Departure from Cooper's Creek for the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Arrangements for the Continuance of the Depot at Cooper's Creek.
Mr. Brahe left in Charge.
Determination of Route.
Progress and Incidents.
Mr. Wills's Field Books, from the 16th of December, 1860, to the
30th of January, 1861, 1 to 9.
Shores of Carpentaria.
DURING the halt at Cooper's Creek, it was reported through an
Adelaide paper that Mr. McDouall Stuart had returned from his
attempt to explore in a north-western direction, and was preparing
to start again with Government aid, and no longer confined entirely
to the private resources and enterprise of Mr. James Chambers. The
Gulf of Carpentaria was not so much the immediate object of
Stuart's efforts, as the opening of a commercial avenue with a view
to future trade, in a direction more toward the north-west coast,
and as far north as the 16 or 18 degrees of southern latitude. This
line of exploration appeared preferable to the strong practical
mind of Mr. Chambers, who had in view the quid pro quo. Stuart's
object was therefore plain business, and the immediate advantage of
the colony with which he was connected; whilst the Victorian
Expedition included scientific discoveries, and the settlement of a
great geographical problem. Stuart is again out, since August,
1861, and doubts are entertained for his safety. Mr. Chambers has
died in the interim, and cannot know the result of the work he set
afloat with so much spirit. Thus it is in all ages of discovery,
that few of the early pioneers live to travel on the roads they
open with so much difficulty and endurance.
Mr. Burke and my son, impatient of Wright's delay, and seeing the
time slip by that could never return, determined to make a dash for
the Gulf while the opportunity still remained to them. I was not
aware, until after a communication with Mr. Brahe, on his first
visit to Melbourne, subsequent to his desertion of his post at the
depot, that my son had strongly advocated a direct course
northward; but Mr. Burke hesitated to adopt this, unless he could
feel confident in a supply of water; the committee having included
something in his instructions as to proceeding north-west towards
Eyre's Creek and Sturt's Furthest. In his excursions round the camp
and the district of Cooper's Creek, with the all-important question
of water in view, my son must have gone over little short of a
thousand miles. When he lost his camels he had seen smoke in the
direction of north by east, which he believed to be a native fire,
but the disaster frustrated his attempts to ascertain the fact.
Unable thoroughly to assure his leader on the point of water, the
more western course was adopted at the commencement of the journey,
for a day or two, after which they turned to the east, and scarcely
deviated throughout from the 141st degree of eastern longitude.
The party left Cooper's Creek on the morning of the 16th of
December, 1860. It consisted of Mr. Burke, Mr. Wills, King, and
Gray, (or Charley as my son calls him in his journal); one horse,
and six camels. It appears strange to me that they did not take
more horses. As they had been living on horseflesh so much they
would have increased their available food, in addition to the
facility of carrying burthens.
Mr. Brahe remained at Cooper's Creek depot with Patten, McDonough,
Dost Mahomet, an Indian, six camels, and twelve horses. He was left
in charge until the arrival of Mr. Wright or some other person duly
appointed by the committee to take command of the remainder of the
expedition at Menindie. A surveyor also was expected to assist my
son, and plenty of work was laid out for all, until Mr. Burke's
return, had the authorities known how to employ the proper people
and employed them in time.
There can be no doubt that Brahe received MOST POSITIVE ORDERS TO
REMAIN AT COOPER'S CREEK UNTIL THE RETURN OF THE EXPLORING PARTY
FROM THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA. Three and four months were named as
the possible time of absence. Brahe did remain over four months;
but even then it was in his power to have waited much longer, and
he ought to have done so. But the man was over-weighted; the
position was too much for him, and he gave way when a stronger mind
might have stood firm. The worst point about him appears to be his
want of consistency and miserable prevarication; but this may have
been weakness rather than absolute absence of principle, or of any
due sense of right or wrong. He was unfit to direct, but he might
have been directed. Mr. Burke has been blamed for trusting Brahe;
but he was the best of those who remained behind, and there were
not many to choose from. King has since told me that it was by my
son's advice Brahe was appointed, and that the arrival of the party
from Menindie was considered so certain, that the appointment was
looked upon only as a temporary affair. It has been also said that
King might have been left behind in charge, and Brahe taken on.
This arrangement, eligible in some respects, was open to objection
in others. Brahe could travel by compass and observation, which
King could not; and one so qualified might be wanted for a journey
to Menindie.
The details of the journey are given as follows, in my son's Field
Books, numbered from 1 to 7 consecutively, transcribed by Dr.
Mueller, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Cooper. I was associated with them as a
matter of personal delicacy to the memory of the deceased explorer.
MR. WILLS'S JOURNAL.
FIELD BOOK 1.
COOPER'S CREEK TO CARPENTARIA.
[The omissions in this diary are supplied by the information
contained in the maps, with the exception of the last two days on
the shore of the Gulf.]
Sunday, 16th December, 1860.--The horse having been shod and our
reports finished, we started at 6.40 A.M. for Eyre's Creek, the
party consisting of Mr. Burke, myself, King, and Charley, having
with us six camels, one horse, and three months' provisions. We
followed down the creek to the point where the sandstone ranges
cross the creek, and were accompanied to that place by Brahe, who
would return to take charge of the depot. Down to this point the
banks of the creek are very rugged and stony, but there is a
tolerable supply of grass and salt bush in the vicinity. A large
tribe of blacks came pestering us to go to their camp and have a
dance, which we declined. They were very troublesome, and nothing
but the threat to shoot them will keep them away. They are,
however, easily frightened; and, although fine-looking men,
decidedly not of a warlike disposition. They show the greatest
inclination to take whatever they can, but will run no unnecessary
risk in so doing. They seldom carry any weapon, except a shield and
a large kind of boomerang, which I believe they use for killing
rats, etc. Sometimes, but very seldom, they have a large spear;
reed spears seem to be quite unknown to them. They are undoubtedly
a finer and better-looking race of men than the blacks on the
Murray and Darling, and more peaceful; but in other respects I
believe they will not compare favourably with them, for from the
little we have seen of them, they appear to be mean-spirited and
contemptible in every respect.
