He had given up his own horses for the use of the sick, and had taken a share in every privation, hardship, and danger, whilst he remained at the head of the party, and when it was evident that his efforts in this position would be unavail- ing, accompanied by the faithful black, he set out on a journey, which, under the circumstances, presented difficulties and dangers, which his devotion to his associates, and his fidelity to the dut}^ imposed upon him, could alone have incited him to encounter. It was not KENNEDY WORTHY OF A MEMORIAL. 119 poor Kennedy's fortune to succeed in tlio object of the expedition, but it was to his honour that he exerted every energy to accomplish it, and that he died bravely in the attempt. His name will for ever be connected with the York Peninsular, and probal^ly years hence, when a populous colony exists there, a column of memorial will mark the spot where he fell. 120 CHAPTER VI. THE EXPEDITION OF MR. ROBERT AUSTIN, ASSISTANT SUR- VEYOR, INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1854. Objects of the expedition. — The party. — Left Mombe Kine, on Swan River, in July.— The samphireplainsto'Waddoming.- -The salt lake Cow-cowing. — Thence a poor country to Mount Marshall. — A miserable region of dead scrub to Mount Kenneth. — Views from Mount Kenneth sterile and forbidding. — Journey northward over this desert to August 20th. — Their horses poisoned by a shrub. — Foiu-teen died. — Mount Magnet. — Views all round still dismal. — Miseries of tight boots. — West Mount Magnet. — Riulc, rocky, and scrubby counti'y. — Natives refuse to eat a new kind of kangaroo. — Believed it a demon. — The Carved Cave Spring. — Native art. — Accident to Farmer by his own gun. — Poison plants again. — Farmer dies of lock-jaw. — Bequeathes his property. — Buried near a hill named Mount Farmer. — Mount Charles. — Views round into rocky and scrubby regions. — Native cross, and springes for emus. — Mounts Lake and Murchison — Murchison river. — Advanced to within fifty miles of Shark's Bay.- -Driven back by wretched, waterless comitry. — Mounts Narryer, VTelcome, Grass, and Vinden. — Sufferings on the retreat to the Geraldiue Mines. — Bury luggage. — Native guide neai'ly dead. — Generous offer of Captain Sanford, but vmavailing. — Retvirn to Perth. — Mr. Austin's estimate of the lands passed over. — Mr. Phillips' Report. In 1854 the government of Western Australia sent out a further expedition, under the command of Assistant Surveyor, Mr. Eobert Austin, to exjDlore the interior towards the north and east of the colony. The objects of this expedition were stated to be to ascertain the geological structure, natural productions, water-parting, and general character of the interior of the colony to the north and east of the settled districts, and towards the Grascoyne river. A ship, under command of Mr. Greorge Philhps, was despatched to await the arrival of the expedition at the mouth of the Grascoyne, to succour them with sup- plies, and convey them back to Perth. The exploring party under the command of Mr. Austin, consisted of ten men, with twenty-seven horses, and 120 days' provisions. Mr. Woodward voluntarily accompanied them with Mr. Chidlow's team, escorted by two men, for whom he took forty days' rations, to PASS THROUGH A MISERABLE REGION. 121 proceed as far as Cow-cowing, and thence to return with the leader's report to head-quarters. The expedition left Mombe Kine, on the sources of the Swan Piiver, on the 10th of July. They proceeded north-east, crossing the tributary stream of the Mortlock, or Salt River, to Goolmalling, and on to the samphire ])lains and great salt lake of Cow-cowing, and thence to AVaddoming, west of Lake Brown, having traversed very much the track of the Messrs. Grregory in 1846. There, however, they struck directly north, leaving the Gregory track to the right, and passed through a poor country, with much scrub and bare granite rocks, and with little water to Mount Marshall, whereon the 11th of August, they dis- missed Mr. Woodward and Chidlow's team, on their return with the dispatches. Thence they passed an arid, scrubby desert, where the bushes were all dead, and fell crashing before them, staking several of the horses. They were, however, stimulated to persevere through this miserable track, by the view of table-shajDed and peaked hills, apparently fifty miles ahead. The highest table-land in this range they named Mount Kenneth, from Mr. Kenneth Brown, who first discovered it. They found grass and water at the feet of these hills, and halted two days to recruit the party. Mount Kenneth proved to be of sandstone formation, capped with iron- stone, of about 180 feet above the level of the surrounding country, and 1401 feet above the level of the sea. The ]3rospect from it on all sides was sterile, scrubby, and cheerless. To the north and east were sandstone ridges and stony iDlains ; from north-west to west were hills of trap and greenstone, and the country undulating and scrubby. There were channels of streams, but all dry. They advanced north-east over this wretched countr}-, amongst sandstone cliffs, quartz, and round scrubby hummocks of black, shining, iron-ore, with dry channels of streams, the beds of which were white and glistening. After fighting their way through dense scrubs of cypress and acacia, and totally without water, on the 20th of August, in latitude 28° 43' 23", longitude 118° 38' E., 122 THEIR HORSES POISONED. as they were jDroceeding, suddenly tlieir horses began to rear and spin round, and then kicking violently, fell. This was a sign that they had been eating of a poisonous shrub, a species of gastrilobium, which is the curse of some parts of Western Australia. They now observed this poison plant growing amongst the grass everywhere. They describe it as having a small, bright, orange- coloured pea-blossom, like bird's eyes. The leaves as opposite and spreading, two inches long, wedge-shaped, with a triangular apex, at the angles of which, and at the base of the leaf,' are small thorns, and the breadth at the base of the apex is half an inch. The average height of the bushes is three feet, though many are much larger. Mr. Austin observes that this was the first instance that he had known of horses being seriously injured by this plant. That some years before Dr. Harris gave a large quantity of it to a pony without any prejudicial effect : and that he, therefore, was of opinion that the horses on this occasion were affected by it on account of their stomachs being empty and weak. Whatever was the cause, the consequences on this oc- casion were most disastrous. All their horses except eleven were violently affected by the poison ; and though they bled them, and gave them flour-gruel till they o-ained their streno-th asf-ain, as well as allowing- them all the rest they could, fourteen of them died, and some of the others were left too weak to carry their loads. Wherever on their route they observed the poison bushes they were obliged to watch the horses day and night. From this place, which they named Poison Rock, they endeavoured to penetrate more to the east, but found the country impracticable. They, therefore, proceeded northward, but over a tract not much better. Scrubby ranges, of ironstone or greenstone, and rocks of quartz, the earth wherever turned up looking white, like lime, alternating with samphire and salt-bush flats, and stony scrub, was the sort of country they had to pass, without water till the 24tli of August, when they reached a wild, desolate, magnetic hill, which they named Mount Magnet. MR. AUSTIN AND NARRAYEU WAYLAID. 123 This was in latitude 27° 58' east, longitude 118° 37'. The views from it were of a most scrubby, rocky, and unpromising aspect. Mr. Austin had only advanced to this point with a reconnoitring party, and he now hastened back, bringing his main party on to a Hat wdiere there was water and better feed, which he called Eecruit Flat, and which they reached on the 5th of September. On their return to this flat, Mr. Austin and Narrayer, the native, found themselves waylaid by a savage, who rushed on Narrayer with his spear, and were compelled to fire at him with shot, on receiving some of which he decamped. On ad- vancing from Recruit Flat, they found the country ex- tremely stony, and a curious incident was observed on the journey. Mr. Frazer having on a pair of new boots, his friend Mr. Brown exchanged with him, allowing him the use of his old, easy ones ; but Brown's feet soon becoming galled, too, with the new shoes, he j^ulled them off, and, putting on one of his old ones, allowed Frazer the other. Thus these two young men, each with one shoe, and the other foot wrapped up in cloths, hobbled on for sixteen miles over sharp rocks, and through high scrub, on a very hot day, without a single draft of water, and without a murmur. They had now struck into a tract to the west of Mount Magnet, and on the 13th of September found themselves on some rocks of trap and quartz, mixed with hornblende schist, with brown mica slate above, over- looking a great salt lake, but dry. It extended north and east to the verge of the horizon. To the S.W. an extensive range of trap hills, similar to Mount Magnet, rose from the plains, covered with scrub, and stones around it. It was fifteen miles off, and they named it West Mount Magnet. The country all around w^as rude, rocky, stony and scrubby, abounding with purple, micacious, schist, and red conglomerate, resting on felspar grit cliffs. There were deep watercourses, but all dry. Just before reaching this place an incident occurred, 124 SUPERSTITION OF THE NATIVES. which showed the peculiar superstition of the natives. Two female kangaroos, of the red kind, {psphanter rnfus), were killed, which the native guide had never seen, and although they were particularly fat and tender, they could not be persuaded to taste of them. On being expostulated with on the folly of refusing to strengthen themselves, after much exhaustion, and when very hungry, with this delicate meat, Narrayer, says Mr. Austin, " became very much excited, and begged me not to propose such a thing to him ; ' for,' said he, ' look at his head, truly it is that of a dog, with the ears of a cow. Saw you ever kangaroo so fat, or with meat that smelt so strange ? No, sir, this creature is not natural, and it must be a hioolyer (magician or evil spirit). Grlad I am to be the iirst of my tribe who has killed one of this odious race. But my father and mother never eat one, neither will I. Let the northern women eat it if they like, but I must become a great fool be- fore I 23ut any of this strange devil do^vn my throat to give me the stomach ache." The country which they traversed south-west of the Great Salt Lake, and betwixt that and West Mount Magnet, was of a most rough, stony, dry, and scrubby character, and they had infinite trouble in hunting up and recovering their horses, which strayed in search of water. At a spring in a cave, which they called the Carved Cave Spring, they found some specimens of native art. " This spring was in the sandy bed of a cave, under a felspar and quartz grit rock, and on the north side of this cave there were perfect representations of seven left hands of natives of the ordinary size, with one large right hand above, and to the left of them ; five couples of red kangaroos' feet, and three emus' feet, of the natural size, having the appearance of impressions made by these hands and feet dipped in some acid fluid, which had corroded and discoloured the rock ; and several rude imitations of the emus' and kangaroos' feet had been re- cently carved beneath them, by chijDping the rock with a piece of hard stone, probably quartz, as I found a THE VICTIM OF THE EXPEDITION. 125 sharp fragment of that rock, suited for the purpose, iu the cave." The reader will recollect the account of the drawiuers m a cave near Prince Eegent's liiver on the West Coast, discovered by Captain Grey, and others discovered by Allan Cunningham, and other explorers on islands and shores of the same coast, but of much superior execution and design. The natives of Australia seem particularly to select caves for their works of art. This cave was in latitude 27° 43' 13", east longitude 118°. On September 21st, not far from this Carved Cave Spring, one of the party had an accident, which marked him for the victim of this expedition ; for such expe- ditions seem as though they could not be exempt from the fatality of a victim. This was the poor youth Farmer. Mr. Austin had sent him to bring in a stray horse. Mr. Austin was out watching the flight of a native woman and child, whom they had observed ap- proaching the spring, when he heard one double shot after another, announcing that something was wrong at the camp. Soon after he saw Mr. Gruerin running to- wards him, who reported that Charles Farmer had shot himself. He found the poor lad stretched between the loads, under the shade of a horse-rug, the horse for which he had been sent standing by his side, and the natives, silent and sorrowful, were sitting at his feet. It was a saddening sight, they looked so wan and altered. Farmer's arm was shattered by a gun-shot wound re- ceived above the wi-ist, and extending along the muscles towards the elbow, where the charge of No. 4 shot had lodged, and had apparently injured the joint. The accident, according to his own account, had oc- curred thus : while they were returning with the horse, Narrayer, on the 9th, shot a red kangaroo, and Farmer laid down his gun in a bush while he skinned and fastened the hind-quarters on the horse. This done, he laid hold of his gun by the niuzzle to throw it over his shoulder, when the hammer caught in a branch, and dischari^ed the contents of the left-hand barrel into his 126 MEET WITH INDICATIONS OP GOLD. right arm. They had been travelhng two days since this occurrence without any other water than the small quantity they were fortunately carrying at the time, and the natives had given Farmer the whole of it, though they themselves had been reduced to the utmost ex- tremity by thirst, and the poor horse had been three days without water. His arm was much swollen, and Mr, Austin washed it with tepid water, and put on a large poultice of lin- seed and oil to reduce the swelhng. After it was dressed the poor fellow was very cheerful, and said he expected it would soon be well again, and marched quite strong to the spring. These favourable symptoms, however, did not continue. They were now again amongst poison bushes, and had to watch the horses rigorously night and day, as some of them were determined in their efforts to get at them, and browze them. They were still travelling through a rocky, and bushy country, destitute of water. They saw at different times indications of gold, but had no water to wash for it, especially amongst some gravel and pipe-clay as they dug for a well, but uselessly. Their horses began to fail, and at length fell exhausted. At this juncture, Narrayer and Souper, the natives, saw two blacks, and tried to hail them, but they attacked them, according to their account, and obliged them to lire at them. They had now reached a hill nearly parallel with the west end of the great salt lake, and poor Farmer showed signs of getting worse. This is Mr. Austin's account of his end. " I examined all the horses, made good their shoes, and di'essed the backs of several, chiefly the withers, which our saddles began to press now the poor animals were thin. After this all hands were busily employed repairing boots, except Narrayer and Souper, whom I sent out to shoot a mess for Farmer, who at eight A.M. on this the 26th of September, complained of sore-throat, difficulty of swallowing, and jDain across his stomach. His arm, however, looked much better, FARMER MAKES HIS WILL. 127 and several more shots came out. I gave liini a dose of castor-oil at nine a.m. At noon, stiffness in tlie j'aw alarmed the poor boy, and made him a])])reliensive that lock-jaw was coming on. This unfortunately was the case ; but I told him that perhaps he had cauglit cold, and rubbed his throat witli liniment. Towards evenini*- he could scarcely open liis mouth wide enough to admit the point of a spoon. I then bled him, taking a pint of very black blood from his left arm, and gave him ten grains of calomel. During the night he was in great agony, caused by violent pains in his stomach, whicli made him draw up his limbs in convulsive fits, on several occasions so bad that he carried away the tent that was over him. I put a large horse -bhster on his stomach, but in his struggles it was rubbed off before it took effect ; so, to give him immediate rehef, I applied llannels, dipped in hot water. That, he said, eased him a little, but at dawn I saw that there were no hopes of his recovery, and spoke soothingly to him of his ap- proaching dissolution. He then spoke cahnly and sen- sibly to me about his affairs, and added, his sufferings were so great, that he was glad to hear that his death was, thank God, about to release him, from them. " Leaving him, for a moment, to the particular care of Messrs. Gruerin and Buck, though all the party were anxious and ready during the night to do anything they could to alleviate his sufferings, I directed Mr. Whit- field, in company with Caunt and Souper, to proceed with a day and a half's rations, and explore the liigh hills ten miles N.W., for our next bivouac, and return the following afternoon. I also sent Mr. Brown with Narrayer, to find feed in the neighbourhood, if possible, better than the horses were in, as I feared, now this place was eaten off, they would soon begin eating poi- son. " When I returned to Farmer's side, he told me he had four horses and some money ; that he wished his brother Thomas to have the horses, and the money to be divided equally between his other brothers and 128 farmer's death and burial. sisters. I wrote a paper to this effect, and read each sentence to him as I wrote it, in the presence of the men, and he approved of what I had written. But whilst I was writing the conchiding hnes " in witness whereof I have signed my hand, etc.," he was seized with violent pains, and became insensible, or rather delirious, calling out for his brother Thomas, till he Ikinted away. He then lay apparently dead for a few minutes, then rallied, still delirious, and in great agony, for about twenty minutes, when he fainted again, and died at twenty-five minutes past two o'clock, on the afternoon of the 27th of September. As the poor boy could not sign his will, I obtained the signatures of those men to it, who were present when he made and approved of it. We then selected a nice spot for his grave on the summit of the hill, close to the camp, shaded by a beautiful drooping wattle-tree, but we reached the solid rock at two feet down, and were obliged to dig it lower down the hill, twenty yards from the left bank of the brook, eighty yards from the spring, and 1896 feet above the level of the sea, being the highest plains visited in S. latitude 27° 41' 18'^, E. longitude 117° 42', where we buried him at sunset, sewed up in his blanket, with his saddle for a pillow, upon which we lowered him gently in a horse-rug. I read the beautiful service of our church for the burial of the dead, over him, after which we fired our guns, and retired in silence. I never saw men so strangely af- fected ; not a tear was shed, but every man's voice was low and tremulous, and sounded hollow and unearthly all that night." After breakfast the next morning, they carried stones from the adjacent granite rocks, and placed them round and over poor Farmer's grave, with a slab at his head, on which, with a chisel and tomahawk, they carved "C. Farmer, 1854." They also named a neighbouring hill Mount Farmer. Somewhat south of Mount Farmer rose a range to which they gave the name of Mount Charles. Mr. Austin then travelled on to ]\Iount Farmer and as- MOUNTS LUKE AND MURCHISON. 129 tended it as the liighest point in tlie neiyliljourhood. The prospect thence for twenty miles round, was one of stony plains covered with scrub, and studded with trap rocks to the westward, and f^ranite rocks from the E. to N.W. These were bounded on the N.E. by the west- ern shore of the great salt lake, in which a distant blue peak loomed like a granite hill, apparently forty miles distant. The country between Mount Farmer and the camp, five miles W.N.W. presented a rocky thicket, covered with sharp quartz and ironstone round the foot of the hills, changing to brown gravel and sandy soil wooded with acacia. From this time to the 1 0th of October, they proceeded N.W. over a rough and rocky country, with granite and sandstone cliffs, stony and dry, yet abounding with anourarungs, or rock kangaroos, which Mr. Austin sus- pected that Narrayer and Souper were afraid of shooting since Farmer's accident, from a superstitious feeling. The plains were frequently scattered with ]nica, horn- blende and quartz. Narrayer and Souper returning from one of their excursions in quest of game, reported tliat they had seen four large stones laid in the form of a •cross, round the base of a perpendicular stone, on a bare granite rock, as if to mark a l)0undary, and had seen traces of natives, and ambushes made by them to lay hold on the legs of emus and kangaroos, as they went to a spring for water. On the 4th they struck the dry channel of a river which they supposed to fall into the Murchison. They named it the Sanford after the Colo- nial Secretary. A little farther north-west they named a bare granite rock 240 feet above the plains, j\lount Luke, after Mr. Luke Leake, of Perth. Crossing several dry beds of streams, probably tributaries of the Mur- chison, on the 8th they arrived at a high rugged range of green-stone trap lying on granite, the high- est peak of which they named Mount ]\Iurchison. This mount was 400 feet above the level of the plain, and the hills altogether were scattered with stones of quartz. A little beyond they struck the Mur- VOL. TT. 130 RETURN TO PERTH. cliison River, but the farther they now advanced the more stony and impracticable the country became. Their horses had been three days without water, and were unable to proceed. The prospect a-head was still worse, they, therefore, beat a retreat to a spring twelve miles back, where they refreshed themselves and horses. Ey taking a more westward course, they again advanced northward till the 29th of October, when they w^ere about fifty miles from Shark's Bay, and there the utter want of food and water compelled them to retreat. In their circuitous route from their farthest point on the 12th, they had named a hill to the north of their track, Mount Narrayer, and at different points Mount Welcome, Mount Grass, and Mount Vinden. At Mount Grass they picked up an old native, who acted as guide, though unwilHngly for some days. The sufferings of the party on their return to the Geraldine mines on the Murchison river were very great, from the failm-e of their supplies, the want of water, and the rocky nature of the country. They followed for the most part the course of the Murchison, but it was long- before they found any fresh water in it. They were compelled to bury much of their baggage, to expedite their march, and the men began to be very desponding. Narrayer, the native, was quite done up, and was only recovered by Mr. Austin washing him with the brine in one of the holes in the river. On the 20th of November, however, they reached the mines in safety. On the 24th, Captain Sandford came in with a number of fine horses, and invited the party to Linton, offering to take Mr. Austin to Shark Bay in his cutter, and to enable him to push from the mouth of the Gascoyne to his last bivouac in the desert. This, however, proved impracti- cable, and the party returned to Perth, some by the schooner Daphne, and others overland. Mr. Austin, who took this latter course with Narrayer and Souper, arrived in Perth on the 27th of December. In this expedition Mr. Austin extended the knowledge of the colony very much farther north than before ; that MR. AUSTIN S REMARKS ON THE EXPEDITION. 131 is, taking Mr. A. C. Gregory's central point bet\ve(Mi tlie parallels of 29° and 28°, to nearly 20°, and including the (rreat Salt Marsh in the N.W. The least satisCactory discovery to the colony was that there was very little good or habitable country throughout all that space. Mr. Austin's general remarks on the results of the expedition are as follows : — " Looking at the map of the country 1 have traversed, you will see — 1st., that there are extensive marshes in 118° E. longitude, between 27° and 28° of 8. latitude, flowing and trending N.W., and about 1400 feet above the level of the sea ; that the country between Toodyay, which is about 800 feet, and the base of Mount Farmer, on the N.W. side of these marshes, rises gradually to the height of 1896 feet above the level of the sea, and that this portion of the country is so inclined, that the water is shed over this area towards the S. and W., into Mr. Grregory's great lake, Moore, which is tributary to the lake Cow-cowing, flowing thence by the way of the Salt River and the Avon, to the ocean. 2nd. That there are four large rivers in 117° E., longitude (between 27° 20', and 26° 40' S. lat.), of a decidedly fresh character, coming from the N.E., and shedding into the Murclii- son, which itself flows from the same direction ; and that I appear to have struck near the N.W. extreme of its basin ; that large numbers of natives occasionally come down these streams at the latter end of our dry season ; and that red kangaroos, emus, and turkej^s were nu- merous between these rivers, though the country on our route was very indifferent, and still worse to the west- ward, while everywhere else the country traversed was destitute of game, and afforded no traces of any number of natives, except at the eastern side of the clift', near Farmer's Horse Camp." From the geological character of the country, Mr. Austin infers that the country is a gold country : but if that be the case, it is of a description which must render the digging for gold most difficult. In such an inhos- pitable country, every means of existence must be con- 1/ .V 132 ADVANTAGE GAINED BY THE EXPEDITION. veyed for many hundred miles tlirough the desert, and then, where is the water, necessary for gold washing ? Mr. Austin, however, entertains the idea that farther eastward there must he a much more fertile country ; but this yet remains a question. The great advantage of Mr. Austin's expedition has been to make the colony of Western Australia aware of the narrow limits of its good land in that direction. Appended to Mr. Austin's report is one by Mr. George Phillips, giving some observations on the mouth of the river Grascoigne, in the north arm of Shark's Bay. 133 CHAPTER VII. EXPEDITION FOR THE EXPLORATION OV NORTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1855-6, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MR. A. C. GREGORY. Mr, Uzzielli offers £10,000 for an expedition to explore the north of Australia. — Offer of Mr. W. S. Lindsay, M.P.— Undertaken by the Grovernment. — Outfit to be completed at Moreton Bay. — The party. — Sailed fi-om Brisbane August 12th, 1855. — Reached Poi-t Patterson, Arnheim's Land, September 2nd. — Ran on a rock. — Great damage to, and loss of horses. — Land at Point Pearce. — Part of the expedition went by land to the higher part of the river. — Two horses poisoned. — Horses attacked by alligators on Fitz- mam'ice River. — The party ascending the river struck on a rock. — G-reat loss of stores and sheep. — Out of 200 shipped, only twenty-six reached the camp ahve. — Rules laid down for the conduct of tlie party. — Their good effect. — Set out a small party southward. — Exploration of the Victoria for 100 miles. — Return to camp. — Fresh exploration in January, 1856. — Stupendous rocks on the river coui'se. — Basaltic country with deep gullies. — The head- waters of the Victoria. — Dividing range. — Wretched country. — Retreat before the heat and drought. — Mount Miiller. — Follow the Wickham to the Victoria. — Serious injury to one of the party. — Party formed to proceed towards Car- pentaria. — Start on 2l9t of Jime. — Reach a creek of the Roper, Jidy 12th. — ■ The Roper. — Flat country. — Creeks and lagoons. — Marks of floods. — The gigantic water-lily. — Proceed S.E., leave basaltic country. — Blacks try to sur- prise them. — Two horses poisoned. — Bad country. — Limmen Bight. — Mac« Adam range and MacArtliur river. — Sandstone hills. — Cross the Robuison and Leichhai'dt rivers. — Counti-y better. — Brimstone and basalt. — Nicholson river. — Poor Country. — Beame's Brook a branch of tlie Albert. — The Tom Tough not arrived. — Determined to pusii on for the east course. — Buried can- ister? to say this. — September 3rd continued their journey. — Plains of Pro- mise disappoint them. — The Leiclihardt. — -Attacked by the natives. — The spring season, yet the country looked poor. — Betwixt the Flinders and Gilbert saw good country. — Gilbert nearly dry. — Arrive at ranges 2500 feet high. — Head waters of the Lynd. — Basaltic country well grassed. — Reach the Bm*- dekin in October. — Trees marked with an iron axe. — Camp of Leichhardt. — Rocks of various kinds. — Trace the Burdekia to the " Suttar and Rely-ando." — On the Comet'noticed a camp of Leichhardt's. — Arrival at Brisbane. — The ex- pedition completed in sixteen months. — Objects accomplished by this expedi- tion. — The part of the expedition which went in the Tom Tough to Timor for supplies reaches Sydney by sea. — Mr. Baine's boat-voyage of 650 miles. — Remarks of Captain Sturt on Mr. Gregory's discoveries, and on the theory of the Austrahan interior. — Theory of Mr. Alfred Howitt. — Diagram in illustra- tion of it. — Reports of Messrs. Blsey, Wilson, Flood, Baines, and Lieutenant Chimmo. The necessity for a more thorough exploration of the northern regions of Austraha, after the various enter- prises of the kind in its eastern, western, and southern portions, became eventually so strong, that Mr. W. S. Lindsay, M.P., offered to contribute towards this great 134 THE EXPEDITION SAILS FROM SYDNEY. object. Mr. Uzzielli also offered £10,000; and these noble acts seem to have shamed the Imperial Government into fitting action. The sacrifice on the part of Mr. Uzzielli was rendered unnecessary by the Government undertaking it. The experienced explorer, A. C. Gregory, was invited to take the command of the expedition, which was fitted out at Sydney, except so far as the horses and sheep were con- cerned, which were shipped at Moreton Bay. The ob- jects of the expedition were clearly set forth in the in- structions to the leader. The scene of exploration was to be the northern and north-western regions of Aus- tralia. The outfit was to be completed at Moreton Bay, and the men and material were to be conveyed to the Victoria river in a vessel, accompanied by a smaller one as a tender carrying stores. This smaller vessel was to remain, and bring them back. They were to ascend the Victoria, and to proceed in the first place southward, so as to reach that elevation whence the streams arose that ran into the interior, to lose themselves in de- sert sands, or to join an inland sea. It was hoped that extensive pastoral regions might be there disco- vered. Returning from this journey to the Victoria, they were then to endeavour to cross to the northern coast, and follow it to the Albert river, noting the qua- lity of the land, its rivers, products, natives, etc., as they went along, and whether it aftbrded sufficient capabihties for a settlement. From that point, taking on board any further necessary supplies from the attendant vessel, they were to endeavour to find a good track to the northern settlement of New South Wales, on the east coast, by a more direct route than that which Leich- hardt discovered. On the 18 til of July, 1855, Mr. Gregory, in the barque Monarch, attended by the schooner, Tom Tough, sailed from Sydney to Moreton Bay, where he found fifty horses and 200 sheep had been collected by Mr. H. Gre- gory. It was not till the 12th of August that they had taken on board their cattle, and set sail for Brisbane. The staff" of the expedition was as follows : — NAMES OF THE STAFF. 135 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Commander, Assistant Commander, Geologist, Artist, Surgeon and Naturalist, Botanist, Collector and Preserver, Overseer, Second Overseer, Farrier, Harness Maker, Stockman, A. C. Gregory, H. C. Gregory. J. S. Wilson. T. Eaines. J. R. Elsey. F. Muller. J. Flood. G. Phipps. C. Humphrey. R. Powman. C. Dean. J. Melville. W. Dawson. W. Shewell. W. Selby. S. MacDonald. H. Richards. J. Fahey. The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas, sugar, tea, coffee, preserved potatoes, sago, vinegar, lime juice, &c. ; and were calculated to last eighteen months at full rations. On the 26th of August, they reached Port Albany in Torres Straits, where they were to trans-ship the hay from the schooner to the Mo- narch. On the 2nd of September they had reached Port Patterson, south of Clarence Strait, Arnhem's Land, when the Monarch ran on a rocky reef at the entrance of the harbour, where she received considerable injury in her bottom. This v/as the commencement of a series of disasters, which greatly crippled the strength and capa- bilities of the expedition. The vessel was not got off" the reef for eight days, during which time she lay on her side, and the horses in consequence suffered severely. Two died, and the rest were so weakened that some had not strength to support them through the fatigue of landing when they reached Point Pearce, on the 18th of Sep- tember. Several were lost in the landing, and the re- mainder were in such an exhausted state that they could ■scarcely travel to the water, three miles distant. The 136 HORSES ATTACKED BY ALLIGATORS. lauding- of the horses being completed, the Monarch was discharged on the 24th of September, and sailed thence to Singapore. The leader, Mr. H. Grregory, Dr. Miiller, and seven men proceeded with the horses by land to- wards the upper part of the Victoria Eiver ; whilst Mr. Wilson and the rest of the party ascended the river in the schooner ^vith the sheep, with orders to form a camp at the most eligible spot he could find, and there await the arrival of the horses. The land party found the country from Point Pearce to the Macadam Range, consisting of grassy plains be- tween the mangroves on the river and the sandy forest land, and low sandstone hills inland. Water abundant from various creeks and pools. The range itself was rocky and difficult ; and before reaching the Fitzmaurice Piver, two horses were poisoned by some deadly herbs or shrubs, and in the river itself the other horses were attacked by alligators in the night, and three of them severely wounded. Above the influence of the tide, the Fitzmaurice proved a fine fresh-water stream, fifty yards wide. Beyond this, the hills became extremely rocky, and at length altogether stopped their way, except along the river bank. On the 20th of October they found Mr. Wilson's party encamped at a sj^ring on the left bank of the Victoria, about seven miles above Sandy Island. Here they had to hear of fresh disasters. The Tom Tough had run on a rock in coming up the river, and afterwards grounded on a mud bank a few miles higher uj), where it still remained. Both the vessel and cargo were seriously damaged, and it was feared that the vessel would become a total wi-eck. Mr. Wilson had still kept the sheep on board, and many had perished in conse- quence. In endeavouring now to land the sheep, eleven more were drowned by the sinking of the boat, so that out of 200 sheep brought from Moreton Bay, fifty only were alive on reaching the Victoria, and of these fifty, only twenty-six now reached the camp alive. The schooner was at leng-th G^ot off the mud bank, and part of the cargo was landed, so as to lighten her and allow of the examination of her bottom, and a heavy A S3IALL PARTY SET OUT SOUTHWARD. 137 frame was built inside of her and bolted to the sides, to cover the damages, and strengthen lier sutticiently for further service on tlie expedition. Mr. Gregory then laid down his rules for the conduct of the paiiy, and put the horses under the care of Mr. H. Gregory. Every person had a certain number of the horses to saddle, and were responsible for the packs and harness, all of which were numbered. By these regulations, every man know- ing his duty, during the fourteen months which the journey occupied, all continued to go on in the camp like clockwork. They rose at four o'clock in the morning, an excellent plan in hot climates, so that they could per- form their daily travel during the cooler parts of the day, and rest during the heat. In attempting to explore the course of the river upwards, in a boat formed of an India- rubber cloth stretched over a frame, it vv-as soon found that the sun melted the india-rubber, and rocks on the bars destroyed the cloth. Sir Thomas Mitchell had be- fore found how useless canvas boats were in Austrahan rivers. On the 24th of November, Mr. Gregory set out to ex- plore the country southward, accompanied by Dr. Midler and Messrs. H. Gregory and Wilson, and having seven of the best-conditioned horses, which notwithstanding were but weakly. They first attempted to ascend the creek a few miles above Captain Stokes' farthest in 1839, but there was not water enough in it. They found it an extension of the Beagle Valley, a fertile tract of land thirty miles long and from seven to ten broad. It was hemmed in by sandstone ranges of from 500 to 800 feet high, forming an elevated table land, and divided in the centre by the Fitzroy Eanges. They then followed the Victoria for twenty miles, the sandstone ranges gradu- ally closing it in till it left only a rocky gorge half a mile wide and 600 feet deep, with perpendicular cliffs of sandstone, leaving only a passage close to the river, which formed deep reaches of water separated by rock}^ bars. Beyond these ranges they entered on a level plain, ex- tending for twenty miles, and then followed a tributary 138 RETURN TO CAMP AND AGAIN SET OUT. creek S.W. for twenty-five miles through a grassy, thinly wooded country, till again reaching ranges of jasper rock, beyond which the sandstone table-land rose abruptly. By these they were compelled to return to the Victoria, and they followed it to latitude 16° 26', through a beautifully grassy country of sandstone, lime- stone, and basalt formations. There, the river divided into two branches, one coming from the south, the other from the west, for fifteen miles through grassy plains. There they ascended the table land, and saw no appear- ance of higher hills beyond ; so having ascertained the character of the country for about a hundred miles, they returned to the camp. In their absence, Mr. Baines had discovered a small river westward fallino: into the Vic- toria, and on its banks a considerable quantity of grassy country. On the 3rd of January, 1856, Mr. Gregory set out with a limited party to explore the south. As drays could not cross the steep sandstone ranges, they carried their provisions on their horses, which were now reduced to thirty-six, and these but weakly, though considerably improved since landing. The party on this occasion con- sisted of — Commander . . A. C. Grregory. Assistant Commander . H. Gregorj^ Artist and Storekeeper . T. Baines. Botanist Collector . Overseer . Farrier Harness Maker Stockman . ¥. Miiller. T. Mood. Gr. Phipps. R. Bowman. C. Dean. J. Fahey. On the 13th of January they had reached the part of the river to which they had advanced in December, and found the country now beautifully grassed and thinly wooded with bauhinia and box trees. In latitude 16° 47' they made a fresh camp, and the leader went on with only Mr H. Gregory, Dr. Miiller, and Charles Dean, WRETCHED COUNTRY. I 'V.) taking only eleven horses uud provisions Ibr three months. Finding it impossible to follow the western bank of the Victoria, from the steepness of the rocks and the in- tense heat and humid air, tliey struck away S.E., througli a fine grassy country, wx'll watered by numerous creeks, though abounding with basaltic rocks and stones. Al)()ut latitude 17°, they reached the bank of the main sti-eam of the Victoria, coming nearly direct from the soutli, through basaltic valleys, deeply cut Avith lateral gullies. In latitude 18° 12', they reached the creeks constituting the head waters of the Victoria, and stood on the divid- ing range 1000 feet in elevation. Descending the dividing range southward, they found a small creek, which soon lost itself in a grassy flat, beyond which all was dry and sandy, producing a low- scrub of acacia, eucalyptus, and needle grass. Finding- no possibility of proceeding southward, they followed a a creek W.S.W., which, however, led them through a country little better. On the 5th of March they had passed the limit to which the tropical rains of the IST.W. extend, and the country south of 19° seemed onlj^ to be visited by occasional thunder-storms, producing green patches around wide stretches of desolation, in which no rain appeared to have fallen for twelve months. They there encountered the dry bed of a large salt lake, bearing evidences of occasional floods. But the waters which they had passed were now rapidly drying up, and having penetrated into this inhospitable region to nearly 31°, they felt it pi-udent to make their retreat. Parallel with the lake eastward, they named a hill Mount Wilson, and near 20° they saw and named another ]\lount MiiUer. On the 2Sth of March they regained their nearest camp, and found the horses greatly improved by their pasture. Mr. Baines and his party had been annoyed l3y the blacks, who had made several attempts to burn their camp. Before retreating farther, Mr. Gregory from this camp made a trip eastward to the main course of the Victoria, through a well-grassed country, but almost 140 COMMENCE JOURNEY TO CARPENTARIA. wholly destitute of water. He then followed up a large creek from Roe Downs, and thence crossing to the Wickham, followed it down to its junction with the Vic- toria. At the camp on that river they found that one of the seamen had died, and others were disabled by the scurvy and dysentery. Henry Richards had also wounded his wrist by falling amongst some sharp reeds, which, though at first of apparently no consequence, led subsequently to the necessity for amputation. The Tom Tough had now been repaired, and fresh caulked, and the leader was anxious to commence his journey to Car- pentaria. The party organized for this overland journey con- sisted of the two Gregorys, Mr. "Wilson, the geologist, Mr. Elsey, the surgeon and naturalist, Avith Dean, the harness-maker. Bowman, farrier, and Melville the stock- man. They took provisions for six months. The rest of the party were to proceed in the Tom Tough to Timor for additional provisions, and then sail for the Albert, where the two parties were to rendezvous. Mr. Wilson afterwards declined to accompany the land party, and Dr. Miiller took his place. On the 21st of June they commenced their important journey. They took advantage of the larg^e creek falling into the Victoria in latitude 15° 38', and which leads E.N.E. By this means they were in a direct course for the river Roper, and by reaching its most interior creeks they would be able to get to the northern coast without suffering so much from the arid desert which runs, as is supposed, from near Stuart's northern track into Arnhem Land. By the 28th of June they had reached the head of Vic- toria Creek, and found it running from an elevated and fine basaltic country, extending along the foot of a low, sandy table land. By the 12th of July they had reached a creek of the Roper in a level, sandy country, and fol- lowed it down to its junction with the river in latitude 14° .58', longitude 133° 54'. The country on the banks of the Roper was very flat, and had some tracks of basaltic, grassy land. To the TWO HORSES POISONED. 