1st January, 1856.
Wrote to Mr. Wilson, enclosing instructions for the guidance of the
officer in charge of the camp on the Victoria. Wrote to the master of the
Tom Tough instructions relative to the movements and repair of the Tom
Tough, etc. Received from Mr. Wilson a letter requesting to be informed
why he had been selected to take charge of the party at the principal
camp. Wrote to Mr. Wilson in reply to his letter of this day's date.
Having completed the preparations for the journey into the interior, the
horses were saddled, and the party was on the point of starting, when a
gun was fired on board the schooner, and the horses took fright and
rushed wildly into the bush; and it was only after a hard gallop of two
miles that they could be turned and driven back to the camp. Many of the
saddles and loads were torn off by the horses having run against trees,
and, as they had scattered very much, it took some time to collect the
bags which had fallen from the horses, and four bags of provisions could
not be found. A few of the straps of the colonial-made pack-saddles had
given way, but there was no other damage done to them; but the
English-made saddle was shaken to pieces. The party were occupied in the
evening repairing damages.
2nd January.
Completed the repair of the saddlery, etc. broken yesterday; two of the
missing bags were found, but a heavy shower having obliterated the tracks
of the horses, two bags of sugar and sago were lost.
3rd January.
All arrangements being complete, the party commenced their journey at 11
a.m., and, proceeding up the river to Timber Creek, encamped there at 3.0
p.m.
The following is a memorandum of the arrangements and equipment of the
party:
The Party: Commander, A.C. Gregory; assistant-commander, H.C. Gregory;
artist, T. Baines; botanist, F. Mueller, collector, J. Flood; overseer,
G. Phibbs; farrier, R. Bowman; harness-maker, C. Dean; stockman, J.
Fahey.
Horses: 27 pack-horses with pack-saddles; 3 pack-horses with
riding-saddles; 6 riding-horses.
Provisions for five months: Flour, 1,470 pounds; pork, 1200 pounds; rice,
200 pounds; sago, 44 pounds; sugar, 280 pounds; tea, 36 pounds; coffee,
28 pounds; tobacco, 21 pounds; soap, 51 pounds. Total, 3,330 pounds.
Equipment: Instruments, clothing, tents, ammunition, horseshoes, tools,
etc., 800 pounds; saddle-bags and packages, 400 pounds; saddles, bridles,
hobbles, etc., 900 pounds. Total, 5,430 pounds.