Monday, 17th December, 1860.--We continued to follow down the
creek. Found its course very crooked, and the channel frequently
dry for a considerable distance, and then forming into magnificent
waterholes, abounding in water fowl of all kinds. The country on
each side is more open than on the upper part of the creek. The
soil on the plains is of a light earthy nature, supporting
abundance of salt bush and grass. Most of the plains are lightly
timbered, and the ground is finer and not cracked up as at the head
of the creek. Left Camp 67 at ten minutes to six A.M., having
breakfasted before leaving. We followed the creek along from point
to point, at first in a direction west-north-west for about twelve
miles, then about north-west. At about noon we passed the last
water, a short distance beyond which the creek runs out on a
polygonum flat [Footnote: Polygonum Cunninghami.]; but the timber
was so large and dense that it deceived us into the belief that
there was a continuation of the channel. On crossing the polygonum
ground to where we expected to find the creek we became aware of
our mistake. Not thinking it advisable to chance the existence of
water ahead, we camped at the end of a large but shallow sheet of
water in the sandy bed of the creek.
The hole was about 150 links broad, and * [Footnote: Blank in
original.] feet deep in most places. In many places the temperature
of the water was almost incredibly high, which induced me to try it
at several points. The mean of two on the shady side of the creek
gave 97 4/10 degrees. As may be imagined this water tasted
disagreeably warm, but we soon cooled some in water bags, and
thinking that it would be interesting to know what we might call
cool, I placed the thermometer in a pannikin containing some that
appeared delightfully so, almost cold in fact; its temperature was,
to our astonishment, 78 degrees. At half-past six, when a strong
wind was blowing from south, and temperature of air had fallen to
80 degrees, the lowest temperature of water in the hose, that had
been exposed to the full effect of evaporation for several hours
was 72 degrees. This water for drinking appeared positively
cold, and is too low a temperature to be pleasant under the
circumstances. A remarkable southerly squall came on between five
and six P.M., with every appearance of rain. The sky however soon
cleared, but the wind continued to blow in a squally and irregular
manner from the same quarter at evening.
Wednesday, 19th December, 1860.--Started at a quarter-past eight A.
M., leaving what seemed to be the end of Cooper's Creek. We took a
course a little to the north of west, intending to try and obtain
water in some of the creeks that Sturt mentioned that he had
crossed, and at the same time to see whether they were connected
with Cooper's Creek, as appeared most probable from the direction
in which we found the latter running, and from the manner in which
it had been breaking up into small channels, flowing across the
plains in a north and north-north-west direction. We left on our
right the flooded flats on which this branch of the creek runs out,
and soon came to a series of sand ridges, the directions of which
were between north half-west and north-north-west. The country is
well grassed and supports plenty of salt bush. Many of the valleys
are liable to be inundated by the overflow of the main creek. They
have watercourses and polygonum flats bordered with box trees, but
we met with no holes fit to hold a supply of water. At about ten
miles we crossed a large earthy flat lightly timbered with box and
gum. The ground was very bad for travelling on, being much cracked
up and intersected by innumerable channels, which continually
carried off the water of a large creek. Some of the valleys beyond
this were very pretty, the ground being sound and covered with
fresh plants, which made them look beautifully green. At fifteen
miles we halted, where two large plains joined. Our attention had
been attracted by some red-breasted cockatoos, pigeons, a crow, and
several other birds, whose presence made us feel sure that there
was water not far off; but our hopes were soon destroyed by finding
a claypan just drying up. It contained just sufficient liquid to
make the clay boggy. At ten minutes to seven P.M., we moved on,
steering straight for Eyre's Creek, north-west by north, intending
to make a good night's journey and avoid the heat of the day; but
at a mile and a half we came to a creek which looked so well that
we followed it for a short distance, and finding two or three
waterholes of good milky water we camped for the night. This
enabled me to secure an observation of the eclipse of Jupiter's (I)
satellite, as well as some latitude observations. The night was so
calm that I used the water as an horizon; but I find it much more
satisfactory to take the mercury for several reasons.
Thursday, 20th December.--We did not leave this camp until
half-past eight, having delayed to refill the water-bags with the
milky water, which all of us found to be a great treat again. It is
certainly more pleasant to drink than the clear water, and at the
same time more satisfying. Our course from here, north-west by
north, took us through some pretty country, lightly timbered and
well grassed. We could see the line of creek timber winding through
the valley on our left. At a distance of five miles there was a
bush fire on its banks, and beyond it the creek made a considerable
bend to the south-west. At two miles farther we came in sight of a
large lagoon bearing north by west, and at three miles more we
camped on what would seem the same creek as last night, near where
it enters the lagoon. The latter is of great extent and contains a
large quantity of water, which swarms with wild fowl of every
description. It is very shallow, but is surrounded by the most
pleasing woodland scenery, and everything in the vicinity looks
fresh and green. The creek near its junction with the lagoon
contains some good waterholes five to six feet deep. They are found
in a sandy alluvium which is very boggy when wet. There was a large
camp of not less than forty or fifty blacks near where we stopped.
They brought us presents of fish, for which we gave them some beads
and matches. These fish we found to be a most valuable addition to
our rations. They were of the same kind as we had found elsewhere,
but finer, being from nine to ten inches long, and two to three
inches deep, and in such good condition that they might have been
fried in their own fat. It is a remarkable fact, that these were
the first blacks who have offered us any fish since we reached
Cooper's Creek.
Friday, 21st December.--We left Camp 70 at half-past five A.M., and
tried to induce one or two of the blacks to go with us, but it was
of no use. Keeping our former course we were pulled up at three
miles by a fine lagoon, and then by the creek that flows into it;
the latter being full of water, we were obliged to trace it a mile
up before we could cross. I observed on its banks two wild plants
of the gourd or melon tribe, one much resembling a stunted
cucumber: the other, both in leaf and appearance of fruit, was very
similar to a small model of a water melon. [Footnote: Probably
Muckia micrantha.--F.M.] The latter plant I also found at Camp 68.