141 north, hills of moderate elevation were seen. There was abundance of water in the Eoper, running- over rocky bars of limestone, and the limestone underlying the sandstone in the country, gave plenty of w^ater under the surface, though it appeared parched to the eye. Near the junction of various creeks with the lloperthey found the country flat, and covered with reeds and tall grass. They saw marks of inundations, and there, on some fine lagoons, saw, for the first time, the gigantic water-lily, Nelumbium. On the 17th of July, in latitude 14° 52', longitude 133° 42', they quitted the banks of the river, and com- naenced their S.E. course. They soon left the basaltic country, and got upon hard sandstone. At night the blacks tried to surprise them, and were rebuffed with force. On the 21st they had two horses killed by eating some poisonous plant, as at Macadam Eange. They now travelled through a broken, rocky country, with some patches of grass, but "the general character was ex- tremely barren and worthless, stunted eucalypti, mela- leuca scrub, acacia, bassinea, triodia, being the jn-evailing features of the vegetation." Of the Limmen Bight nothing was seen except some small creeks, none of which could extend more than a few miles to the south- ward of their route. AjDproaching the Macarthur, the arid nature of the country compelled them to draw near the coast, and even where they struck the little river, more than fifty miles from its mouth, the channel was dry and sandy, scarcely twenty yards wide. It bore, however, marks of floods. The country about -it was very rugged, consisting of low sandstone hills, cut A\ith deep ravines. In latitude 16° 35', longitude 136° 42', they crossed the Robinson on the 8th of August = The channel was divided into two parts, each ten yards wide, and con- taining only a few pools of water. " The land near it ■was sandy and thinly grassed." On the 9th they crossed what they supposed to be Leichhardt's Seven Emu Creek, the country showing limestone and basalt, and of 142 THE TOM TOUGH HAD NOT ARRIVED. a better character, but still right and left the poor, sandy country was seen. Along- the Nicholson River the country was equally poor, with alternate rocks and ex- tensive plains. On the 30th of August they left the course of the Nicholson, and the same day, in longitude 139° 23', they came on the Beame's Brook of Leich- hardt, a principal branch of the Albert. At the point of land betwixt this and another large creek was the spot appointed for Mr. Baines to leave letters, if the Tom Tough had arrived first. On approaching, they saw large letters cut on a tree, but, to their disappoint- ment, they proved to be the record of the landing there of Lieutenant Chimmo of the Torch. The Tom Tough had not arrived. A. council being held to decide whether they should wait for the Tom Tough, or proceed at once across to the Burdekin and Moreton Bay, it was deemed most expedient to start at once overland. Their stock of pro- visions would not admit of much delay ; the party in the Tom Tough, afresh provisioned at Timor, would be able to make the voyage without much difficulty, and the importance of opening a more direct track from Moreton Bay to the Albert than Leichhardt had done, had been urged in Mr. Grregory's instructions. They, therefore, resolved to push on, leaving information for Mr. Baines on his arrival at the Albert in sealed can- isters, buried under marked trees. On the 3rd of September they resumed their journey, steering S.E. across the Plains of Promise, " which," says Gregory, " disappointed my expectations, as they were very thinly clothed with inferior grass, and instead of the trees characteristic of a moist, tropical climate, which the engraver has, unfortunately, introduced into the sketches in Captain Stokes's work, stunted box-trees, and Chuncoa indicated an extremely arid country." Thirty-six miles from the Albert they came to a river about 100 yards wide, with large pools of fresh water, separated by dry, rocky bars. This river, which had been mistaken by Leichhardt, and had, therefore, caused ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES. 143 an error of thirty miles in the long-itude of many of his positions on the map of his route, they named the Leichhardt. In quitting their camp on this river in the morning, the blacks made a rush upon them, but they were repulsed, with the loss of their leader. On leaving the level, grassy plains, they entered low sandstone ridges, covered with scrub of melaleuca, terminalia, triodia, and a httle grass. As far as longitude 14° 30' they passed some patches of good grass, but the country generally was sterile and worthless ; a very different account from those of Captain Stokes and Landsborough, and yet this was the spring season. The Flinders was reached on the 8th of September, in lat. 18° 9' long. 140° 50'; which was about a hundred yards wide, with shallow pools of water, separated by dry beds of rock and sand. It had the appearance of a .stream which only drained a very limited extent of country. Its banks rose abruptly to the level of the grassy plain, which is about forty feet above the bed of the river. Betwixt the Flinders and the Gilbert, they found some good country near the coast, but more inland it became dry and destitute of watercourses. They were obliged to desist from an eastern course till they arrived at the Gilbert, in lat. 17° 15', long. 140° 45', on Sep- tember 21st. To the south and east of their track, the country " was universally covered with melaleuca scrubs, small box and bloodwood trees, triodia and inferior grass." On the Gilbert they shot one of their failing horses, and dried the meat, which they preferred to the salt pork, which had been carried through hot countries a thousand miles. The average course of the Gilbert was from the S.E., in which direction they traced it about 180 miles. The bed was remarkably broad and sandy, nearly destitute of water, several miles often inter- vening between the pools ; the banks about twenty feet high, and the country so fiat that no variation of level could be detected by the eye, though the aneroid showed a considerable elevation as they proceeded up the river. 144 CAMP OF LEICHHARDT. Grassy plains and open bare flats of considerable extent existed along the course of the river; but the back country appeared to be very poor, wooded with small eucalyptus and melaleuca, needle grass, and a little common grass. Great quantities of mica, porphyry, slate, trap, and agates had been brought down by the stream, showing it to rise among primary rocks ; but for the first eighty miles no hills were seen, but soon after they came to considerable ranges, the higher parts of which were wooded with iroubark and well grassed. These ranges, having sandstone summits, rose to 2500 feet. Having crossed these in latitude 18° 46', longitude 144° 1', they came on a creek which they deemed to be the head of the Lynd Eiver. This was on the 11th of October. This and other large creeks had no water in them ; then came some with scanty pools. Soon after, they came upon a basaltic plain of lava, ascending east- Avards twenty-five miles, which they found to be the dividing range between the eastern and western waters, having an elevation of 2000 feet. This basaltic region was well grassed, and timbered with ironbark and box, except on the rough streams of lava, w^hich rose thirty to forty feet, and well covered with scrub and trees. Descending a small watercourse to the S.E., it soon enlarged into a sandy creek, and they entered again on the granitic country, and reached the bank of the Burdekin river, in latitude 18° 56', longitude 144° 57', on the 16th of October. The whole bed of the river, where they struck it, was about 100 yards wide, but nearly filled with melaleuca and casuarina trees, the water only forming a small stream ten yards wide. On the 17th of October, they observed some trees which had been marked with an iron axe, and found the bone of a bullock. As that was the camp of Leichhardt, of April 25, 1845, they attributed these appearances to his party. On the 30th they had reached the junction of the Burdekin with the Suttor, having passed through its mountains, and crossed inuch fine grassy countiy, timbered ^vith ironbark, as TRACES OF ONE OF LEICHHARDt's CAMPS. 145 well as some veiy poor country. After its confluence with the Suttor, the country much improved ; and hav- ing permanent running water, it appeared well calculated for grazing stock. The rocks were various — granite, porphyry, trap, slate, and in other places sandstone and limestone. Being anxious to connect the explorations of Jjcichhardt mth those of Sir Thomas Mitchell, Mr. Gregory traced the course of the Suttor nearly south. Com])ared with the Burdeldn, he found it an insignificant stream, the channel very irregular, and containing only pools of water. They ascertained that the Belyando and the Cape Bivers were not identical. They traced the Belyando up to latitude 22°, and having thus connected the routes of previous explorers, they left the river and steered south- east, through brigalow scrubs and open patches of iron- bark, Moreton Bay ash, and bare forest, for sixty miles, crossing only two small creeks. On the 6th of November they saw Mount Narrien visible to the west, and Peak Range and the basaltic plains to the east. They then passed over a stretch of scrubby and dry country, though the soil of some downs which they crossed produced good grass. There seemed, however, no permanent water till they reached the Mackenzie, on the 15th of November. On the Comet Eiver, on the 17th, they observed a marked tree, a number of the bones of goats, and the ashes of a fire, indicating the position of one of Leichhardt's camps. On the 21st, they reached the station of Messrs. Fitz and Connor on the Dawson River, the journey from the Vic- toria to that place having occupied five months and two days. Thence they pursued their journey to Brisbane, a distance of 400 miles through the Burnet district, expe- riencing the greatest kindness at the various stations, arriving there on the 16th of December; and "thus," says Mr. Grregory, " the explorations of the North Aus- tralian expedition terminated, after an absence of sixteen months without communication with the civiKsed world, and during which period we had travelled more than 2000 miles by sea and nearly 5000 by land. Perhaps," VOL. II. 10 146 SUCCESS OF THE NOETH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. he adds, " no expedition has yet been undertaken in Austraha, in which the elements of both success and failure liave been so largely combined ; for though the liberal manner in which the exploring party have been equipped and supported left nothing to be desired in this respect, yet the long voyage through a sea re- markable for its dangers and tlie extensi^'e combinations necessary in the arrangements — a failure in any single point of which would have crippled or even annihilated the expedition — added to the ordinary liabilities attend- ing exposure to the vicissitudes of a tropical climate, hos- tile natives, and deseii; country, present such an array of difficulties, that I feel our utmost endeavours could not have availed, had it not have been for the protection of that Providence Avithout wliich we are powerless." The North Australian expedition, though meeting with many disasters in the early part of its progress, yet was, on the whole, a very successful and useful under- taking. Though it could not penetrate far south of the Victoria lliver, it still showed the sort of country to be found there ; and proceeding north-east, it connected the Victoria with the track of Stuart, an enterprise in which Stuart failed in two attempts. In passing through the country lying along the southern shore of the (iulf ol Carpentaria, at the Albert, it gave a more temperate and less tempting account of the fertility of those regions than Stuart, and since then than Landsborough, an account^ even from the inferences to be dra^vn from the journals of those explorers, apparently more reliable. Finally, it opened a more direct way between the Grulf and the north-eastern coast of Australia than Leichhardt had done, though not so direct as McKinlay has since effected. Both the experience of Grregory and McKinlay show that a great highway may some day be estabhshed, and that not far distant, from Queensland to the northern shores. The members of the expedition who went by sea from the Victoria to the Grulf, proceeded first to Timor for further supphes. There the Tom Tough was found to REMARKS OF CAPTAIN STURT. 147 be unseaworthy, and was discharged. Another schooner, called the Messenger, was chartered instead, to convey the party to the Gulf, and thence to Sydney. On the voy- age, the Messenger encountering contrary winds, Mr. Baines thought he could reach the Albert in the long- boat in less time, by sailing near the coast and amongst the islands. He started on this perilous voyage of G50 miles, but did not reach quite so soon as the Messenger. Both boat and schooner, however, got thither safely ; and finding the land party gone, they turned about and pro- ceeded down the west coast, and after putting in at King Greorge's Sound, reached Sydney on the 1st of April, 1862. Articles on the geological features of Northern Aus- tralia and on its capabilities for settlement will be found attached to Mr. Grregory's report, as well as some remarks of Captain Sturt on the theory of the formation of the interior of Australia and the consequent peculiarities of its rivers and other waters. The theory of an internal sea, of which Sturt was a great advocate, had been now for ever set at rest. The concluding remarks of Captain Sturt deserve quoting : — "I concluded and hoped that, in crossing Van Diemen's and Arnhem's Lands from the Victoria to the Albert Eiver, Mr. Gregory would not only have found comparatively easy travelling, but that he might have discovered a stream, by which he could have again descended into the southern interior, and learnt more of its character. " From the account he gives, however, of the country over which he passed, it is clearly one of the most barren description ; so far, indeed, from finding a better tract at the base of the southern slopes, as I had hoped, he states that he was forced by its inhospitable character so far to the north as never to have seen them. He states, however, that at certain points he saw and ascended some rugged ranges to the south of this Hue of route, from which he could observe nothing but the sands of the desei-t for fifty miles in that direction. " It is probable, therefore, that the winds have driffced. 10—2 148 REMARKS OF CAPTAIN STURT. them against the face of the cliff's, along this face until, at length, they have risen to the level of the cliflfs them- selves, and thus absorb all the waters that might other- wise have found their way into the interior, which at once accounts for the difficulty Mr. Grregory experienced in penetrating south. His whole report, indeed, confirms the inhospitable character of that part of the interior, and would appear to confirm the fact that the desert has no defined margin to the north, but that it runs to the very summit of the table-land that intervenes between it and the coast. " Taking the data with which Mr. Gregory has sup- plied me, together with my own experience, it would appear that the great desert cannot have a less breadth than 1000 to 1100 miles, or a length from east to west than 1200. A great portion of it, however, still re- mains to be explored, all that portion, indeed, lying between Mr. Gregory's position at the termination of Sturt's Creek and the great Australian Bight ; whether it surrounds any better country remains to be proved. It would be difficult to determine from what point any attempt to survey it should be made, should such attempt be considered necessary ; for I believe that the desert extends with unvarying sameness to the south coast, and that any anticipation of good from an exploration of it would end in disappointment. The only point of ingress that offers the slightest prospect of success is the River Glenelg of Captain Sir George Grey, which, if it be, as he seems to consider, second only to the Murray, might lead the explorer to a very different country from any that has yet been discovered in the south-western division of the continent. The changes of its physical structure, however, are so sudden and so unexpected that it would be unwise to hazard an opinion, as to what might, or might not be, the result of a fm-ther exploration of it. The altitude of its mountains and the magnitude of its rivers are so disproportioned to its size that it would be unreasonable to look for a country of corresponding value as in countries where such features exist upon a grander MR. ALFRED IIOWITt's OBSERVATIONS. 119 scale ; and, althouo-li a country sufficiently fertile for occupation may yet be found in the unexplored regions of Australia, we cannot, I fear, hope that it will be of any great extent." The want of great ranges of mountains under a cli- mate so tropical is, unquestionably, the grand cause of the desert character of so much of Australia. The " magnitude of its rivers " depends on the magnitude of its mountains, and, instead of mountains, the interior of Australia abounds with depressions. Many parts of Africa and Asia have their deserts from similar causes, but neither of them, perhaps, so predominating in pro- portion to their extent. On this question, as greatly affecting the futm'e explor- ation and settling of the interior, the observations of one of the latest travellers in the interior may be here introduced with effect. Mr. Alfred Howitt says : — " As to the general drainage system of the continent, I think I have data upon which to found a somewhat new, but, I believe, correct view of it. In the first place, it may be laid down as a fundamental rule, that the tendency of every Australian river, or creek, is to end in a lake. The Murray, our largest river, does so, but in consequence of a constant supply of water from the high mountains in which it rises, it has sufficient power to force a passage for itself into the ocean. The same holds good of the rivers flowing southward from the Alps, and Avliich form the Gfippsland Lakes. It may be as well to remember here that the continent of Austraha may be compared to an inverted saucer — the rim representing a line of coast ranges, more or less elevated, of greater or less width, and at a greater or less distance from the coast. This fine of coast ranges is connected by chains of ranges, having a northerly direction, but varying from north to north-east. The Barrier Eange and Flinders Eange are examples. The former extends with breaks in a north and west direction into the tropics, and, I have no doubt, across to the north coast. The Flinders 150 MR. ALFRED HOWITt's OBSERVATIONS. Ranges, after abruptly ending at what was formerly called the Lake Torrens, bear north and west, and, 1 have no doubt, also cross the continent to the north-west coast. " Eetuming to the rivers, we may now examine the tributaries of the Murray coming into that river on the north side. These, the Murrumbidgee and the Darling, with its tributaries, rise in the vast ranges of New South AVales and Queensland, and have a tendency to the south-west ; and, as we proceed northwards, we find that they become more intermittent, and are liable to succes- sive droughts and floods. These rivers, however, have sufficient water to have forced their way into the Mur- ray. " Following the eastern coast line northwards, we now meet with several smaller rivers, the Warrego, the Paroo, and Bulloo. The Warrego, after running south-west, turns to the south, and, I believe, joins the Darling during floods. The Paroo, following the same course, mns out on plain and diy lake, and, I beheve, has not been known to join the Darling. The Bulloo, after divid- ing into Poria and Wilkie's Creeks, runs out on a bare expanse of clay, where it evaporates, Carriapundy being one of its receptacles. Next in succession to these, we have Cooper's Creek and its tributaries. This river, after forcing a passage through sandstone ranges, having a north-east and north-west direction, to about longitude 140° 30' E., reaches a very depressed portion of the con- tinent, the lowest part of which is the so-called Lake Torrens' basin, and here assumes the character of which I have already spoken, as belonging to Australian rivers. It spreads out like the fingers of a hand, forming lakes, reforming into a number of creeks between the sand- hills, and, finally, ends to the southward in Lake Hope, to the northward in Lake Lipson. " Northward from Cooper's Creek we find Wills' Creek, a river of a similar character, and subject to the same laws. Its flood-waters are separated from those of Cooper's Creek by Sturt's Stony Desert, which is a MR. ALFRED IIOWJTT S OBSERVATIONS. 151 low, undulatinjT spur from tlie ran^^c 1 hnvit mention(;(l, as exparidin*^ N. and W. Iroin the JJarriei- Itaiio-f. " Thus following round the Eastern Coast Kanfre, we find the rivers runnin^^ inland from them, have a i^eneral S.W. course, becoming- m(;re southerly as we aj^proach the north-coast line. Startin^^ now from that pai-t of the Flinders Kange which 1 have mentioned as running N. and W. across the continent, and somewhat on the line of Stuart's journeys, we find that the creeks have a S.E. direction. From this it is easy to see that there exists a chain of lakes from Lake Torrens in a north and west direction, until the creeks are met with coming from the northern coast range. Had these rivers and creeks had their sources in high mountains, such as those in which the Murray and its tributaries rise, there would have been a large tributary^ forming a junction with the Murray at the iS^. W. bend, instead of a chain of dry salt lakes, which now indicate the fall of the continent that way. The horse-shoe form of Lake Torrens is due to the creeks which radiate from the termination of Flinders Range, and end in a chain of dry salt lakes. Lake Eyre appears to be the great central receptacle for their water, and from which they evaporate. " Judging from what we have already seen, I think we may not unfairly conclude that that portion of the continent lying next to the line of ranges from wliich the creeks rise, cut by Stuart's track, is similar in its formation to the Eastern portion. Namely, that the creeks run w^esterly until they meet those coming easterly from the coast ranges of Western Australia, and that they here form another cliain of lakes of evaporation, extending in a N. and S. line. As there are no rivers entering the sea on the G-reat Australian Bight, I should conclude either that the rain-fall is considerably less in the western half of the continent, or that the lakes of evaporation are so extensive as to hold all the; rains that fall on that half. In all probability both these causes may operate. Of one thing 1 feel tolerably certain, that there is a belt of country extending E. and W. across the 152 THREE SEASONS IN AUSTRALIA. interior of the continent, which is too far inland to be influenced by coast rain, and too far south to be certain of tropical rain-falls. Say within 37° and 31° S. latitude. T should look for a very dry country between S. of Western Australia and north of the Grreat Bight. This wiU have to be explored with camels. The following rude sketch may make clear my general idea : — " Xinx^ofclry Covnir)' The scientific men attending this expedition have most of them published accounts of their parts and ob- servations during its progress, which may be seen in the " Journal," and the " Proceedings" of the Greographical Society for the year 1858. The report of the surgeon, Mr. J. R. Elsey, is also appended to the account of the expedition. Mr. Elsey represents the climate of North Western Australia as, on the whole, healthy, but during the summer months, extremely hot. "As far," he says, " as our observations extended, there seems to be three seasons in JSTorth-West Australia ; namely, the wet sea- son, commencing about December, and lasting to Febru- ary; the cool, or spring season, from March to July; and the dry, or hot season, from August to November. Our first arrival at the Victoria was in September. The EFFECT OF EXCESSIVE DRYNESS. 153 whole country was parched, the vegetation dried u]), and bush fires were frequent. The lieat of the day was not followed by a cool night. Though the maximum was not excessive, rarely exceeding 1 if Fahrenheit, the minimum was very high, seldom falling below 80° at any time ; and T have known the thermometer, sus- pended in the air, to stand at 98° at sunrise. During these months there was hardly any dew. Liglitning was constant to the E. and N.E., and was rarely absent for six months. This weather produced an enervating effect on us all, and caused the ailments mentioned — " namely, sickness and vomiting after eating, and affec- tions of the eyes. The effect of the excessive dryness, he says, was seen " in North Australia, in the absence of rich and luxu- riant vegetation, the small and stunted growth of the trees, the rareness of ferns, mosses, and other crypto- gamous plants. The scarcity of insect life was also remarkable." Yet Mr. James S. Wilson, the geologist of the expe- dition, in his article on the "Physical Geography of North- West Australia," p. 137 of the Geographical Journal of 1858, says; " North- West Australia is in reality a grassy country. In no part of the world have I seen grass grow so luxuriantly ; and Mr. H. Gregory observed to me, during a journey of ten days, when 1 accompanied him and his brother to the Upper Victoria, that he had seen more grass land than during all his life before." P. 141. He afterwards adds that the grasses are of great variety, from that fine grass capable of mak- ing sweet hay, to a species of wild oats growing on stony slopes and at the bare ranges, from three to six feet high. This Mr. McDouaU Stuart has noticed lying when ripe on the ground, from a foot to eighteen inches deep, and clinging round the horses' feet as they travel, like masses of hay. His opinion of the Plains of Promise in Nor-tli Aus- tralia is not so favourable, agreeing very much with that of Lieutenant Chimmo, given hereafter. Yet even some 154 THE PLAINS OF PROMISE. parts of these, he says, are capable at one time of the year of producing much grass. Dr. Ferdinand MllUer, the chief botanist of the expe- dition, in his account, says, that " the climate of North Australia is a dry Australian, and not a moist Indian cli- mate. Fevers do not, therefore, exist ;" and that they escaped there such jungles and swamps as exhausted the strength of Kennedy's party. He is however of opinion, that the country cannot be settled without convict la- bom*, to which the mind of the southern colonies is so decidedly opposed ; and Lieutenant Chimmo expresses a like opinion. Mr. James Flood, the assistant botanist, in his ascent of the Albert river, describes a great want of fresh water in the country ; that two of the men, on the 14tli of November^ during the heat of the day, became quite delirious, but in the cool of the evening they be- came better. He and all the rest, though Mr. Elsey speaks of the "remarkable scarcity of insect life," de- scribe the torment of the mosquitoes as incessant and into- lerable. Mr. Flood also gives his opinion of the Plains of Promise. " I went to the Plains of Promise, which bear as barren an aspect as any country I had seen in North Australia. The soil is a light, sandy loam ; the grass had been burnt off, so that a few crooked gum- trees were the most conspicuous of the flora. After taking a good view of the surrounding country, which gave no appearance of improvement in any direction, we returned to the boat, and pulled down to the junction." — Proceedings of the Royal Greographical Society of 1858, p. 379. At page 3 of the " Proceedings," of the same year, Mr. Baines, the artist of the expedition, gives a detailed, and very interesting account of his voyage to Coepang for provisions, and thence to the Albert, part of the way in an open boat, of which I have already spoken. 155 LIEUTENANT W. CIIIMMO S VOYAGE IN QUKST OF TllK NOinil- AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. Fears liavino- been entertained for tlie safety of tliis expedition, at the request of the Secretary of State tbi- the Colonies, the Admiralty sent out Lieutenant Chimino in the Royal Charter, to proceed immediately to Sydney, and to take orders, if still found necessary, for a vo};!!,^' in quest of the missing expedition. Lieutenant Chimmo, who had returned from Australia, where he liad ])een engaged in the Torch steamer in surveying tlie coasts, set sail at two hours' notice, and reached Sydney on the 19th of April, 18 50, but was detained there for two months, waiting instructions. By this unfortunate delay his voyage was rendered of no use to the expedi- tion, but in the course of it he made some observations which well deserve record. He sailed in his old vessel, the Torch, and on the 1 7th of July he went in as close as he could to the coast about Albany Island and Capv York, that he might ascertain the character of a s])ot where he hoped ere long to see an establishment settled, so necessary to the succour of shipwi-ecked mariners in these dangerous waters. His opinion was most favour- able to a settlement on Albany Island, from its elevated position, open to a healthy, brisk S.E. trade wind for half the year, and possessing smooth grassy slopes, and valleys with trees. Cape York appeared extremely barren, and surrounded partly by shoal-water bays. The Torch visited Booby Island, but found no notice at the "Post Office" of Gregory's retm-n to Sydney that way. Mr. Chimmo then proceeded to the Albert Eiver, wliere, the bar not allowing the Torch to pass, on the 2nd of Au- gust he ascended the river in boats, and after a minute search of six days, came to the conclusion that neither Gre- gory's party nor the Tom Tough, the vessel in attendance on it, had arrived there. On reaching the source of tlie river, fifty miles from the ship, Lieutenant Chimmo and his officers went on shore and examined the country, in which they were much disappointed. Though earl}' 156 HAVE AN INTERVIEW AVITJI THE NATIVES. spring, all the grass had been burned off by the natives ; the large gum and acacia trees, except those overhanging the river, wore quite an autumnal aspect ; the land was fm-rowed and torn away by the deluge of rains during the N.W. monsoon; huge trees were torn up by the roots, depositing the finest of the soil in the river, and leaving on the surface a few flattened j)orpliyritic stones, wdth quantities of small, perfectly round, ironstone par- ticles. " In fine," he says, " I was not very favourably impressed with either the impoi*tance of the stream, or the richness of the country, though I saw it under the most favourable circumstances, the winter and S.E. trades. What must be the summer, during the north- west monsoon, the hot winds and changeable weather, I would hardly venture to say ; the thermometer in the shade was max. 72°, min. 50°, in the sun 134-5°; the amount of ozone was 1 to 3." They had an interview with the natives, who, though at first appearing hostile, soon became friendly. The description of the river and scenery by Lieutenant Chimmo resembles that of other visitors ; for twelve miles the banks low and swampy, forty miles inland somewhat more inviting. He says the river abounds with snags, sand, mud-banks, embryo islets formed by sunken logs, etc., which are dangerously covered at high- water. From the Albert they proceeded to Bountiful Island, and Sweer's Island, and visited the wells of Captain Stokes and Fhnders. On Bountiful Island they found abundance of turtle, and deemed this island a good head-quarters for an exploring party. On the 26th of August they entered the river Victoria, after having carefully searched the north coasts between the Gulfs, especially Treachery Bay, where the expedition first landed, and where Captain Stokes was speared, and nearly lost his life. They ascended the Victoria for 100 miles to Gregory's abandoned camp, where they found notices that Mr. Gregory and part of the expedi- tion had gone N.E. towards the Gulf, and the rest, with Mr. Baines, in Tom Tough to Coepang for provisions. VALUE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF EXl'LOllEllS. 157 and were then going to yim Mr. Gregory on the Albert. Lieutenant Chimnio .sailed immediately for Coepang, only to find that Mr. Baines had left for the Albert, so that he was on all points too late, tlu'ough his forced delay at Sydney. His experience of the heat on the Victoria River at the end of August was much like that on the Albert. " The backs of all our books parched and curled in every shape and form. A box-wood rule on my table warped three eights of an inch in twenty- four. A box-wood thermometer, three-eights of an inch, warped one-tenth, threatening to break the glass tube." As the north and north-west of Australia are now under process of settling, the experience of these differ- ent explorers deserve the careful attention of all who entertain the idea of trying their fortunes there. 158 CHAPTEE VIII. THE EXPEDITIONS OF JOHN m'dOUALL STUART, EXTEND- ING FROM ADELAIDE TO THE NORTH SEA, FROM 1858 TO 1862. Mr. Stuarl-, draftsman of Captain Stnrt's expedition, in 1844-5. — Aided in liis attempts at discovery by Messrs. Finke and Chambers. — In 1858 passed Lake Torrens for the north-west. — Mr. Bibbage at Yalticonrie invites him to Coulthardt's fnneral, and ]n-oposes to accompany him on his expedition. — Mr. Stuart excuses himself. — Bottle Hill. — Bad country. — Enquires after Wingillpin. — Mr. Stuart's idea of Wnigillpin. — Mount Hamilton. — Stony country.— Mr. Stuart looking out for Cooper's Creek to the west. — Sujjposes a creek near Mount Hamilton, to form tlie Glenelg of Captain Grey in Western Australia. — Turns soutli, finding scrub and salt lagoons. — Turned next N.W., till the 1st of August. — Worthless country. — Near Lake Gairdner. — Proceeds towards Denial Bay. — Dismal country about Mount Finke. — Reacli Gibson's Station, Streaky Bay. — Return by Mount Arden. Stuart's Second Journey into the vicinity of Laee Toreens. — Assisted by Messrs. Finke and Chambers. — Ascends the eastern side of Lake Torrens. — Finniss's Springs. — Mount Hamilton. — Mount Hugh. — Elizabeth Spi-ings. — Douglas Creek.-^Davenport Range. — Other springs. — The Hanson Range. — Mounts Kingston and Younghusband. — Good country. — Barrow and Freeliug Springs — Neale Creek. —Mount O'Halloran. — No water. — Returns to Glen's station, Termination Hill. Third Expedition. — From the Spring of Hope to Mount Anna. — Wild grape at Parry's Springs. — Thinks he saw Lake Torrens. — December 20tli set his men to dig lor gold. — No gold. — Returned to Cliambers' Creek. Fourth Expedition towards the centre op the continent. — Advances bi^yond the Neale to new ground. — Mount Ben and Head's Range. — Goes westward. — Wretched scrub. — West Neale. — Enter extensive ranges. — Mounts Beddomc, Daniel, Humphries, and the Twins. — Gwyder and Finke Creeks. — - Poor couutry.-^Extraordinary sandstone rock, which he names Chamber's Pillar. — Numerous hills named, ending in Moiuit Stuart. — This he named Central Mount Stuart, as the centre of Austraha, and planted a flag on it. — Went west 150 miles, naming several hills, but found all barren scrub. — Again went northwai'd till June 26th. — Named various hills and creeks as far as Mount Samuel — At Kekwick Pond says he met with a native freemason. — On June 2(3tli at Attack Creek.— The native freemasons drive him back. — Sufierings of the party. — Mr. Stuart nearly blind. — Left a horse alive bogged in a creek. — On returning found his bones. — Returned to Adelaide. Fifth Expedition — Mr. Stuart's report of his progress in Adelaide. — Fund voted for another expedition. — November 2yth started from Adelaide. — His party and equipments. — Squatting stations already near the 28th degree of S. latitude. — A little dog killed by tlie heat. — Spitting native. — Attack Creek. — Whittington Range. — Morphett Creek. — New plants and trees. — Finely grassed country. — Mount Primrose. — Carruthei''s and Hunter's Creeks. — Sturt's Plains. — Ashburton Range. — Vain attemjit to go westward towards the Victoria river. — Curious baby's coffin. — Difficult country. — Newcastle Water. — Mount Shillinglaw, — Natives fire the grass. — Howell's Ponds. — Return to Adelaide. Sixth Expedition, in which the Northern Coast is reached. — Offers to Mil. STUART STARTS FROM MOIXT EYRE. loO proceed north again. — News of Bui-ke and Wills being found dead at Cooper's Creek, after crossing the continent. — October 21st, 1801, .Stuart starts again — Kicked by a horse. — December 20tl'. at Moolooloo. — His ])arty. — Two of these desert. — Hottest season of the year. — Natives hostile at iMarchaut's Springs, and Mount Hay.— April 17, 1862, at tiieir farthest point, Howell's .Springs.— Diffi- cnlties from drought and dense scrub.- Try right and left. — Push tiu-ougb. — Prew's ^Yater-HoIe. — King's Ponds. — Return to Howell's Ponds, defeated by the scrub. — Once more advance. — Auld's and McGorrercy's Ponds. — Better country. — Daly Waters. — New tree. — Fine grassy country. — Blue Grass Swamp. — The bean-tree again. — Sickness from eating gum. — Purdie's Ponds. — Strangways River. — Hilly region. — Tall trees, and i)lenty of fish. — Mount Miiller. — Reach the Roper. — A horse drowned. — Natives firing the grass. — Chamber's River. — Stony hills.— The \Vaterhouse Creek. — Mounts Hclpman, Levi, and "VVatts. — Chambers Range. — Fanny and Catherine creeks. — Basaltic country. — Mount Stone. — Kekwick's Springs. — The Fan palm. — The Adelaide River. — Splendid view. — Palms and tropical plants. — Through stony country — Mary Creek. — William Creek. — Priscilla Creek. — Very tall grass. — Helen Creek. — The Adelaide again. — The Daly Range. — Reach the sea in Van Diemen's Gulf. — Plant a flag. — Return homewards. — Natives still fire the grass. — Twohorses drowned in the Roper. — Abandon luggage. — Mr. Stuart seized with scurvy. — His eyes fail. — August 27, a comet is visible. — A remarkable native mummy. — Reach Attack Creek. — Lose several horses through exhaustion. — Stuart mucli worse. — Make long halts. — Men and horses failing fast. — Have to send ahead to look for water. — Everywhere drought. — Kill now and then a horse for food. — November 26, reach Jarvis's Station, Mount IMargaret. — Stuart travels in a litter. — Reach Adelaide, December ISfh. — General view of the advantages of these expeditions, and prospects of this northern country. — Dr. Hardman's edition of Stuart's Journal. — Question of telegraphic communication across the continent. — Lease of 1000 square miles of land to Stuart. — Grant of £2000 to Stuart, and different sums to other members of his party. — Order in which the transit of the continent has been made by different explorers. The reader will recognize in the present explorer the Mr. McDouall Stuart, who accompanied Captain Stnrt in his expedition to the Stony Desert in 1844-5, as draftsman. This experience of exploring, though a very severe initiation, seems to have inspired Mr. Stuart with ii passion for discovery, and in 1858 this passion was gratified by the generous aid of his friend, Mr. William !Finke, who furnished the means necessary to make an exploration of the country on the west side of Lake Torrens. He started from Mount Eyre, at the south- oast corner of the lake, and crossing its southern extremity somewhere about Sleep's Crossing, turned his face northwards. He was at Oratunga, the head station of Mr. John Chambers, on the 14th of J\Iay. Leaving there with only six horses, one white man, Foster, and a native. Mr. Barker accompanied him on this outset, and they arrived at Aroona the same evening. Stopping at different stations, on the 19th they were at Mr. Sleeps', I'GO FAILS TO TALL IN WITH Mil. BABBAGE. who informed them that Mr. Campbell, who had been endeavouring to penetrate into the west, had returned for want of water. It was not till the 10th of June, that Mr. Stuart could be said to have made his actual start, which he did from Ootaina, still not far from Mount Eyre. On the 13th of June he arrived at Beda, where he expected to find Mr. Babbage, who had been sent by the government to make a north-west course through the continent, but reached no farther than Chamber's Creek, a location which the reader will have to visit on these journeys repeatedly. He was informed that Mr. Babbage was still more northward at Pernatta, where, however, according to his journal, he looked in vain for him, but on the 16th heard from Mr. Babbage, at a place called Yalticourie, whence he sent to Mr. Stuart to say that he had found the remains of poor Coulthard, and requested Stuai-t to come and assist at his funeral, but he excused himself, and moved on to the Elizabeth Creek. Mr. Babbage sent him word that he would accompany him to the Elizabeth, but Mr. Stuart having waited for him an hour, started without him, evidently not very desir- ous of the company of rival explorers. It does not ap- pear that he at this time saw Mr. Babbage at all. On the 18th, he ascended Bottle Hill, and saw a pile of stones on its summit, and on the top a flat slal^, in- scribed with the names of Loudon, and Burtt. The country seen from the hill, he describes of the very worst description. That on the Elizabeth Creek he found the same, and so as far as Andamoka, a permanent water-hole, towards the north-west of Lake Torrens, a country of stony plains and sand-hills with salt bush. No rain appeared to have fallen for a year on it. Over the lake he saw Mount North West, bearing 00° 30', and Mount Deception 95°. More southward he observed Flinders Eange. At Yarraout Oum Creek on the north-west point of Lake Torrens, Mr. Stuart inquired of his own black and of another native, for Wingillpin, and they both directed him north-west, the native of the DISCOVERS MULGA CREEK. 101 place aaicl it was " five sleeps off." Our traveller theu remarks rather strangely, "Probably this Wingillpiu Greek may be Cooper's Creek," Coojjer's Creek lyin,^" at least 250 miles to the north-east of him. How could Mr. Stuart, who must have been actually on a jmrt of Cooper's Creek himself with Stui-t, imagine that it and AVingiUpin could be the same ? On the 26th of June, near Mount Hamilton, he started on a westerly course, and along a country which he sometimes describes as grassy, but more i'requently stony and sandy, and producing salt-bush, till the 10th of July, when he thought it would be a beautifid country in spring, yet if it continued so stony he should be compelled to leave it. What is most extraordinary, Mr. Stuart is still looking out for Cooper's Creek, nearly 6° of longitude west of its true situation. " My only hope 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 be not there, it must run to the 7iorth-ivest, and form the Grlenelg of Captain Grrey !" — Joicrnal of 1858, July 9th. Can Mr. Stuart really mean by the Grlenelg of Captain Grrey, the (xlenelg in Western Australia ? What Grlenelg can he expect out north-west of his then position, where no one had yet penetrated for nearly 1000 miles ? From the 11th to the 15th of July, our traveller pur- sued a south-western course, following a creek, which he called Mulga Creek, from the Mulga, a kind of acacia, growing about it. He had to pass through stony ranges which lamed his horses. One night a black-and- tan dog was found barking at the horses, a very strange dog for a native dog, which are generally a dirty yellow. This dog barked too, whilst the true dingo generally howls like a wolf. Probably it was a dog belonging to the natives, though native dogs near stations "will yaff as they pursue their game, as I have heard them, but this is rare. On the 15th, Mr. Stuart seeing only a desert and scrubby country all westward, struck off in a south-east direction till the 25th, when he had reached VOL. IT. 11 162 PROVISIONS FAIL. about seventy miles of his nortliward track on the west side of Lake Torrens, and a little past the 30th degree of S. latitude. The greater part of this track of country he represents as good pastoral country, but there does not appear any considerable creeks, and he describes a tolerably large portion of dense scrubby country. As he was there in winter and had rain, the apparent danger of that country is that in summer, it would be almost destitute of water. Day after day, he says " no creeks." On the 25th he turned south, and journeyed through a reedy swamp, but all dry ; then on over mulga scrub and sand-hills, and camped without water. On the 28th they changed the scrub and sand hills for salt lagoons. Finding no good in this direction, he then struck off north-west, and continued on that track till the 1st of August, over the same dry, sandy, and worth- less country. From the 1st to the 4th of August they passed over a somewhat better country, and then fell in with salt lagoons, and immediately afterwards through granite ranges, no great distance beyond the north-west- ern extremity of Lake Grairdner. On the 7th, he ab- ruptly abandoned this course, and steered directly south for Denial Bay. He made one more effort to discover some good country from the top of Mount Finke, but saw only " a fearful country." " The prosj^ect," he added, " is gloomy in the extreme, and is very disheart- ening to have sought a good country in vain." From this point to near Denial Bay, his progress was through a dismal desert resembhng that through which Eyre had endeavoured to force his way along the southern coast westward. Their horses being exhausted by this water- less wilderness, and their own provisions failing, they made for Gribson's station on Streaky Bay. On the 22nd of August Stuart and Forster killed and fed on a crow, the first food for three days; the black had deserted them before. The next day they reached Gribson's sta- tion, and staid there to recruit till the 1st of September, when they held eastward to Mount Arden, at the head MR. STUART BEGINS HIS SECOND JOURNEY. 