On tasting the pulp of the newly-found fruit, which was about the
size of a large pea, I found it to be so acrid that it was with
difficulty that I removed the taste from my mouth. At eight or nine
miles from where we crossed the creek we passed another large
lagoon, leaving it two miles on our left, and shortly afterwards we
saw one nearly as far on our right. This last we should have
availed ourselves of, but that we expected to find water in a creek
which we could see, by the timber lining its banks, flowed from the
lagoon on our left and crossed our course a few miles ahead. We
reached it at a distance of four or five miles farther, and found a
splendid waterhole at which we camped. The creek at the point flows
in a northerly direction through a large lightly timbered flat, on
which it partially runs out. The ground is, however, sound and well
clothed with grass and salsolaceous plants. Up to this point the
country through which we have passed has been of the finest
description for pastoral purposes. The grass and saltbush are
everywhere abundant, and water is plentiful with every appearance
of permanence. We met with porcupine grass, [Footnote: Triodia
pungens.--Br.] and only two sand ridges before reaching Camp 71.
FIELD BOOK 2.
CAMP 72 TO 78. LATITUDE 27 TO 25 1/2 DEGREES S.L.
Saturday, 22nd December.--At five minutes to five A.M. we left one
of the most delightful camps we have had in the journey, and
proceeded on the same course as before, north-west by north, across
some high ridges of loose sand, many of which were partially
clothed with porcupine grass. We found the ground much worse to
travel over than any we have yet met with, as the ridges were
exceedingly abrupt and steep on their eastern side, and although
sloping gradually towards the west, were so honeycombed in some
places by the burrows of rats, that the camels were continually in
danger of falling. At a distance of about six miles, we descended
from these ridges to undulating country of open box forest, where
everything was green and fresh. There is an abundance of grass and
salt bushes, and lots of birds of all descriptions. Several flocks
of pigeons passed over our heads, making for a point a little to
our right, where there is no doubt plenty of water, but we did not
go off our course to look for it. Beyond the box forest, which
keeps away to the right, we again entered the sand ridges, and at a
distance of six miles, passed close to a dry salt lagoon, the
ridges in the vicinity of which are less regular in their form and
direction, and contain nodules of limestone. The ground in the
flats and claypans near, has that encrusted surface that cracks
under the pressure of the foot, and is a sure indication of saline
deposits. At a distance of eight miles from the lagoon, we camped
at the foot of a sand ridge, jutting out on the stony desert. I was
rather disappointed, but not altogether surprised, to find the
latter nothing more nor less than the stony rises that we had
before met with, only on a larger scale and not quite as
undulating. During the afternoon several crows came to feed on the
plain. They came from an east-north-east direction, no doubt from a
portion of the creek that flows through the forest that we left on
our right. In the morning, as we were loading, a duck passed over,
but it was too dark to see which way it went.
Sunday, 23rd December.--At five A.M. we struck out across the
desert in a west-north-west direction. At four and a-half miles we
crossed a sand ridge, and then returned to our north-west by north
course. We found the ground not nearly as bad for travelling on as
that between Bulloo and Cooper's Creek. In fact I do not know
whether it arose from our exaggerated anticipation of horrors or
not, but we thought it far from bad travelling ground, and as to
pasture it is only the actually stony ground that is bare, and many
a sheep run is in fact worse grazing ground than that. At fifteen
miles we crossed another sand ridge, for several miles round which
there is plenty of grass and fine salt bush. After crossing this
ridge we descended to an earthy plain, where the ground was rather
heavy, being in some places like pieces of slaked lime, and
intersected by small watercourses; flocks of pigeons rose from
amongst the salt bushes and polygonum; but all the creeks were dry,
although marked by lines of box timber. Several gunyahs of the
blacks were situated near a waterhole that had apparently contained
water very lately, and heaps of grass were lying about the plains,
from which they had beaten the seeds. We pushed on, hoping to find
the creeks assuming an improved appearance, but they did not, and
at one o'clock we halted, intending to travel through part of the
night. About sunset, three flocks of pigeons passed over us, all
going in the same direction, due north by compass, and passing over
a ridge of sand in that direction. Not to have taken notice of such
an occurrence would have been little short of a sin, so we
determined to go eight or ten miles in that direction. Starting at
seven o'clock P.M., we, at six miles, crossed the ridge over which
the birds had flown, and came on a flat, subject to inundation. The
ground was at first hard and even like the bottom of a claypan, but
at a mile or so, we came on cracked earthy ground, intersected by
numberless small channels running in all directions. At nine miles
we reached the bed of a creek running from east to west: it was
only bordered by polygonum bushes, but as there was no timber
visible on the plains, we thought it safer to halt until daylight,
for fear we should miss the water. At daylight, when we had
saddled, a small quantity of timber could be seen at the point of a
sand ridge about a mile and a half or two miles to the west of us,
and on going there we found a fine creek, with a splendid sheet of
water more than a mile long, and averaging nearly three chains
broad: it is, however, only two or three feet deep in most parts.
Monday, 24th December, 1860.--We took a day of rest on Gray's Creek
to celebrate Christmas. This was doubly pleasant, as we had never,
in our most sanguine moments, anticipated finding such a delightful
oasis in the desert. Our camp was really an agreeable place, for we
had all the advantages of food and water, attending a position of a
large creek or river, and were at the same time free from the
annoyance of the numberless ants, flies, and mosquitoes that are
invariably met with amongst timber or heavy scrub.
Tuesday, 25th December, 1860.--We left Gray's Creek at half-past
four A.M. and proceeded to cross the earthy rotten plains in the
direction of Eyre's Creek. At a distance of about nine miles we
reached some lines of trees and bushes which were visible from the
top of the sand ridge at Gray's Creek. We found them growing on the
banks of several small creeks which trend to the north and
north-north-west; at a mile and a half further we crossed a small
creek north-north-east, and joining the ones above mentioned. This
creek contained abundance of water in small detached holes from
fifty to a hundred links long, well shaded by steep banks and
overhanging bushes. The water had a suspiciously transparent colour
and a slight trace of brackishness, but the latter was scarcely
perceptible. Near where the creek joined the holes is a sandhill
and a dense mass of fine timber. The smoke of a fire indicated the
presence of blacks, who soon made their appearance and followed us
for some distance, beckoning us away to the north-east. We however
continued our course north-west by north, but at a distance of one
mile and a half found that the creek did not come round as we
expected, and that the fall of the water was in a direction nearly
opposite to our course, or about west to east. We struck off north
half west for a high sand ridge, from which we anticipated seeing
whether it were worth while for us to follow the course of the
creeks we had crossed. We were surprised to find all the
watercourses on the plains trending rather to the south of east,
and at a distance of three miles, after changing our course, and
when we approached the sandhills towards which we had been
steering, we were agreeably pulled up by a magnificent creek coming
from the north-north-west, and running in the direction of the fire
we had seen. We had now no choice but to change our course again,
for we could not have crossed even if we had desired to do so. On
following up the south bank of the creek we found it soon keeping a
more northerly course than it had where we first struck it. This
fact, together with its magnitude and general appearance, lessened
the probability of its being Eyre's Creek, as seemed at first very
likely from their relative positions and directions. The day being
very hot and the camels tired from travelling over the earthy
plains, which by-the-by are not nearly so bad as those at the head
of Cooper's Creek, we camped at one P.M., having traced the creek
up about five miles, not counting the bends. For the whole of this
distance we found not a break or interruption of water, which
appears to be very deep; the banks are from twenty to thirty feet
above the water, and very steep; they are clothed near the water's
edge with mint and other weeds, and on the top of each side there
is a belt of box trees and various shrubs. The lower part of the
creek is bounded towards the north by a high red sand ridge, and on
the south side is an extensive plain, intersected by numerous
watercourses, which drain off the water in flood-time. The greater
portion of the plain is at present very bare, but the stalks of dry
grass show that after rain or floods there will be a good crop on
the harder and well drained portion; but I believe the loose earthy
portion supports no vegetation at any time. The inclination of the
ground from the edge of the creek-bank towards the plain is in many
places very considerable; this I should take to indicate that the
flooding is or has been at one time both frequent and regular.
Wednesday, 26th December, 1860.--We started at five A.M., following
up the creek from point to point of the bends. Its general course
was at first north-by-west, but at about six miles, the sand ridge
on the west closed in on it, and at this point it takes a turn to
the north-north-east for half a mile, and then comes around
suddenly north-west. Up to this point it had been rather improving
in appearance than otherwise, but in the bend to the north-west the
channel is very broad. Its bed being limestone rock and indurated
clay, is for a space of five or six chains quite dry; then
commences another waterhole, the creek keeping a little more
towards north. We crossed the creek here and struck across the
plain in a due north course, for we could see the line of timber
coming up to the sand ridges in that direction. For from seven to
eight miles we did not touch the creek, and the eastern sand ridge
seceded to a distance, in some places of nearly three miles, from
our line, leaving an immense extent of grassy plain between it and
the creek. The distinctly marked feature on the lower part of this
creek is that whenever the main creek is on one side of a plain,
there is always a fine billibong on the opposite side, each of them
almost invariably sticking close to the respective sand ridges.
Before coming to the next bend of the creek a view from the top of
a sandhill showed me that the creek received a large tributary from
the north-west at about two miles above where we had crossed it. A
fine line of timber, running up to the north-west, joined an
extensive tract of box forest, and the branch we were following was
lost to view in a similar forest towards the north. The sand ridge
was so abrupt when we came to the creek, that it was necessary to
descend into its bed through one of the small ravines adjoining it.
We found it partially run out, the bed being sand and strewed with
nodules of lime, some of which were from one half to two feet long:
they had apparently been formed in the sanddowns by infiltration.
FIELD BOOK 3.
CAMPS 78 TO 85.* LATITUDE SOUTH 25 1/2 TO 23 3/4 DEGREES.
[* Footnote: This Field Book was mostly occupied by notes of
astronomical observations, and surveyor's notes for mapping.]
Sunday, 30th December, 1860.--Finding that the creek was trending
considerably towards the east without much likelihood of altering
its course, we struck off from it, taking a ten days' supply of
water, as there were ranges visible to the north, which had the
appearance of being stony. A north-east by north course was first
taken for about seven miles in order to avoid them. The whole of
this distance was over alluvial earthy plains, the soil of which
was firm, but the vegetation scanty.
FIELD BOOK 4.
CAMPS 85 TO 90. LATITUDE 23 3/4 TO 22 1/4 DEGREES.
(Fine Country, Tropics.)
Saturday, 5th January, 1861.--On leaving Camp 84, we found slight
but distinct indications of rain in the groves, and a few blades of
grass and small weeds in the little depressions on the plain: these
indications were, however, so slight, that, but for the fact of our
having found surface-water in two holes near our camp, we should
hardly have noticed them. At a distance of about two miles in a
north-north-easterly direction, we came to a creek with a long
broad shallow waterhole. The well-worn paths, the recent tracks of
natives, and the heaps of shells, on the contents of which the
latter had feasted, showed at once that this creek must be
connected with some creek of considerable importance. The camels
and horses being greatly in need of rest, we only moved up about
half a mile, and camped for the day.