10.3 of Spencer Gulf, which they readied on the I Itli of September, when they were in tlie settled district. Such was Stuart's first journey of exploration. Stuart's second journey into the vicinity of i.aki; TORRENS. In the spring of 1859, Mr. Stuart set out on a second •expedition. This time his friend James C]iam])ers, as well as Mr. Finke contributed to the necessary supplies. He commences his journal at Mr. Grien's station on the 2nd of April, and this time took his way up the eastern side of Lake Torrens. He does not tell us the strength of his party, or his number of horses. We incidentally learn that he had men with him of the names of Herr- gott and Miiller, and that they crossed the tracks of Parry and Major Warburton, two travellers into the same regions, before they reached Decay Hill. Also, that Herrgott had found some ponds near those of St. Stephen, then dry, which could enable people to take cattle as far as Chambers Creek. On the 31st of April they reached Finniss's Springs, a little south of Lake Gre- gory, north of the Torrens. The country is too well known as a very dry one, to need particular remark here. On the 22nd they ascended Hermit Hill, and took a view of Lake Torrens. Between them and the lake, which was Eyre's farthest point in 1840, they saw the country very rough, containing springs which threw out soda and saltpetre ; the lake itself was quite salt. On the 27th they reached Chambers Creek, and on the 10th of May, Mount Hamilton, near which in the preceding year Stuart had struck off westward. This time he continued a more northerly course, and there- fore, from to-day we accompany him on new ground, and which he had so frequently to retrace before he had accomplished his great enterprise, the crossing of the continent; Mount Hamilton had been visited by Major Warburton, who had piled a pyramid of stones on its top. On the hill are springs. The situation is latitude 29° 27' 37'^ Seven miles onward they ascended 11—2 164 HE DISCOVERS SEVERAL SPRINGS. Mount Hugli, on wMch also they found fine springs, and" a few miles farther, they found other fine springs, which they named Elizabeth Springs. The country about was tolerable with grass and salt-bush. Having returned to Mount Hamilton to make some further survey of the country he again moved northward, and on the 24th of May, they were on the Douglas Creek. The country he pronounced not good, there was no water. He pro- ceeded north, and struck the Davenport Eange, and at five miles further a copious, but rather brackish spring, which he named the Spring of Hope. On the 2nd of June they reached other springs, which they called Hawkers' Springs, and on the 4th a creek which they named the Blyth. They soon after came on a range which they named The Hanson Eange, and the high- est point of it Mount Younghusband, and another iso- lated range to the north-west they named Mount King- ston. The country Stuart describes as excellent, and Mount Younghusband grassed to the top. Younghus- band Hes in latitude 28° 1' 32''. On the 6th of June, they successively discovered and named the Barrow Springs, very plentiful ones ; the Freeling Springs in a beautiful country ; and a salt creek, which they named Peake Creek. In the ranges were seen quartz, iron- stone, and slate, and Herrgott and Miiller, who had been at the Victoria diggings, said they had seen no country so much resembling those diggings. The country looked as if covered with snow from the quan- tity of quartz. Between this time and the 12tli of June, they came upon a creek, which they called the ISTeale ; and Stuart, still haunted by Cooper's Creek, says, " Can it be Cooper's Creek? the country very much resembles it." The map will show us that Cooper's Creek hes fiA^e geo- graphical degrees, or 300 miles to the east of the Neale. iSText came Mount O'Halloran, beyond which he ad- vanced to latitude 27° 12' 30", and finding no water, though there was an abundance of grass, he determined to turn back, his horses being without shoes, and him- MR. STUARTS THIRD EXPEDITION. 105 self ill. He, therefore, retraced his joui'ney, and again arrived at Grlen's Station, near Termination Hill, on the 3rd of July. What lie had seen on his journey only inspired Mr. Stuart with a desire to push further north, with a better equipped force, and he once more set out for his THIKD EXPEDITION. He commenced his journal at Chambers' Creek, on the 4th of November of the same year, 1859. In this journe}^ he went over the same country, varying his route a little, and again reached the same vicinity, the Neale, whence, as before, he returned to Chambers' Creek, on the 21st of January, 1860, having reached the Neale on the Gth of that month. We may note the few new observations which this journey presents. From the Spring of Hope on the 15th of November, he went with a man. to examine a hill out south-west. He found it composed of iron-stone, quartz, granite, etc., with an immense quantity of conglomerate of those substances, which apjoeared run together as in smelting works, with numerous courses of slate of different descriptions and colours. The country around was poor. He named the hill Mount Anna. Near Spring of Hope, he also named a creek, Greorge Creek. At Mount Charles he built up a cone of stones, and there one of his men deserted, taking the mare on which he used to ride. At Panny Springs where he staid some days, he laid down a base line of ten miles, and forty chains for his survey. They could there see the Neale ; and tliey discovered several springs in the neighbourhood. There and at Parry's Springs they observed large quantities of the wild grape, both white and red, which Avere very good indeed, and which, if cultivated, they thought would make a nice fruit. At Primrose Springs, where the Neale runs into Lake Gregory, called by Stuart Lake Torrens, they also saw the wild grape in abund- ance. The Parry and Primrose Springs were both hot and cold. 166 DIGGING rOR GOLD. On tlie 1st of December Stnart rode to south of east to visit Lake Torrens. Eode over sand-hills to the lake thirty-five miles. The Neale brackish. The next morning he ascended a sand-hill, and saw a small, dark, low line of land all round the horizon. " The line of blue water is very small. So ends Lake Torrens !" On the 4th, still more north, Mr. Stuart tells us that he thinks it was not Torrens, but a large lagoon that he had seen. At the mouth of the Douglas he thought he had found the Lake Torrens again, and on the 14th he is again as much puzzled as ever. " I am almost afraid that the next time I try the lake I shall not find the northern boundary of it. Where can all this water drain to ? It is a mystery." As Mr. Stuart tells us that his eyes were so bad that he could scarcely see, I suppose that he really did see, at that period, nothing distinctly. On the 20th of December he set -his men at Fielding Spring to dig for gold ; his own eyes were so bad he could not go himself. Dp to the 27th they continued to dig, and found no gold, but great indications. " In fact, they found no gold whatever, but thought there might be some in the quartz reefs." Having advanced to the Hanson Eanges, our traveller found his stores rapidly waning, and his men, all but Kekwick — it does not appear how many he had — as bad as possible. He beat a retreat, as I have said, on January 6th, 1860. By the 21st of January he was at Chambers Creek, and by the 2nd of March he was again ready for a start on his POURTH EXPEDITION TOWARDS THE CENTRE OF THE CON- TINENT. This time we are informed that he had thirteen horses and two men. On the 22nd of March he had again reached the Neale, and advanced up it far enough to begin naming new objects, amongst which were two high peaks, Mount Ben and Head's Eange. On the MOUNT JAMES CHAMBERS. 107 24tli he crossed the Neale, and struck away west to see what kind of country it was, and found it an apj^arently interminable scrub. On the 2Gth we find him on what he calls the West Neale, but have no intimation of how or where he found a West Neale. TIumi runninf^ north, through a mixture of good and bad country, we find him at a creek called by him the Frew, and soon after on another branch of it, in a country of scrub, mulga, and grass. On the 30th of March they crossed a creek, which they named the Ross, with wild oats, wheat, rye, and salt-bush growing on its banks. That evening they camped on another creek, which he named the Ste- phenson. They now entered on extensive ranges, con- sisting of gypsmn, chalk, ironstone, quartz, and red sandstone. The chief of these hills they named Mounts Beddome, Daniel, Humphries, and the Twins. There were also the Groyder and Finke Creeks. The country improved, but still showed that poverty-index, the spinifex. On the 6th of April they saw before them a very extraordinary rock, which stood up in an isolated manner, at first presenting the appearance of a locomo- tive engine with its funnel. As they drew near, how- ever, it stood forth a pillar of sandstone, based on a hill of upwards of a hundred feet high. The pillar itself was about a hundred and fifty feet high, and twenty feet by ten feet in diameter. It resembled some old cracked and time-worn tower of the middle ages, broken into two peaks at the summit. To this singular freak of nature Mr. Stuart gave the name of his friend and patron, James Chambers. To the north and north-west showed remarkable hills, resembling ruined castles. They rose out of sand-hills. From Satm-day, the 7th of April, till Sunday, the 22nd, they continued on a north-west course, chiefly through sandstone ranges, amongst which ran various creeks, but thick scrub tearing to pieces their clothes and saddle- bags, also prevailed. Amongst these creeks and ranges were the Hugh Grum Creek, and James's Range, the Waterhouse Range, the McDonald Range, Mount Hay, 168 MOUNT STUART. Strangway Eange, Brinkley BhifF, Mount Freeling, and, finally, Mount Stuart. Amongst these ranges Stuart says he saw the India-rubber tree, the cork-tree, and several new plants. They found a nut, which produced violent sickness. The country amongst the McDonald Ranges Stuart describes as a fine pastoral one. Mount Stuart was a distinguished position to have attained. Mr. Stuart, in liis journal, says : — " To-day I find from my observations of the sun, 111° 00' 30'', that I am now camped in the centre of Australia. I have marked a tree, and planted the British flag there. There is a high mount about two miles and a half to the north-north-east. I wish it had been in the centre ; but on it to-morrow I will raise a cone of stones, and plant the flag there, and name it Central Mount Stuart." The position of Central Mount Stuart, by Mr. Stuart's own chart, appears to be latitude .22°, longitude 133J°. He describes it as high, or higher than Mount Serle, between Lakes Torrens and Blanche. It appeared nearly surrounded on all sides by broken ranges ; where the view was open, it was over plains of gums, mulga, and spinifex. The range in which Mount Stuart stands he named John Eange, after John Chambers, the brother of his great supporter, James Chambers. From Mount Stuart he struck off" in a north-west direction, after naming the large creek which flowed round Mount Stuart the Hanson. He went west because he did not like the arid, sandy appearance of the country to the north, and so long as he continued amid that group of ranges he found water. He named Mounts Denison, Leichhardt, Barkly, Turnbull, and the Arthur hills. Beyond Mount Barkley they found a scanty creek, which they named the Fisher. Beyond that all was gum scrub and spinifex plains, destitute of the slightest moisture, and having persevered for about 150 miles, he returned. On the way back he named Mount Eennie and Mount Peake, northward of Mounts Barkly and Leichhardt. Before he again reached Mount Stuart his men and himself were attacked with ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES. 109 illness, he himself was suffering severely from scurvy, and the horses were in a woeful plight. Still Mr. vStuart endeavoured to push on northwards, and he continued his way through a series of ranges, ha^dng between them at intervals scrubby or grassy plains, till the 2Gth of June. The hills he named on this course were Mounts Mann, Gwynne, Strzelecki, Morphett, the Forster Eanges, Crawford Eange, Daven- port Range, the Murchison and McDonald Eanges, Mount Samuel, Short Eange, etc. The creeks and ponds amongst them were Bonney Creek, the McLaren, the Tennant, Bishop's, and Phillip's Creeks, Kekwick's Pond, and Hay ward's Creek. As they advanced natives ap- peared more numerously, and at Kek^vick's Ponds Mr. Stuart assures us that he saw and exchano-ed sisfus with native freemasons, an apparition, I imagine, rather start- Kng, and still more unaccountable. Brother masons or not, on the 26th of June, at a creek fitly named Attack Creek, about thirty of them fell upon his party, con- sisting of only three individuals, with spears, waddies, and boomerangs, yelling and firing the grass, so that they were compelled to fire on them. With failing health and stores, and such ardent brother masons as these in the way, our travellers beat a hasty retreat ; and in veiy hot weather, with a dread of finding the waters on their way dried up, and the natives following them, they made as active a retrograde march as possible. Mr. Stuart's eyes were nearly blind, his provisions in a regular de- crease from plunder by his man Ben ; Kekwdck almost too ill to travel, the Finke and other creeks dried uj) on arriving at them. Under such circumstances they pur- sued their way back to Chambers' Creek, which they reached on September 1st, having been most hospitably entertained by Mr. Brodie at Hamilton Springs. In the course of this journey, an accident occiuTcd, which I wish I could omit, but humanity to animals, and especially to such an animal as the horse, performing his laborious and painful duty on an explorative march, demands the record of it. Near Kekwick Springs, on 170 INHUMANITY TO A HORSE. going outward on tlie 16tli of March, the horse " Billy, in crossing a creek, was bogged, and could not be got out," Our traveller says : — " We tried for hours, but were unable to help him." Soon after he says :— " We tried again to get the horse on shore, but could not manage it ; the more we tried to extricate him, the worse he gets. I have left him : I do not think he will sur- vive the night." Left him ! and did not think he would survive the night ! Did it not occur to Mr. Stuart that a single bullet would have put an end to his sufferings at once ? that whether he sur\T.ved the night, or for some nights and days, his death must have been one of the slow progress and tortures of starvation ? In returning past Kekwick's Springs in the following August, occurs this entry : — " Proceeded to Kekwick's Springs to see if the horse we had left in the Peake had got out. We found his bones ; he does not seem to have made a struggle since we left him, as he is in the same position. From the number of tracks, the natives must have visited him." If there had been a chance for the horse getting out, the leaving might have been humane ; but when the utmost efforts of the party had been exerted in vain to extricate him, what hope of him doing it himself? If it were doubtful whether he would live till morning, how could he have strength to free himself ? It is altogether a painful passage. FIFTH EXPEDITION. In October of 1860, Mr. Stuart arrived in Adelaide from Chambers' Creek, and reported that he had at length not only reached the centre of the continent, and planted the British flag on Central Mount Stuart, but had pene- trated 200 miles, or more, still farther north; that he had nearly reached the 18th degree of south latitude: the sensation was great. The sum of £2500 was voted by the colonial parhament to fit an expedition worthy of the country, the leader, and the object. Stuart, who NAMES or THE PARTY. 171 never took long to recovei* from the dilapidations of an expedition, or to prepare for another, was again on the road from Adelaide northward on the 29th of November. On the 12th of December, he once more arrived at Chambers' Creek at the head of seven men and forty horses. At this familiar place, he remained till the 1st of January, 1861, killing and drying bullocks, changing defective or worn-out horses for better, and making- various other preparations dictated by former experience. The veteran explorer was this time stimulated to his best exertions by the knowledge that, on the 20th of the pre- ceding August, the best appointed expedition that ever left an Australian capital for the interior, had set out from Melbourne under Burke and Wills, with the very object which had so long inspired him, that of traversing the country to the northern sea. Mr. Stuart this time left Chambers' Creek at the head of twelve men and fifty horses, save one, his stud having been augmented by the re-employment of some of his old stagers, and by others sent after him by his staunch friend, Mr. Tinke. We are this time able to give the list of the party : — John McDouall Stuart, Leader of the Expedition. WilKam Kekwick, Second in Command. F. Thring, Third Officer. — Ewart, Storekeeper. — Sullivan, Shoeing-smith. — Thompson, Saddler. — Lawrence, — Masters, J. Woodforde. — Wall, — E. C. Bayliffe, J. Thomas. As we shall again have to follow the party over the ground traversed before as far ns Hay ward's Creek, between the 18th and 19th parallels of south latitude, we may pass over all that relates to the country, noting only a few of the incidents of travel. One of the first things which strikes us is the great distance to which squatting stations had already extended themself north- wards, the farthest at this time appearing to be that of 172 DOG KILLED BY THE HEAT. the Messrs. Levi, near Milne Springs, near Mount Young- husband, aj)proaching the 28th degree of south latitude, at full 400 miles north-west of Adelaide. At this place Mr. Stuart was compelled to leave behind some of his horses which proved imfit for the journey, and to send two men back with them, reducing his party to ten indi- viduals. At Milne Springs, January the 11th, the height of summer, a little dog, called Toby, was killed by the heat, though he was allowed to ride on one of the pack horses. At Mount Hugh, on the 6th of March, they encountered an old native who spit fiercely at them like a tribe on the Darling at Major Mitchell. On the 25th of April, 1801, they had reached Attack Creek, near Hayward's Creek, whence they commenced their retreat on their last journey. Soon after they saw and named the Whittington Range, and camped in a creek in ^hese hills, which they named Morphett Creek. In latitude 18° 35' 20'', on a creek which they named Tomkinson Creek, the journal states : — " We found many new plants and flowers, also some trees, one of which grows to a considerable size, the largest being about a foot in diameter. The fruit is about the size and colour', and has the appearance, of plums ; the bark is of a grey colour ; the foliage oval, and of a dark green. Another is more of a bush, and has a very peculiar appearance ; the seed-vessel is about the size of an orange, but more pointed. When ripe, it opens into four divisions, which look exactly like honey-comb inside, and in which the seeds are contained ; they are about the size of a nut, the outside being very hard. The natives roast and eat them. The leaves resemble the mulberry, and are of a downy hght green." North of the Whittington Range, they came into country finely grassed, and to a hill, which they named Mount Primrose ; the next day to a country just as poor, with spinifex and stony rises, but on which they crossed two creeks, Carruther's and Hunter's On the banks of the Hunter, they noticed a new and beautiful tree, in some instances a foot in diameter, with drooping branches, A child's coffin. 173" rough, grey bark, and dark green leaves shaped like a butterfly's wing. Still advancing, they crossed grassy plains which they named Sturt's Plains, climbed hills which they called the Ashbui*ton Eange, and Avhich wei'e composed of ironstone, granite, and a little quartz, l3ut all very rough and broken. From a creek called Wat- son's Creek, Stuart determined to try a south-western course, not finding the northern one very practicable ; but a single day over the waterless scrub, which presented itself as far as could be discerned from the toj) of a tree, quite satisfied our traveller that he could never reach the Victoria Eiver by that route, as he had hoped. Still he made another attempt, and persevered till the 1 0th, when drought, spinifex, and dense scrub drove him back to make another efibrt towards the north. Having regained Hawker Creek, in Ashburton Range, on the 12th, they observed in a tree a sort of miniature canoe, which was carved on the sides by some sharj) instrument in small hues, on the top of it a number of pieces of bark, the whole bound together by a grass cord. They agreed that it was the finest piece of work- manship they had ever seen made by a native. It was found to contain the skull and bones of a child. From this date to the 1.2th of July, oui* traveller was vainly endeavouring to force his way through dense mallee scrubs, or waterless Sturt's Plains, sometimes west, some- times east, sometimes north, but all in vain. During this time, he found and named a large sheet of water Newcastle Water, and a hill, which they called Mount Shilhnglaw. Near Newcastle Water, on the 26th of May, the natives set fire to the grass, and endeavoured to surround Woodforde, who was alone duck shooting. He fired, and wounded one of them, which caused them to retire. Having this time reached Howell's Ponds, in about 17° south latitude, Mr. Stuart again beat a retreat. On Loveday Creek, under Mount Hawker, they lost Masters for three days, which caused them much anxiety. On his recovery, on the 1 2th, they quitted Tomlinson Creek 174 COMMENCES THE SIXTH EXPEDITION. to return to Adelaide. On the Tth of September, tliey regained Chambers' Creek. On the 16th, Stuart left Moolooloo for Port Augusta, where he took the steamer for Adelaide, leaving the party to travel to Adelaide under the care of Kekwick. SIXTH EXPEDITION, IN WHICH THE WESTERN COAST IS REACHED. On the 23rd of September, Mr. Stuart made a public entry into Adelaide, where, notwithstanding the serious obstacle which he had found in the nature of the coun- try north of the Ashburton Ranges, he professed him- self ready to make another attempt to reach the north shores of the continent, and his offer was at once ac- cepted by the government. In little more than a week after his return, the news reached Adelaide that the ex- j)lorers, Burke and Wills, had been found dead at Cooper's Creek by Mr. Alfred Howitt, and that the}^ had previously accomplished the long vainly attempted achievement of traversing the continent from shore to shore. This information, however, neither induced the South Australian Government to abandon the endeavour to effect the same object from Adelaide by Stuart's track, nor disheartened Stuart himself. With that rapidity of action which had before distinguished him, his prepar- ations were made, and he was ready to start northwards again on the 21st of October, 1861. In accompa- nying the expedition a little way on the day of its depar- ture, he was knocked down by a rearing horse, and in great danger of being killed. Notwithstanding this accident, he was able in five weeks to follow the expedi- tion to Moolooloo, where a part of it waited for him. On Friday, December 20th, he reached Moolooloo, and Fin- niss's Springs on the 29th. His party was on this|final occasion, as follows : — John McDouall Stuart, Leader. William Kekwick, Second Officer. W. P. Auld, Assistant. king's ponds. 17.") J. W. Waterhouse, Naturalist. John M'Gorrerey, Shoeinii;- Smith. Steplien King*. John Billiott. J. Woodforde. James Frew. Heath Nash. — JefFeries. Two of these soon quitted the expedition, refusing to obey orders ; and Woodforde, who had been on tlie last journey, took the liberty of riding off with a horse, and sundry other things. They commenced their route in the very hottest season of the jquy ; and by the time that they reached the Hugh, they had lost a great num- ber of their horses. The natives, too, had begun to show themselves hostile at Marchant's Springs on the 17th of March, 1862, and were fired upon by one of the men. Again, at Mount Hay, they Avere menaced by them, and were again fired on with rifles. On the 17th of April, they had again reached their farthest point north at Howell's Ponds. There was fine grass about the ponds, but Sturt's Plains, and the whole country, except near ponds or creeks, as dry as ever, and the scrub seeming to defy advance every way. On the 2Sth of April, Mr. Stuart tried a course east and south-east, but found only dense scrub, which tore their clothes and packs to pieces, and not a drop of water. A few slate-coloured cockatoos, and other birds, were all that spoke of life. Thus disappointed, he again made a determined push northward, and on the 1st of Ma}', he discovered a fine deep water, which he called Frew's Water-hole. Persevering through the dense forest the next day, they discovered a (^bain of ponds, whicJi they called King's Ponds ; both of these being called after men of the party, in approbation of their conduct. The next day they failed to discover water ; and, wearied of contending with the thick scrub, they returned to the camp at HoweU's Ponds. So far, they had found it 176 THE DALY WATERS. impossible to advance permanently beyond the farthest point of the last year's journey. The leader, therefore, determined to try once more a westward course, with the hope of reaching the Victoria. They started with a re- connoitering party on the 8th, but after persevering in that course for three days through thick scrub alternated with spinifex, they gave up the attempt as hopeless, and returned to Howell's Ponds. On this joui-ney they met with one spring, which they called Nash Spring ; but for the greatest part of the way they saw not a bird, nor heard the chirp of any to disturb the gloomy silence of the forest. Their so-called waterproof bags leaked hopelessly, and they lost one horse, besides seriously in- juring others. They had now tried east and west, and if they were to break through the sturdy opposition of drought, scrub, and spinifex, it must be directly onwards. Accordingly, with most commendable resolution, they advanced to King's Ponds, and thence diligently sought for fresh waters. They succeeded, and named their dis- coveries Auld's and M'Grorrerey's Ponds. After two more days of distress from total want of water, they came into a grassy country, and on the 23rd of May, to fresh waters, which they called the Daly Waters. On the banks were fine gum-trees, and also a tree seen by Leichhardt, McKinley, Grregory, and others, in the northern district, having a long, straight barrel, dark, smooth bark, palmated leaves, and bunches of bright yellow flowers. The gum-trees were so thick, and the belts of lancewood so deceptive, that they thought it a fearful country to get lost in. There were pelicans and other water-birds about the Daly, which proved to be a creek. Pushing a-head again, on the 30th of May they came into an extensive swamp, splendidly grassed to the horses' knees, which they named Blue-grass Swamp. The ground, which in the wet season was evidently under water, was now so cracked, that the horses were continually plunging into the fissures, as they could not see them for the tall grass. They were now evidently getting into better country. The dip of the land was to THE RIVER STRANGWAYS. 177 the eastward, and the crimson-blossomed bean tree was there again. On the 9th of June several ol" the jjarty were seized with violent pains and severe sickness, from eating gum from a particular nut tree. Having brought up the party to the Blue-grass Swamp, at eleven miles onwards they came upon fresh ponds, which they named Purdie's Ponds. These ponds were nearly at the junction of latitude 10° and longitude IM'^. The country was luxu- riantly grassed. The next day they struck a creek, which continued to run northwards, and soon was evidently conducting them directly to the Eoper. They named this the Eiver Strangways, after the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands. It soon entered by a gorge into a hilly region, and for the first time they saw the cabbage- tree growing on its banks, besides various new trees. The party was now brought up to this gorge, and the hills were then explored for a passage. This they found. The hills were rough and precipitous, variously of sand- stone, iron-stone, and lime. On the 20th of June, they were encamped north of the gorge. The country around was sandy, but producing very tall trees, amongst them the stringy bark. The waters of the river were deep and clear, and they caught several kinds of fish, weigh- ing, some of them, two pounds and a half. Some ap- peared a kind of perch ; others, rock-cod, and others resembled gold-fish. On the banks of the river they found a large creeper with a yellow blossom, and bearing a large bean-pod. As they advanced the river enlarged, and they l^egan to feel that they should no longer suffer from want of water. From the time they left Mr. Levi's station. Mount Margaret, they had had only two or three slight showers of rain. At the first camp north of the gorge, they were in latitude 15° 15' 23'^ On the 25th of June they found their river Strangways falling into the lioper. Before reaching the Eoper, they passed through rough stony hills, the highest of which they named Mount Miiller, after Dr. Miiller, the botanist, of Victoria. They VOL. II. 12 178 MEET WITH FRIENDLY NATIVES. now found that they were in the country through which Mr. Gregory had passed in 1856. The timber grew^ larger, the soil was rich, the grass up to the horses' sides. Numbers of cabbage trees grew about. On the 24th the grass was over their heads, so that the leader was lost in it, and only discovered by cooeeing for him. The na- tives were firing the grass in different directions, and the marks of their camp fires and heaps of mussel shells denoted their being numerous. They came upon the Roper in latitude 14° 5'. A number of natives on its banks set up wild cries, and fled at their approach. After crossing the Roper, they lost a horse by his be- ing set fast in the mud of the river banks. The water was excellent ; the grass, though dry, was from two to five feet high ; but the natives continued burning it, and putting their camp in constant danger. The leader pro- nounced the country as certainly the finest he had seen in Australia. On the 3()th, they found themselves on a branch of the Roper, w^hich they named the Chambers, after James Chambers, the leader's great patron, then deceased. The natives they now met with were friendly. Following up the river north-w^est, they came to exten- sive swamps, and found much difficulty from numerous creeks crossing their route, to advance. On the 2nd of July, they had got into some terribly rough stony liills. One of the men picked up a small live turtle. Tlie rough hilly country continued some time, with fine grassy val- leys amongst them, with melaleuca, gum trees, the bean tree, a climbing fern, and many new plants. On the 5th of July they saw a creek running S.W., and named it the Waterhouse, after the naturalist of the expedition. They suspected that it was one of the sources of the Adelaide River. The hills were of sandstone, ironstone, and some limestone. Latitude 140° 18' 30''. They named, in this neighbourhood. Mounts Helpman, Levi, and Watts; and to the north-west, the Chambers Range. The waters w^ere now all tending N.W., and they named the Fanny and the Katherine, after daughters of Mr. John Chambers. THE ADELAIDE RIVER. 179 On the 9th, they travelled over a hasaltic country, splendidly grassed ; ascended a hill, which they named Mount Stow, after which the basalt disappeared, and slate, limestone, and sandstone took its place. They then came upon copious springs, which they named Kekwick's Springs. In the stony hills beyond these springs they came to the top of a sandy table-land, thick with splendid stringy-barks, pines, and other trees and shrubs, amongst which, for the first time, they saw the fan-palm, some of them fifteen feet high, the bark on the stem marked similar to a pine-apple, the leaf resembling a lady's fan set on a long handle, and which soon after it is cut closes in the same manner. On the 10th, they caught sight of the Adelaide Kiver. The scene was magnificent. The table land was suddenly broken, and tall clifis, covered with fine trees, overlooked the broad valley of the river, which was hastening away N.W., through a rocky country. " The view," says Stuart, " was beautiful. Standing on the edge of the precipice, we could see underneath a deejD river, thickly wooded, running on our course ; then the pictiu*esque, precipitous gorge in the table land ; then the gorge in the distance ; to the N.W. were ranges of hills." They found the top course of the table land a layer of magnetic ironstone, which deflected the needle 20° ; underneath was a layer of red sandstone, very soft, and crumbling away with the action of the atmosphere. In the valley was an immense crop of grass, upwards of four feet high. There was abundance of cabbage-palms in the dry parts of the river bed, and many new plants and flowers. The clifls seemed to be 250 or 300 feet high. They now travelled north-westward, in the same di- rection as the river, over a rough country of ironstone and sharp rectangular flint-stone. Quartz-conglomerate imbedded in iron, and slates perpendicular in position, induced them to believe it a gold country. In latitude 13° 38' 24'' they crossed a branch of the Adelaide, which they named the Mary, after Miss Mary Chambers. On 12—2 180 CROSS A NUMBER OF CREEKS. the banks of this river, large clumps of bamboos, from fifty to sixty feet high and six inches diameter at the butt, were growing. A recent fire had raged down to the water's edge, destroying everything but the gum trees. They were compelled to shoe their horses here on the fore feet. They continued to cross a number of creeks, one of which they named William Creek, after the second son of John Chambers. The valleys between granite rises were very fertile, abounding with new trees and shrubs ; and thus it continued, the rock changing after a while to ironstone. On the 18th of July they reached a creek, which they named Priscilla Creek, in latitude 12° 56' 54'^ Still their way lay over stony hills of ironstone, slate, and a hard white stone, and the valleys full of most luxuriant grass. Such Avere the quantities of the tall dry grass, that the horses collected it on theii' fore legs, and they were obliged occasionally to pull them in, in order to let the load drop off'. After crossing a creek named Allen Creek, they came upon the Adelaide Avhere it was about eighty yards wide, and so still that they could. not per- ceive the current. The banks do"v\Ti to the water were twelve feet deep. They were lined Avith very tall stout bamboos, and the water deep and clear of snags or fallen timber. The hills on the opposite side, being the highest they had seen in this new country, they named them the Daly Eange, after the Grovernor of South Austraha, and the highest point. Mount Daly. A conspicuous hill, which they had passed at thiiieen ixdles from the river, they named Mount Goyder, after the surveyor-general. Soon after they came into extensive marshes, in which grew a lily new to them, whence they named the marsh Lily Marsh. Still following the river, amongst marshes, palm groves, and rocks, they named one creek Anna Creek, and another Thring Creek, and another large marsh Freshwater Marsh. Here, in latitude 13° 22' 30", Stuart quitted the river, and struck a course due north, in order to make the sea coast. I shall now give the event in his own words : — " I have taken this course in SURPRISED RY RKACIIINd TIIK SEA. 181 order to make the sea coast, which I suppose to be dis- tant about eight miles aud a half, as soon as possible. By this I hope to avoid the marsh. I did not inform any of the party, except Thring- and Auld, that I was so near to the sea, as I wished to give them a surprise on reaching it. Proceeded through a light soil, slightly elevated, with a little ironstone on the surface, the vol- canic rock cropping out occasionally ; also, some flats of black alluvial soil. The timber much smaller and more like scrub, showing that we are nearing the sea. At eight miles and a half, came upon a broad valley of black alluvial soil, covered with long grass ; from this I can hear the wash of the sea. On the other side of the val- ley, which is rather more than a quarter of a mile wide, is growing a line of thick heavy bushes, very dense, show- ing that to be the boundary of the beach. Crossed the valley and entered the scrub, which was a complete net- work of vines. Stopped the horses to clear a way, while I advanced a few yards on to the beach, and was gratified and delighted to behold the water of the Indian Ocean, in Van Diemen's Grulf, before the party with the horses knew anything of its proximity. Thring, who rode in advance of me, called out, ' The sea !' which took them all by surprise, and they were so astonished that he had to repeat his call before they fully understood Avhat was meant. Then, they immediately gave three long and hearty cheers. The beach is covered with a soft blue mud. It being ebb tide, I could see some distance ; found it would be impossible to take the horses along it; I therefore kept them where I had halted them, and al- lowed half the party to come on to the beach and gratify themselves by a sight of the sea, while the other half remained to watch the horses rmtil their return. I dipped my feet and washed my face and hands in the sea, as I promised the late Grovernor, Sir Richard McDonnell, I would do, if I reached it. The mud has nearly covered all the shells ; we got a few, however. I could see no seaweed. There is a point of land some distance off, bearing 70°. After all the party had had 182 OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION ACCOMPLISHED. some time on the beach, at which they were much pleased and gratified, they collected a few shells ; I returned to the valley, where I had my initials (J. M. D. S.) cut on a large tree, as I did not intend to put up my flag until I arrived at the mouth of the Adelaide. Proceeded on a course of 302° along the valley ; at one mile and a half coming upon a small creek, with running water, and the valley being covered with beautiful green grass, I have camped to give the horses the benefit of it. Thus have I, through the instrumentality of Divine Providence, been led to accomplish the great object of the expedition, and take the whole party safely as witnesses to the fact; and through one of the finest countries man could wish to inhabit — good to the coast, and with a stream of run- ning water within half a mile of the sea. From New- castle Water to the sea beach, the main body of the horses have been only one night without water, and then got at it within the next day. If this country is settled, it will be one of the finest colonies under the Crown, suitable for the growth of any and every thing. What a splendid country for producing cotton !" — McDouall Stuart's Explorations, 1861-62, pp. 56-7. From the number of pathways from the water to the beach, across the valley, Stuart judged that the natives were very numerous, but they saw none, though they had passed numerous encampments. The cabbage and palm-trees grew plentifully during the whole day's journey. The creek near the beach they named Charles Creek, after the eldest son of John Chambers. Finding it not easy to get along the river to its mouth on account of the bogs on its banks, they then attempted to pro- ceed along the sea-beach, but were stopped by similar obstacles. The leader, therefore, abandoned the design of reaching the mouth of the Adelaide, satisfied to have reached the Gulf of Van Diemen. He now resolved to erect the Union Jack on the shore, with his name sewn in the centre of it. " When this," he says, " was com- pleted, the party gave three cheers, and Mr. Kekwick then addressed me, congratulating me on having com- THE I'AllTY LEAVES CHARLES CREEK. 183 pleted this g-reat and i*iii])ortaut undertaldng-, to wliicli I replied. Mr. Waterliouse also spoke a lew words ou -the same subject, and concluded with three cheers for the Queen, and three for the Prince of AV'ales. At one foot south from the foot of the tree is Ijuried, about eight inches below the ground, an air-tight tin case, in which is a paper with the following notice : — "' ' SouTJi Australian Great Northern Explorinc Ex- pedition. " ' The exploring party, undei* the command of John McDouall Stuart, arrived at this spot on the 25th day of July, 18G2, having crossed the entire continent of Australia from the Southern Sea to the Indian Ocean, passing through the centre. They left the city of Ade- laide on the 2Gth of October, 1861, and the most northern station of the colony on the 21st day of January, 18C2. To commemorate this ha])py event, they have raised this flag bearing his name. All well. Grod save the Queen !' " To this document was appended the signatures of all the pai-ty. As the bay had not been named, they named it Chambers Bay, in honour of Miss Chambers, who had presented the flag to the leader of the expedition. " At the same hour," says Stuart, " nine months after leaving Mr. Chambers' house in North Adelaide, was this flag planted on the north-west coast." On the bark of the tree on which the flag was placed was cut — " Dig one Foot, S." They then bade adieu to the Indian Ocean, and returned to Charles Creek. On Satui'day, July the 26th, the party set out from Charles Creek on its return to Adelaide. We may note a few of the incidents of their travel homewards. In crossing the Mary, the banks of which were very boggy. 184 MR. STUART TAKEN ILL. they managed, by cutting large quantities of tlie long grass, and laying it on the sides of the bank, with a few logs and j)ickets driven into the bed, to prevent the cur- I'ent carrying the grass away. At Ivekwick's Springs the natives evinced hostility by firing the grass round them to burn them out. The horses were growing very thin and weak, the natives leaving them but little food from continual burning of the grass. They had two drowned in the Roper river, and the others were so weak that they were compelled to leave a good deal of their loading, even clothes. The grass was so dried by the sun that it seemed to have no nourishment in it. On the 14th of August Mr. Stuart was taken ill, and from this time he ajDpeared to get worse and worse through the whole journey. It turned out to be scurvy, and his eyes failed so much that he was quite blind after sunset. When the moon was out full he could only see her dimly, and as if painted on a piece of canvas. On the 27th of August, at Daly Waters, a comet was visible, but it was to him invisible. They found the streams and ]3onds on their way now fast drying up. Frew's Ponds were quite dry. At North Newcastle Water, September 1st, amongst some natives who came to their camp, they had a most remarkable mimic, who imitated all the motions and proceedings of the strangers, and burlesqued them in a high degree. His peculiar and comical countenance and antics would have rivalled Liston in his best days, and they excited peals of laughter in his companions. His limbs were as lithe as those of any clown. Behind his back the other natives ridiculed him. Various of our explorers have encountered these native wits and mimics. On the 4th of September they found the Hawker, Watson, Powell, (rleeson, and finally, the Lawson, which had water as they went, now all dry. They obtained some at the Hunter, but none in the Burke, the Tomkinson, and very little anywhere till they reached Attack Creek, on the 18th. But again creek after creek was found, utterly dry ; the horses were scarcely able to travel ; TROUBLES (;ATIIERIN(i EAST UTON TllKM. IST) several they were forced to Iciive IxOiind. Stuart him- self was doubtfLil whether he should hokl out throu<^'h the journey. There did not appear to have ])een am rain in that part of the country for twelve montlis. On reaching the Bonney, on the 19tli of Septembei-, men and horses appeared in the last stage of exhaustion, and, as there was water in it, they remained till the :2()th, a week. There they also reduced tlieir rations. The ex- plorers' troubles were gathering fast upon them. When they found water, in spite of their scarcity of provisions, they were compelled to make a long halt, or all the horses would have perished. At the Taylor they re- mained from the 3()th of September to the ISth of Oc- tober, nearly three weeks. During this time men were sent on to see whether there was water anywhere ahead, as they dared not quit this creek. None was found nearer than the Anna Reservoir, except a very little by digging in the bed of the Stirling. The party seem to have greatly incommoded the natives by monopolising the water-hole in the Taylor, and they practised many arts to get them away. One of their sorcerers made a dreadful howling and incantation, and then they seem to have acted a corrobboree at night with lighted fires, and many violent gesticulations. Under cover of these antics they managed to get at the water-hole and satisfy themselves. After this they went off. All this time the leader of the expedition was suffering dreadfully from his illness, and was scarcely able to ride on mo^dng forward on the 18th. On that day and the next they had a little rain, but on reaching the Hanson, on the 2()th, there did not appear to have been any there — all was dry as ever. In this miserable condition they managed, killing a horse now and then for food, to reach the Lindsay on the 14th of November, where Stuart exclaims — " Thanks be to Grod, I am once more within the boundary of South Australia ! I little expected it a fortniglit ago." On the 26tli of November they reached Jarvis's Station, Mount Margaret, where they remained to recruit several 186 CONCLUDING REMARKS OF STUARt's JOURNAL. days. On tlie Sth of December they readied Mr. Grlen's Station, and the next day proceeded to Mount Stuart Station, where they met Mr. John Chambers, and found that there had been heavy rain in that vicinity. In company with Mr. Chambers, Mr. Stuart travelled on to Moolooloo, where his journal terminates. During part of the later journey he had been compelled to have a sort of litter constructed to travel in, not being able to bear horseback. On the ISth of December we find Stuart in Adelaide, reporting himself and his success in crossing the continent ; and he terminates his journal wdth these remarks : — " In conclusion, I beg to say that I believe this country — i. e. from the Eoper to the Ade- laide, and thence to the shores of the Grulf — to be well adapted for the settlement of an European population, the climate being in every respect suitable, and the sur- rounding country of excellent quality, and of great ex- tent. Timber, stingy-bark, iron-bark, gum, etc., with bamboo fifty to sixty feet high on the banks of the river, is abundant, and at convenient distances. The country is intersected by numerous springs and water- courses in every direction. In my journey across I was not fortunate in meeting with thunder-showers or heavy rains, but, with the exception of two nights, I was never without a sufiicient supply of water. This will show the permanency of the difierent waters, and I see no difiiculty in taking over a herd of horses at any time \ and I may say that one of our party, Mr. Thring, is prepared to do so." To these general remarks on the country northwards, and its facihties of access, Mr. Stuart adds a commenda- tion of his party generally, for their satisfactory con- duct, and for their kindly sympathy with him in his illness. That the country on the Oulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea, will in awhile be colonized, and prove veiy valuable settlements, there can be no doubt. The information furnished by Flinders, Captain King, discoverer of the Alligator Eiver, Captain Wickham, the discoverer by his officer, Mr. Fitzmaurice, of the Diri'lCULTIES OF THE JOURNEY. 187 Adelaide, and Lieutenants Emery and llelpman, who sailed up it eighty miles, as well as by the later traversers of different parts of these northern regions, from the eastern shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria to the; Ade- laide, Leichliardt, Gregory, McKinlay, has satisfactorily determined that point. But in judging of the ease of making the journey from the southern districts of Aus- tralia to the Adelaide, we cannot help remembering that Mr. Stuart did not accomplish that object till after five abortive efforts, and the loss of many horses, and with much human sufiering, though, fortunately, at the cost of no lives. As to the permanency of the waters of which he speaks, we have but just closed the book of his own narrative in which, on his return homewards, we find him recording that three-fourths of all the waters in the interior were dried up, and that there did not appear to have been any rain there for a year. The caution which he was compelled to use in advancing without certainty of a supply of water vnthin any pos- sible distance, his long delay at the Taylor, and the great sufferings of himself, his men, and his cattle, stand in curious contrast to his assurances of the ease Avith which this great journey may be made. Since writing this, I have seen Dr. Hardman's edition of Stuart's Journals, and I observe that he states in his preface that Mr. Stuart is anxious that a telegraphic hue should be established along his route to the mouth of the Adelaide. He sees, indeed, " a few difficulties in the way," but these are merely as to finding timber at particular localities. The great and insuperable diffi- culties he entirely overlooks. Till there is a populous settlement on the Adelaide, or somewhere on the northern or north-western coast, and till the line can be protected along the whole course of the interior from the natives, the whole is a chima?ra. A telegraphic line implies so many things not yet in existence, nor likely to be in existence for very many years, that, to say the least, Mr. Stuart wiU have abundant time to mature all his plans regarding it. That he has rendered a great ser^dce in 188 GOVEENMENT GRANTS TO MR. STUART. opening up tliis line is a real merit, and it is satisfactor}' to find tliat the South Australian Grovernment has libe- rally rewarded him for this service. Dr. Hardman, at page ix. of his preface, informs us that, on Mr. Stuart's return from liis expedition to the west of Lake Torrens in 1858, the colonial government granted him a large track of land in the country discovered by him. The South Australian Register states the particulars of this grant: — "The Adelaide government in 1859 granted Mr. Stuart a lease of 1000 square miles of land in the country he discovered in the interior for seven years rent free ; after which time he was to pay such a rental as should at that time be the usual one in that district.' It was proposed to divide this into four runs of 35(>' square miles each, which Mr. Stuart was to be at liberty to underlet. Again on his return from his successful expedition in 1862, the same government made him a grant of £2000 : to Mr. Kekwick £500 ; to Messrs. Thring and Auld £200 each ; and to Messrs. King, Belliatt, Frew, Nash, McGrorrerey, and Waterhouse, £100 each. Since then the Royal Greographical Society of London has pre- sented him with a gold medal and a gold watch. The grant of the £2000 was originally made in favour of " the first colonist " who crossed the conti- nent. It will be seen, in the opening of the chapter on McKinlay's expedition, that Leichhardt had done this in 1844—5 and Walker in 1861. But if it were objected that these two explorers only made an oblique journey, and not directly from south to north, or from east to west, or vice versa, Burke and Wills accomplished this transit in February, 1861 ; McKinlay in March, 1862 ; Landsborough in June, 1862 ; and Stuart only in July, 1862. If it meant any Australian colonist, Stuart was the fourth only of those who had made the full transit. If it meant only a colonist of South Aus- tralia, McKinlay accomplished the enterprise on Ma\' the 18th of 1862, Stuart only on the 24th of July, 1862, or nearly two months after McKinlay. McKinlay, m'kinlay strictly entitled to the grant. 189 therefore, was, strictly speakini»-, the riglitful reci]:)ient ; but the government g-ranted Jiini an extra £1 ()()(), and, considering the repeated, arduous, and determined at- tempts of Stuart to force liis way over the continent, morally, he was most justly entitled to the sum he re- ceived. 190 CHAPTER IX. THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION OF VICTORIA IN 1860 1 UNDER THE COMMAND OF MESSRS. BURKE AND WILLS. Offer of £1000 by Mr. Ambrose Kyte towards an expedition across the continent. — £3400 subscribed by the public for this object ; £6000 voted by the Victoria government : total, £12,400. — Cnmels brought from India by Mr. Landells for the journey. — Committee of Royal Society appointed managers of the expedi- tion business, — Robert O'Hara Burke selected as leader. — His antecedents. — ]\Tr. Landells, manager of the camels. — William John Wills, astronomer and surveyor. — Names of the party. — Start August the 20th, 1860, in great eclat from Melbourne. — Misgivings of Wills's father. — Ferguson, the foreman, dis- missed on the Murrumbidgee. — Landells resigns. — Prophecies the ruin of the expedition. — Wills made second in command. — His amiable character. — Burke appoints Mr. Wright third in command. — Unfitness of Wright. — Leaves half of his expedil ion with Wright at Menindie. — Advances to Cooper's Creek. — Mr. Wright does not follow. — Charged with looking out stations for squatters. — Description of the country '^between Menindie and Cooper's CJreek. — Mi-. Wills advances ninety miles direct northward from Cooper's Creek, but returns from want of water. — Will's description of the country about Cooper's Creek. — News of Stuart having crossed the continent carried by Trooper Lyons to Menindie. — Sent on by Wright, but returned without finding the way to Cooper's Creek. — Wright sends back to Melbourne for more money. — Mr. Wright not appeai-ing at Cooper's Creek, Mr. Burke appoints Brahe to the command at Cooper's Creek, and sets out for the Gulf of Carpentaria with a small party. — His haste. — Threatens to throw the scientific instruments into a creek.- — Anxiety at Melbourne regarding the expedition. — EflPorts of Dr. Wills. — An expedition sent in quest of Burke and Wills luider Mr. Alfred W. Howitt. In the annals of Australian discovery it will have heen observed that the colony of Victoria had taken little part, and won consequently few laurels. Whilst New South Wales had led the way by successive and successful expeditions, and Southern and Western Australia had followed bravely in the track, Victoria had lain wonder- fully still, and seemed content to hear of the gradual unfolding of the wide regions of the common continent wthout a single desire to share in the glory and the sacrifice. The repeated tidings of the northern progress of Stuart from Adelaide appears at last to have roused the pubhc mind of this colony to a resolve to enter the field of so noble a competition. This resolve was un- doubtedly stimulated to more immediate action by the BURKE AND WILLS APPOINTED EXPLORERS. 101 offer of £1000 for tlie purpose, niude by a pul)lic-spii-itod colonist, who for some time witlilield liis name, but who has since become well kno^vn as Mr. Ambrose Kyte. Having once entertained the idea, the great gold colony put forth its strength, and the expedition projected by it has echpsed all others in the magnificence of its outfit, and the ming-led "'reatness and the disaster of its results. Their appointed explorers, l^urke and Wills, accomplished the great task of traversing the entire continent fr(jm south to north, and perished in the attempt. They achieved this great journey, till then regarded wdth so much awe and doubt in five months, three weeks, and one day, having left Melbourne on the 20th of August, 1860, and reached the shores of Carpentaria on the ilth of February, 1861, out-stripping Stuart, who did not reach the north coast, near the mouth of the Adelaide, tin the 24'CIIEWATER. 31^ In the mean time Mr. Babbage, assisted by IVIr. Bouncy, was directed to return and j)rosecute tlie searcli for gold farther north. They were to liave tlie assist- ance of tliree practical miners, and all necessary ajjpa- ratus and supplies. They were to proceed to Mount Kemarkable, and passing beyond the head of Spencer's Uulf, to Mount Arden and Mount Serle. From Mount JSerle they were to return home by Jilack llock, follow- ing a line to the eastward of the outward journey. The committee of the Adelaide Philosophical Society also recommended an expedition into the north-west in- terior. That it should be provisioned for six months, be conveyed to Fowler's Bay, and recommended to pro- ceed north-west as far as the north-west angle of the i)ro- vince, diverging east and west as they went, so as to ascertain the general character of the countiy. They were then, if possible, to make their way by a south- easterly course to the head of Spencer's Gulf. For this purpose they estimated that a grant of £3000 would be sufficient, and they recommended that it should be made. But little discovery of gold was made by Mr. Bab- bage in his second journey, and Mr. Bonney had soon abandoned the search. As Mr. Babbage pushed on into the neighbourhood of Mounts Remarkable, Serle, and Hopeless, the indications of gold did not improve. Mr. Babbage, though discovering the i;nuch desired trap rock, saw nothing to warrant the conclusion that he had traversed an auriferous country. But if he failed to discover gold, he discovered what to the stock-holder and sheep farmer was still more valuable, namely, water. In the early pai-t of October, 1856, when about twenty miles north of Mount Serle, he struck upon a large creek, w4iich he followed for about sixty miles. In connection with this creek were large lagoons, or de- posits of fresh water, some of them 200 yards in length, and 100 in breadth. One of them was fully a mile long. On those sheets of water, large quantities of water-fowls of vai'ious kinds were seen, plainly evincing 314 MB- BABBAGES OBJECTS. ^eir peimanent cliaraeter. Mr. Babbage named the creek Macdonnell Creek ; one of tbe finest pools St. Mary's PooL and the long reach of water he designated Blanehewater. In connection with this diacOTery was that of a mnch finer race of blacks than had hitherto been met with, a^ording promise of a better conntry beyond. Speedy applications were made to the govern- ment for the land including the creek and the tr-rsh water reaches. ITR. BABBAGe's THXRD TRIP; XOW Df QUEST OF LA^fD. In IS 5 7.. Mr. Babbage's proposal, or rather that of the Adelaide Philosophical Society to the Crown Lands De- partment of Stjnth Anstralia. to make an expedition to explore the conntry abijtit Lake Torrens, was accepted. He proposed to take out only a light party, and form a depot in the neighbonrhth parallel of longitude. In this, as yet unvisited district, he expected to find sheets of permanent water, more extensive even than Blanehewater on the course of the Frome, and prior to its junction with the lake. He proposed to obviate one of the di ffi culties of former ex- plorers, by carrying a small still with him, so as to pro- cure fresh water frjm water salt or brackish. Having made his way round the interior of Horse-shoe Bend to a point on the eastern arm in the same parallel of lati- tude, on his starting-point on the western arm, he hoped to crc«ss the lake at the point at which he formerly indi- cated the probability of finding a sound bottom. The practicability of this passage was. h«:»wever. before Mr. Babbage's arrival, proved by Mr. Ball, who was engaged by Mr. Jacob as surveyor in the north, crossing the lake twice in that part, and proceeding towards the northern portion of the Barrier Bange and to the Grrey Bange, through a scrubby country without water, afterwards crossed by Mr. A. C. Gregory. The S^DUth Australian papers of February 11, reported DIFFICULTIES FROM DllULGHT. 315 Mr. Babbag:e as ready to start. He was taking ^vith him nine companions, sixteen horses, about 1^0 sheep, and pro\-isions for eighteen months, exclusive of a ton of flour to be stored fur him, in case of need, at Port Augusta. His party consisted of himself, as leader ; Mr. W. G. Harris, surveyor and second in command ; Mr. T. Warriner, as general assistant ; Mr. Herrgolt, bo- tanist; J. Jones, teamster and saddler: S. Tliumpson, teamster and wheehviight ; H. Komoll, teamster ; Gr. Xason, teamster ; H. Le^^'is, cook and wheelwright ; J. Stringer, shepherd. They had one heavy and two spring drays, and a tank cart. Each member, it was finaUy determined, should cany with him a small still which would distil a quart of water in an hour. Very simple boring apparatus was also provided to seek for water below the surface, where it was supposed likely that it might be found. The Adelaide papers of March 11, reported Mr. Babbage on his way, but waiting at Port Augusta for reinforcements. By desjDatches from him to the 30th of April, it appeared that he had encountered much difficulty and delay from drought, and this had led to much discussion in Adelaide on the advantage of em- ploying dromedaries on expeditions into the interior, as recommended by Mr. Horrocks, who said he had travelled with one from Gawler Town to Penwortham, fift}'-three miles in a single day, and that stony ground did not appear to distress him. That in the hottest weather when eating only dry straw, he required only to drink once in nine days ; that when he could get the oak, honey-suckle, or green food, he never drank at all. That as a beast of burden he was able to carry eight hundred weight, but on a journey his load was only half that amount, and with that load he wais able to travel twent}- days %vithout water, through a country destitute of vegetation. Like the camel, the horse was averse to him, but grew reconciled by custom. The drawback to the dromedary was, that he was treache- rous, and required muzzling. Mr. Horrocks, from his 316 MR. COULTHARD LOST. own experience, contended that a party of fifteen men with ten dromedaries, might travel from Port Augusta to Port Essington in two months at any period of the year and examine the country for 100 miles on both sides of the line of march. The main incident of Mr. Babbage's progress up to April 30th, was his advancing as fast as possible towards Swinden's country. He had made a trip on foot with Jones, in search of the remains of the unfortunate Coult- hard, and also for the pm'pose of finding an easy dray route towards Swinden's country. This Mr. Coulthard was one of a squatter projecting party. A correspondent of the Adelaide Observer, May 11th, 1853, gave this account of his loss. " At or about the beginning of March, Mr. Salter, Mr. Sleep, and myself, had just re- turned from Pernatty to Mr. Sleep's station, where we found Messrs. Coulthard, Scott, and Brooks, awaiting our return, with the intention of going in that direction themselves. We most earnestly persuaded them not to venture on the journey at that time of the year, and assured them that it was impossible to travel the coun- try, from want of water. We determined not to give the least encouragement, and did our utmost to dissuade them from the undertaking. We had just returned from a distance of about 100 miles from the north-west, and but for the occurrence of a thunder storm, our horses must have died from want of water. At this time, Mr. Swinden was away at Mount Deception, about 400 miles northward of Sleep's Station. On his return, Messrs. Brooks and Scott had gone back to the station with the intelligence of the loss of their travelling companion, Mr. Coulthard. Mr. Swinden, hearing this, used his utmost endeavom' to induce the men who were encamped at the station at that time, to go in search of Mr. Coult- hard, and even promised Mr. M. CampbeU, in my hear- ing, who was acquainted with the country, 100 guineas if he succeeded in finding the body, or 200 in the event of finding Mr. Coulthard alive. He also promised to pay auy losses the party might sustain by the death of MR. BAnRAGF. niSrOYKRS TIIS RODY. 317 their bullocks, or otlierwise. Mr. Camplx-ll and liis pai-ty accordiiif^ly started on the search, but were <>bli<^-ed to return, from want of water for the cattle. At the commencement of this week, Mr. Campbell again started from Mount Kemarkable, with the intention of attem])t- ing the journey Irom Sleep's Station on foot, with the determination of ascertaining the fate of the unfortunate Coulthard at any cost, bei'ore his return." Though Pernatty lies only on the western side of the lower extremity of Lake Torrens, yet all these and other attempts proved useless, in endeavouring to reach it. Three natives who were now sent out professed to have found the body of his horse, but not Coulthard's own remains. Mr. Babbage's pedestrian attempt with Jones occupied eleven days, and resulted in no trace of the missing man. His companions represented him as much weakened when he parted from them in search of w^ater, and all their endeavours to discover him whilst he might be alive, had been utterly vain. Mr. Babbage, however, persevered in his endeavours, and by a despatch from him, dated June IGth, it was announced that he had discovered the remains of Coulthard under very affecting circumstances. The body of the unfortunate man lay under a scrub bush, and at a short destance from him his canteen and other bush accoutrements. Upon one side of that canteen, offering a convex surface of tin of about twelve inches long and ten inches deep, was scratched wdth a nail, or some other rough pointed instrument, the following inscription : — " I never reached water. I do not know how long it is since it is that [ left Scott and Brooks, but I think it Monday bleeding Pomp to lieve of his blood I took his black horse to look for water and the last thing I can remember is puling the saddle off* him and letting him go until now is not good. I am not th shiire how long it may be wether 2 or 3 days I do not know. My Tung is stiking to my mouth & I see what I have rote I know it is this is the last time I may have of expressing feeling ahve & the 318 AFFECTING CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH IT. feeling exce is lost for want of water My ey Da- zels My tong burn I can see no more Grod help." The Adelaide Register observes of this affecting docu- ment : — " As we traced off this inscription, we could plainly see the growing feebleness of the unhappy writer. The early words are firmly and clearly marked, but as the writer advanced, his strokes became less and less distinct, the form of his letters less perfect, his hand wanders from the direction of the writing, and some of his words are almost illegible. For instance, the space between the words ' feeling' and ' for want of water' is covered with vague scratches, some of which it is impos- sible to form into words, and the filling up of the sen- tence which we have given, ' exce is lost,' is rather an approximation to than a faithful version of the original. The word ' burn' is not finished, for the vital powers were evidently exhausted. A long blank interval follows. Then the dying man rallies for a moment, and applies himself to his sad task, and in larger characters, and with more vigorous expression, come the words, ' I can s,' but the rest of the sentence, ' ee no more,' is small and faint, and extends far beyond the ridge at the junction of the metal which had bounded the previous lines. The prayer for help with which this most touching relic closes, is placed at the beginning of the subsequent line, and terminates all that can be deciphered of the inscription. Once more, however, the desire to commu- nicate some last thought seems to have seized the blinded and bewildered writer, and led him to apply his instru- ment again to the surface on which he had written. But his hand failed him, and a few faint and incoherent scratches are all that appear to indicate his unaccom- plished desire. To the Omniscient alone the last thought of poor Coulthard is known." Of the many who have perished in the arid wilder- nesses of Australia, few have left us a memorandum of their dying thoughts, their failing life. Burke and Wills are amongst the few besides Coulthard who have done it. Such efforts are amongst the most pathetic records in MR. BABBAGE VISITS A GROUP OF LAKES. 319 the whole wide history of human sufforinn-. In tliis sad tracing we see not only tho I'ailini^^ of tlie strength, but of the memory; the mind falls into coulusion, and even the power to spell drops like that of recording the flight of time. Further letters from Mr. Babbaire down to .July 27, detail his excursion westward into the neighbourhood of Lake Gairdner, and a whole group of salt lakes. It must be confessed that he spared no pains in traversing this part of the country, and endeavouring to determine the boundaries of these lakes. In his labyrinthine course, which may be traced on the maps, he visited the whole eastern shore of Lake Gairdner, Lake Finnis, Lake Blythe, Lake Macfarlane, traversing botli the eastern and w^estern shores of the Island Lagoon, showing the con- nection of the Island Lagoon, or Great Salt Lake as he appears to call it, with Red Lake, and, as he believed, with Lake Gairdner. Five miles to the north-west of Island Lagoon, he went round and named Lake Hart, which he computed to cover 120 square miles of country, whilst Island Lagoon covered 480 square miles. An arm from Lake Hart, he states, running to the west, nearly joins Lake Hanson, a third lake of much smaller dimensions. Ten miles further on to the north-west is Lake Younghusband, a singularly shaped lake, covering about 50 square miles, having many bays and promon- tories, especially on the northern side. To the north of Lake Younghusband is a small lake marked on the plan as Lake Reynolds, distinguished for the beauty of its blue waters, surrounded by wooded sandhills running close down to the shore. The stony table-land in which Swinden's country is situated, extends to the north-west, along: the northern shores of this chain of lakes, formiuij bluffs and headlands, which project out into the Great Salt Lake, Lakes Hart and Hanson. The northern shore of Lake Younghusband is about five miles S.S.AV. of the edge of the stony land, and between them is another small lake, apparently of about the same size as Lake Reynolds. 320 MR. GREGORY JOINS MR. BABBA6E. All these lakes were salt, and affected by mirage, wliich gave a flattering but delusive appearance of clifis and picturesque scenery. The eastern shores were low, the western formed of lofty sand hills, and marl cliffs covered by scrub. From the Great Salt Lake to Lake Young- husband they saw few blacks ; on the northern shores of Younghusband they saw numerous signs of them. There were few creeks anywhere, and where there was land at all promising, there was a total want of water. He had only advanced northwards as far as latitude 30° 45', and westward to longitude 135° 41'. At the time of his writing he was camped on the Elizabeth Creek, on the western side of Lake Torrens, which was his advanced camp. His progress had, meantime, created much dissatis- faction at Adelaide, and Mr. Charles Gregory, who had arrived there in his brother's expedition from Moreton Bay in search of traces of Leichhardt, was sent to re- inforce him with additional pack-horses, and with instructions to send back the useless drays, and the horses belonging to them, and to assist Mr. Babbage in making a progress northward into the unknown country. On arriving at the advanced camp, Mr. Gregory found Mr. Babbage absent, and on his own responsibility sent off the surplus horses, according to his instructions, retaining only what he deemed sufficient. Then, being alarmed for Mr. Babbage's safety, who had been absent far longer than he had intended, Mr. Gregory set of in search of him, instead of pushing forward, as he otherwise intended, to look for some permanent water to camp the party for the summer. But Mr. Babbage was in no danger. In his despatch of July 27, he had announced that in a few days he was about to start with Warriner and a pack-horse to follow down the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake, until he reached Lake Gairdner, and thence across the scrub by Lake Dutton to Beda. In pursuance of this design he had ultimately returned southward to his original starting place at Port Augusta, on Spencer's Gulf. Thus he DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE ADELAIDE PUBLIC. '^21 heard of the return of the surplus horses, and men des- patched by Mr. Grec^ory, and resenting- this interference with his authority, lie ordered the men to go ])ack, wliicli they refused to do, and he had them imprisoned in the lock-up at Mount Remarkable, and wrote to Adelaide, complaining of the measures taken ])y Mr. Gregory in liis absence. The commissioner of Cro^vvn Lands, however, forwarded a very severe despatch to IMr. Babbage, blaming him strongly for wasting a month raniblinj^ about over country ah-eady explored, reminding him that though his expedition had already cost nearly £5000, he had not penetrated more than 100 miles beyond the settled district, and stating that he would have been immediately recalled, but lor the hope that he would advance northwards promptly. The disappointment of the Adelaide public arose from the desire which had been felt that Mr. Babbage should push into the north-west districts, and send news of good grazing lands there, whilst Mr. Babbage himself had entertained an idea that the west, which Messrs. Hack and Harris had rather made known than thoroughly explored, requii-ed ftu'ther research, and that this might open up available grazing country as well. He had been doing this in a very systematic and scientific manner, and certainly gave a far more definite knowledge of the salt lake country than was before possessed. Unfortu- nately for him, it was not precisely the service which the public was just then anxiously expecting from him. Had he found a broad tract of good country, that would have healed all sores, but again, unfortunately for him, the country did not prove such ; and the upshot of the matter was a reprimand for what eveiy one now must admit to have been real service to the geography of the colony, and the sending out of Major Warburton to supersede him, and to proceed northward, Mr. Stuart and Forster having now reported that there was permanent water with fish in it to the north of Mr. Babbage's farthest point. VOL. XL 21 322 B ABB AGE AND WARBURTON. Before following Major Warburton on his route, it is simple justice to Mr. Babbage to say that even his opponents admitted that his proceedings were warranted, and as he afterwards contended, demanded by his instructions. The expedition was fitted out for eighteen months, and the instructions were to survey and map the further portion of the known territories before penetrating into the unknown. Six months had only elapsed, and could scarcely be said to be too much for the accomplish- ment of this object in the effective manner in which Mr. Babbage was performing it. In Major Warburton's party, Mr. Charles Grregory, already up the country, was named second in command. He was also accompanied by Sergeant-major Hall and an- other police trooper, as well as by Baker, one of Bab- bage's men, who had returned to Adelaide shortly before with Mr. Harris. As many of Mr. Babbage's party as, on their overtaking him, were willing to go on with them, were to be attached to the expedition. Major Warburton lost no time in embarking on board the Ma- riner for Port Augusta, which he reached on the 29th of September, 1858, and the very next day he met Mr. Charles Gregory, returning to Adelaide in company with Phibbs, one of the New South Wales party. They turned back with the Major for the camp on the EHzabeth, which they reached on the 3rd of October. The rumom' of his probable recall had, however, reached Mr. Babbage, at the Elizabeth, through some stray news- paper ; and acting on the last injunction of the Crown Lands Commissioner, he had instantly made up a light party of four men, eleven horses, and provisions for three months, and had been gone northwards eight days when the Major arrived at his camp. The very same day Major Warburton sent off Mr. Grregory and a man in pursuit of Mr. Babbage, with his recall in Mr. Gre- gory's pocket. Having despatched his messenger after Mr. Babbage, WARBURTON OVERTAKES BABBAGE. .'523 tlie Major found himself greatly embarrassed by tlie large amount of stores in the camp, and proposed to sell tlicm — but to whom? Not finding customers in that wilder- ness, he determined first to pui'sue after Mr. Babbage with a light party, and three months' provisions ; tlien he re-determined not to follow him, as the water was fast diying up, and Mr. I^abbage had taken all the water bags with him. When three weeks had passed and no tidings of Mr. Babbage, the Major concluded, after all, to go in search of him, having stored 300 gallons of water at Yeltarowie. He hoped to overtake Mr. Babbage in three weeks, and bring him back. In fact, his great idea appeared the stopping Mr. Babbage now actively on the track of exploration, not that of exploration himself. He, in fact, declared the country unfit for stocking, and further exploration useless. At length the Major came up with Mr. Babbage, who had reached about the ^O^ud parallel of latitude. He had entered on Stuart's new country, and found it as he represented it. He was on the western shore of Lake Gregory, and north of Lake Bowman. He had found an abundance of springs of fresh water, one of them a hot sjDring, pouring out 170,000 gallons daily. He was busy mapping the country, and taking valuable geological notes, when the Major came up with him and ordered him home. It was a proceeding more natural to an officer of police, than to an explorer. The country was now promising to reward the search ; there was every facility for pro- ceeding ; grass and water in abundance, and stores in such quantities as to embarrass the Major : but he would neither allow Mr. Babbage to proceed, nor proceed him- self ! And that on the most extraordinary plea, that " there was abeady as much country discovered as could be stocked in twelve months." The sending of Major Warburton after Mr. Babbage, when this gentleman had received stringent orders from the Crown Lands Commissioners to press rapidly north- ward, and when he was actually obeying this order, must be regarded as more hasty than prudent, or just to 21—2 324 babbage's conduct vindicated. Mr. Babbage, and seems to have produced a cbeck in tlie enterprise of a most disastrous character : a stop to dis- covery when the expedition had arrived at the very por- tals of it, and an enormous waste of supphes which might have conducted a well regulated expedition and a care- ftdly adventurous leader to the most advantageous re- sults. To myself, calmly contemplating these proceed- ings at this distance of time and place, Mr. Babbage seems to have been a zealous and painstaking officer, desirous to do his duty in the best manner ; and though he might perhaps have left his detour westward till he had made further progress northward, yet he was ready to receive a fresh prompting from head quarters, and had that been allowed to operate without fui'ther interference, there is every presumption that the whole expedition would have been a very satisfactory one. As it was, Mr. Babbage, though literally arrested in the course of his legitimate duties, rendered great services to the geo- graphy of the colony. Major Warburton, however, did not return from his Babbage hunt without having acquired some useful ideas regarding explorations. In 1859, he addressed a letter to the South Australian Grovemment suggesting an economical mode of exploring the interior by means of the police. He recommended that an expedition should set out from Mount Serle to cross the continent to the Victoria Eiver, or the Grulf of Carj)entaria. The former route, however, was at the very time in process of attempt by Stuart, and ended in his not reaching the Victoria, but the Adelaide. The latter has since been accomplished by McKinlay, and from other points by Burke and WiUs, Landsborough and Walker. MR. STEPHEN HACK's EXPEDITION EROM STREAKY BAY. MESSRS. MILLAR AND DUTTON PROM THE SAME POINT. Mr. Hack, in 1857, was sent out with an expedition equipped for six months, to start from Streaky Bay, and to examine the country north and east of that point. MR. HACK FINDS MUCH GOOD COUNTRY. 325 By a letter received from liim on tlie 21)th of 'lul}', lie was then at Kondoolca, in latitude 32° 'MY, liimselt', party, and liorscs all in good health. He had proceeded by Porla and Minera through the mallee scrub, west of Mount Sturt, and then struck nortliward to the west of the Salt Lakes. He had made no startling discoveries, but had passed over a considerable quantity of good pas- ture land, and found a tolerable supply of" water. From Kondoolca, Mr. Hack proceeded by Warna to Warrea, at the north point of the Salt Lake, through what he calls second-rate salt bush country, more or less mixed with grass and patches of forest oak. From Warrea, on the 3rd of August, he advanced to Moonaree, fifteen miles, through useless scrub. About Moonaree was some good grass country, and then scrub again to Mendea, 13'ing between the Salt Lake and what ]\Ir. Hack calls the Great Salt Lake, namely Lake Gairdner, where they came on Major Warburton's track. At Murnea, ten miles farther, they found a good rock water, and ascended a hill, whence to the north the whole scene was white with salt ; and sixty degrees east of south, they saw a high range, but to the north of that range no high land could be seen. From thence to Kundery, at the southern point of Lake Gairdner, Mr. Hack pro- nounced the country first rate, salt bush mixed with grass. The natives told them there of large herds of wild cattle north of the lake. From Kundery, Mr. Hack went southward in the scrub at the foot of the Gawler Ranges, and speaks of much good country about Koleymirrika, Pondanna, Ko- dondo, Puttamaring, with large permanent water towards Eureka Blufi* and the Conical Hill. He heard from the natives of various lakes with wild fowl, and found the good countiy running nearly to Mount Sturt. From a permanent Avater called Muddera, ]\Ir. Harris took a ride through the country round, finding good land, per- manent water, and ranges of hills, one of which he called the Hill of the Plain. Leaving Kundery, he proceeded south to Mount Nott, thence eastward by Mount Ives 326 MILLER AND BUTTON 's EXPEDITION. to Freeling Range, finding good salt-bush country with patches of grass, with springs and rock waters. From Lynch's Creek, some miles north of Freeling's Eange,they steered N.E., and again crossed Major Warburton's truck, proceeding towards Lake Grairdner. From this point Mr. Hack proceeded to Rockwell Creek, near the S.E. quarter of Lake Grairdner, to Mount Separation, on to and through Baxter's Range to the head of Spencer's (iulf, and by Mount Remarkable to Adelaide. In this journey, Mr. Hack did not penetrate so far north as it was hoped that he would ; but he found a considerable extent of available country. On his return to Adelaide, it was proposed that he should set out again to endeavour to penetrate northwards west of Lake Torrens, whilst Mr. Babbage proceeded to the N.E. of that lake. Mr. Miller, the overseer of Mr. Price Maurice, who was out with Mr. Hack, on his return to Mr. Price's Station, had a strong conviction that, by deviating some- what from the line of route Mr. Hack had pursued, he should find new and valuable grazing country. He united with Mr. Charles William Dutton ; and these enterj)ris- ing young men determined, wdthout other help, to enter on a fresh search. Providing themselves with rations for a month, they started for Streaky Bay, and thence struck ofi" for Belama Cappe, lying 100 miles along the coast. Thence they travelled in a N.W. direction for about twenty miles through dense scrub ; thence N.N.W. by N. about thirty miles through good grazing land ; thence N.E. for about twenty miles, through still good grazing land : thence E. about twenty miles to water, through grazing land not so good. At this point they were obliged to return through want of a native guide to point out water, as well as from the want of a com- missariat to carry them further. These two adventurous young men were actually separated from each other for three days, whilst seeking water, and travelled more than 100 miles singly before they met again. What they saw, however, convinced them good country is to be found more westward than it had before been sought for. WARBURTON AND DAVENPORt's EXPEDITION. 327 Tlie greater portion of wliat tliey saw was open, grassy plains, ^vitllout tinil)er, iMit with low l)rush in ])lac('S, and salt bush on tlie flats mixt'd with ahimdant grass. Kangaroos in abundance were seen. The great want, however, would a])pear to be water, and bel'orc driving flocks or herds thitlier, the possibility ot" obtaining tliis is an indispensable requirement. The expedition of INIajor Warburton and ^Ir. Daven- port into the same part of the country as ^Ir. Jlack, and which is referred to in the Major's narrative, took place immediately before Mr. Hack's in the same year. These gentlemen left Adelaide in May. Mr. Hack gave a description of Lake Gairdner, which he discovered in the course of his expedition, but the extent of which he had not the opportimity of exploring. Mr. Davenport traced this lake sixty miles farther. 