Sunday, 6th January, 1861.--Started at twenty minutes to six
o'clock, intending to make an easy day's stage along the creek. As
we proceeded up in a northerly direction, we found the waterhole to
diminish in size very much, and at about two and a half miles the
creek ran out in a lot of small watercourses. At the upper end of
the creek we found in its bed what appeared to be an arrangement
for catching fish: it consisted of a small oval mud paddock about
twelve feet by eight feet, the sides of which were about nine
inches above the bottom of the hole, and the top of the fence
covered with long grass, so arranged that the ends of the blades
overhung scantily by several inches the sides of the hole. As there
was no sign of timber to the north, we struck off to north-west by
north for a fine line that came up from south-west, and seemed to
run parallel with the creek we were about to leave. At a distance
of about three miles, we reached the bank of a fine creek
containing a sheet of water two chains broad, and at least fifteen
feet deep in the middle. The banks are shelving, sandy, and lightly
clothed with box trees and various shrubs. On starting to cross the
plains towards this creek we were surprised at the bright green
appearance of strips of land, which look in the distance like
swamps. On approaching some of them, we found that there had been a
considerable fall of rain in some places, which had raised a fine
crop of grass and portulac [Footnote: Portulaca oleracea. L.]
wherever the soil was of a sandy and light nature; but the amount
of moisture had been insufficient to affect the hard clayey ground
which constitutes the main portion of the plain. The sight of two
native companions feeding here, added greatly to the encouraging
prospects; they are the only specimens of that bird that I remember
to have seen on that side of the Darling.
7th January, 1861.--We started at half-past four A.M. without
water, thinking that we might safely rely on this creek for one
day's journey. We, however, found the line of timber soon began to
look small; at three miles the channel contained only a few pools
of surface water. We continued across the plains on a due north
course, frequently crossing small watercourses, which had been
filled by the rain, but were fast drying up. Here and there, as we
proceeded, dense lines of timber on our right showed that the creek
came from the east of north; at a distance of thirteen miles we
turned to the north-north-east towards a fine line of timber. We
found a creek of considerable dimensions, that had only two or
three small water-holes, but as there was more than sufficient for
us, and very little feed for the beasts anywhere else, we camped. I
should have liked this camp to have been in a more prominent and
easily recognizable position, as it happens to be almost exactly on
the tropic of Capricorn. The tremendous gale of wind that we had in
the evening and night prevented me from taking a latitude
observation, whereas I had some good ones at the last camp and at
Camp 87. My reckoning cannot be far out. I found, on taking out my
instruments, that one of the spare thermometers was broken, and the
glass of my aneroid barometer cracked; the latter I believe not
otherwise injured. This was done by the camel having taken it into
his head to roll while the pack was on his back.
Tuesday, 8th January, 1861.--Started at a quarter past five A.M.
with a load of water, determined to be independent of all creeks
and watercourses. At a mile and a half, found surface water in a
small creek, and at a mile farther, water in two or three places on
the open plains. The country we crossed for the first ten miles
consists of fine open plains of firm argillaceous soils, too stiff
and hard to be affected by the small quantity of rain that has
fallen as yet. They are subject to inundations from the overflow of
a number of small creeks, which intersect them in a direction
east-north-east to west-south-west. Nearly all the creeks are lined
with box trees and shrubs in a tolerably healthy state; of the
remains of dead trees there is only a fair proportion to the living
ones. After traversing a plain of greater extent than the rest, we,
at ten miles, reached the creek, proportionately large and
important looking. The channel, however, at the point where we
struck it, was deep, level, and dry; but I believe there is water
in it not far off, for there were some red-breasted cockatoos in
the trees, and native parrots on each side. On the north side there
is a part bearing off to the north-north-west. The mirage on the
plain to the south of the creek was stronger than I have before
seen it. There appear to be sheets of water within a few yards of
one, and it looks sufficiently smooth and glassy to be used for an
artificial horizon. To the westward of the plains, some fine
sandhills were visible, nearly in the direction in which the creek
flowed. To the north of the creek the country undergoes a great
change. At first there is a little earthy land subject to
inundation. The soil then becomes more sandy, with stony pans in
which water collects after rain; the whole country is slightly
undulating, lightly timbered, and splendidly grassed. A number of
small disconnected creeks are scattered about, many of which
contained water protected from the sun and wind by luxuriant growth
of fine grasses and small bushes. We passed one or two little rises
of sand and pebbles, on which were growing some trees quite new to
me; but for the seed pods I should have taken them for a species of
Casuarina, although the leaf-stalks have not the jointed
peculiarities of those plants. The trunks and branches are like the
she oak, the leaves like those of a pine; they droop like a willow,
and the seed is small, flat, in a large flat pod, about six inches
by three-quarters of an inch. As we proceeded, the country improved
at every step. Flocks of pigeons rose and flew off to the eastward,
and fresh plants met our view on every rise; everything green and
luxuriant. The horse licked his lips, and tried all he could to
break his nose-string in order to get at the food. We camped at the
foot of a sandy rise, where there was a large stony pan with plenty
of water, and where the feed was equal in quality, and superior as
to variety, to any that I have seen in Australia, excepting perhaps
on some soils of volcanic origin.
Wednesday, 9th January, 1861.--Started at five minutes past five,
without water, trusting to get a supply of water from the rain that
fell during the thunderstorm. Traversed six miles of undulating
plains covered with vegetation richer than ever. Several ducks rose
from the little creeks as we passed, and flocks of pigeons were
flying in all directions. The richness of the vegetation is
evidently not suddenly arising from chance thunderstorms, for the
trees and bushes on the open plain are everywhere healthy and fresh
looking; very few dead ones are to be seen; besides which, the
quantity of dead and rotten grass which at present almost
overpowers in some places the young blades shows that this is not
the first crop of the kind. The grasses are numerous and many of
them unknown to me, but they only constitute a moderate portion of
the herbage. Several kinds of spurious vetches and portulac, as
well as salsolaceae, add to the luxuriance of the vegetation. At
seven miles we found ourselves in an open forest country, where the
feed was good, but not equal to what we had passed, neither had it
been visited by yesterday's rain. We soon emerged again on open
plains, but the soil being of a more clayish nature, they were not
nearly so much advanced in vegetation as the others. We found
surface water in several places, and at one spot disturbed a fine
bustard which was feeding in the long grass; we did not see him
until he flew up. I should have mentioned that one flew over our
camp last evening in a northerly direction; this speaks well for
the country and climate. At noon we came to a large creek the
course of which was from east-north-east to west-south-west; the
sight of the white gum trees in the distance had raised hopes,
which were not at all damped on a close inspection of the channel.