328 CHAPTEE XVI. EXPLOllING EXPEDITIONS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA^ST 1856, 57, AND 58, CONTINUED. Expeditions of Messes. GtOTdek and Feeelinq- in 1856-7-8. — Mr. Goyder sent to examine the country about Blanche Water, and make a trigonometric siirvey of it. — His marvellous report. — Grreat sensation in Adelaide. — The possessors of flocks and herds already on the way to this Goshen. — Those of Victoria on the same march. — Captain Freeling sent to ascertain the truth of these tidings. — Find all the resiilts of mii'age. — His report. — Close examination of Lake Torrens.^Its old character restored. — Mr. Swinden's discovery of available land west of Lake Torrens. Major Wabbueton's Expedition to Lake Gaiednee with the Hon. S. Datenpoet. — Pi'oceed from Streaky Bay to the Gawlcr Ranges. — Thence to Lake Gairdner. — Theory of the country. — Low estimate of it. — Mrl Daven- port's progress west. — Major Warbm'ton's examination of the lakes. Me. Paeey's Surveying Expedition neae Lake Toeeens. — Reports all barren. Expedition of Goyeenoe McDonnell to Loddon Springs. — ^His voyage up the Darling in 1859. In consequence of tlie reports of Mr. Babbage of some good country in the district about Blanche Water, Mr. Groyder, the deputy surveyor-general, was despatched in 1857 with a small party to make a trigonometrical survey of that neighbourhood. Mr. Groyder measured his base line, and penetrated to the southern bank of Lake Tor- rens, in about latitude 29°, or thirty miles N.E. of St. Mary's Pool, this being about the northern extent of Mr. Babbage 's explorations. Mr. Groyder returned with tidings which put the whole of the colony into a trepida- tion of delightful surprise. He declared that, in those parts of the country where former travellers had disco- vered only arid deserts and salt lakes, he had found Lake Torrens to be a fresh water lake, and the country about it abounding with romantic scenery, grassy plains, noble hills, valhes watered with fresh creeks, abounding with birds and flowers. What was most surprising, was that Mr. Goyder asserted that the southern banks of Lake Torrens showed no flood-marks, a proof that there was a constant level, and that the lake had other outlets MR. (IOVDKr's delusive REPORT. 329 for the floods. This was so totally coiitniry to the re- ports of Eyiv, Stuart, and others, who represented the lake as lyinjj^ in a basin bare of water over a vast e.xtent, and the bed of it encmsted with salt, that it should have excited some misgiving's in tlic ])nblic mind. Mr. Goyder said he could see that the o])])osite l)anks of the lake were precipitous ; that he noticed several islands at live miles' distance with rocky, precipitous sides, indicating deep water; and that the wati'r itself Avas clear and perfectly fresh, showing no salt incrusta- tions whatever. "Some of the creeks," he continued, "which flow into the lake are broad, but shallow. There are no deltas at their embouchures. The most important of them is the continuation of the McDonnell, described by Mr. Babbag-e. That and several others are much finer waters than the Blanche. One of the most ronuin- tically beautiful — probably a portion of the ]\Icl)onnell — Mr. Groj^der has named the Freeling, in latitude 'Zif 45' 42'^ about six miles north of Mount Freeling. The stream, for a length of several miles, flows between rocky walls of from sixty to seventy feet high, apparently cut by the action of the water; but it is fringed by gigantic gum-trees, springing from alluvial deposits between the channels and the rocks. It abounds with all kinds of water-fowl, ducks, geese, and cranes, which are common upon the lake and creek ; as also cockatoos, quail, and pigeons. Another, the most useful water seen by the party, is between St. Clary's Pool and the lake, fourteen miles N.E. of the former. This has been called the Werter Water, from the native name of the country." Mr. Goyder also described a number of very large springs to the north of St. Mary's Pool, but all perfectly fresh, and though there was a white substance on the ground about them, it was only ammonia, not soda, or salt. As for the saline water described by former tra- vellers, Mr. Groyder regarded them only as springs in some of the creeks on the outskirts of i^ake Torrens, and not at all afl'ecting its waters, which he represented 330 EFFECTS OF HIS REPORT. as deep, pure, and permanent ; tlie country fall of grassy valleys, with steep rocks, numerous streams, and occa- sionally, arid plains. The rivers and creeks were so numerous that he reverted to the idea of an inland sea, which received their waters. These elysian fields, and the report of Mr. Babbage of good lands in the far north of the colony, put the possessors of flocks and herds into immediate motion. They were doomed to a severe disappointment. The government wisely deter- mined to send out the surveyor-general. Captain Freeling, to test the discoveries of Mr. Groyder. In the mean time, not only were the squatters of South Australia making vast preparations for taking possession of the new Groshen announced by Mr. Groyder, but they were threatened with active competition from the squatters of Victoria. The Ballarat Star stated that some dozens of flocks and herds were already on the way for Lake Tor- rens, and the imaginations of the diggers were excited by reports that there were three splendid copper mines in the same favoured tract of country, two of them equal to the famous Burra-Burra. Scarcely had Captain Freehng set out towards the country of Mr. Groyder, when another exploring party returned to Adelaide Avith intelligence of a fine pastoral country to the west of Lake Torrens. This party con- sisted of Mr. D. Thompson, of the Tariara, Mr. Mur- doch Campbell, of Mount Eemarkable, and Mr. Charles Swinden, of the Grilbert. Mr. Edwin Stocks was also for part of the way a companion. They reported favourably of the country to the west of the Torrens. Corporal Burt, of Mount Serle, and a party, had ridden as far as the Freehng, and confirmed Mr. Goyder's statements of the country, and that the Freehng was running strongly. Captain Freehng had reached Kar- razaka on the 6th of August. A despatch from Captain Freehng, dated fifteen miles south of Lake Torrens, September 6th, commenced thus : — " I much regret that what there is to relate is decidedly unfavourable to the extension of discoveries in GOYDER S REPORT THE RESULT OF MIRACE. 331 the direction mentioned, and by the means proposed. The extensive bays described in Mr. Goyder's report, tlie bhiff headlands, between the north and south shores, the vegetation covering them, and their perpendicular clifl's, have been all the result of mirage, and do not, in point of fact, exist as represented. The conclusion drawn in that report, that the lake is subject only to the most trilling variation of level, is also ]iroved to be an erroneous deduction. I give the grounds for this statement : — " We arrived at the present camp in the afternoon of the 2nd instant. I had observed a veiy marked dill'er- ence in the country after leaving Mounts Distance, Gairdner and Freeling, the ranges merging into hum- mocky hills, sometimes isolated, and having extensive plains of an alluvial character, rapidly opening into fissures under the sun's heat, and having very little perceptible fall towards the north : also drift timber being seen for miles over these plains was evidence of floods, and that a vast body of water is poured down by the McDonnell, and other streams running northerly, after a hea\'y fall of rain. These indications made me conceive that the lake, when observed by Mr. Goyder, was merely an accumulation of such flood waters. We proceeded on the 3rd instant to Lake Torrens on horse- back, and made the exact spot from which ]\Ir. Goyder saw the water. From the statement of William Rowe, who accompanied us, and who also was with Mr. Goyder, the w^ater of the lake had receded half-a-mile. For six miles back the ground was nearly a dead level, and had at times been covered w4th water, probably as much as one foot deep. The soil over this part, and at the water's edge, was the same — a mixture of clay and sand, destitute of stones. On the margin, where the water had receded, slightly saline incrustations remained on the groimd, the water itself, however, might be called fresh. The Mount Hopeless range was clearly visible to the south, a distance of twenty miles, and northerly were apparent islands, with cliffs and vegetation, but 332 THE COUNTRY DESOLATE AND UNPROFITABLE. presenting so marked a difference in appearance as to render their character a matter of mere conjecture." On proceeding to put these rocks and hills, and the depth of water, to the test, they found them a great delusion. They brought up to the lake a boat, which had been carried along with them for the occasion, and a small folding iron punt, but there was no water to float them. They pushed the punt through the mud for a quarter of a mile, by the united exertions of six men, but still there was no depth of water to float it. Still before them they seemed to see rocks and land, and one of the islands with steep cliffs ; but, on looking back to the level shore which they had left, they saw exactly the same appearances, where they knew that there was not a single clifl" in reality. The next day, accompanied by Messrs. Southon, Smart, and Roberts, three settlers, they attempted, eight in number, to wade across the lake to the other shore. The whole way was through mud, and more or less water, but never enough to float a boat. They came to some islands, which were flats only a foot or so above the water, the water never being more than six inches deep. A native guide gave up quite worn out, and remained on an island whilst the rest went still further, when another man became quite exhausted. When three miles from the starting point they turned back, satisfied of the impracticable nature, of the water for navigation. The view from the point farthest reached was desolate in the extreme, the same shallow waters, low islands, and mud, extending round three parts of the horizon. Captain Freeling returned satisfied that the views of Mr. Eyre, Captain Sturt, and Captain Frome, were quite correct, and that the character of the country bordering the lake was everywhere the same, and that of a most desolate and unprofitable kind. It is plain that Mr. Goyder had been deceived by a mirage, and also had taken a flooded state of the Lake Torrens from heavy rains for the lake in its ordinary condition. He thought this was its normal state because he saw no CONSEQUENCE OF MR. GOYDEr's REPORT. 333 flood-marks, the fact being that it had inundated the country beyond tlie average flood-marks, and by the time that Captain Freeling arrived, had subsided again to its usually shallow condition. The freshness of the water, too, so difl'erent to what former explorers had found it, was owing to these recent iluods. The immediate consequence of tlie report of Mr. Goyder were applications to the South Australian Go- vernment for leases of nearly five millions of acres of land for pastoral purposes, many of these coming from neighbouring colonies ; nor did the discouraging rei)ort of Captain Freeling entirely damp out this bucolic ardour, for it was not long before the greater portion of the peninsula formed by Lake Torrens was surveyed, and leased for squatting stations. Simultaneously with the expeditions of Goyder, Free- ling, and Hack, several stockholders pushed their way to a considerable distance north and west of Lake Tor- rens, and discovered much country which satisfied them, and which appeared to possess permanent water. When these gentlemen had legally secured their runs in that quarter, one of them, Mr. Swinden, published a narra- tive of his expedition. MAJOR WARBURTOn's EXPEDITION TO LAKE GAIRDNER, WITH THE HON. S. DAVENPORT. 1858. Amongst the many exploration trips about this time into the country north and north-west of Adelaide one was undertaken in May, 1858, by Major Warburton and the Hon. S. Davenport to Lake Gairdner. Wefindtheni at the Wedge, a station of Mr. Tennant's, somewhere on Streaky Bay, on the 17th of June. They proceeded N.E. through Hope Downs towards the Gawler Ranges, through a rocky, scrubby country, and so on to Kun- dery, at the south-west point of Lake Gairdner. On this route they crossed the tracks of Eyre and Baxter, both still quite distinct. Major Warburton represents the country as one of granite formation, with an un- 334 MEANS PROPOSED TO PROCURE WATER. derlying stratum of limestone, more or less oolitic. That tlie granite, or porphyry having a perpendicular cleavage, lets down the rain water to the limestone stra- tum, which passing away on its bed, underdrains the whole of that country. This he believes is the cause of its general want of springs and creeks, and that this can only be remedied by sinking wells to the bed of limestone. He casts great doubts on the availableness of the Gawler Ranges reported by Messrs. Hack and Harris, and thinks the 4000 or 5000 square miles might carry perhaps a sheep to a square mile, but that even that would be a hazardous experiment. At Kangaroo Flat, about ten miles E.N.E. of Moon- aree, on the S.W. coast of Lake Grairdner, Mr. Daven- port advanced along the western shore of the lake, sixty miles farther than the longitude of Yarlbinda, the farth- est point of Mr. Hack, and seems to agree very much in opinion of the country with Major Warburton, and that its only resource is the sinking of wells. Accom- panied by Police Sergeant Hooker and Police trooper Daune, Major Warburton advanced westward to Daddy's Hill, and in about thirty miles further, found he had been traversing a narrow peninsula, and was now sur- rounded by the lake and compelled to turn back. The rounding of this water and the neighbouring hills, had sent him from 130 to 150 miles about. He still pur- sued the circuitous shores of the lake to longitude 134° 15', latitude 31° 15', and this was the farthest point that he could attain from want of both water and provisions. On the morning of the 11th he directed his course S.W., and struck into Police-trooper Geharty's track, which led him to Belemah on the sea-coast, a little to the west of Denial Bay, which he reached July 19. Prom Streaky Bay, Major Warburton rode to Port Lincoln, 200 miles, observing Eyre's wheel tracks of 1845, which, as well as the prints of the bullocks' hoofs, remained perfectly clear. He had also seen Darke's tracks in Gawler's Eanges. From Port Lincoln he sailed to Port Augusta, and thence to Adelaide, where we find him writing his report on the 9th of August. FURTHER EXPEDITIONS INTO TIIK INTERIOR. 335 In his general remarks, the Major gave the preference to the country from Streaky Ijay to JJelciuali over tlio Gavvler Ranges, because water, lie felt conrKlcnt, could be got in their part of the coast country by sinking. He considered Fowler's Bay and the most northerly crossing place on Lake Torrens as the two best ])oints of departure for any further expeditions into tlie interior; Fowler's Bay for western examination, and the north of Lake Torrens for north-western. MR. SAMUEL PARRy's SURVEYING EXPEDITION NEAR LAKE TORRENS. Simultaneously with Major Warburton and Mr. Bab- bage's expedition w^estward, i\Ir. Barry, the (jrovernment Surveyor, made a journey into the country lying within the sweep of Lake Torrens, Lake Gregory and Blanche Water from Mount Serle to Illusion Plains and Angi- pena. In this trip he reported much good country, but a correspondent of the Adelaide Register says that he went with Mr. Parry on part of his expedition, namely near Gill's Station, thence to Shamrock Pool, and thence to the distant range, and that he never saw such a barren country. The plain was much better ; Shamrock Pool was rain-water, and W'Ould serve one or two hundred head of cattle during the winter. Want of water aj)- pears the great defect of most of this region. EXPEDITION OF SIR RICHARD MACDONNELL, GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA TO AND BEYOND THE LODDOX SPRINGS. About the same period Sir Bi chard Macdonncll the enterprising governor of this colony himself with a large party, made an expedition to the neiglibourhood of the Lake Torrens, and to the west of it, in the same direc- tion as the late explorers. He first inspected the newly explored districts north of Mount Serle, and found the country very much burnt up south of Angi])ena. He examined the numerous mines, including the A})i)ealina, Chambers' and Finch's, and the copper-mine near Blount 336 VOYAGES UP THE DARLING. Eose. He tlien started upon the more adventurous part of his journey, suffering everywhere from the extreme drought of the season. He went on to Lake Weather- stone, Mount Attraction Springs, Blanche Cup, Strang- way and Loddon Springs. He stiU pushed on beyond these, till stopped by utter desolation, and burning sand- hills. Both men and horses turned back thoroughly exhausted. In 1859, his Excellency accompanied Cap- tain Cadell in the steamer Albany 600 miles up the Darling, above the junction with the Murray. The voyage of Mr. Bandell still further up the Darling in the same year will be mentioned hereafter, with the other steam voyages up the rivers. 337 CHAPTER XVTT. AUGUSTUS c. Gregory's expedition in qikst of dr. lkichhardt's remains. A convict reports Leichliardt alivo and in captivity in tlie interior.— Mr. Holy's journey to ascertain tlie fact. — Reports Leiclilial-cU nuirdered by tlie natives. — In 1858, the New South Wales Government sent out Mr. A. C. Gregory from Moreton Bay to seek for traces of Leichliardt. — Traces of Leiclihardt on I lie Barcoo near Mount Inniskillen eighty miles beyond Hely's farthest jwint.^ Proceeds to tlie Alice.— A terrible country.— Eoses all traces of Leichimrdt. — Imagines him gone we.st. — Traces down the Tiiomson. — Return to the Barcoo. — Follows down tiiat river to ascertain its real course. — Arrives at Cooiu-r's Creek, thus identifying the two waters. — Traces the course of Cooper's Creek by Strzelecki's Creek to Lake Torrens. — Thus demonstrates the How of this water from the Mountains of the east to Spencer's Gulf. — Crosses Lake Tor- rens on solid bottom.— Arrival in Adelaide.— The fate of Leichliardt still a inystery. In 1857, a convict named Garbut, then in confinement on Cockatoo Island, near Sydney, created a great sensa- tion, by stating that he actually knew Dr. Leiclihardt to be alive and in captivity. His account was substantially this : — " That far in the interior, beyond even the bounds of pastoral enterprise, was a tract of rich, well-watered country, peopled by a colony of runaway convicts, who had married native women, and kept up a communica- tion with the settlements by means of pack-horses, ob- taining by this means not only new recruits of their own stamp, but supplies of necessaries and even luxu- ries. Dr. Leichliardt and his party, he said, came sud- denly upon this colony, directly after leaving the settled district, and for fear he or they should divulge its exist- ence, were forcibly detained. Garbut offered, if liber- ated, to lead a party to the spot, but stated that his brother and uncle, also convicts, had been there as well as he, and sought, we believe, their liberation also. He asserted, that the last of Leichhardt's camps, discovered by Mr. Hovenden Hely, during his expedition in lS5:i, was within two hundred miles of the settlement which he professed to describe. VOL. II. ~2 338 NEW SEARCH FOE, LEICHHARDT. The story had an air of fiction upon it altogether. Such a convict settlement, with a traffic carried on between it and the people of the colony for supplies, could not possibly remain a secret. Not only would the track made by such traffic have betrayed it, but the convicts could not have possessed the money necessary to purchase a regular supply of necessaries. It was clearly a scheme of Garbut to get himself, his brother, and uncle sent out on such a search, when they would have escaped into the woods. A little enquiry dissipated the fable, but left a renewed desire in the public mind for some further endeavour to trace the fate of Leichhardt. The public has never indeed at any time rested satisfied with the mystery still hanging over the disappearance of the expedition of Leichhardt. The search of Mr. Hovenden Hely, though continued for 300 miles, and to a spot where the natives declared that the unfortunate traveller and all his party had been murdered, did not remove this dissatisfied feeling. Of late this sentiment instead of growing weaker, had gained strength, and Mr. A. C. Gregory, who had made so successful a journey across the north of the continent in 1856, offered his services to the New South Wales government for another search. This was accepted, and the party, consisting of Mr. A. C. Gregory, his brother, Mr. C. F. Gregory, an overseer, and seven experienced bushmen, having ten saddle, and thirty pack horses, and provisions for five months, started on the 12th of January, 1858. Prom the 27th of March to the 1st of April the party were occupied in traversing the district occupied as stations by the Moreton Bay settlers. As an acknowledged state of war exists along the settlements between the blacks and the whites, the former never show themselves except when they feel confident of victory, and as they did not like the looks of Mr. Gregory's party, they kept at a respectful distance for the first 100 miles ; and from Moreton Bay, indeed, to Mount Serle, he did not see 100 of them in all. On Cooper's Creek he saw very few. After clearing the Moreton Bay district, they struck LAST TR\ri:s or ul^u ^:]9 the Victoria, and found at the bend of that river tho last traces of Leiclihardt. The spot is a Uttle north of Mount Inniskillen, and in longitude \ Uf (V. Thes(> traces consist of a letter L cut in a tree, Avhich is of immense size, being fully eighteen inches long, and four inches broad, the incision being also of a great depth. A few cut poles were lying about, evidently the remains of a camp. This spot is eighty miles beyond the ti-aces found by Hely, though he was informed by the blacks that Leichhardt had been murdered where Hely Ibund them. The traces now found by Gregory show that Leichhardt could not have been murdered where Hely was, he had been at least eighty miles beyond that spot, and the goat's hair and human hair discovered amongst the blacks of Cooper's Creek since by McKinlay, seem to prove his advance still farther. Walker, in 1802, saw trees marked by Leichhardt in the same longitude as Gregory, but still more northwards, in latitude 22°. After leaving these indications of Leichhardt's former presence, Mr. Gregory never once discovered the slightest trace of him. By the latter end of April Mr. Gregory reached the Alice Creek, but found the country to the north and north-west a frightful and impenetrable desert. It is his opinion that when Leichhardt was there, rains had fallen, filling the clay pans that abound in that region. That lured on by these shallow pools of water, Leichhardt had pushed forwards, until the unceasing heat of a tropical sun evaporated the watei* both before and behind him, leaving him without means of existence to perish in the desert. Mr. Gregory then proceeded down the Victoria river to its junction with the Thomson. This was early in May, and heavy rains had just pre\'iousl3^ fiillen. Quitting the Victoria, they pursued the course of the Thomson upwards of 100 miles, in the hope of intersecting Leichhardt's tracks, but, as observed, without success. Having advanced to within ten degrees of the tropic, they found it impossible to proceed further, no trace existing of rain having ever fallen there, the earth being baked as hard as a brick- .)0 o 340 MR. GllE(iORY TRACES THE VICTORIA RIVER. kiln, and witliont a trace of vegetation. Mr. Grregoiy retracing lais steps down tlie Thomson, after a fortnight's absence, regained the Victoria. All hope of finding the remains of Leichhardt having vanished, Mr. Gregory, holding carte blanche from the New South Wales Government, resolved to trace down the Victoria River. He found it, as he advanced, gradually vvdden, till it became thirty -five miles in width. Our readers, however, must not delude their imaginations as to this so-called river. It contained no water, except a few pools here and there in its course, the bed of the river consisting of immense deposits of sand and stones. This, however, shows what must be the floods which come down it at times. In this part of their march, the party often found great difficulty in supplying their horses with food, no living vegetation appearing for three or four days together, the poor animals being reduced to eat rotten weeds, and whatever dead and decaying rubbish they could find. The country is stiff clay, and full of deep fissures. One horse, completely exhausted, was obliged to be left behind. The Victoria eventually opened out into a vast plain of a desert character, covered with stone, chiefly sand- stone, and where the pools in the river bed had nearly all disappeared. A few dwarf gums were occasionally seen in the Victoria, but none that indicated a steady flow of water. The party, however, continued their course, resolved to see what became of the river bed, even though they had lost the river. At length they arrived at a solution of the question. The Grey and Barrier Ranges are continued northward in a low mountain chain, and this chain, meeting the Victoria at nearly right angles, forces its waters into a narrow channel, this channel being the well-known Cooper's Creek. Here Mr. Gregory rested awhile to recruit his horses, feed and ^vater being plentiful, and here, we may conclude, he ])aused to congratulate his companions upon the interest- ing geographical discovery they had made. It was now proved that the Victoria River and Cooper's Creek HIS RECEPTION AT ADELAIDE. 3 11 were one and the same. Following the crock about KM) miles, Mr. (xregory found that it radiated into a number of small streamlets, which were crossed by numerous sand-hummocks of twenty or thirty feet hii^h, and by Avliich they were absorbed. One, however, of the arms or branches of Cooper's Creek, escaped, namely, the most external one, to which Sturt gave the name of^ Strzelecki's Creek. Pursuing this creek, Mr. Gregory never lost sight of it until he traced it into Lake Torrens. The termination of Strzelecki's Creek he found to be the Salt Creek of Sturt. Mr. Gregory has thus demonstrated that the Victoria (Barcoo), Cooper's Creek, Strzelecki's Creek, Salt Creek, and Jjake Torrens all constitute the pathway or receptacle of the same iiood of waters, proceeding from the mountains of the east coast to the Gulf of Spencer. Other travellers have touched at particular points of this long and winding patli for the rains of the desert, but Mr. Gregory alone has followed it mile by mile, step by step, demonstrating what some have fancied, but what no one could have possibly affirmed. Mr. Gregory crossed Lake Torrens by a firm and well- defined isthmus, about five miles broad, in a north- easterly direction from Mount Hopeless ; being probably the same crossing indicated about two years before by Mr. Babbage, and more recently by Mr. Ball. The jDartj' arrived in Adelaide at three o'clock on the 31st of July, and as Mr. Gregory stepped from the railway car- riage upon the platform, he was received with three cheers by about forty persons who had assembled, and the Town Clerk informed him that the Corporation had an address to deliver him, but that he had ai'rivcd earlier than they expected, and were, therefore, not present. Mr. Gregory, in his rough bush costume, was evidently no more prepared to receive the Corporation than they were prepared to receive him ; and the Hon. F. S. But- ton appearing, drove him off in his carriage amid the cheers of the people. The explorer's reception in Ade- laide was most enthusiabtic. 343 REASONS FOR ANOTHER EXPEDITION. Successful and most important as this expedition of Mr. Gregory's has been in ascertaining the real character of the Barcoo, and the course of the waters from the north-east to the south-Avest of Australia, still the public mind does not abandon the desire to trace farther the progress of Leichhardt. On the 22nd of November, 1858, a paper by the Eev. W. B. Clarke, of Sydney, was read at the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, urging further searches for traces of his route from the Barcoo westward, which was supported by Sir Charles Nicholson ; and the instances shown by McKinlay of the probability of his having passed westward of Cooper's Creek, may yet lead to a successful discovery of his re- mains ; thus solving this long-continued mystery. 343 CHAPTEE XVIII. EXPEDITIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN 1858 AND 1801, BY MR. ERANK T. GREGORY. Expeditions in Westeen Ausxbalia, 1858. — Frank Gregory and party ex- amine the country between the river Gascoyne and Mount Mureliison. — Pro- ceed to the Geraldine Mines. — Mount Nairn on the Mureliison. — Reacli tlio Gascoyne. — Country well grassed. — Lockyer's Range. — Lyons River. — The Alma. — Mount Augustus 3,000 feet. — Good country. — Proceed S.S.E.— Mounts Gould and Hale. — Extensive tracts of good country. — Return to the Nairn and Geraldine Mines. — The natives numerous, and sometimes troublesome. — New pigeons and new vegetables. — Melons and sweet potatoes.— Geologic cha- racter of the country. — Babbage Island. — New yam. Expedition of Me. F. T. Gkkgory into the inteeioe of De Witt's Land, IN 1861. — Land at Nickol Bay. — Discover the Fortescuc. — The Hammersley Ranges. — Mounts Augustus, Phillips, Samson. — The Barlee Ranges. — Neigh- bourhood of the Lyons. — Second progress eastward. — The Sherlock, Yule, and Oakover Rivers. — Ranges in the interior. — Great extents of pasturable land.— The rivers Strelley, Shaw, and De Grey. — Great sea-flats. — Sufferings in the last journey. — Character of the climate and country. — Pearl oyster-beds. — Natural productions. — Return. The newspapers of Western Australia, of the 7th of April, brought the intelligence of an exploring expe- dition for examining the country betwixt the Grascoyne and Mount Murchison. It was under the command of Mr. Frank Gregory, and was equipped at the joint ex- pense of the settlers and the government. The final point of departure would be the Greraldine mines ; and it was on the eve of starting. It consisted of the Messrs. Gregory, J. Eoe, W. Moore, C. Nairn, Mr. Gregory's chainer, and a native. The number of horses was ten, the government contributing to the expedition the ser- vices of Mr. Gregory and his chainer, three horses, im- plements, two tents and pack-saddles. The settlers had subscribed £40 towards it, and the party was ]3rovisioned for two months. Subsequent advices stated Mr. Gregory and his party to be at the Geraldine mines all well, and intending to start on the 16th of April. From this expedition Mr. Gregory returned within the proposed period, having arrived in Perth on the 10th of July, and having, accord- 344 EXAMINATION OF THE COUNTRY. ing to report, discovered millions of acres of good land, growing melons and potatoes indigenously. He had given to the new country the name of Lyons. After lea\nng the Greraldine mines they followed the ]\Iurchison till they came to a hill, which they named Mount Nairn, principally in a N.W. direction. The banks of the river had grassy lands, backed by acacia scrubs. At Mount Nairn the party left the JMurchison, proceeding N.W., and crossed a tributary of the Mur- chison, through a stony country, with short grass. Pur- suing the same course, they struck the Grascoyne an hour after leaving the tributary of the Murcliison. Still pur- suing the same N.W. coiu'se, they followed the Gas- coyne, the river increasing in size as they advanced. The country near its banks was beautifully grassed, and timbered with the flooded gum, far finer than any they had seen on the Murchison, but there was no timber of any size in the country farther back. They occasionally met with flats of rich country from two to three miles wide. The river took a southerly bend from some hills named Lockyer's Range, and then pursued a N.N.W. course till it reached the sea. The country conti- nued of the same good description on the banks, but deteriorated upon approaching the coast. The party returned from the mouth of the Gascoyne on the north bank, and about eighty miles from the coast struck a large tributary, which they named the Lyons River, taking a northerly course, which they followed. Both the banks 'of this river were w^ell grassed, but the neighbouring country was, generally speaking, poor. At the extreme northerly point attained by the party, the Lyons is joined by a river, named the Alma, the Lyons taking a bend, first easterly, and ultimately south-east. The river was still followed, until they reached a hill, nearly 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, and wdiich they named Mount Augustus. Here there w^ere several large flats, the most extensive being about twenty-eight miles long, and three or four wide. From Mount Augustus they had a good view of the surrounding country, which EXTRACT FROM THE PERTH ENqUIRER. 315 appeared to be of an excellent description. I)epai*tiii<^- from Mount Augustus, they left the Lyons, and pur- sued a S.E. course, till they ag-ain came upon the Gas- coyne, the country being stony, and slightly grassed. They crossed the nuiin Gascoyne, and proceeded S.S.E., until they reached a tributary of the JMurchison, the country being still stony, but somewhat better grassed. From this spot, where there is a hill named jMount Gould, to another hill named Mount Hale, and still fol- lowing the tributary of the Murchison, the exploring party discovered a succession of rich flats. They then proceeded almost due west, until they reached Mount Nairn, the point whence they diverged from the river on their outward trip. From thence they followed the Murchison to the Geraldine mines. The Perth Enquirer says of this expedition : — " The country is described as well watered, and no Avonder, for there appears a perfect network of rivers connected with the Murchison and Gascoyne, some of them of con- siderable size, fifty or sixty yards wide. The quantity of good land seen is estimated at a million of acres, the best of it distant some 300 miles from the settled dis- tricts, but the intervening tract will support stock en route. There were evidences of great and recent floods, and the water was estimated to have risen forty feet. A sand deposit of about two inches depth had been left. It is conjectured that a heavy flood had taken place during the present year. The natives were numerous, especially on the banks of the Gasco}Tie, and at times- became so troublesome tliat Mr. Gregory on one occasion fired his grun at them. It was loaded with shot, and did no further harm than to induce them to keep at a respectful distance. On another occasion, near the mouth of the Gascoyne, the natives again became so troublesome that the party charged them on horseback, a proceeding which created much alarm amongst them. They were followed for some time by these natives, but apparently for the purpose of warning others not to get in the way, fur they shouted; and with their hands 346 MR. Gregory's expedition to de witt's land. waved off any who attempted to approach. Game was not plentiful, and they only saw two natives with kan- garoo-skin cloaks. One kangaroo and one emu were shot dui'ing the trip, and some ducks and pigeons. The party also obtained fish, but on the whole their supply of provisions was short, especially meat, the flour lasting out pretty well. We do not hear of many additions to our natural history. There was seen a new species of pigeon, slate-coloured, and several varieties of vegetables, some resembling our water and sweet melons, sweet potatoes, and a few new grasses. The melons were small, and the leaves similar to the sweet and water-melons. Seeds of grass were saved, amongst these some resem- bling oats, which the natives use for food. A small, gourd-hke fruit, filled with seeds, to which down is attached, like the dandelion, was also preserved. When at Shark's Bay, the expedition crossed to Babbage Is- land, the southern mouth of the Gascoyne being dry. The stone of the country appears to be chiefiy sand- stone and oohtic limestone, and in the hills granite, quartz, and variegated jasper. In some places there were gypsum and clayey shales, indicating the probable existence of coal. They discovered, also, a new vege- table, a convolvulus, having roots some of them of a pound weight or more, and eating like a sweet potato. Mr. Gregory considered, however, that the Upper Gas- coyne and Lyons could not be advantageously settled without the discovery of a near port. the expedition of MR. F. T. GREGORY INTO THE INTERIOR OF DE WITt's land, IN 1861. It appears that this expedition was undertaken at the recommendation of the Boyal Geographical Society, but chiefly equipped by the Government of Western Aus- tralia. The persons of the pai-ty were — F. T. Gregory, Commander. J. Turner, Assistant and Storekeeper. HE DISCOVERS NICKOL RIVER. 347 E. Brockman, "^ W. S. Hall, [ Assistants. J. M'Court, ) A. James, Farrier. These set sail from Fremantle, in the barque Dolphin, Captain Dixon, on the 23rd of April, and were after- wards joined at Champion Bay by — J. Harding', M. Brown, and P. Walcott, as volunteers, bring-ing- with them additional horses. They were provisioned for eight months ; ten horses were taken from Fremantle, and ten more from Cham- pion Bay, thus twenty horses, and a small number of sheep, it would appear twenty-two, but the account is by no means clear. Mr. P. Walcott, who joined them at Champion Bay, proposed to collect specimens of natural history. They reached Dampier Archipelago on May the 11th, and observed that what is shown on the charts as a promontory, extending to the north of Sloping Head, is an island with a channel nearly half-a-mile wide, separa- ting it from the main, and they gave it the name of Dolphin Island, in honour of the ship. On anchoring in Nickol Bay, they found the dry channel of a river, which they named the Nickol Eiver. They had much difficulty in landing their stores, horses, and sheep, on account of the low, swampy ground abutting on the Bay, and the distance they had to swim the horses from the ship, the water not being deep enough to bring the vessel nearer to the shore. It was the 21st of May before they had landed everything, and the 25th before they could make a fair start. In the course of disembarking they had the misfortune to have Mr. Hearson, the second mate of the Dolphin, severely wounded, by the going off of one of the guns in passing it over the gunwale of the boat. Escaping from the 348 Tni. MAirr.AN'i) am> POR/Kscr, k (uvkrh. HwarnpH, and takinj^ a woMtwiird c/AirHc, t\i(:y fV-,11 in with tlifj cfiunndl of a river eighty yards wide, having fXK^l.s <>f' water in it, and fine granny hankn. "^rhin river, which tljey called tfie Maitland, earne from the S.K. After croHHing the bf;dH of other, now nearly dried-up Htrearnn, tJiey entered vast plainn, and found a larger river, which, on the .">Oth, turned sudderdy nort.h-east, through a rocky defile. I'hin river they nanK;d the Fortescue, and on account of the rocky country on each Hide were obliged to travel ah>ng its bed, which had occa-sional pools, with reeds, ducks and fish. ^J'he water, however, waH saline to the taste. '^Phe river led thern on to ranges of hills, one of which, running at some distance parallel with thr; river, left some fine open plains and valleys at their f(;et. "^I'liriy named this range the ffammersley itange, aft(rr one of the most liberal promoters of the expe-di- tion, and the fertile plains between it and tfie river the Cfiichester l)owns. Piirsuing their rout(;, the river changed its course, sweeping round from south-east to south-west. They proceeded through njnges 2400 feet above the level of th(; sea, and in latitude 22'' 51' other hills rose on the cast of their track J00() feet high. For sixty miles the river continued that coiirse, with very little water in it, though th(; e,hannf;l was large. Still other ranges of hills w(;re met. A river coming in from the westward i\u:y uiiuU'A the Harding, in latitude 22'' 58' 2S", longi- tude 117' 10'. Another, still larger, coming from the name direction, in 2.'^ 28' 15", they named the Ash- biirton. 'i'hey C(;uld sf;e from the hills near it. Mounts Augustus, Phillips, and Samuel, and, still more south, the IJ;irl(;e Itange. '^rhey went (>n till tfifjy could trace the course of Ji, stream running thence into the Lyons I'Jver. In laiJtude 2)'/' 50' 45", they, tluirefore, turned biick, ;irifl, ke(!ping more westward, they examined the hills which they named Samson anrF Bruce, the latter having an elevation of 4000 feet. From the great bend of the J*\jrt(!scue they proceeded N.W., over extensive plains, containing, as they calculated, 200,000 acres of M()I;F, RIVKHR DTSf'OVERF.T). 349 fine pasturage land, and then throuL,^]! a stony country, clotlKMl with short i^-rcen <^'rass and nu'k)ns, a country very much reseinblino- that of the ]\Iauritius. 'i'hoy now struck a river of considerabk^ extent, running north- west, which they named tlie Sherh)ck, containing pools of water. This, at last, led them out into low, alluvial plains, and finally to the sea between Picard and De- puch Islands. Thence they regained their camp at Nickol -Bay. On the 30th of July, they set out again on an east- ward course in the hope of reaching some large river supposed to be out far in that direction. After striking the Sherlock, they travelled over a poor country of red ijraiiite rocks, covered with ti'iodia and a few acacias. In latitude 21° ()' '2()'\ they struck another river contain- ing a little water, coming more from the S.E,, which they named the Yule. This, they thought, would take them too much E. ; therefore, they followed another stream which flowed northward, and which led them out to Breaker Inlet. They named it the Strelley, and another stream, which came in from the S.S.E., the Shaw. This was also joined by a much larger river coming from the southward, 100 yards wide, which they named the De Grrey, They followed this river in an E.S.E. course over a very rocky country into another, coming more from the S., which they called the Oakover. This they pur- sued into some ranges, and then came out in desert, sandy plains, which compelled them to return. They had nearly reached longitude 122° and latitude 22°. They had suffered intensely from heat, thirst, and fatigue. Mr. Gregory describes the effect of this fatigue and thirst on the eyes of the horses as something awful. They were sunk deep into their heads, and the whole head appeared shrunk with them, producing a very unpleasant and ghostly expression. They calculated that they could not be far from the imagined river of their search, and turned back with regret ; but to have gone fui-ther would have been certain destruction to them all. They had lost one horse after another, and had abandoned 350 MR. GREGORY S IMPRESSIONS OF THE COUNTRY. their loads and pack-saddles to enable tliem to do what they had done. By the 26th of September, they again reached the mouth of the De Grrey between the Points Larrey and Poissonier, in the neighbourhood of which lie great sea- flats. After this they made an excursion up the Sher- lock and the Yule, finding much hilly country as well as fine grazing land on the latter river; and on the 21st of October they returned on board the Dolphin, and set sail homewards. Mr. Grregory gives us a summary of his impressions of this great tract of country lying north of that tra- versed by him before. It is clear that as he was in it from May to October, he enjoyed its autumn, winter, and spring months. During that period, they had very little rain. The beds of the rivers, though large, and their banks bearing marks of great occasional floods, had very little water in them. He gives the maximum of heat in the shade as ranging from 76° to 92° ; but he says the thermometer, placed on a sandbank in the sun, in October, rose to 178° Fahrenheit. In fact, as might be supposed from its latitude, the country has altogether a thirsty and tropical character. He himself doubts whether it will produce wheat and barley in perfection, but thinks it most adapted for the growth of cotton. He calculates that it contains two or three millions of acres suitable for grazing, and 200,000 adapted to agri- culture. As to wool, time must decide how far it will suc- ceed or degenerate, as it must do in the north of Queens- land. The country rises in a succession of steps, as it were from the sea to the farthest interior. First they came to wide plains ; then to hills of from 40 to 100 feet ; next to others of from 500 to 1000 feet; and afterwards to ranges of 2000, and finally, 4000 feet. Not many minerals were found. Quartz reefs traversed the hills ; but they could discover no traces of gold. The most valuable discovery was that of pearl-oyster beds on the coast of Nickol Bay, the crew of the Dolphin having collected separate pearls of value, one rated by compe- NATIVE FLOWERS AND BIRDS. 351 tent persons at £26, and the pearl-oysters altogether of the value of £500 to £000. Cotton plants grew luxuriantly, but w^ere burnt by an accident. They saw many beautiful flowers of new kinds. An elegant shrub, bearing deep crimson-dragon flowers, they regarded as the most beautiful they had seen in Australia. Palms grew to forty feet of height on the Fortescue, and amongst the indigenous fruits were that of the adansonia, or gouty-stem tree, of Sir Greorge Grey, nearly allied to the baobab, or monkey bread-fruit of South Africa, sweet and water melons, a wild fig well tasted, and a sweet and palatable plum, in considerable abundance. Several birds were seen new to them and of beautiful plumage ; one of them, a paro- quet, supposed, however, to be the golden-backed one of Gould ;' and there were large flocks of the white cockatoo with the orange-tinted crest. The natives were a finely grown race, and though inclined, as usual, to be thievish, not very formidable either in temper or numbers. 353 CHAPTER XIX. EXPEDITION FOR BRINGING DOWN THE REMAINS OF BURKE AND WILLS. AVonderful progress of Australia since tliis history commenced. — Tlie expedition, to bring down the remains of Burke and Wills sets out from Melbourne in December, 18G1. — The party and equipment. — Vary the route from Menindie. —Proceed more eastward. — The country better. — Mount Babbage. — Boally and Bultilla Creeks, — Intense heat and flies. — Cadell's Range. — Take the old route at Altolka. — Rains and grass. — Gfetting Camels overWilkie's Creek. — February the 27tli, reach Wills's grave — Mr. Howitt starts to examine the route towards Mouut Hopeless.— Find McKinlay's mark at Burke's grave. — A wilful guide. — Return to camp. — On March 5tli, set out to reach Slount Hopeless. — Strze- lecki's creek. — Gregory's camp. — Miserable country. — Reach Blanche Water. — Baker's Station. — JBlacks eating poisoned sugar. — Barren cattle stations. — Re- turn by Lake Hope. — Still very wretched country. — Lake Hope.— Idga tliat the ■waters from Cooper's Ci'eek pass this way. — McKinlay's Guide. — Reach the Depot. — Coming dovra of a great flood. — Remove the remains of Wills out of its reach. — Explore the country northwards. — High rocks and red sand-hills. — Bateman's Creek. — Frightened natives. — Other creeks. — Natives say McKinlay'8 party detained by floods. — Search for McKinlay's party. — Teniel Ranges. — Lake Lipsom. — Kyejoran Creek. — William's Creek. — A funeral oration. — Re- gain the Depot. — Hunt down a cow and calf. — Catch Sturt's roan horse.—- Much frying of beef. — Dishonest black guide. —The flood still coming down — Arrival of Corporal Wanchope with despatches. — Howitt returns with him to Blanche Water. — Returns to the Depot. — Orders to wait for arrival of Landsborough from the gulf, and to look out for McKinlay. — Journey north- west across the Stony Desert. — Appearance of the desert at the time. — Very passable. — Lake Sliort. — Odd conduct of the guide. — Tracks thought to be of McKinlay's party. — Vain search for the party. — Terrible country. — Other horse tracks, supposed of land-hunters. — Sampson's Range. — Rumours of McKinlay. — A camel lost. — Another journey to Blanche AVater for supplies. — Angipena PoliceStation. — Singular scenery. — Wilpena Pound. — Striking scenery of Jacob's Station. — Constant war with the blacks. — Try to kill Howitt's black boy. — Bloodless alfair with them. — Their language imitated by the settlers in their converse with them. — Evident fate of the aborigines.— Seventeen years' resi- dence of a sailor amongst them. — His desire to mediate between the blacks and squatters. — Opinion of Mr. Wentworth, that the whites are always the aggres- sors. — Before setting out with the remains of Burke and Wills, Howitt buries supplies of food and clothing at the Depot, should any exploring party arrive there. — Journey down to Adelaide. — An attempt made from Jacob's St ;tion to open up a route eastwai-d to the Darling. — Found impracticable. — Arrive at Atlelaide. — Dinner to McKinlay. — Honours to the deceased at Ade- laide. — Arrival of the remains at Melbourne. — Their reception by the com- mittee. — Lying in state. — Meeting to receive tlie explorers. — The funeral of Burke and Wills. — Addresses of satisfaction presented to Howitt and his party, Captain Norman and Mr. Kyte, the originators of the expedition. — • Grants by government to the relatives of Mr. Wills, to the nurse of Burke, and others. One more enterprise and we have arrived at the close of MR. tiowitt's party. 353 this eventful history. AMien we commenced it, Aus- traha was a terra incognita. It is now a populons land, boasting no less than five states or colonies, with its swarming cities and cultivated farms. It has become the greatest grazing and wool-growing country in the world. Its gold is poured into Europe with a Pactolian profusion, and already it is planning the foundation of new colonies. The swarm which fled the paternal liive but the other day is now casting ofi' new swarms of its own. But all this marvellous developement of energy and life has been produced by the labours of self-sacri- ficing explorers and bold adventurers on sea and land, in discovery and commerce, many of whom have laid down their lives in the desert. It was decreed, how- ever, that the remains of the last martyrs to discovery should be brought from their far off graves to receive the public honours of a great funeral and a monument. The same leader who had so successfully conducted the expedition, which sought and found the remains of this brave but unfortunate party, was again selected for this melancholy duty. Mr. Alfred Howitt quitted Melbourne on this ser^dce on the 9th of December, 1861. His party this time consisted of twelve persons, including Messrs. W. F. Welch, surveyor. Dr. Murray, who volunteered to go as surgeon to the party, and for w^hich purpose the jMel- bourne Hospital Committee had freely allowed him six months' absence ; Weston Phillips and A. Aitkin, both of whom had been with Howitt not only on the last journey to Cooper's Creek, but also in the Gripps- land mountains ; Henry Burrell ; and H. L. Gralbraith. They were provisioned for five months from the time of leaving Menindie, and if they fell short, were to seek additional supphes in the northern regions of South Australia. On reaching Menindie, instead of taking the direct noi-thern track followed by Burke and Wills, and by himself on the last journey, in consequence of information from squatters that better country could be found more VOL. II. 23 354 THEIR ROUTE DESCRIBED. eastward, and wliich proved quite true, Mr. Howitt ascended the Darling to Mr. Jamieson's station, near Mount Murchison. January 28th, they camped near Mount Babbage ; on the 30th, they followed up the Butto or Boailey Creek, and then down the Bullilla Creek. The weather was intensely hot, the flies intole- rable. They passed Cadell's Eange, and over inferior country to Youngcanya, where there was plenty of grass and portulac. Erom this point the leader reconnoitred the more westward direction to Torowoto, but found all dry, and returned and pursued his previous course to Cooper's Creek. The Macadam Eange, which they reached northward, appeared 700 or 800 feet high. At Altolka they fell into their old route, and upon better country, but bad to travel, in consequence of rain. The country around Stokes' ranges looked like an im- mense field of young oats, from the recent rains. On February 18th, they reached Cooper's Creek, half a mile from camp sixty of Burke. The water at Burke's camp was dried up. This had not been the case a few days before at Wilkie's creek, where they found the camels very troublesome in crossing. " This," says the leader, " was as disagreeable a job as any one could have. I have never seen animals so afraid of, or so helpless in the water. We had to make them lie down on its margin, and then push them in bodily, some of the party on the opposite side towing them over by a rope. I was thank- ful when they were all safe across." They had now frequent showers, and caught a good deal of fish. On the 27th of February they reached Wills's grave, and the same day at eleven a.m., Mr. Howitt left the depot, with Galbraith, O'Donnel, and M'William, with six horses and five days' rations, to ascertain whether water was to be found on the way to Mount Hopeless, so as to know their chance of obtaining supplies from that quarter, as well as of their being able to return that way and by Adelaide, if necessary. By taking only horses they saved themselves much trouble, for they still com- plain that the horses are extremely frightened at the THEY FIND MARKS OF McKINLAY. 355 camels, and gallop away for miles iu different directions, creating' much labour and delay in recovering- them. In travelhug down the creek, they found McKin- lay's mark on a tree at Burke's grave, and about two miles lower down they found MK. again on a tree couj oined with a broad arrow under in a square. Again, at the water-hole at Wills's grave, they found McKin- lay's mark, and from the direct manner in which he had gone from point to point, they concluded that one of the natives had directed him to them. Every thing was scorched up by the sun, except the extraor- dinary growth of green plants in the bed of the creek of which the camels were very fond. The native orange- trees were then covered with fruit and blossom. As they advanced, all traces of vegetation vanished, it was a scene of sultry yellow sand-hills. On the 29th they fell in with a camp of friendly natives, who brought all their piccaninnies out to be admired. Here they took a good deal of trouble in getting their native guide to di- rect them to water. Amongst other stratagems he turned very lame, but they then set him on a horse, when he set oif at such a rate, beating the horse with a stick, that they had much to do to keep him in. At length he found it useless to resist, gave in, and showed them water, when, their object being served, they re- turned to their camp on Cooper's Creek, At dinner that day the native guide devoured a "snake raven- ously. On March 5th, they set out in earnest to reach Mount Hopeless, the party being four in number, with six camels, four horses, a month's rations, and every water- bag and canteen they possessed. Could poor Burke and Wills have commenced that journey with such animals and supplies, they would have accomplished it. On the 6th, at evening, they reached Tungarilla, their previous point, and found Pardue, the guide, and his mate still there, but they refused to go further with the party. On the Sth they found fresh water, and afterwards struck Strzelecki's Creek, but found it perfectly dry, excejDt in 23—2 356 COMPLETE THEIR TRIP IN ELEVEN DAYS. one place where was a small quantity of water. The next day they reached a better supply of water in the channels, and the camels drunk at least seven gallons each. Though they can bear the want of water better than horses, they are just as insatiate of it when they reach it in hot weather. The two following days they pm'sued the course of the creek which ran through red steep sand-hills, the greater part of the bed of the creek dry, and overgrown with polygonum and other bushes. They were of opinion that very little water from Cooper's Creek found its way across these extensive sanely plains. On the 10th they camped by Gregory's marked tree, a small triangle over 77 within a triangle. They travelled on till the 14th, over miserable sandy country, sometimes showing grass, sometimes cotton salt, and other bushes. On the 14th they reached Mount Hopeless, which they were surprised to find the most insignificant hill in the neighbourhood. They were most hospitably received at Mr. Jacob's station, and the next day, they travelled over stony plains, sixteen miles, to Blanchewater, and were very kindly received by Mr. James at Baker's station. Thus they completed this trip of 180 miles through a country which had only once been traversed by white men before, in eleven days. At this station three half- wild blacks were nearly poisoned by stealing the arsenicated sugar put out for the innumer- able and all-devouring ants. They just eat the sugar and then went to say they were " poisa, tumble down." They dosed them with about two quarts of soap-suds each, and sent them away relieved. The manner in which squatting stations were pushed out, one beyond another in this sterile, desert country, where the cattle wandered about seeking for grass amongst the stones, surprised the travellers. Having ascertained that the way was open to Adelaide by Blanchewater, and that stores might be obtained, the party returned by Hope Lake, a route considerably more to the west. We may say generally that the country was very much like that which they had passed over in THEY ARRIVE AT COOPEr's CREEK. 357 going. In fact, we find on the map of their track these notes, till they were once more on Cooper's Creek, " poor stony country ;" " rough stony hills ;" " dry salt lake ;" " very poor country ;" " dry lake;" "ridges of drift sand;" "very poor country;" and north of Lake Hope, "miserable country;" " sand ridges ;" " porcupine grass ;" "thickly timbered scrubby fiats;' "open sand country;" "no timber ;" " dry lake." The incidents were few. On the 23rd of March they followed McKinlay's track through a very poor country, for about twenty miles. The next day they reached Lake Hope, a large expanse of water, bordered with stunted box-trees, the water rather brackish. The fol- lowing day they were at Wallpappanina Lake, about eight or nine miles in length, its margin rich with grass, as well as the parts of the lake from which the water had retired. Pelicans, swans, and other wild fowl on the lake. The next day, March 25, they reached Lake Appadeer, the waters of which were nauseous. They had taken native guides from Lake Hope, of whom Boulin-ganne, McKin- lay's guide, was one. The leader was of opinion that in wet seasons the waters from Cooper's Creek passed down this way rather than by Strzelecki's Creek to Blanche water, and Lake Torrens. At Apparalpa on the 2Sth, the natives assumed a hostile appearance, not liking the camels, but they soon thousfht better of it. The next dav the natives told them that McKinlay's party were detained up the country by great floods. At Yenbarka, on Cooper's Creek, they sought for a camp of Burke's, but could not find it. Howitt was of opinion Cooper's Creek, which here breaks up in the plains, in flood time runs in this direction to the Hope Plains, and so to Lake Lipsom of Sturt. Arriving at the depot on the 2nd of April, they found all well, and the three camels left tbere become perfect curiosities of fat, being nearly all hump, showing that the country suited them perfectly. The natives asserting that a great flood was coming down the creek, a party was despatched on horseback to see if it were so, and for the first day found no signs of 358 DISCOVER VARIOUS OTHER CREEKS. it ; but tlie next morning tliey observed the stream running-, tben increasing into a small river, and the back waters and channels all filling. On this they hastened back to report. The water coming dowTi was clear, but very unpleasant in taste, being no doubt the old water which the flood was pushing before it. According to the native account, the flood had travelled seventy miles in about six weeks. On the 12th most of the party proceeded north to disinter the remains of poor Wills, lest the flood should cover the grave, and they were sent up to the depot. The waters do^Ti the creek were fast drying up, but soon to be replenished by the flood. At that time, however, Mr. Howitt was of opinion that all the waters seen by Burke south of the Stony Desert were dry. April the 15th, Mr. Howitt left the camp with a party for an examination of the country northward. They soon left the good country, and were amongst high, red, sand-hills, several remarkable peaks being visible ahead. This journey, which was continued to lat. 26° 40' 45'^ long. 140° 21', was chiefly through the same country of red sand-hills, of the colour of red-hot iron, but with creeks and grassy valleys lying amongst them. On the ISth they reached a creek which they named Bateman's Creek. The creek had a well-defined channel, and was lined with box, orange, and bean trees ; the valleys were so grassy that it was difficult to imagine themselves still near Cooper's Creek. They found natives friendly, but frightened at them, and glad to steal away unobserved. One old woman suddenly come upon, pretended to be dead, and a boy not finding sufficient bushes to hide him, stuck his head ostrich-like into a single one. As they advanced they found other creeks, Burrell's Creek, Phillips' Creek, and O'Donnell's Creek. The natives still spoke of McKinlay's party being surrounded by water, a fact true in itself, at one time. Numbers of water fowls were about these lakes ; swarms of young ducks running about, and young hedgereegors in almost every box-tree. The nights were now cold. FIND McKINLAy's CAMP. 359 Tliey were now on the edge of tlie Stony Desert, and their native guide described the country all round from S.E. to W.asa country of that stony character of many days' journey across. He pointed N. W., asthe point where he be- lievedMcKinlay's party to be. They had folio wedtlie stony ranges and table-lands ever since leaving Cooper's Creek, at from ten to twenty miles distance, and they now made a sweep westward in returning, after first visiting- some prominent hills somewhat to the N.E., which they named Teniel's Eange. Along O'Donnell's Creek they found a wonderful gro\\i:h of grasses, portulac, and other vegetables, in many places to their saddle girths, but near the ranges the stones appeared again packed Hke a pavement. After halting to collect native melons, they returned. On the 25tli of April they passed three dry salt lakes, and observed McKinlay's dray marks. The next day they rode to Lake Lipsom of Sturt, called by the natives Bando Patchadilly. They found the lake about three miles by four in size, flanked by sand-hills, and without timber, except two or three box-trees. They found McKinlay's camp, but neither marked tree nor any document buried. They saw other lakes to the eastward. The natives were very friendly, and brought them cakes of portulac seed, which tasted rather sweet, and like lin- seed, but knowing the mode of making it, they simply satisfied themselves with tasting of it. Everywhere the natives were collecting this seed, and Harry Burrell found a bundle of it done up in grass, and daubed with mud, containing a bushel and a half. On the Kyejerou Creek they saw the natives catching large quantities of fish. The next day they camped on a creek which they named after one of the party, Williams Creek. At their next camp they saw the natives encamped near them, and heard an old man make a funeral oration over a boy lately buried. Frank the guide said it was, " big one cry over him, and all the same as preach." " The speaker used much action, and ran his words so into one another," observes Howitt, "that it was only now and then that I could catch his meaning. I heard, however, that 360 THEY CATCH STURT S ROAN HORSE. the subject of his speech had walked a long way, and would never walk back again, and that he had been a good fisherman, an I had collected much bower, portulac- seed. They kept up this amusement, accompanied by the hammering of stones, pounding of nardoo, and the p-rindino- of bower till a late hour. It was a curious peep into native life. One of these natives was white- washed all over." On May 1st, they regained the depot. Before reaching the creek they saw the tracks of a cow and a calf, and immediately after occurs this curious entry in the diary : — " Gralbraith, three* days before, came across the horse which had been known to run here for some years. Gregory was the first to mention the fact. He saw the fresh tracks last year ; McKinlay also saw him, but was unable to catch him. Galbraith, after a gallop, got alongside, and passed the halter in a slip-knot over his head. Not being able to pull him in, he fastened the halter to his stirrup-iron, and slackening his pace, in about 100 yards choked him, and he fell. Before he could rise, a turn of the rope was round his lower jaw, and after a short struggle he gave in, and was led to the camp, where he is now hobbled. He is a roan cob, a little under fifteen hands, bald face, off-knee white, near hind leg white, and white streak down inside of off-leg. Brands H C near shoulder ; E T under saddle near side ; I near thigh. I think it is most probable that this is the roan horse mentioned by Sturt as having been left here by him some seventeen or eighteen years ago. The horse has every appearance of being over twent}^ yearsold." The entries of the next two days are of curious interest in that Australian interior, where only the explorers could have conveyed cattle. Was this cow one of Leich- hardt's ? " May 2nd.— The depot. This morning W. L. Gralbraith and Frank, while out after horses, came on fresh traces of the cattle following and crossing our track of last night. Changing their horses, and procur- ing a supply of ammunition, they started in pursuit, and found a cow and a fine young bull in a billibong, about THEY KILL SOME CATTLE. 361 three miles from here. The cattle, on seeing them, started, and Frank sliot the cow witli a Colt's revolver. Galbraith also secured the bull, when seven miles distant from the depot, after some hard galloping, being several times hunted by the bull. He at last shot him witha Whit- ney revolver, when in the act of overtaking and horning his horse. The bull was killed on the spot, and fell com- pletely over, from the speed at which he was going. The two camels have just packed in the cow : O'Donnell and Gralbraith are gone out again with rations and water for Frank and Mr. WiUiams, who are camped by the bull. It may be imagined that frying is going on to a great extent. Our friend Winkely, a black, has been in a state of great surprise at such a supply of meat, and fingered the fat with the eyes of a cannibal. He made no such signs of disgust at a huge junk of beef as he used to do at damper, pronouncing it ' malingkee,' — bad ; but roasted it on the coals, and devoured it. " May 3rd. Commenced at day-break to cut up the cow for curing. The meat excellent, and very fat. Winkely in a state of consternation at the effects of the Colt's revolver bullet, which had broken the shoulder- blade and one rib. I think his report on the ' piccan- niny mucketie' to his friends will have a good effect. The bull was brought in about two o'clock, and weighed about seven hundred weight, and is very fat. Frying to an extraordinary extent stiU goes on, and the conver- sation here is extremely beefy. Captain Sturt is slightly lame from a strain he got in being caught, but I hope will soon be all right." The time was now come for Winkely the black to go home, and another native was come to take his place ; but at the last moment Winkely disgraced himself. That temptation which the sight of European imple- ments and conveniences must naturally excite in all savages had overcome him, and besides the presents given him, he had secreted another tomahawk, a panni- kin, a saddle, and some straps. As the best punish- ment, the tomahawk given him was taken away, and the 362 CORPORAL WAUCHOPE AND TROOPER POYNTER ARRIVE. new black, who was believed to be an accomplice, was walked off with Winkely. They retired, casting sundry looks behind them, apprehensive of a shot from the ter- rible revolver. ^During all this time the flood was slowly creeping on at the rate of two miles a week. This was in conse- quence of the flatness of the country, and the number of channels and large backwaters which it had to fill. The water was of a clear olive-green colour, and so far as it reached the creek, became a fine river. On the 12th of May the party was agreeably surprised by the arrival of Corporal Wauchope and Trooper Poyn- ter, of the South Australian mounted police, with de- spatches from the Exploration Committee. They had been three days without water on the way ; the upper holes of Strzelecki's Creek being then quite dry. On the 17th, Mr. Howdtt, accompanied by seven of the party, with nine horses and nine camels, returned with these messengers to Blanchewater for stores, and reached that place on the 30th. On the second journey to Cooper's Creek, Howitt's instructions were, before bringing down the remains of Burke and Wills, to remain on the look out for the par- ties of Landsborough and Walker, one or other of which might be expected to reach the depot from the north, in , quest of the missing explorers. He was also to look out for McKinlay's party, and give it any necessary aid. During his stay, he was to receive supplies and despatches via Adelaide and Blanchewater. In pursuance of these directions, he had remained at Cooper's Creek from Fe- bruary 18th till the end of May, but not idly. The very day that he reached Wills's grave, February 27th, he set out again to examine the way toward Mount Hopeless, finally set off" for that place on the 5th of March, reached Blanchewater in eleven days, and was back at Cooper's Creek on the 2nd of April. On the 15th, he quitted the depot again, and made an examination of the country in a south-west direction, as far as the edge of Sturt's Desert, and returned to the depot on the 1st of STURT S DESERT. 363 May. No news of tlie exploring parties having yet reached him, but having seen traces of McKinlay south of Lake Hope in returning from Bhmchewater, on the 3rd of July, he once more left Cooper's Creek for a more extensive journey N.W., in fact, to cross Sturt's Desert, in the hope of finding the tracks of McKinlay, and giving him aid, if, as the natives asserted, he had been locked up by the floods. The track he followed across the desert was the one made use of by the natives of Lake Hope, Cooper's Creek, and Kyejerou, on their long journeys to procure the " pitchery" so much used by them as a narcotic, and, therefore, he concluded, the shortest known to them. He was attended by Dr. Mur- ray, Messrs. W. Phillips, H. Mc Williams, and Black Charley, tliirteen horses, and a month's rations. He proceeded on this journey along the track by which he returned from his former northern trip, forming almost a straight line to the N.W. It was now winter, and the rains had produced a wonderful change in the desert ; there was plenty of water, and plenty of grass amongst the stones. They had some trouble in a black guide of that district bolting, and having to be pursued and brought back ; but they were at Williams's Creek on the Gth, at Kyejerou Creek the next day, at Appan- parrow on the 8th, and on the southern edge of Sturt's Desert on the 9th. The first view of the desert showed it as if done in Indian ink and sepia, but when they got into it, although the stones by places were densely packed together like a pavement, in others larger, and loosely strewn on a spongey soil, and following alternate stretches of sand-ridges, grass and salt-bushes, prickly acacias, and a good deal of stunted timber, yet there were clay-pans, and channels of water, and flats covered with as rich a vegetation as the most luxuriant clover- field. " Taking all in all," Howitt observes, as Wills had done, "the travelling is by no means bad, and far better than our track across the Stokes Eange ; and thus far the celebrated desert is very httle difierent from 364 THE BLACKS GIVE THEM TROUBLE. large tracts of country in wliat is known in South Australia as the Far North and the Nor West." July 11th. They came upon a flooded creek, which they could not cross, and upon a lake amid sand-hills, about six miles in diameter, which the leader named Lake Short, after Mr. Short, one of the party ; and who had also been with the leader in Gippsland. Numbers of emus were feeding on the flats very tamely, and native companions and water-fowl were numerous. Pro- bably Tommy, the native, would have enjoyed a good fat rat as much as a wild duck, for the evening before, he had caught a dozen, pulled off" their tails, and tied them in a bunch, and then, roasting the rats in the ashes, devoured them seriatim, very much hke biting so many sausages. The two blacks this journey were a nuisance. Charley, near this lake, got lost, black-fellow as he was, and was found going in a wrong direction, and having " big one cry," because " lose 'im all about white-fel- low." Tommy was frightened at being out of his own district ; and Charley was of no use after Perodinna blacks tried to kill him for his clothes. The leader ob- serves that he must certainly be a little cracked, for one very cold night he took off" all his clothes, and sat by the fire, having a talk to himself, after which, he put a lot of stones that were round the fire into his blankets, and lay do^vn on the ground, with a charred log to warm him. Williams found him that way, and had some trouble to j)ut him to-rights. Major Mitchell says, that his blacks frequently stripped themselves naked, and lay down by the fire in that state, on very cold nights. On the 13th of July they crossed the tracks of two horses, going towards the hills, and soon after the same tracks returning. They appeared to be three months old, and they attributed them to some of McKinlay's party. The next day they crossed the tracks of a num- ber of horses, and two or three camels, going up a creek about N.E. This was in latitude 26° 14', longitude 139 22'. They w^ere now convinced that they were the tracks of McKinlay's party, and were on the qui vive to THET RECEIVE INFORMATION OF m'kINLAT. 365 follow them up. About 3 o'clock they came to a native camp, buried in tall marsli-mallows in flower, looking like a field of white hollyhocks. An old native, whose hut they found, shut the door with a bundle of grass, but Tommy held a palaver with him, and persuaded him to come out. He said McKinlay's party were camped " three sleeps" down the creek, with camels, horses and sheep, and counted the three stages on his fingers, naming the places. On this information they turned back. At evening they camped on a billibong, on a clayey plain, covered with herbage, marsh-mallows, and native spinach. There the leader, walking out again, saw the tracks, but only faintly. The next day they saw them again, but indistinct, and nearly drifted up ; and there they soon lost them again. They pursued the quest, hunting right and left, over dry plains, and amongst water-holes left by the floods, till near Lake Sturt. If the old native had been correct, they must then have been within a day's journey of the camp of McKinlay, but there was no sign of it. Howitt, who had ridden a-head of the party in this search, now returned to camp 7 1 , and the next morning struck ofi" in a N. course, which he followed to the 2Gth degree of latitude. They again communicated mth natives, but got no clue. They now followed down Wills' Creek southward, and on the 19th came on the track of a single horse, but very old, and with several single camel prints, which they thought probably were made by Burke's party. This was in the neighbourhood of some of the most pleasing scenery which they had seen in the interior. Wood and water, and luxuriant vegetation, marsh-mallows ten feet high, polygonum, and flowering plants. An old native, whom they endeavoured to get some information from, for Mr. Howitt had made him- self master of the Cooper's Creek language, ran on, shouting " Amma murda !" as loud as he could, and bolted into a box swamp, and was lost in the polygonum in a few minutes. Soon after seeing the horse-track they discovered the 366 DISCOVER SAMPSON S RANGE. fresh tracks of two bullocks, and presently found tlie animals feeding in a large plain, a mile or two from the creek. They believed them to be two of McKinlay's. They also saw the well-defined tracks of boots. After much looking about they retraced their steps up the creek N.W., still observing tracks of bullocks that had been wandering in different directions. From camp 74, latitude 25° 52', longitude 139° 19', Mr. Howitt rode northward to some sandstone hiUs, which he named Sampson's Eange, after Mr. Sampson of the contingent exploring party, and then forward again some miles, where he saw still before him stony plains, with plenty of grass, and beyond them, mid from east to west, a second stony desert. Returning to the camp, they now set off south again, as their provisions were nearly ex- hausted. On their way to Sturt's Lake some natives told them that Pinnaron (McKinlay) and the " white fellows" had thrown away their wheelbarrow (cart), and were gone mth their horses, camels, and sheep, N.E., and round to E. They could only conclude that this was the case, and that McKinlay had gone away N.E. Ice was in their water-pots now every morning. The desert, in recrossing it, appeared about seventeen miles in the stony part. The Cooper's Creek Depot was reached August 2nd, and all was found right, except that the lost camel could not be traced, though Messrs. Aitkin, Phillips, and Burrell had tracked him fourteen miles into the stones, where his traces were lost. On this journey they had seen the tracks of a number of horses going towards the desert and back, S.E., which they believed to be those belonging to a party from the Darling, seeking ground for stations. On the 16th of August Mr. Howitt again set out for Blanchewater for supplies, accompanied by Messrs. Gralbraith, O'Donnell, Burrell, and Teniel, with twenty horses. Aitkin, M' Williams, and C. Phillips, attended with the camels to carry water. Everything on the way was dry and burnt up. Blanchewater was reached on the 27th of August, but not meeting despatches there as THE SCENERY OF ANGIPENA AND PARALLANA. 3G7 expected, tlie leader and liglit party rode on to Aii^^i- pena, l^O miles. A word or two may liere be said, in passin<^, on the curious character of" this part of the country. An<^i- pena, says my son in one of his letters, is one of tlie most picturesque places that I have seen in South Aus- tralia. It is in a basin of low, round hills, rising- out of the thick pine forest, and surrounded by hig-h and very ragged slate moimtains. The pines suit the character of the mountains, and the gums in the creeks break the monotony of the pines. Grreen grass and flowers, too, are growing up to the top of the low, round hills that rise above the pines, so that it looks very cheerful. This is a police-station, and the conversation is very horsy, and when horse is not the subject; copper is, varied with " Bill So-and-so," and " Jack This and That." Angipena bears a certain resemblance to Wilpena Pound, somewhat east of Mount Deception, between Lakes Torrens and Blanche. Those who have seen the great circles on the face of the moon through a tele- scope, may form an idea of how Wilpena Pound looks from the moon. It is an enormous circle, of many miles in diameter, surrounded by high, steep, impassable rocks, and having only one entrance through the rocks, called the Main Gap. From this circumstance it is called the Pound. It contains, it is said, twenty square miles of land of the richest description, has flowing creeks, and is occupied as a joint-stock station, feeding many thou- sands of sheep. The scenery of Parallana, Jacob's Station, near Mount Hopeless, is also very striking. " This place," says Mr. Homtt, " is one of the most wild and romantic spots I have ever seen. The station is in a deep ravine, so that you do not see it until you come to the edge of a level, stony plain. Looking up the valley from the house, a hiirh mass of mountain, some two or three thousand feet high, rising in rugged ridges, and peaks ; one mass of red slate rock above another, overlook the ravine, and the high peaks are in a sort of transparent indigo-blue 368 THE BLACKS A DECEITFUL RACE. haze, and not a tree or branch to be seen. The air looks so clear that you can almost see the texture of the stone ; it seems to confuse one's ideas of distance. When first seen, as I saw it, at sunset, when the hght and shade is very striking ; it almost takes one's breath for a moment. It is, indeed, wild and savage in the highest degree. No rain, however, has fallen for a long time, so that you may imagine it a desert of stone. Our hosts here are very hospitable, but you would think it strange to see rows of fire-arms, all loaded and ready on the walls, as the blacks cannot be trusted ; only three days before our arrival there had been an encounter with them at one of the outside stations. " You may feel pity for the blacks, but they are such an idle, incorrigibly treacherous, lying race, that I am getting into a state of aversion towards them, and some- times when harrassed by constant watching for three or four days and nights amongst the wild tribes beyond our depot, I am almost tempted to wish that they would try to surprise us, that we might for once and all have it out with them, I can well understand the feeling of bitter enmity which always subsists between the outside settlers and the native tribes. In my last journey, for twelve days we never knew what it was to have a mo- ment's rest, from constant watchfulness, day and night, except when actually on horseback and travelling." On one occasion, near Lake Hope, he confesses that he was nearly driven to shooting one of these wild brethren of ours. " We are on the best terms with our black friends, and have had no serious trouble yet with them, except going up last time, with a small tribe near Lake Hope, who tried to kill my black boy. However, I hunted them very quickly, but without having to shoot any. It was very funny, although I was rather ' riled ' at the time. One fellow nearly got shot as he tried to grab my revolver, and instinctively I almost pulled the trigger, having cocked it mechanically. But I fortu- nately bethought myself in time, and contented myself with poking it into his face, and telling him to be off. GOOD QUALITIES OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIVES. 3G9 or I would slioot him. It was very absurd to see how they scampered. I then packed up, and rode through their camp, ritie in hand, to show them that we were not frightened at them. On the contrary, some of them I saw were shaking, and their teeth chattering. I tind it a great advantage to be able to speiik to them in their own language ; and, by the bye, I find now that the curious broken language, spoken -wdth and by blacks as Enghsh, is no more than a literal translation of their ovtTi languages, which are very simple in construction. Thus, instead of sapng, ' Where are you going ?' one would say, ' Which way walk ?' an exact translation of their ' Woordary tay kana ?' In the same way one would not say, ' Is the water diied up ?' but ' That one water tumble down?' that is, ' dead.' The same phrase as ' Appa nannya baUena.' " It is to me a great satisfaction that my son avoided shooting the man, and that he returned from his long and various wanderings amongst these children of the wilderness with hands clear fi-om one di-op of their blood. To the many excellent quahties of the Australian natives he, as well as almost every traveller amongst them, bears w^itness. They are, when you become acquainted with them, generally ready to serve you; but, in common ^vith all wild tribes, they are tempted beyond their strength by the sight of the white-men's superior food, his implements, his sheep and cattle. The white -men have destroyed wholesale their sheep and cattle, the kan- garoo, the emu, the wild turkey, and the opossum, to say nothing of usurping their countiy ; and it would be more than human nature, especially untutored human natm'e, to behold all this wdth stoical equanimity. In- capable, as they appear, of adopting om- civihzation, it is their resentment of our encroachments and their reprisals on the white-men's flocks and herds that will, no doubt, pm'sue them to extinction. The natives, how- ever, in all cases, have been first estranged by firing on them. Mr. Wentworth, in his "Kew South Wales," p. 116, says that the natives of Van Diemen's Land were VOL. II. 24 370 EVIDENT FATE OF THE ABORIGINES. irreconcilably embittered by an officer firing on them witb grape shot, who thought they were advancing hos- tilely towards him, when they were only advancing in noisy joy. This was exactly the case with the natives of Cooper's Creek, fired on by McKinlay after they had been concihated by Howitt. In 1863, a seaman, named James Morrill, who was wrecked in 1846 on a voyage from Sydney to China, in the barque Peruvian, on the north-eastern coast of Australia, on Cape Cleveland, with several other persons, whom he survived, and who had continued to hve amongst the blacks these seventeen years, made himself known to some stockmen in the north of Queensland. He contends that the blacks are a well-disposed people, but that the whites encroach without ceremony on their lands ; feuds arise, and the stockmen, as, in consequence of the late discoveries, they advance north and west- wards, regard them as universally hostile, shoot at them the moment they see them, and the blacks in return commit depredations on their cattle and sheep. The Melbourne Argus of March, 1863, stated that he was gone down to Brisbane to endeavour to have a better understanding effected between the blacks and whites ; that the blacks prayed that at least the swamps and salt- water creeks might be left to them undisturbed, and they would give the upper rivers to the whites ; that it was his intention to settle himself in those districts where the whites were now coming into contact with the blacks, and endeavour to secure these objects, namely, some rem- nants of land to the natives and security to the whites. The object is worthy of one who has received so much kindness from the natives, and every one must wish him all success. But the inevitable toils of extermination are gathering roimd the hunter race of Australia as of America, and, if any traces of it sm-vive the rapid march of the tide of white life, it will be only in desei-t dis- tricts which have no attractions even for the all-grasping European. Blessed, however, be they, who, instead of accelerating the extinction of the doomed race, look HOWITT BURIES SUPPLIES OP FOOD AND CLOTHING. 