At the point where we struck it there was certainly no great
quantity of water; the bed was broad and sandy, but its whole
appearance was that of an important watercourse, and the large gums
which line its banks, together with the improved appearance of the
soil, and the abundance of feed in the vicinity, satisfied us as to
the permanency of the water and the value of the discovery.
Although it was so early in the day, and we were anxious to make a
good march, yet we camped here, as it seemed to be almost a sin to
leave such good quarters. The bed of the creek is loose sand,
through which the water freely permeates; it is, however,
sufficiently coarse not to be boggy, and animals can approach the
water without any difficulty.
Thursday, 10th January, 1861.--At twenty minutes past five A.M., we
left our camp with a full supply of water, determined to risk no
reverses, and to make a good march. I should mention that last
evening we had been nearly deafened by the noise of the cicadariae,
and but for our large fires should have been kept awake all night
by the mosquitoes. A walk of two miles across a well grassed plain
brought us to a belt of timber, and we soon afterwards found
ourselves pulled up by a large creek in which the water was broad
and deep; we had to follow up the bank of the creek in a
north-easterly direction for nearly a mile before we could cross,
when to our joy we found that it was flowing; not a muddy stream
from the effects of recent floods, but a small rivulet of pure
water as clear as crystal. The bed of the river at this place is
deep and rather narrow; the water flows over sand and pebbles,
winding its way between clumps of melalema, and gum saplings. After
leaving the river, we kept our old course due north, crossing, at a
distance of one mile, three creeks with gum trees on their banks.
The soil of the flats through which they flow is a red loam of fair
quality and well grassed. Beyond the third creek is a large plain,
parts of which are very stony, and this is bounded towards the east
by a low stony rise, partly composed of decayed and honeycombed
quartz rock in situ, and partly of waterworn pebbles and other
alluvial deposits. At about two miles across this plain, we reached
the first of a series of small creeks with deep waterholes: these
creeks and holes have the characteristics peculiar to watercourses
which are found in flats formed from the alluvial deposits of
schistose rocks. The banks are on a level with the surrounding
ground, and are irregularly marked by small trees, or only by tufts
of long grass which overhang the channel and frequently hide it
from one's view, even when within a few yards. At about five miles
from where we crossed the river, we came to the main creek in these
flats, Patten's Creek; it flows along at the foot of a stony range,
and we had to trace it up nearly a mile in a north-north-easterly
direction before we could cross it; as it happened, we might almost
as well have followed its course up the flat, for at a little more
than two miles we came to it again. We re-crossed it at a stony
place just below a very large waterhole, and then continued our
course over extensive plains, not so well grassed as those we had
passed before, and very stony in some places. At eight miles from
Patten's Creek, we came to another, running from south-west to
south-east: there was plenty of water in it, but it was evidently
the result of recent local rains. On the banks was an abundance of
good feed but very little timber.
Friday, 11th January, 1861.--We started at five A.M., and in the
excitement of exploring fine well-watered country, forgot all about
the eclipse of the sun until the reduced temperature and peculiarly
gloomy appearance of the sky drew our attention to the matter; it
was then too late to remedy the deficiency, so we made a good day's
journey, the moderation of the midday heat, which was only about 86
degrees, greatly assisting us. The country traversed has the most
verdant and cheerful aspect; abundance of feed and water
everywhere. All the creeks seen to-day have a course more or less
to the east by south. The land improves in appearance at every
mile. A quantity of rain has fallen here and to the south, and some
of the flats are suitable for cultivation, if the regularity of the
seasons will admit.
FIELD BOOK 5.
CAMPS 92 TO 95. LATITUDE 22 1/4 TO 21 1/4 DEGREES.
(Standish Ranges.)
Saturday, 12th January, 1861.--We started at five A.M., and,
keeping as nearly as possible a due north course, traversed for
about eight miles a splendid flat, through which flow several fine
well-watered creeks, lined with white gum trees. We then entered a
series of slaty, low, sandstone ranges, amongst which were some
well-grassed flats, and plenty of water in the main gullies. The
more stony portions are, however, covered with porcupine grass, and
here and there with mallee; large ant-hills are very numerous; they
vary in height from two and a half to four feet. There was a
continuous rise perceptible all the way in crossing the ranges, and
from the highest portion, which we reached at a distance of about
seven miles, we had a pretty good view of the country towards the
north. As far as we could see in the distance, and bearing due
north, was a large range, having somewhat the outline of a granite
mountain. The east end of this range just comes up to the magnetic
north; on the left of this, and bearing north-north-west, is a
single conical peak, the top of which only is visible. Further to
the west there were some broken ranges, apparently sandstone; to
the east of north the tops of very distant and apparently higher
ranges were seen, the outline of which was so indistinct that I can
form no idea as to their character; the intermediate country below
us appeared alternations of fine valleys and stony ranges, such as
we had just been crossing. From here a descent of two miles brought
us to a creek having a northern course, but on tracing it down for
about a mile, we found it to turn to the south-east and join
another from the north. We crossed over to the latter on a
north-by-west course, and camped on the west bank. It has a broad
sandy channel; the waterholes are large, but not deep; the banks
are bordered with fine white gums, and are in some places very
scrubby. There is abundance of rich green feed everywhere in the
vicinity. We found here numerous indications of blacks having been
here, but saw nothing of them. It seems remarkable that where their
tracks are so plentiful, we should have seen none since we left
King's Creek. I observed that the natives here climb trees as those
on the Murray do, in search of some animal corresponding in habits
to the opossum, which they get out of the hollow branches in a
similar manner. I have not yet been able to ascertain what the
animal is.