371 kindly on it, and spare the uplifted hand of retaliation as often as possible. Let it be remembered that, as it perishes, it bequeaths to us a magnifieent home and empii-e. And now let us return from this digression, not witli- out an object, lleceiviug news of the safety of the parties of McKinlay, Walker, and Landsborough, Howitt, on his return from this journey, made picpara- tious to quit Cooper's Creek, and carry down the remains of Burke and Wills to Adelaide, and to proceed thence by sea to Melbourne. By taking the track to IMount Hopeless tmce already, he had ascertained that the out- lying South Austraha stations were within seven days of Cooper's Creek. He had also ascertained that the route by Strzelecki's Creek was much worse from want of water and grass there than the one by Lake Hope. Ah'eady stations in the neighbourhood of Lake Hope were being taken up by Mr. Stuckey and Messrs. Heane and Hack, and it appears that Mr. Howitt had been on the lake with Mr. Deane, and was of the opinion of Mr. Elder and Mr. Stuckey, that Stuckey's Creek connects Cooper's Creek with Lake Hope. Before leaving Cooper's Creek wdth the remains of Burke and Wills, he had, according to his instructions, made a deposit of stores and clothing in case any party of explorers should yet come that way. He had deposited ninety pounds of flour, a quantity of sugar, tea, and other small stores in proportion. The quantity of cloth- ing which he had left was sufficient for twelve men, so that any party arriving at the depot could be fully equipped. The stores were sufficient to support a party of twelve men till they could reach the settlements, allowing a fortnight at the depot for the purpose of re- cruiting their strength. He left a notice-board over the cache, containing the discovery of the plant and also all the information which he possessed vrith reference to the tracks and watercourses between Cooper's Creek and the settlements, and marked the surrounding trees to a considerable distance from the depot. oj o 372 ENCAMP AT A NATIVE WELL. This being done early in October, he set forward with his party from this eventful place, bearing with them the remains of the brave men who had perished there. It was a subject of great regret to the leader that he was not authorized by his instructions to proceed to Gray's grave, and bring down his remains also. They took the way by Lake Hope, and he addressed a despatch to the Exploration Committee of Victoria from Blanchewater on the 22nd of that month. In this he states that, before leaving Cooper's Creek, he had collected the natives of that part of it, and given them clothes and other presents, and also the brass plate, stating their kindness to King, prepared for that purjDOse by the Com- mittee. He also stated that these natives, far from molesting them during their sojourn at the creek, had carefully kept away from the country over v/hich their horses and camels grazed ; and even when compelled of late to resort to their waters for fish, the other holes below being exhausted, they never commenced fishing until one of their number had been down to the camp of the strangers to request leave. Before quitting the depot, the natives came to say good-bye, and to enquire whether they might have the camp and the ground again on which it stood, as well as whether they might fish in the creek again ; and, of course, the leader gave them permission to " sit down there again." About half-way between Coof)er's Creek and Lake Hope, about forty miles from the lowest waters of Cooper's Creek, and fifty from Lake Hope, they camped at a native well, called Murdacoloa, ten feet deep, which supplied them with 600 gallons of excellent water on the evening they arrived there, and stood at a level of three feet an hour afterwards. At a second water-hole, the blacks came to entreat the leader to go and shoot their neighbours at Coonaboora, promising to bury them ! The creeks were running with water between Lake Hope and Lake Torrens, and this latter lake was full of water. One of their camels had strayed, and was not heard of. THEY ARRIVE AT ADELAIDE. 373 On reaching Blanchewater, they went twenty miles to a spring in the mountains to give the horses a spell, and took advantage of the opportunity to make a short trip with gentlemen from the neigliljouriug stations, to- wards the Grey lianges of Sturt, thinking it possible to find a short cut to the Darling which would have been of great advantage to the Far North. They left the camp in latitude 27°, Mullagan in latitude 30°, and crossed the lake countiy freshened u]) by the rains, but very miserable to the edge of the lake — a flat basin sur- rounded by sand-hills and stony country, and with a loose bed of salt soil containing gypsum. They found a number of spnngs of brackish water indicated by reeds, the only vegetation for miles, the country being exactly like j)owdered gingerbread. They pushed on eastward for Sturt's Depot at Preservation Creek, and when about thirty miles from it, and ten miles within the Grrey Range, found the country so frightfully dry, that having been for some time without water, they were compelled to return, the leader pronouncing this track one of the most arid ones that he had seen. The hollows in the dry channels of the creeks were piled with dead sticks and leaves, showing what a long period had elapsed since these creeks ran. Instead of the popular phrase, " as dry as a bone," they thought a more expressive one would be "as dry as the Grey Eange." As the train bearing the remains of the great explorers approached the city of Adelaide, Mr. Homtt and Dr. Murray hastened on before to prepare for their fitting reception in that city. They arrived on the 8th of December, and found the mayor and a company of the most distinguished men of the place doing honour to Mr. McKinlay on his safe return from his most success- ful expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria, and across the continent to Queensland. Three hundred guests were assembled at a banquet, amongst them two of Mr, McKinlay's companions, Mr. Poole, and the humor- ous Mr. DaviS; whose journal of the expedition has 374 HONOURS TO THE DECEASED AT ALELAIDE. been published by Mr. Westgartb. In tbe midst of the feast Mr. Howitt and Dr. Murray walked in, and were received with loud cheers, and were conducted to the top of the room amid reiterated acclamations. They shook hands with the Chairman and Messrs. McKinlay and Davis, and then took their seats, all remaining standing until they had done so. It was a most interesting event, that men who had traversed such lengths of blazing wilderness, for the same object, should meet under such circumstances. The mayor in introducing Mr. Howitt and Dr. Murray, said, that after finding the remains of Burke and Wills, these gentlemen had been anxiously seeking Mr. McKinlay and party, who were then, he believed, 1200 miles away from them. Here they first met, and he might congratulate Messrs. Howitt and Murray on finding their old friends in such comfortable quarters. In reply, Mr. Howitt spoke in the warmest terms of the manner in which Mr. McKinlay had ac- . complished his arduous task of travel, and said, that if he were inclined to envy any explorer, it was he, for the splendid manner in which he had crossed the conti- nent. On the 11th, part of Mr. Howitt's party arrived at the railway station of Adelaide with the remains. No ceremony had been arranged, but crowding thousands, in a purely spontaneous movement, thronged the streets to see them conveyed thence to the barracks, which was appointed as their resting place till their removal to the steamer which should convey them to Melbourne. For a time aU business was suspended, and the streets were silent, making most audible the slow tread of the crowd who followed the hearse, and the solemn sounds of the mihtary band playing the " Dead March in Saul." Similar honours were paid to the deceased martyrs of exploration during the time that the remains lay in Adelaide, and they were accompanied by the mayor and many of the ministers of state and distinguished in- habitants to the steamer, on which they were embarked for Melbourne. On Sunday morning, the 28th of De- ARRIVAL OF THE REMAINS AT MELBOURNE. 375 cember, 1862, the remains of these great explorers anived in Melbourne. The steamer Havilah which had brought them from Adelaide was sighted off Cape Otway at 1 "30 P.M. on Saturday ; and the Exploration Committee having been communicated with by telegram, everything was got in readiness to receive Mr. Howitt and his l)arty, and from their hands the remains. The folIowinritaiu. It is wortliy of remark that all these officers bore testimony to the correctness of Captain Cook's early surveys, and were surprised that the great navigator could have obtained sucli accuracy with means so imperfect. Every part of the North Island had now been visited by Europeans ; but much of the interior of the Middle Island was yet unknown. Mr. Thomas Brunner re- ceived the Geographical Society's gold medal for a journey across it in 184G, (see Geographical Society's Transactions). Dr. Monro drove the first flock of sheep from Nelson to the Wairau ; Captain Mitchell and Mr. Dash wood discovered a tract from Nelson to Canterbury ; cattle were driven from Otago to Canterbury in 1S53 ; and, in 1858, Mr. G. J. T. Thomson gave the first sketch of the province of Otago. Settlers had already ascended some of the highest mountains. Dr. Dieffen- bach stood on the summit of Mount Egmont, Messrs. Bidwell and Dyson looked down the crater of Ton- gariro, and Lieutenant-Governor Eyre ascended the Ivai Kora mountains in the Middle Island from the Wairau Valley, but returned without reaching the highest pinna- cle, in consequence of a panic seizing most of his party on one of them, a native, falling over an immense preci- pice. — Vol. ii. p. 199, of Thomson's Story of New Zealand. DISCOVERY IN THE NORTH ISLAND. In speaking of the discovery of NeAV Zealand in general, I have spoken of the discoveries on the coasts of the North Island. The interior, though bearing no proportion to that of Australia, is much more extended in breadth than that of the Middle Island, and this circumstance, as well as that of the much greater number of the native population, jealous of their lands and of their rights, have made the exploration of broad parts of the island more difficult. The mission- aries, and the class of Europeans called by the natives 400 INFLUENCE OF THE MISSIONARIES. Pakeha-Maories, or Stranger-Maories, from their adopting the habits of the Maories, and marrying into their famihes, were the earhest explorers of the interior of the North Island. The Pakeha-Maories became the mediums of trade with the Europeans on the coasts, and found it a profitable business, till the Maories became familiar with them, and discovered that it was their in- terest to trade directly with the English and other na- tions who frequented their shores, and were making settlements on them. The Missionaries, Church of England, Methodists, and Catholics gradually established their influence with the natives, and by degrees penetrated with their schools and chapels into the most central regions of the island. Mr. Charles Darwin, the naturalist, who visited New Zealand in 1835 in his voyage with Captain Fitzroy in the Beagle, was one of the first to present us with some vivid glimpses of the Maories and the missionary settlements at that period in the Northern Island. He says : — " I should think a more warlike race of inhabitants could not be found in any part of the world than the New Zealanders. Their conduct on first seeing a ship, as described by Captain Cook, strongly demon- strates this ; the act of throwing volleys of stones at so great and novel an object, and their defiance of, 'Come on shore, and we will kill and eat you all,' shows un- common boldness. This warlike spirit is evident in many of their customs, and even in their smallest actions. If a New Zealander is struck, although but in joke, the blow must be returned. " At the present day, from the progress of civilization, there is much less warfare, except among some of the southern tribes. I heard a characteristic anecdote of what took place some time ago in the south. A mis- sionary found a chief and his tribe in preparation for war ; their muskets clean and bright, and their ammuni- tion ready. He reasoned long on the inutility of the war, and the little provocation which had been given for it. The chief was much shaken in his resolution, and EFFECTS OF CIVILIZATION IN NEW ZEALAND. 401 seemed in doubt ; but, at length, it occurred to him thiit a barrel of gunpowder was in a bad state, and that it would not keep much longer. This settled the matter." —P. 419. Mr. Darwin gives a striking illustration of tlie magical change produced in New Zealand by the intro- duction of European civilization : — "At h^ngtli we reached Waimate. After having passed over so many miles of uninhabited useless country, the sudden appear- ance of an English farm-house and its well-dressed fields, placed there as by an enchanter's wand, was exceedingly pleasant.* * * * At Waimate there are three larger houses where the missionary gentlemen, Messrs. Wil- liams, Davies, and Clarke, reside ; and near them are the huts of the native labourers. On an adjoining slope fine crops of barley and wheat were standing in full ear, and, in another part, fields of potatoes and clover. But I cannot attempt to describe all I saw ; there were large gardens, with every fruit and vegetable which England produces, and many belonging to warmer climates. I may instance asparagus, kidney-beans, cucu.mbers, rhu- barb, apples, pears, figs, peaches, apricots, grapes, olives, gooseberries, currants, hops, gorse for fences, and English oaks ; also many kinds of flowers. Around the farm- yard there were stables, a thrashing barn, with its Avin- nowing machine, a blacksmith's forge, and, on the ground, ploughshares and other tools ; in the middle w^as that happy mixture of pigs and poultry, l3nng comfortably together, as in every Enghsh farm-yard. At the distance of a few hundred yards, where the water of a little rill had been dammed up into a pool, there was a large and substantial water-mill. " This is very surprising when it is considered that five years ago nothing but the fern flourished here. Moreover, native workmanship, taught by the mission- aries, has effected this change — the lesson of the mis- sionary is the enchanter's wand. The house had been built, the windows framed, the fields ploughed, and even the trees grafted by the New Zealander. At the mill a VOL. II. 26 402 DIEFFENBACH S EXPLORATIONS. New Zealander was seen powdered wliite with flour, like liis brother millers in England." — P. 425. When Dr. Dieffenbach, in 1840 and 1841, visited, in company with Captain Symonds, the most interior regions of Auckland, along the rivers Waikato, Waipa, and the Thames, and amongst the volcanic hiUs and geysers of the central districts, he found the missionaries almost everywhere settled amongst the natives, and teaching them both from school and pulpit ; yet Dieffen- bach tells us that he " was the first to visit or describe Mount Egmont, many places in the northern parts of the island, and some of the picturesque and interesting lakes and thermal springs in the interior," and he was of opinion " that a further knowledge would be owing rather to the gradual spread of colonization than to a previous examination of the country." Dieffenbach's explorations were in the character of naturalist to the New Zealand Company. He arrived in the ship Toiy from England in Queen Charlotte's Sound in August, 1839. After remaining some time in Ship Cove, he visited many places on the coasts, beginning first with excursions to the island of Motuara, Cannibals' Cove, named Tory Channel after the ship, and paid visits to Te-awa-iti, the settlement of the whalers in Cook's Strait, where they found the whalers all living with native wives, to the islands of Moioio and Arapaoa, Cloudy Bay, Port Underwood, and then crossed over to Port Nicholson in the Northern Island. Here, at this time, the New Zealand Company pur- chased Port Nicholson, and commenced the foundation of the town of Wellington. From Port Nicholson, Dr. Dieffenbach made an excursion into the mountains to the north-east, called the Tararua Eange. At that time there was no road connecting the town with the valley of the Hutt, or across the neck of land to the Pararua E-iver opposite the island of Mana. Dieffenbach was desirous to cross the snowy mountains northward of Port Nicholson, and to enter the valley of the Mana- watu, but as there were no roads through the thick scrub CLEARING GROUND FOR TOWN ()[-' WK1,IJN(;T0\. ■[{):] and dense forests, he was not able to av-coiiiplish it. The surveyors were just beginning to cut lines up the right bank of the Eritonga River. Tlu^ settlers were just clearing the ground lor the coininencenient of the to\vn of Wellington. On the fourth day of their journey they came upon a party under Mr. Deans, who were cutting a track through the hills to the west. J\Lr. Deans and two men, making Dietfenbach's party eight, soon after joined them. It w^as in August, and the weather was very rainy, with occasional hail and snow. At about fifty miles from the sea, they came upon another stream running into the Eritonga, and saw ninuerous footprints of wild pigs, dogs, and cats. After ascending the Tararua Hills amid deep snow, and beholding a very wild prospect as far as Ka])iti Island in Cook's Strait, and over regions all around exceedingly mountainous, and covered on the lower land with continuous woods, they returned to Port Nicholson, after an absence of sixteen days, without seeing a single native ; but they convinced themselves that roads to Hawke's Bay north- eastward, and to the Manawatu north-westward, were quite practicable. At that time the natives in J^ort Nicholson district were estimated at 1 500, but divided into several tribes, and living in the different coves of the harboui'. After again visiting different parts of the strait, they examined the Wanganui, Waimate, and other rivers, on the north of the strait to Cape Egmont. Whilst the company's agent was engaged in the pm'chase of the land from the natives, Diett'enbach set off' \\dtli a small party to endeavour to ascend Mount Egmont, never yet ascended by any European. About Sugarloaf Point, where they landed fi-om their boat, they found plenty of natives ; the Taranaki tribe, however, were very mucli harassed by the powerful Waikatos, and glad to sell lands to the English to obtain their support against their too potent enemies. The natives strove earnestly to dissuade Dieftenbach from ascending Mount Egmont, telling him that it was 20— ;2 404 DIEFFENBACH ASCENDS MOUNT EGMONT. *' tapu," or sacred, and tliat there were crocodiles and moas in its glens, and that he would assuredly be eaten. Spite of this, he persuaded an old priest and American man of colour to accompany him, and, on the 3rd of December, they started. On the way they came to concealed potato plantations, which the natives fled to in the woods, when their Waikato enemies came down. The cabbage-palm in the woods were the tallest Dieffen- bach had ever seen. The heavy rains and the shortness of provisions, however, defeated their attempt, and they returned to the shore after an absence of fifteen days, but delighted with the beauty and fertihty of the country as far as they could see it. Having laid in a better store of provisions, and adding to their party a chief, E. Kake, and Mr. Heberley, a European, they again set out to ascend the mountain. This time they succeeded, but the natives would not go higher than the limits of perpetual snow, about 7204, the mountain itself being 8839 feet. The natives took out their books and began to pray, overpowered by the silent awe of the mountain heights, and their dread of the mysterious animals that they beheve to exist there. Dieffenbach and Heberley found the mountain an old volcano, with its crater filled with snow, and a high piled cone of cinders and scoriaceous lava. The travellers descended, predicting that the picturesque valley of the Waiwakaio, Mount Egmont, and the smiling land at its base, would become as celebrated for their beauty as Vesuvius, and the Bay of Naples, and attract travellers from all parts of the globe. From Taranaki Dr. Diefienbach made an excursion to Mokau, but this was merely along the coast. He next made a voyage to the Chatham Islands, which lie to the S.E. of New Zealand, and found the surface of the largest island to contain 305,280 acres, of which 57,000 were occupied by lakes, and 100,000 were considered good for cultivation, the remainder for pasturage. Water and water-fowl in abundance, as well as fish, and materials for building not less so. EXPLORATION IN BAY OP ISLANDS. 405 In October, 1840, Dr. Dieffenbacli landed in tlie Jky of Islands, and proceeded with Captain Jk-rnard, an adventurous Frenchman, to explore the northern long peninsular of the island. Commencing at Cape Maria Van Diemen, he traced the coast south-westward. He found on the peninsular missionary and squatting stiitions. A Mr. Southie was hving on the Awaroa river, and employing 300 natives in clearing the land. Tliere were natives busy fishing, and cultivating potatoes, kumeras, melons, pumpkins, and turnips, in neat enclosures. In the valley of the Awaroa, Dieflenbach calculated that there were 120,000 acres of arable land. A bridle road for fifty miles from Kaitaia had been cut through the forests by the natives, at the price of a blanket per mile. Dieflenbach and Captain Bernard extended their explorations into Lauriston Bay, the district round the harbour of Wangaroa, and the Pu-te- kaka river, amongst the forests of the mighty Kauri pines. They complained of the reckless destruction of the Kauri forests by the fire of the settlers, and the log- cutters, then going on ; and of the equally wholesale destruction of the curious bird, the kiwi or apterix, which abound in those forests, by dogs and cats, and by the natives to make mats of their skins. Crossing the peninsular, they visited the harbour of Wangaroa, celebrated for the massacre of the crew of the Boyd in 1809. Amongst the volcanic rocks and hills of this neighbourhood they found 2000 natives who had become christians, some protestants, some catholics, having missions of both creeds. Eeturning to the west coast they traced it down to Wangape and Hokianga, around which latter place were 200 Europeans, traders, and sawyers, and all the natives converted to Catholicism or methodism. They visited in the interior the lake of Maupere,and the extinct volcanos, and the hot sulphurous springs about the Waimate, in the direction of the Bay of Islands. In the same manner crossing to and fro, they examined the Keri-Keri river, the Bay of Tauranga, the Bay of Islands, the Kaipara Harbour, and the 406 MEET WITH LADY FRANKLIN. Wairoa river witli its tributaries. Up these rivers they found Englishmen located as farmers and timber dealers, who claimed most of the land, some of the timber ships ascending the Wairoa to a distance of eighty-five miles from the sea. Thence they continued their examinations of the country to the Grulf of Hauraki, Coromandel Harbour, the Waiho or Thames, to Waitimata Harbour, and Auckland. At Kati-Kati they found the southern boundary of the Kauri forests on the east coast. On the different rivers they still found missions, most of which had possessed themselves of large tracts of country. The church mission catechist, Fairbairn, on the right bank of the Tamaki river claiming the country from thence to the Wairoa, ninety square miles. From Waitemata, accompanied by Lieutenant Best, Dr. Dieffenbach proceeded to the Manukau, and thence, also accompanied by Captain William Cornwallis Symonds, directly southward into the interior as far as the great central lake Taupo. This was by far the most important exploration on the part of Dieffenbach and his English companions, of whom it is rather remarkable he says so little. We know that they went with him, and that is nearly all. The country from Waitemata to Manukau they found extremely interesting, as consisting of com- paratively level land, with pleasant valleys, but with a number of extinct volcanos rising here and there out of the plains ; the conical hills reaching 400 or 500 feet with still deep and well defined craters. The shores of the Manukau they represented as the last place on the western coast southward where the Kauri was found at all in any quantity. Lieutenant Best accompanied some natives to the Awaroa, and thence proceeded to the Waikato, but Dr. Dieffenbach followed the coast southwards, accompanied by Captain Symonds. They found the mouth of the Waikato narrow and shallow, but the river within the heads capable of carrying large vessels for 100 miles. Near the embouchere of the river at the Church Mission- ary Station, Maraenui, they met with Lady Franklin, THE PARTY GO INTO TJIE l.XTKRIOIl. 407 Sir John Franklin at tliis time bein<>- onfTfaii'cd. in an extensive examination of New Zealand. The party continued alono' the shore of Waini^-aroa harliour, which they found overlooked by limestone dill's of seventy or eighty feet in height. At Waingaroa they found a tribe of 1200 natives, and a AVesleyan Mission. 1'lience they continued their coast journey to Aotea and Kawia, an extensive harbour, into which fall the Awaroa and Kauri rivers. On the northern shore of this har])()ui' was formerly the head-quarters of the famous Itauparalia, who was driven from it by the Waikato, and settled at Entry Island. There were about 1500 of the Waikato living here, and they had all become Christians. From the size and capacity of this harbour, the depth of water, the rivers flo^\ang into it, and the quality of the land, it appeared likely to become one of the most important ports of the western coast. There were already about forty Europeans settled on its northern shore, and the greatest part of the land in the \dcinity of Kawia was claimed by them. From this point they struck off into the interior, having engaged a numerous band of natives to caiTy their luggage, the payment for which service was a shirt or a gown to each. They crossed in a canoe to the small river Operau, and then ascended gentle hills towards the Waipa river. These hills were all of volcanic origin, covered with fern, and in many places with forests. In one place they saw a very ancient rata-tree, its stem fifty- four feet round, and having been hollowed out by fire, served for a convenient shelter to the natives. It was strictly " tapu," that is, no one was allowed to cut down or injure any portion of it. On reaching the summit of the hills overlooking the valley of the Waipa, they had a vast prospect. Seawards they saw Kawia and Aotea, to the N.E. Maunga-Tautari, a volcanic ridge in the interior ; before them the broad valley of the Waipa, bounded to the east by distant hills, and to the south-west the hilly chain of Rangitoto, near Mokau. Only some small spots of the valley of the AVaipa were wooded, and the 408 MOST OF THE NATIVES CHRISTIANS. burnt and blackened stems of old trees were the only signs of the intrusion of man into the dominions of nature. Natives and missionaries welcomed them to the Yalley of the Waipa, which was extensive, flat, and very fertile. At the Church Missionary station of Otawao, they found fine tobacco growing : most of the natives were Chris- tians. Here they saw the old cliief, Puata, the father of tha famous Te Whero-Whero, the head of the Waikato tribe. The Waipa there was fifty yards wide, and two fathoms deep. They directed their course eastward for the Yalley of the Waikato, which joins the Waipa about a hundred miles below Otawao, passing the ranges of Maunga-Tautari, whence also flowed the rivers Piako and Waiho, or the Thames. The forests were chiefly of the Kahikatea pine. Here and there, in the level of the valley rose conical volcanic hills. As they approached the Waikato river, the woods changed to matai and totara pine ; the one red and beautiful for furniture, the other most valuable for ship-building. They found the Waikato lying between steep banks, like an Aus- tralian river, about fifty yards broad, but showing that in floods it was frequently 150 yards wide. They saw in the far distance Horo-Horo, the mountain in which the Thames takes its rise. The Valley of the Waikato was very difierent to that of the Waipa. It was broken up into hillocks of cemented tufa and pumice- stone, the hillocks not descending in regular slopes, but in steps or terraces, evidently formed by the fall of waters. The country was altogether volcanic, barren and stony. Numerous streams ran on all sides ; the hills became even more rugged and broken, and the grand forest of totara, rimu, and matai pines, gave a solemn grandeur to the scene. They were now approach- ing the most extraordinary region of New Zealand, the land of volcanoes, boiling springs, steam and sulphur jets, and mud cauldrons, red as vermillion, and boiling and bubbling heavily. Still they found themselves amongst natives who were partly converted to Christianity. Three miles from a pah of these natives at Ahirara, DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 409 tliey saw the masses of white va])oiir rising in jets IVoni the hot springs. The scenes which now opened upon them were of the most extraordinary kind. The whole country appeared to be based upon a hre stratum, which was sending up through crevices and through gaping funnel-shaped chasms, boiling waters, spurting steams, and fumes of sulphur. The water which boiled up was not easily approached, and was of a milky, clayey appearance, apparently very much the colour of a glacial river. The water was above the boiling point, and in constant agitation. It had the appearance of a country existing over fire-regions, where a volcano might burst forth at any moment. The party \asited similar regions on the opposite side of the hills. They found numbers of these boiling springs sending up their columns of steam in a rugged ravine, under deep and precij^itous cliffs. The water in these was nearly clear, with a pleasant aci- dulous taste, smelling slightly of hydro-sulphurous gas, and throwing out incrustations of alum and sulphur. One of the boiling mud-ponds lay at the base of a steep cliff, sixty feet high, white, oxidized, corroded, and undermined. The mud was continually boiling, with a white foam, throwing out jets of fluid ten feet high, with violence and noise. The pond was very deep. Many of these ponds threw up mud and sand, which hardened into truncated cones of about ten feet high, and stood up as many as eight in one pond. The whole scene was most impressive. It was a Tartarus above ground. On reaching the great central lake, Taupo, they were struck with admiration at its extent, and at the scenery around it. Across it rose to the south-east, the still active volcano, Tongariro, and the mountains, Titirau- pena, and Wakakahu. They found the rocks of which these hills consist, a leucitic lava of great fineness. On looking back at the Valley of the Waipa, which they had crossed, they gave the decided preference to it over that of the Waikato. " This valley," says Dieftenbach, " is bounded to the westward by a range of coast hills, to the eastward by the range of Maunga-Tautari. It 410 LAKE TAUPO. has an average breadth of thirty miles, is even and flat in its lowest part, especially up to the point at which the river Waipa joins the Waikato. Higher np, the coun- try is broken and undulating, covered with a vegeta- tion of fern and coarse grass, alternating with groves of the Kahikatea pine. The lower part rivals in fertility the best districts of the island." He says it is not only very sheltered, but has the advantage of the river being navigable for sixty niiles above its junction with the Waikato, while the Waikato in the middle of its course is impeded by rapids. The Valley of the Waipa has also easy communication with the harbour of Waingaroa, and has an almost uninterrupted water communication with Waitemata, or Auckland. They found a great demand for European commodities amongst the natives. After crossing the lake, to ascend Tongariro, they found the chief Te-Heu-Heu was absent, and had laid a solemn " tapu" on the mysterious mountain. Lake Taupo, which is thirty-six miles long and twenty- five broad, but very irregular in shape, is surrounded by a volcanic country all alive with boiling springs, solfa- taras, and stufas ; and at its eastern end was an island, called Puhia-i-wakari, or White Island, stiU active as a volcano. On the western side, where the scenery was magnificent, they saw vapours bursting from hun- dreds of crevices, and heard a constant subterranean noise, like the working of a steam engine, or the blast of an iron-foundr3^ The natives cooked their food by laying it on fern over these crevices. Tongariro had been tapued by Te-Heu-Heu, because Mr. Bidwell, an Englishman, had ascended it without leave ; Dr. Diefienbach could, therefore, only give us Mr. Bidwell's account of his ascent. It was on March 2nd, 1839, that he made his ascent. The natives whom he took with him would only ascend to a certain height, where they said they used to sit down and cover their heads, because it was " tapu" to look at the dreaded peak of the mountain, which they believed to be inha- bited by powerful spirits. Two natives only would pass that spot, and they stopped short within a mile of the PASS THROUGH A VOLCANIC COUNTRY. 411 base of the cone. As Mr, Bidwell ascended, lie heard a noise, and saw an eruption of bUick smoke. He Ibund the cone composed of loose cinders, not to be climbed without intense labour. It was much hiirher than vol- came cones m general, and the crater was the most terrific abyss he ever looked into, or imagined. The rocks over- hung it on all sides, it was continually discharging steam, and it appeared at least a quarter of a mile in dia- meter, and very deep. The stones he threw into it did not strike anything for seven or eight minutes, and many were heard no more. The mountains around stood up quite perpendicular, and most magnificent. They were aU covered with snow. He had a vast prospect of lakes, rivers, and country clothed with wood. The natives said he ought to have seen Taranaki and the island of Kapiti, in Cook's Straits. Tongariro he calculated to be 6,200 feet above the level of the sea. It did not appear, from the accounts of the natives, that there had been any violent eruption for many years ; but Tongariro must be regarded as the centre of the modem volcanic action of the northern island. Dieffenbach calculated the natives around lake Taupo at 3.200, including those about the Eotu-Aire and other hills and lakes of that region. He regarded them as the best specimen of the race he had met with in New Zea- land, hospitable to strangers, industrious, cleanly, and disposed to Christianity. From the Taapo the party continued their route down the banks of the Waikato, through a similar country of lakes, hills, hot springs, and sulphur springs, to the Eotu-Mahana, or Warm Lake. A lake of a blue colour, surrounded by verdant hills ; in the lake several islets, in all of which steam issued from a hundred openings be- tween the green foliage of the bushes, without impairing their verdure, and on the opposite side a flight of broad steps, of the colour of marble, of a rosy tint, and a cascade of boiling water faUing over them into the lake. The steeps were firm, like porcelain, and had a tinge of carmine. They continued their journey to Tauranga by a number 412 CAPTAIN SYMONDS AS AN EXPLORER. of other lakes, of wliicli there are fifteen, extending at in- tervals from the Taranaki to the eastern coast. From Taui'ang-a they travelled to the valley of the Thames, everywhere finding missionaries, and natives who had sold their land to Europeans, and were vainly trying to get some of it back again. From the valley of the Waiho, or Thames, they sailed up the gulf of Hauraki to Auckland. In this journey Dr. Diefienbach made a valuable addition to the geology and natural history of New Zealand, the particulars of which will be found in his work. Amongst the most active explorers of the Northern Island must be reckoned Captain William Cornwallis Symonds, one of Diefienbach 's companions in this jour- ney. Captain Symonds was the son of Sir William Symonds, surveyor of the navy. He was himself de- puty-surveyor of New Zealand, and besides this joui-ney with Diefienbach, made various explorations, especially to the sources of the Wanganui and Manematu rivers which fall into Cook's Straits. He had prepared a chart, and details of his observations, and had collected a voca- bulary of 3000 native words, when he was cut short by the fate so common in New Zealand. He was upset in crossing the bay of Manukau, on a duty of friendly be- nevolence, and drowned in November of 1841. At the close of December, 1858, the Novara, an Aus- trian frigate, out on a voyage of inquiry into the geology and natural history of various countries, especially of the southern hemisphere, entered the harbour of Auck- land. On board of this frigate was Dr. Hochstetter, as the geologist of the expedition. At the Cape of Good Hope Sir Greorge Grrey, then governor there, had recom- mended Dr. Hochstetter to devote some time to a geolo- gical survey of the north island of New Zealand. On arriving he was readily engaged for this purpose by the Colonial Government. And the result of his visits to various parts of the coast, and into the interior, has re- sulted in two splendid works, one essentially geologic, the other uniting his scientific with his general observa- DR. HOCHSTETTER's OPINION OF NEW ZEALAND. 413 tions, entitled simply, " Neu Seeland, von Dr. Ferdiuiuid von Hochstetter," in quarto, Stuttf^art, 1803. The great object of Hochstetter's inquiries was tliesame volcanic district of the interior which Dielibnljach tra- versed, his aim being a more close and scientific survey of its geologic structure. Hochstetter informs us that Sir Greorge G-rey himself had traversed much of the in- terior of the North Island since Dieffenbach, and that the Eev. A. G. Purchas and Charles Heaphy had visited some particular districts of the North Island, and that James Dana, geologist of the American Exploring Ex- pedition of 1849, had visited the Bay of Islands, and had scientifically examined the surrounding country. After some preparatory visits to places on the coasts, and a voyage across the straits to Nelson, Dr. Hoch- stetter prepared to set out for the interior. He was fiu-nished with a strong party and plenty of provisions, and was accompanied by Julius Haast, a fellow Grerman, and also a geologist, who had arrived at the same time on a professional tour in Auckland, and who has since become the government geologist of Canterburv. Cap- tain Drummond Hay, an officer well acquainted both with the Maories and their language, was appointed manager of the expedition and interpreter. Mr. Bruno Hamel attended as photographer, and another German, Herr Koch. Rich as was this journey in geologic and naturalistic acquisitions, it is unnecessary for us to follow the details of it, for it was chiefly over the ground traversed by Dieffenbach. Dr. Hochstetter describes the country and their reception by natives and missionaries, in terms of the highest enthusiasm. There is no new land that in his opinion can compare with New Zealand. It is a paradise of climate and scenery, and in the peculiarity of its natural jDroductions. He luxuriates in its forests, its mountains, its wonderful volcanic regions, its friendly people, both native and European. " Indelible," he says, " remain in my memory those scenes, when after the labour and fatigue of the day, we encamped on 414 ADVANTAGES OF DR. HOCHSTETTEr's JOURNEY. the edge of the forest, near a rushing mountain stream. When the fire blazed up, and the natives sang their songs ; and then all became silent till with the awaken- ing day, the birds of the wood, the kokorimolo and the tui commenced their morning strains. I look back on such scenes, on our sailing on the rivers in the canoes of the natives, on our sojourn in their pahs, and on our wanderings through the dark old forests in the shade of trees which are unknown to every other land, with a joy which makes me truly feel how high the pleasures of nature stand above the pleasures of artificial life." There are a few points which we may however notice. In the upper Waipa valley they explored one of the cele- brated caves in the lime-stone hills, called the Moa Cave, the Spirit Cave, and the Dark Cave. The Moa Cave had been successfully examined in 1852, by Dr. A. Thomson, major Hume, and CajDtain Cooper, for the remains of moas. The Dark, examined by Hochstetter, he describes in one place as having a vault seventy feet high, and magnificent with stalactile formations. Scarcely a cave in these hills but formerly abounded in remains of the moa. They found the Tongariro volcano as strictly " tapu" as ever, but Mr. Dyson, in 1851, had ventured to ascend it unknown to the natives, and found it in much the same state as Mr. Bidwell in 1839. Dyson's account has been published in the Auckland " New Zealander." At Pukawa, on the Taupo Lake, they had an interview with the great chief Te-Heu- Heu, and at Tokanu saw some remarkable native car- vings. Like Dieffenbach, Dr. Hochstetter and his party proceeded by the valley of the Thames and the Grulf of Hauraki to Auckland. Besides the immediate results of this journey which greatly extended the knowledge of the geology of New Zealand, Dr. Hochstetter's work contained a great amount of information on the botany and zoology of the islands, on the discoveries of coal and gold, on the character, manners, poetry and romance of the Maories. The ground over which he went has been the great scene GOLD DISCOVERIES. 415 of tlie struggle in tlie late war, and lie lias given a lucid narrative of its origin and progress. J^r. Hochstetter gives a very lively narrative of the gold discoveries in New Zealand from tlie first Ibrniation oi" a " Iteward Committee in Auckland, in 1852," and the discovery of this metal by Mr. Charles Eing, a settler on the penin- sular of Cape Colville, near the Coromandel Harbour, ol" which Mr. Charles Heaphy was made commissioner, to the first faint discovery of gold in 1842 by Mr. M'Donald, one of a party sent out by Captain Wake- field, at Massacre Bay, then converted into Golden Bay, the more important discovery of the Aorere gold-field in the same quarter in 1857, and then the Takata Diggings, and finally, the great outburst of the gold-fever in Otago in 1861. Grold is said to have been found in Otago in 1857 and 1858, by Mr. Ligar, since Surveyor- General of Victoria in Australia : but the discovery of the prolific gold-field of Tuapeka by Mr. Gabriel Reed, in 1861, put the chmax to the gold-fever of New Zea- land, brought diggers by thousands from Australia, so that by the succeeding January 250,000 ounces of gold, worth, one million sterling, were raised in the gold-fields of Otago. Well might the nurses be said to rock the children to sleep with the song — " Gold ! gold ! gold ! beautiful fine gold ! Wangapeka, Tuapeka — gold ! gold ! gold !" Since then extensive gold-fields have been discovered on the western coast of Canterbury. In quitting this notice of the explorations of the Northern Island I may remark how much German naturalists and scientific men have had to do with Aus- tralasian researches. Dr. Solander, who accompanied Sir Joseph Banks on Cook's first voyage to the South Seas, and Dr. Sparrmann, who added to the botanic knowledge of Dusky Bay, and of the south-west coast of the Middle Island, were Swedes ; but the Forsters, father and son, who attended Cook on his second voyage, were Germans, as was Dr. Leichhardt, the first great ex- 416 NAMES OF DISTINGUISHED EXPLOREES. plorer of Australia to tlie nortli coast, and Dr. Dieffen- bach, and as are Doctors Haast and Hochstetter. It may not be altogether out of place in a work on Gleo- graphical Discovery to notice the distinguished men who have contributed to the botanic knowledge of New Zea- land. Besides Captain Cook, Sir Joseph Banks, Doctors Solander and Sparrmann, and the Forsters, already men- tioned, Dr. Menzies, who was the naturalist in Van- couver's voyage, collected, principally in Dusky Bay, many mosses and lichens, and added greatly to the col- lection of the cryptogamic plants of New Zealand, In 1824 and 1827 the French expeditions of Duperrey and D'Urville visited New Zealand, and Professor Eichard published descriptions of 200 species of trees and plants there collected. After the estabhshment of the Sydney Botanic Garden, Charles Frazer, the Sydney botanist, visited New Zealand in 1825, and the brothers Allan and Eichard Cunningham in 1826, 1833, and 1838, whilst, at the same time, zealous missionaries, as Dr. Logan and William Colenso, made extensive collections of specimens. Mr. Bid well, who first climbed the vol- cano of Tongariro, in 1839, and Dr. Dieffenbach, the first European who ascended Mount Egmont, also in 1839, added very interesting contributions to the sub- alpine and alpine Flora of New Zealand. Then followed M. Eaoul, the French savan, who accompanied the frigate L'Aubre from 1840 to 1841, and the frigate L'AUier, as naturalist, and described his botanic acquisitions in a splendid work. But it remained for Dr. J. D. Hooker, the son of Sir William Hooker, who attended the Ant- arctic Expedition under Captain James Eoss, in 1839 to 1843, to put the crown to the botanic knowledge of New Zealand, in his magnificent and most scientific work, " The Flora of New Zealand." To this great work the collections of Dr. Lyall, who accompanied Captain Stokes in the Acheron, in 1847, of Dr. Menzies, rich in cryptogamias, of Captain Drury, Mr. JoUiffe, Lieutenant-Colonel Bolton, the Eev. — Taylor, Thomas H. Hulke, Dr. Andrew Sinclair, and Mr. Knight, of ESTABLISHMENT OF MISSIONS IN NEW ZEALAND. 