Sunday, 13th January, 1861.--We did not leave camp this morning
until half-past seven, having delayed for the purpose of getting
the camels' shoes on--a matter in which we were eminently
unsuccessful. We took our breakfast before starting, for almost the
first time since leaving the depot. Having crossed the creek, our
course was due north as before, until, at about six miles, we came
in sight of the range ahead, when we took a north-half-east
direction for the purpose of clearing the eastern front of it. We
found the ground more sandy than what we had before crossed, and a
great deal of it even more richly grassed. Camp 93 is situate at
the junction of three sandy creeks, in which there is abundance of
water. The sand is loose, and the water permeates freely, so that
the latter may be obtained delightfully cool and clear by sinking
anywhere in the beds of the creeks.
FIELD BOOK 6.
CAMPS 98 TO 105. LATITUDE 21 1/4 TO 20 1/4 DEGREES.
(Upper part of Cloncurry.)
Saturday, 19th January, 1861.--Started from Camp 98 at 5.30 A.M.,
and passing to the north-west of Mount Forbes, across a fine and
well-grassed plain, kept at first a north-by-east direction. At a
distance of three miles, the plain became everywhere stony, being
scattered over with quartz pebbles; and a little further on we came
to low quartz ranges, the higher portions of which are covered with
porcupine grass, but the valleys are well clothed with a variety of
coarse and rank herbage. At about five miles we crossed a creek
with a sandy bed, which has been named Green's Creek; there were
blacks not far above where we crossed, but we did not disturb them.
After crossing the creek, we took a due north course over very
rugged quartz ranges of an auriferous character. Pieces of iron
ore, very rich, were scattered in great numbers over some of the
hills. On our being about to cross one of the branch creeks in the
low range, we surprised some blacks--a man who, with a young fellow
apparently his son, was upon a tree, cutting out something; and a
lubra with a piccaninny. The two former did not see me until I was
nearly close to them, and then they were dreadfully frightened;
jumping down from the trees, they started off, shouting what
sounded to us very like "Joe, Joe." Thus disturbed, the lubra, who
was at some distance from them, just then caught sight of the
camels and the remainder of the party as they came over the hill
into the creek, and this tended to hasten their flight over the
stones and porcupine grass. Crossing the range at the head of this
creek, we came on a gully running north, down which we proceeded,
and soon found it open out into a creek, at two or three points in
which we found water. On this creek we found the first specimen of
an eucalyptus, which has a very different appearance from the
members of the gum-tree race. It grows as high as a good-sized gum
tree, but with the branches less spreading: in shape it much
resembles the elm; the foliage is dark, like that of the light
wood; the trunk and branches are covered with a grey bark
resembling in outward appearance that of the box tree. Finding that
the creek was trending too much to the eastward, we struck off to
the north again, and at a short distance came on a fine creek
running about south-south-east. As it was now nearly time to camp,
we travelled it up for about one and a-half mile, and came to a
fine waterhole in a rocky basin, at which there were lots of birds.
FIELD BOOK 7.
CAMPS 105 TO 112. LATITUDE 20 1/4 TO 19 1/4 DEGREES.
(Middle part of Cloncurry.)
Sunday, 27th January, 1861.--Started from Camp 105 at five
minutes past two in the morning. We followed along the bends
of the creek by moonlight, and found the creek wind about very
much, taking on the whole a north-east course. At about five
miles it changed somewhat its features; from a broad and sandy
channel, winding about through gum-tree flats, it assumes the
unpropitious appearance of a straight, narrow creek, running in a
north-north-east direction between high, perpendicular, earthy
banks. After running between three or four miles in this manner, it
took a turn to the west, at which point there is a fine waterhole,
and then assumed its original character. Below this we found water
at several places, but it all seemed to be either from surface
drainage or from springs in the sand. The land in the vicinity of
the creek appears to have received plenty of rain, the vegetation
everywhere green and fresh; but there is no appearance of the creek
having flowed in this part of the channel for a considerable
period. Palm trees are numerous, and some bear an abundance of
small, round dates (nuts) just ripening. These palms give a most
picturesque and pleasant appearance to the creek.
Wednesday, 30th January, 1861.--Started at half-past seven A.M.,
after several unsuccessful attempts at getting Golah out of the bed
of the creek. It was determined to try bringing him down until we
could find a place for him to get out at; but after going in this
way two or three miles it was found necessary to leave him behind,
as it was almost impossible to get him through some of the
waterholes, and had separated King from the party, which became a
matter for very serious consideration when we found blacks hiding
in the box trees close to us.
. . .
Having reached the point indicated by the last date and passage in"
Field Book 7," Mr. Burke and my son determined to leave Gray and
King there in charge of the camels, and to proceed onwards to the
shores of Carpentaria, themselves on foot and leading the horse.
The river or creek down which they passed is named in the journal
the Cloncurry. The channel making a sudden turn, my son remarked
that it might be a new river. "If it should prove so," said Mr.
Burke, "we will call it after my old friend Lord Cloncurry."
With reference to this locality, marked in the map as Camp 119,
King was asked in his examination before the Royal Commissioners:
Question 815. Was the water salt?--Quite salt.
816. Who first made the discovery of reaching the sea, or did you
all come upon it together; that is, reaching the salt water where
the tide was?--Mr. Wills knew it; he had told us two or three days
before we reached the salt water that we were in the country that
had been discovered by Mr. Gregory and other previous explorers.
817. Some days before you got upon it he told you that?--Yes, and
showed us on the chart the supposed place where Mr. Gregory crossed
this small creek.
It will be seen by these answers of King, that Mr. Burke assumed no
topographical knowledge of the position. The Melbourne Argus stated
and repeated that he had mistaken the Flinders for the Albert. Now
the river in question was never mentioned as either, and the
mistake, if made, was Mr. Wills's and not Mr. Burke's. This portion
of the map was said to have been lost on the morning of its arrival
in Melbourne; and this I can readily believe, as also that more
might have met with the same fate had I not fortunately been there.