417 Auckland, of Dr. Munro and Captain Eoii^'-li, of Nelson. These enabled Dr. Hooker to complete the work down to 1853. The work contains nearly 1900 pap^es, to which Dr. Haast, Dr. Monro, W. T. h. Travers, Captain lious •> 436 RESEARCHES OF DR. HECTOR. country, though thickly timbered, between the Grrey and the Hokitika. Dr. Haast, meanwhile, had proceeded from the Ahu- riri Eiver to Mount Hawea, on the frontiers of Otago, and thence to Lake Oanaka, or Wanaka. Thence they ascended the Makarora, and, from Wilkin's Station, pro- ceeded through dense forests ; they returned to Lake Hawea, and back to the Ahuriri. Dr. Haast and his party reached Christchurch on the 12th of May, and reported the country they had explored another Switzer- land. In these latter researches Dr. Haast had entered a field then undergoing examination by Dr. Hector, the government geologist of Otago. In February Dr. Hector left Dunedin to ascend the mountain range of Matu- kituki, where he encountered tumultuously rushing rivers, eternal snows, and glaciers with awful crevasses and traces of devastating avalanches. The principal glacier he named Haast's Grlacier, in honour of the enter- prising geologist of Canterbury. Intensely wet weather and shortness of provisions prevented them reaching the west coast in this direction. His companion, Mr. Sul- livan, editor of the Otago Times, has given a very vivid description of the scenes and dangers of his journey, which were by no means trivial, especially on the lofty icefields of Mount Aspiring. In May of the same year Dr. Hector left Port Chal- mers in a small schooner of 20 tons, to examine the nu- merous inlets and sounds of the west coast of Otago. At Preservation Inlet he noticed immense quantities of splendid granite, capable of being easily quarried and shipped; at Paterson's Point strata of very good coal. But his greatest discovery was that of a consider- able river between Martin's Bay and the Awarua river, which was named the Kaduku. Tracing this up, it led him to a lake called by him Kakapo Lake, ten miles in length, by four or five miles in width, whence he fol- lowed a valley to the central Lake Wakatipua, near the Greenstone River. Dr. Hector was only forty-six hours MR. DOBSON AND A SURVEYING PARTY. 437 from leaving the scliooner to reaching Queen's Town, and it could have been done in much less time. As these regions lie very near the great Clutlui river, tliis route opens up a direct highway across the island ; but Dr. Hector was of opinion that a still better and more direct route to these lakes could be found from i\Iilford Sound, whence there is an old Maori pass. This, on further examination, was found cut off by a large pre- cipice. On Dr. Hector's pubHcation of his discovery, it was soon notified that part of this route had been opened up at an earher date by a Mr. Charles Cameron, who had in consequence asked for the lease of a squatting station as a reward, as well as by Messrs. Capk^ Ala- baster and others. Dr. Hector freely admitted these prior claims on their being made known to him, which chiefly consisted of the discovery of the river Kaduku, and the Lake Kakapo. About the same time Mr. Eochfort announced the discovery of an easy pass connecting the AVangapeka with the Karamea and the Lyell, or some other river running into the Buller on the west coast of Nelson, and another by Mr. David Clarke from the Motupika to the Buller. The newspapers of Canterbury of Oct. 13, 18G3, stated that Mr. A. Dobson, and a surveying party had gone to the west coast of that province via Nelson in a small schooner, which had been wrecked at the entrance of the G-rey river, but that Mr. Dobson and his compa- nions escaped and were making their examination of that coast. Many of these expeditions of exploration are but small compared with the great journeys across the Aus- tralian continent, but, though less in extent, they are not the less arduous, as far as they go, from the nature of the country. The steepness, ruggedness, and intricacy of the mountains which run like a huge back-bone from end to end of these islands, from the wild impetus of the mountain rivers, the density of the fore«t, and the snow, 438 A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED OF NEW ZEALAND. cataracts, and ice-bergs, which are encountered in the Alpine regions. These expeditions show a spirit of re- search and adventure which have well nigh laid open the whole of New Zealand to the feet and the knowledge of its population. 439 CHAPTER XXIV. OPENING COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST COAST. Opening the way to the West Coast.— Arduous nature of the undertaking.— Tlie fatahties of 1863.— The story of the loss of Mr. Whitcombc.— Loss of Mu. Charlton Howitt and Pakty.— Life and Character of Mr. Charlton Howitt. Sojourn in Australia.— Employed in Canterbury to seek for gold. — Engaged in making a bridle-road over the mountains to tlie West Coast. — Rei)utatioa for zeal and energy.— Progress of the work.— Wetness of the West Coast. — Mode of subsistenee in the mountains. — Bird-cateliing. — Mr. Sherrins' account of crossing the mountains. — The grandeur of the mountain scenery.— The charms of the forests of New Zealand.— Enormous and curious trees. — Mr. Howitt and two men drowned in Lake Brunuer. — The sufferings of James Hammett the survivor.- Unavaihng researches for the remains of the drowned. — Subsequent drowning of Mr.Townsend in the Grey. — Remarks on the climate of the West Coast. — Concluding remarks. — Probable extinction of the native race. — Remarkable exemplification of native riglits by a native. — Persuasion of the Maories of their own fate. — Appeal to our countrymen in New Zealand oa their behalf. Comparatively small as is the breadth of the islands of New Zealand, yet the height and extent of its moun- tains, the impetuous rapidity of its rivers, descending from the steep declivities of ranges from 10,000 to 12,000 feet in height, and the denseness of its woods, thick grown, with supplejacks and knit together with vines, have made it arduous work for those who have attempted to open up its savage hills and intricate defiles to the passage of civilization. In the Middle Iskmd Mr. Brunner explored at great risk, and amid much hardship, its mountain heights ; Dr. Haast, the go- vernment geologist, has made these tracks more known, and pointed out fresh saddles and ways of access. Others, equally adventurous but less fortunate, have laid down their lives in these patriotic enterprises. Perhaps in no country are the casualties of di'owning so numerous in proportion to the population. The rivers descend with such momentum and velocity from the precipitous 1 tills that persons even passing known fords are continually swept away irresistibly. So that drowning has been said to be a natural death in these islands. The year 1863 was prolific of such fatalities amongst 440 FATALITIES OF THE YEAR 1863. gentlemen in the public service, whose employments led them into the mountains, and required them to cross lakes and rivers. Amongst these was Mr. Whitcombe the civil engineer, a young man of great spirit and power of endurance. He was sent out to endeavour to discover a passage through the range of mountains which separate the east and west sides of the Middle Island. The discovery of extensive fields of gold and coal on the western slopes of the mountains, made such a passage of the highest importance. The voyage round the island was circuitous and fre- quently dangerous ; a tolerably direct road by land was most desirable. Mr. Whitcombe set out from Christ- church on the 13th of April, 1863, with an ample supply of men, horses, and provisions, but after crossing the Eakaia, on entering the mountains, he soon found that these were useless, for the most part. The horses could not clamber where it was necessary to go ; the men carrying their own provisions would consume them without adding to the speed or success of the expedition. He, therefore, sent men and horses back, retaining only Mr. Louper, a Swiss, accustomed to mountain climbing, and as much provision as they could carry on their backs. They came upon a deep fissure in the mountains, and Mr. Whitcombe thinking this would prove the pass they sought, calculated that they could find their way to the saddle of the Teramakau, in ten days. If their provi- sions fell short, they could, he said, fall back on Mr. Howitt's tent on Lake Brunner. In the passes of the mountains, they were soon enveloped in blinding snow, and cut off from all apparent progress by gigantic walls of ice. The snowing soon changed to raining, and aU at once they found themselves stopped by a perpendi- cular fall of the river into the pass, descending from rock to rock, into a roaring whirlpool below. They could not now return, as the pass behind them was snowed up ; and to all but a Swiss mountaineer, to cross this cataract and gulf would have been impossible, but by letting THE STORY 0¥ THE LOSS OF MR. WIIITCOMBE. 441 himself down from rock to rock by the rope, Louper managed to get across, and by fastening the rope to tlie rocks on the other side, got over their swags, and finallv Mr. AYliitcombe, Louper having, however, to dt'seeud himself up to the neck in the boiling abyss. Thus, repeatedly crossing torrents and scrambling over rocks, their food getting short, their covering in- sufficient for the severe nights, they at length came out on the other side of the mountains. They found that the river they were upon was the Hokatika, and on its banks they discovered traces of gold. On reaching the sea-shore they followed the beach to the liiver Jininner. Erom the time they left the Rakaia to their reaching the sea was thirteen days. They were now in the extremi- ties of famine, for their provisions husbanded with the utmost care, had been totally exhausted for several days. To their consternation and despair, they found the huts of the Maories, where they had confidently expected re- lief, totally deserted, and destitute of all provisions. In one of the gardens they found a little cabbage and a handful of very small potatoes, which they cooked and eat. They then walked on in this exhausted state, waded up to their chests across the Bninner, and pur- sued the coast to the Teramakau, but again found no one there. The next morning they could see the Maori Pah on the other side, but, as no smoke issued from it, they feared that that side of the river was deserted too. Mr. Whitcombe was bent on crossing the river where they were, and thought it might be done on two logs of wood tied together. Louper declared it to be impossible, saying that he had crossed there twice in a canoe with five men and a Maori, but it was all they could do to row over from the force of the stream. He ad^-ised that they should ascend the river for some distance, and endeavour to catch some wood-hens for food, and cross where it was practicable. Mr. Whitcombe, who dreaded in their enfeebled state to encounter the woods again, especially as they found that all the wood-hens in tlie tracts they had lately 442 DEATH OF MR. WHITCOMBE. passed, had been killed by the wild dogs, would not listen to this ; and finding two old native canoes, he commenced lashing them together by tying two poles across them with flax. Louper helped, and also pre- pared two oars and two steering poles from young trees, and, though Louper had no hope, they began to cross. In vain had Louper assured Mr. Whitcombe, that they might reach an island which appeared in the middle of the stream, but there they would be swamped, or swept out to sea by the violence of the current. Mr. Whitcombe was deaf to remonstrance, for he saw no chance of escaping death by starvation, except by getting over the river. They entered the boat, reached the island, but the moment they shot beyond it, the boat was swept down the current and began to sink under them. Mr. Whitcombe then seeing the ftdl and awful truth of Louper's assertions, exclaimed, — " We are lost ! it is all my fault !" — and pulling off his coat, plunged into the water, to attempt to swim to land. Louper who remained in the boat, was carried away with arrow speed, and was soon whirled over and over in the surf, and finally hurled out upon the sand. When he began to recover his senses and composure, he saw him- self standing alone on the desert sands, saved from the water, but with every prospect of perishing by famine on land. His first care, however, was to seek for his companion, and he soon found his dead body flung on the beach, and his head plunged into the sands. After burying his remains as well as he could, having no in- strument but his hands to do it with, and in a state of fearful exhaustion from previous famine, and immediate violence of the surf, he managed to make his way to a Maori hut, where he obtained a few potatoes, and by help of these he reached the party under Mr. Charlton Howitt, who were making the horse track over the mountains, and were camped near Lake Brunner. There he arrived a most pitiable spectacle, famished, drenched with wet, perishing with cold, his clothes being satur- ated with water and sand, and his body, as it were, MR. LOUPER RETURNS WITH THE SAD NEWS. 443 bedded in it. He was speedily furnished with food and warm tea; his clothes were stripped oft', liis body washed, and he was put to bed. By tlie liosjjituble care, of this party, in a few days he was sufficiently recovered to be able to proceed on his journey to Christchurch to convey to the government and to his wife and friends the melancholy news of the fate of poor Whitc(mibe. As Mr. Howitt was wishing to send his horses for the winter down to Mr. Taylor's station, which was on Louper's way, he was mounted on one of these, and furnished with provisions, so that he could lead the other. The poor fellow took his leave of his enter- tainers, who had no doubt been the savers of his life, with deep emotion. " I came here," he said, " like a beggar, perishing from cold and hunger, and sinking with fatigue, and now I go away refreshed, clothed, strengthened, and on horseback hke a gentleman !" Little did he think that the head of that party, who had given him such timely help, and two of his men were soon themselves to disappear from amongst men without possibility of mortal aid. LOSS OP MR. CHARLTON HOWITT AND PARTY. I now come to a narrative which nearly concerns my- self. It has been my fortune to have my only two sons engaged in the work of opening-up the wilderness of the antipodes. The share taken in the exploration of Austraha by my eldest son, the discoverer of the lost expedition of Burke and Wills, is well kno^vn, and is narrated in these volumes. That of my second son, in aiding the accessibility of the interior of New Zealand, I shall now state in as succinct a form as I can. This story is one that may serve as a stimulus to young men in a life of simjDle and unswerving devotion to the cause of virtue and of progress. Herbert Charlton Howitt, bom at Esher in the year 1S38, was remarkable from his infancy for his intense' love of nature, and especially for all her forms of animal life. It was his intensest pleasure as a little boy to 444 EARLY LIFE OF MR. CHARLTON HOWITT. watch all the proceedings of animals, birds, and insects. He soon became as familiar with them as if he had been admitted by them to all their tenements, and their most secret practices. This disposition grew up with him. For town and conventional life he had not the smallest taste. The warm friendship of a few congenial people, and the enjojrment of the country and its objects, made the constant happiness of his life. Of all the knowledge connected with these things and this life, he had a ready power of acquisition, for the classical and many other departments of knowledge in which so many years of youthful existence are usually spent laboriously, only to be insensibly dropped on the after highways of the world, he had no desire. Work, in gardening, farming, or in constructing the implements and apparatus for these fields of labour, was a sort of passion with him, and it is a singular fact, that scarcely any one who knew him can recollect him ever saying that he was weary. The vigour of his frame, created by this simple, healthy, and active mode of life, was, as it seemed, inexhaustible. Por a series of years he walked to the City of London every day, Sundays excepted, a distance of five miles, and back again, thus ten miles a day, walked generally most days some miles about town on business, and both in the morning before going to town, and in the evening after his return, worked in a large garden, in which, as with an avarice of labour, he scarcely allowed any other person to do anything, even of the more laborious kinds of exertion. Sometimes he varied this routine by setting off, after his ten miles' walk to and from Town, including the day's business, to visit some of his most intimate friends, five miles off*, and again frequently returning the same evening. Two years in which he lived with my- self and his brother in the Australian bush, were, per- haps, his beau ideal of life's perfection. There, travel- ling on from day to day through the forests, or camping on the banks of some pleasant stream, his mind was constantly engaged in observing the new forms of nature and animal life around him. Trees, flowers, the infinite HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR AN EXPLORER. 445 variety of birds and insects, tlie flyiiiiif-fox' and squirrel, the climbing opossum, the bounding kangaroo, the glit- tering shapes, and quaint cries of emus, peUcans, native- companions, the gliding serpent, and the soaring eagle, were a perpetual delight to him, yet little more than a boy. With his train of dogs, he would set out to seek the horses which had strayed during the night in the forests, and amid these various tenants of the woods and the waters whole days would glide over him as a dream. No place was too solitary, no wilderness too vast for him ; amid nature and her numerous and ever- varied family, he was everywhere at home. New Zealand became the country of his choice, and though he passed through several disappointments and hardships there, he grew most affectionately attached to it. Perhaps no person of liis age, but five-and-twenty at his death, was ever more qualified for the life of an explorer or pioneer of civilization. From the time when he reluctantly returned with me from Australia, to that of his going out to New Zealand, he never, if he could avoid it, slept in a bed. Rolled up in his blanket, or his opossum rug, with a pillow under his head, on the floor, and his window set invariably open, summer and winter, thus he slept, and sometimes awoke in the morning with a pile of drifted snow on his head, but never took cold, except when the housemaid had closed his chamber-window by mistake, and he had slept with- out observing it ! In the Canterbury settlement, his rare qualifications for an explorer, and the general energy and uprightness of his character, soon attracted the attention of the Government. He was first employed in an expedition for the discovery of a gold-field, and during the last six months of his life in cutting a horse-track over the mountains between Christchurch and the western coast, where extensive gold and coal-fields had been fi)und. I may quote from the Canterbury journals, and from offi- cial reports, the circumstances connected with this un- 446 EMPLOYED BY GOVERNMENT. dertaking. The following is from the Lyttleton Times of September 12th, 1863 :— " Last week will long be memorable as having brought ns the intelhgence of the death of one of the most active and intelligent explorers who has ever responded to the call which has so often to be made in a new and partially-explored country by those whose duty it is to open-up the waste, by forcing roads through what has hitherto been impenetrable mountains and forests. It is now just nine months since Mr. Wylde, as acting head of the public works department, was instructed by the Government to endeavour to cut a track from the Hu- runui Plains to the mouth of the Grrey or Teramakau, on the West Coast. In pursuance of these instructions, he engaged the services of Mr. Charlton Howitt, who had been previously engaged in exploring for gold in that locality. This gentleman started on the first of January last, accompanied by five men, taking with him two pack-horses, and the necessary outfit, with instruc- tions to track out a line of road on a route indicated by Mr. Wylde, and, if possible, to open it for pack-horse traffic from Lake Taylor to the coast. No one could have been chosen more fitted for this work than Mr. Howitt, a young, active man, somewhat below the or- dinary stature, but possessed of immense energy and endurance. No amount of danger or fatigue seemed able to daunt him, and in the prosecution of his work he has been known to carry on his back for twenty miles at a stretch, and over mountains, and through rivers, which would have turned back most men, loads of flour and other necessaries for the use of his companions, which would generally have been considered sufficient for a pack-horse. Out of the five men who accompanied Howitt, two were soon sent back by him as unable to endure the hardships incidental to the work ; but with the other three he succeeded in marking out, and cutting, where necessary, a track for a length of about forty miles, over the great dividing range, and down the Teramakau, HIS INDEFATIGABLE EXERTIONS. 417 until he encountered what was before known to be the great difficulty to be overcome. This dilHculty occurs at a part of the river where it is shut in by rii^'<(od, ])er- pendicular rocks for many miles, covered on tJieir sum- mits by dense, impenetrable bush. Tlie only way of passing down the river from this point was by tlic aid of Mokis (rafts made of flax sticks), wliicli, on Ijcint^" launched on the river, are swept down between the rocks with fearful rapidity. " As it was useless to attempt to carry the road further in this direction, and the provisions being nearly ex- hausted, Mr. Howitt returned to Christchurcli for instructions. As the winter was then approaching, and it was known that the pass over the mountains would probably be blocked up with snow for some months, it became a grave question whether the prosecution of the work should not be suspended until the spring ; but at the urgent request of Mr. Howitt, and his representation that he could support himself and party in a gi'cat measure through the winter on the natural j^roductions of the country — such as eels and wild-fowl — Mr. Wylde consented to fit him out again with a fresh supply of provisions, etc., and he again started with instructions to endeavour to carry on the track, by leaving the Teramakau, and striking across the country for Lake Brunner, following the shore of the lake, and then back to the river beyond the point of difficulty. " The plan of oj^erations embraced the packing over the hills of flour, etc. sufficient for the winter months, and then sending the horses back to Mr. Taylor's station, there not being sufficient food to keep them during the winter on the other side. The packing occupied about six weeks, and then Jacob Louper, the companion of the unfortunate Mr. Whitcombe, ha^nng made his way to Mr. Ho\\dtt's camp, and liaving been most kindly treated by him, the horses were given to him to help him over the Teramakau saddle to Mr. Taylor's station. How little could Mr. Howitt have supposed, when succouring Louper, that himself and two 448 WEATHER CONTINUALLY WET. out of his three companions were so soon to share the fate of the lamented Mr. Whitcombe." I may here interrupt the narrative to remark that Charlton with his love of work, partook of all the labours and hardships of his men. He never asked them to do a tiling which he would not assist in doing himself. As to " roughing it," he persuaded his men to continue at their labour under circumstances that perhaps no other man could. The cHmate of New Zealand in the low- lands on the east coast is deemed delicious, but in the mountains and on the west coast, the rains are some- thing extraordinary for strength and continuance. From Charlton's private diary, for months together they seem to have scarcely had a fair day. The journal of Mr. R. A. A. Sherrin, in a journey to the west coast, pubhshed in the Christchurch Press, January, 1864, confirms this view of the climate in those parts. The journal of the unfortunate Hammett does the same. This is especially so in the winter months. Mr. Sherrin's journey over the mountains, and westward, commenced on the 21st of June, and lasted six months. This was, of course, during part of the winter, and through the spring to midsummer, and tliis is his concluding entry regarding the weather — " Wliatever may be the cause, there is no doubt that a more considerable quantity of rain falls on the western than on the eastern side of the province. I remember only three fine weeks during the six months we were on the coast. ''^ He adds, " I have, however, reason to believe that the cold there is not so excessive, as on this side of the island. In rainy weather the mercury is scarcely ever below 50°. Notwithstanding the quantity of heavy fogs and mists continually arising, the place may be considered eminently healthy. None of us had even a cold during the whole of the winter, and from ailments of every kind we were singularly free. The natives appear to live to a good old age unless cut off by accident." Of course, the cold in the lofty moun- tain ranges is very much greater. There are glaciers, and avalanches as in the European Alps. Mr. Sherrin A MISERABLE JOURNEY. 1 It) gives some little idea of the weather in the s])riiii^r month of August, in tlie very region where my son unci his party were at work during the winter, ;iiid where they lost their lives. "From the solicitations of Mr. Townsend, I consented to go with liini, and form a party for the purpose of searcliing Lake Brunner, to en- deavour to discover the bodies of Mr. Howitt and l)is men. On the 11th of August we left the Grey witli the intention of searching the lake thoroughly, and making a canoe there. It was not until the 25th of the month that we reached the lake. Oh ! the unutteralde misery of that journey ! liain every day ; directed wrongly by the natives ; having to cut a line through three or four miles of bad bush, this trip, as a whole, is the worst and hardest that I remember in the whole course of my life. Wet through all the time ; scarcely ever dry at night ; freshes every hour ; a mist heavy and dense, covering everything, the journey was worse than description can paint it. Grone astray ; two men knocked up, no chance of retracing our steps, the trip was one that will long be remembered. AVliile travel- ling the bush, how vividly Humboldt's description of South America are remembered. ' The density of the vegetation ; the rottenness of the soil, the wonderful amount of rain and water ; the thousands of decomposed and decomposing trees ; the being hemmed in on every side by keikei, supplejack, and tatarama ; the network of roots to crawl leism-ely over ; the canons and rivers to cross and recross with a heavy swag, will only give an idea of travelling in constant rain." Such was the place, the scene, the weather, and obsta- cles, against which my son and his party were labori- ously forcing their w^ay through the winter months, but which his enthusiasm in performing a public and most necessary work, made him write in his diary, after an encounter of months of such figlit with the elements, the savage forest, and the rocks, — " And yet 1 like it !"' It may be wondered how he expected to find food in such a region ? Sometimes they were compelled to VOL. II. ^'-^ 450 FEARFUL PRIVATIONS ENDURED. descend to tlie west coast for flour, tea, sugar, etc., and to carry them up through these dripping woods and hills ; but they had abundance of fish, and especially eels, in the waters, and the mode of catching birds there is something curious to our European notions. The Maories have a mode of calHng the birds in the country around them, by making a peculiar noise with a leaf in their mouths. I saw this experiment tried by the New Zealand natives lately, in London, in a party in some suburban pleasure grounds, to which they had been invited, and they were much surprised to see our birds, instead of being attracted by the call, fly away. In New Zealand, my son had learned this call, and could, on any occasion in the forest assemble around him an audi- ence of numerous and various birds, like another St. Fran- cis, about to preach to them. Amongst the New Zealand birds is one of such extreme simphcity, called the Wood Hen, that he used, at any time, where these birds abounded, to procure as many as were wanted for a meal, by going out with two long rods. At the end of one was hung a bit of red rag ; at the end of the other was a noose. Having made the call, on the wood-hens running on all sides out of the thickets, he shook the red rag, and they ran forward to examine it ; and whilst they were thus engaged, he slipped the noose, at the end of the other rod, over their heads, one after another, and captured what he wanted. Of the sort of climate in which the work of my son's party was carried on, we may take another description from Mr. Sherrin's journal : — " It continued to rain steadily from June till November 22nd, and, as a neces- sary consequence, all the rivers were very high. Of the many dangers encountered and privations endured in a residence for six months on the coast, continually shift- ing about in constant rain, a better idea can be formed than any description could give. No child's play will be found in travelling by others who will follow in our footsteps, as the fearful loss of life in the neighbourhood will testify. No pecuniary inducement would tempt me DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENERY. 451 to travel over the same g^round again, in tlie winter months. You may rise in the morning with the con- viction on your mind, that the dangers of the day may possibly be more than you can overcome. In fact, it is a countiy where no man's life is safe who has constantly to travel, however much experience he may ])()ssess, while the constant deaths on the coast from disaster, tend to unnerve your energies, and make you ridicidously cautious. The natives at the Grey were tlioroughly persuaded that we were dead, ' hke poor Howitt,' having been so impressed by visions of the night, that were corroborated by the constant rain, and ahnost appeared incredulous to see us safely return. Fifty times have they howled the consolation in my ear, that by-and-by I should be hke poor Howitt." And yet those mountain regions are very magnificent. "Any person," says Mr. Sherrin, "however insensible to the beauties of nature, cannot help gazing on this magnificent tier of peaks whenever the mist clears away. Only with a south-east wind will this occur, when every pinnacle, rugged outline, and snow-field will be distinctly seen. At every place along the beach, wherever the hills are visible, one's pleasure is increased by observing how the difference of position creates a different group- ing, how the rugged becomes softened by distance, and that which appeared unbroken and smooth, on closer inspection is found to be broken and confused. The residents of Christchurch will never have any idea of the beauty of the west coast, until some enterprising Albert Smith brings a panorama to their Town Hall, to be appreciated by lamp-hght." The forest scenery is described by Mr. Thomson, with equal admiration : — "Indescribable is the charm of JNew Zealand forests for the lovers of nature. There generations of noble trees are seen decaying, and fresh generations rising up around the moss-covered trunks of fallen patriarchs. The profound silence which reigns in these regions pro- duces a pleasing gloom on the mind, and the scene dis- oq o 452 THE SIZE AND BEAUTY OF THE TREES. plays, better tlian the most classic arcliitecture, tlie grandeur of repose. No sound is heard, save the falling of trees, or the parrot's shrill screech, as birds which enliven the outskirts of forests are mute in their interior. Around the graves of past generations of trees the air is hushed into stillness, while the tops of the living gene- ration are agitated with gales and breezes. At Christ- mas the pohutukaua (metro-sideros) is covered with scarlet flowers, and is then the most gaudy of forest trees ; and the rimu (dacrydium cupressimum) possesses a melancholy beauty, and an indescribable grandeur. Few of the pines recall to the settler's eyes the same trees in England, and, singular to relate, unlike their congeners, the majority of them grow intermixed with other trees. The celebrated and beautiful kauri (dam- mara australis), is the only pine bearing a cone, and the male and female cones are found on the same tree." Of the size of these trees Mr. Darwin gives us a good idea. " I measured," he says, " one of the famous kauri pines, and found it thirty-one feet in circumference above the roots. I heard of one no less than forty feet. They are remarkable for their smooth, cyhndrical boles, which run up to a height of sixty, and even ninety feet, with a nearly equal diameter, and without a single branch." Still more wonderful is the pohutukaua, or rata tree of New Zealand, mentioned above (metrosideros robusta). The stranger in the forest sees a slender, creeping plant on the ground, more resembling a running moss, or weed, than anything. It is the infant rata, seeking a tree up which to climb. Still it creeps onwards, till, finding a tree, up it goes. It runs rapidly up it. It encloses it on all sides. Still ascending, it at length reaches the loftiest summit. It throws out a head, which smothers the native head of the tree, and the once wiry threads, swelling into thick stems, all unite together, destroy the original usurped bole, and becomes a tree. It assumes a massive trunk, sohd as teak, and admirable for ship- building, whilst its magnificent head, towering over the MR. C. HOWITT AND TWO OF THE MEN LOST. 453 forest, catches tlie eye every^vhere witli its ])|jize of scar- let flowers. Amid this superb, but dangerous and inclement scenery, Charlton Howitt and his three men liad for six montlis been forcing their way, following the courses of the rivers Hurunui and Teramakau for the most part, examining these rivers for fords, and planting flags to mark tlicm to the traveller. They had arrived at tlie Ih-unncr, a lake of some ten miles long, and Ave wide, and were cutting the road along its margin. As the tliickness of the bush yet uncut prevented them getting tlieir stores from the west coast to their hut, these were deposited on the other side of the lake in a wooden hut raised on poles, called a watti, or whata. To cross to this, they constructed a canoe, after the fasliion of those of the natives, of green pine, and Charlton, in his letters, de- scribes the pleasure mth which they launched this canoe from a cliff, and saw it plunge deep under water, and then rise and swim buoyantly on the surface. In this canoe they had crossed the lake repeatedly, to fetch stores from the watti. Once more Charlton set out with two of the men, Eobert Little, and Henry Muller, on Saturday, June 27th, to fetch some flour from the watti, and to fish for eels in the river Arnold, whicli runs out of the head of the lake. They left James Belgrave Hammett alone in the hut. The next day, the wind rose, and it rained heavily. On Monday it was fine, but still blowing. Tuesday and AVednesday passing without their return, Hammett in great alarm set off" to walk, or, rather, wade, round the lake, through deep bogs and water, often up to his cliest, to seek his missing compa- nions. Finding he could not get fui-ther along the swampy shore, Hammett made a rnft, and coasted tlie lake, camping on shore on Thursday night ; and on Fri- day and Saturday he makes these notices in his diary, which include all the discoveries that have ever been made of the fate of the missing party. " Friday, July 3. Started again. On going round a bend of the lake, near the mouth of the Hohono, I saw 454 PROOF THAT THEY WERE DROWNED. sonietliing lying on the beach which, to my dismay, on reaching it, proved to be Mr. Howitt's swag rolled up ill the httle caUco tent which he used for travelhng with. This, by preventing the blanket becoming soaked with water, had been blown on shore. I searched all around, but I could see nothing else. I have, therefore, every reason for supposing that the canoe sank with them during the strong wind that has been blowing. The canoe w^as but of green wood, and floated scarcely tlii'ee inches out of the water in smooth weather. I took the swag along with me to my watti, made a fire to dry the papers, and camped there. It rained heavily. " Saturday, July 4. Still raining heavily. Started round the lake again towards the Arnold. Saw no sign of smoke in any direction, no portion of the canoe, no- thing which indicated that Mr. Howitt and my mates were alive. I made fast the raft at the mouth of the river, and went down along its bank. I saw that they had been there, because their bobs and lines were there. I made myself a bit of a hut of some flax, and camped till morning. Still raining very heavily, and the lake still rising. I saw no other sign save what I have stated, that Mr. Howitt had been here." And that is the whole which has transpired of the fate of Charlton Howitt and his two men. Poor Hammett, after getting back to the hut, in the faint hope that they might have reached it by some other way, and finding all as he had left it, set out once more to examine every portion of the lake shores for traces of his lost compa- nions. In this research he persevered in a state of starv- ation and drenched with continual rains, making raft after raft, and going round and round and round the lake but without any the slightest further discovery. His state of mind was bordering on madness. In his entry of July 7th, he says : — " Rain pouring as hard as ever, I feel lonely, miserable, and cold indeed. No fire, nothing to eat, nothing of any kind, but a httle fire and cold water. To tell all the imaginings which are continually passing through my mind could do no good. Frequently, DESTITUTE STATE OE THE SURVIVOR. 455 during the last few days, while sitting in this down- pouring rain, and while perfectly awake, have I fancied that I could see Mr. Howitt and the others walking to- wards me, first in one direction and then in anotlier. By an effort, I have shook off this depressing dulness, and have then spoken with my faitliful dog as though he was a Christian. Again I wonder whether 1 shall be able to recover the bodies, that I may give them a burial in a place which I may be able to point out to their surviving friends. No human being can conceive my almost maddening thoughts. If it should please Grod that I become insane, what will become of me ?" Driven by fiamine and his ever haunting thoughts, after being twenty-three days on the lake without seeing a sign of any living person, he made one more visit to the hut at their camp, and finding all as he had left it, he started for the Buller diggings, quite certain that his companions had perished. He carried with him JMr. Howitt's tin of maps and papers, and only reached the Teramakau diggings to find them deserted. In a state of the extremest exhaustion, his feet swollen with the rough ground he had had to pass, he reached the beach near the mouth of the Teramakau, where he was kindly received by Mr. Sherrin. This gentleman, in company with Mr. Townsend, the government officer at the (irey, set off to the Lake Brunner, and made a five days' search for the remains of the lost party. In vain : not a trace was discoverable. Afterwards Mr. Sherrin traced the sea-shore for a hundred miles, to see whether the canoe or the oars had been washed to sea, and then thrown on land again, as whatever is carried down those rivers from the lake Brunner is thus cast up again. Not a trace of boat or oar could be found. They were no doubt all at the bottom of that very deep lake with the bodies. Poor Hammett continued his jouniey in his worn- out condition to the Buller contrary to the entrea- ties of Mr. Sherrin and Mr. Townsend, who believed it would cost him his Hfe : but the faithful fellow 456 DEATH OF MR. HAMMETT, could not be turned from endeavouring to reacli Canter- bury by going round by sea to Nelson, the mountain roa^d being, of course, stopped by snow, and conveying to the government and their friends the earliest news of the fate of Mr. Howitt and the two men. He said he had a duty to perform, and he would do it. He accom- pHshed his object, but has since died, probably from the consequences of his sufferings, both of body and mind, on this melancholy occasion. Many a less devoted and heroic soul than that of this poor fellow has been stamped with the highest honours of fame : but the faith- ful Hammett has this simple record ! Melancholy as is this story of the opening up of a wild country, it cannot be closed without another catastrophe. Mr. Townsend, whose letter first announced to us the loss of our son, and who so generously volunteered to ac- company Mr. Sherrin to Lake Brunner to search for the remains of him and his men, soon after perished himself by drowning. This accident occurred near the mouth of the river Grrey, when a boat was swamped in a great swell, and Messrs. Townsend and Sherrin, with one white man and two Maories, Simon and Solomon, well known there to the settlers. Mr. Townsend, the man, Peter Michelmore, and Solomon the Maori were drowned, and Mr. Sherrin nearly suffered the same fate in endeavouring to rescue his companions. Yet let no one imagine that the life of our son in New Zealand was by any means a sad one. On the contrary, I am persuaded that it was one of the highest enjoyment. It was that of all others which he did choose, and would have chosen whatever else had been offered to him. He had lived in, and highly enjoyed the forest life of Australia ; but when his brother wished him to retm-n from New Zealand, and join in his for- tunes there, though the temptation of being with his brother was great, he could not bring himself to quit New Zealand, saying that its scenery and the friends he liad found there were become very dear to him. I am persuaded tliat the storms and rains during the winter MR. HOWITT S LOVE FOR NEW ZEALAND. 457 in the mountains would scarcely make an imi)ivssiou on his mind, except as they added to the wild solemnity of the scene. He loved to battle with the elements ; and it was a source of exquisite delight to him to Ije ablc^ ever and anon to rescue some traveller from tlie ra])id torrent, and to receive weary and famisliiuL^ wanderers to his mountain hut — to revive tliem, and i'urnisli them Avith provisions for their further journey, for which he never would receive compensation. Throu