. . .
FIELD BOOK 8.
CAMPS 112 TO 119. SOUTH LATITUDE 19 1/4 TO 17 DEGREES 53 MINUTES.
Lower part of Cloncurry.
. . .
FIELD BOOK 9.
Returning from Carpentaria to Cooper's Creek.
Sunday, February, 1861.--Finding the ground in such a state from the
heavy falls of rain, that camels could scarcely be got along, it
was decided to leave them at Camp 119, and for Mr. Burke and I to
proceed towards the sea on foot. After breakfast we accordingly
started, taking with us the horse and three days' provisions. Our
first difficulty was in crossing Billy's Creek, which we had to do
where it enters the river, a few hundred yards below the camp. In
getting the horse in here, he got bogged in a quicksand bank so
deeply as to be unable to stir, and we only succeeded in
extricating him by undermining him on the creek's side, and then
lugging him into the water. Having got all the things in safety, we
continued down the river bank, which bent about from east to west,
but kept a general north course. A great deal of the land was so
soft and rotten that the horse, with only a saddle and about
twenty-five pounds on his back, could scarcely walk over it. At a
distance of about five miles we again had him bogged in crossing a
small creek, after which he seemed so weak that we had great doubts
about getting him on. We, however, found some better ground close
to the water's edge, where the sandstone rock crops out, and we
stuck to it as far as possible. Finding that the river was bending
about so much that we were making very little progress in a
northerly direction, we struck off due north and soon came on some
table-land, where the soil is shallow and gravelly, and clothed
with box and swamp gums. Patches of the land were very boggy, but
the main portion was sound enough; beyond this we came on an open
plain, covered with water up to one's ankles. The soil here was a
stiff clay, and the surface very uneven, so that between the tufts
of grass one was frequently knee deep in water. The bottom,
however, was sound and no fear of bogging. After floundering
through this for several miles, we came to a path formed by the
blacks, and there were distinct signs of a recent migration in a
southerly direction. By making use of this path we got on much
better, for the ground was well trodden and hard. At rather more
than a mile, the path entered a forest through which flowed a nice
watercourse, and we had not gone far before we found places where
the blacks had been camping. The forest was intersected by little
pebbly rises, on which they had made their fires, and in the sandy
ground adjoining some of the former had been digging yams, which
seemed to be so numerous that they could afford to leave lots of
them about, probably having only selected the very best. We were
not so particular, but ate many of those that they had rejected,
and found them very good. About half a mile further, we came close
on a black fellow, who was coiling up by a camp fire, whilst his
gin and piccaninny were yabbering alongside. We stopped for a short
time to take out some of the pistols that were on the horse, and
that they might see us before we were so near as to frighten them.
Just after we stopped, the black got up to stretch his limbs, and
after a few seconds looked in our direction. It was very amusing to
see the way in which he stared, standing for some time as if he
thought he must be dreaming, and then, having signalled to the
others, they dropped on their haunches, and shuffled off in the
quietest manner possible. Near their fire was a fine hut, the best
I have ever seen, built on the same principle as those at Cooper's
Creek, but much larger and more complete: I should say a dozen
blacks might comfortably coil in it together. It is situated at the
end of the forest towards the north, and looks out on an extensive
marsh, which is at times flooded by the sea water. Hundreds of wild
geese, plover and pelicans, were enjoying themselves in the
watercourses on the marsh, all the water on which was too brackish
to be drinkable, except some holes that are filled by the stream
that flows through the forest. The neighbourhood of this encampment
is one of the prettiest we have seen during the journey. Proceeding
on our course across the marsh, we came to a channel through which
the sea water enters. Here we passed three blacks, who, as is
universally their custom, pointed out to us, unasked, the best part
down. This assisted us greatly, for the ground we were taking was
very boggy. We moved slowly down about three miles and then camped
for the night; the horse Billy being completely baked. Next morning
we started at daybreak, leaving the horse short hobbled.
Memo.--Verbally transcribed from the Field Books of the late Mr.
Wills. Very few words, casually omitted in the author's
manuscripts, have been added in brackets. A few botanical
explanations have been appended. A few separate general remarks
referring to this portion of the diary will be published, together
with the meteorological notes to which they are contiguous. No
other notes in reference to this portion of the journey are extant.
5/11/61 FERD. MUELLER.
. . .
It will be observed in following these Field Books that there
are occasional intervals and omissions, which I account for thus:
--My son's first entries, in pencil, are more in the form of notes,
with observations, and figures to guide him in mapping; because,
when his maps are accurate and attended to, his journal is
imperfect, and vice versa. Besides, there can be no doubt that Mr.
Burke kept a journal, though perhaps not a complete one, and of
which a very small portion has come to hand. In it he mentions a
difficult pass they went through on the route to Carpentaria, of
which my son does not speak. King confirms Mr. Burke's statement,
and says my son knew he had written it, which was the reason why he
did not himself repeat the same passage.
The Royal Commissioners in their Report said:
"It does not appear that Mr. Burke kept any regular journal, or
that he gave written instructions to his officers. Had he performed
these essential portions of the duties of a leader, many of the
calamities of the Expedition might have been averted, and little or
no room would have been left for doubt in judging the conduct of
those subordinates who pleaded unsatisfactory and contradictory
verbal orders and statements."
With all due submission and humility, I think this opinion too
conclusive, and formed on unsatisfactory evidence, as any statement
must be considered, proceeding from one who destroyed his own
credit by self-contradiction to the extent that Mr. Brahe did. He
admitted, on his examination, that he had burnt some of Mr. Burke's
papers at Mr. Burke's own request. How then is it possible to
determine what he may otherwise have burnt or placed out of the
way? In fact, what written instructions, if any, he did or not
receive, and what he did with them?