INLAND EXPLORATION.
The cause of exploration and discovery in Australia has never lacked
enthusiastic volunteers, whether on sea or land. Like the North Pole,
the hidden secrets of the continent have always attracted men of
enterprise and energy anxious to penetrate the veil of mystery and
silence that has hung over this vast territory since Creation's dawn.
Little by little has the land been explored and opened up for
occupation; and those geographical secrets so long sought after have
been unfolded as an open page for all to study and make use of. The
records of some of the early pioneers, the motives which promoted their
search, their hardships, and their journeyings, their failures and their
endurance, will always remain an interesting portion of colonial
history.
The explorers were types of the men of a generation now gone by; they
were men who endured a thousand perils and hardships to solve the
mystery of Australian geography. By their enterprise and discoveries,
they became the forerunners of the early pastoral pioneers who opened up
the vast plains of the interior to occupation, and settled the towns
and ports of the coast. The navigators were the first to make known the
outlines of the country, then the explorers followed, starting from
various points to trace its geographical features, follow the courses of
its rivers, and investigate the suitability of the soil and herbage for
the sustenance of stock. In this manner was the path opened for the
pioneer squatter or pastoralist with his flocks and herds to settle on
and portion out the land, and turn the wilderness to profit and
occupation. The skeleton map of the country being traced out, the
details were worked in gradually by the spirit of enterprise and
adventure that has always been ready in these lands for such work.
The first land explorer of the territory now called Queensland, was, in
point of time, Allan Cunningham, botanist, explorer, and collector for
the Royal Gardens at Kew, who arrived in New South Wales in 1816. After
many journeyings on sea along the coasts of Australia, and inland to the
Liverpool Plains through the Blue Mountains, he left the Hunter River in
1827 with a party of six men and eleven horses, discovering the Darling
Downs, and thus opening the way to settlement in Queensland. He named
Canning Downs on this trip, and returned the same year. In the following
year, 1828, he went by sea to Brisbane, and connected that port with the
Darling Downs by discovering a gap in the coast range, still known as
Cunningham's Gap. He spent most of his life collecting and exploring,
and died at the early age of 48 in Sydney. His brother, Richard
Cunningham, also botanist and collector, accompanied Sir Thomas Mitchell
in one of his early trips; while camped on the Bogan, he wandered away,
lost himself, and was killed by the blacks.
* * * * *
Of all the explorers who have taken a prominent part in discovering the
inland territory of Australia in general, and Queensland in particular,
Dr. Leichhardt occupies the most conspicuous position, and his
discoveries have been followed by the most extensive and advantageous
results. He explored all the country on the east coast inland as far as
the Mitchell River, and on the northern coast as far as Port Essington.
He was a man of considerable scientific attainments, and his travels had
a marked effect in inducing settlement along his line of march. His
memorable trip from Brisbane to Port Essington reflects great honour on
his memory, and his name will last as long as colonial history.
Leichhardt left Sydney in 1844 in the steamer "Sovereign" for Brisbane;
he had with him Calvert, Roper, Murphy, Phillips, and Harry Broome, an
aboriginal. The party later on was joined by Gilbert, a naturalist, and
one coloured man, a native. They left Jimbour on the Darling Downs, on
October 1st, 1844, crossed the Dawson on November 6th, and on the 27th
Leichhardt named the Expedition Range. Two days after that they came to
the Comet River, so named because a comet was seen there. On December
31st, the party came across the remains of a camp evidently made by a
white man, consisting of a ridge pole and forks cut with a sharp iron
instrument, probably the halting place of some adventurous pioneers who
travelled on the outside fringe of all settlement, and who frequently
made long journeys into the unknown land.
On January 10th, they reached the Mackenzie River, and on February 13th
were on the Isaacs River, coming from the north-west, which they named
after F. Isaacs of Darling Downs. Leichhardt's account of his journey is
very interesting. It gives a description of the geological formations,
of the mountains and peaks, and also a botanical description of the
flora of the country through which he passed. He describes the game,
some of which they turned to account to supplement their already scanty
fare. The expedition passed on March 7th from the heads of the Isaacs to
another creek, which they called Suttor Creek, after Mr. Suttor of New
South Wales, who had contributed four bullocks to the expedition. The
stream enlarging with the additions of other creeks, eventually merged
into the Suttor River, which they continued to follow down, passing a
great number of native encampments on the way, and observing large
numbers of water fowl and other game. The junction of the Cape River was
passed, and they camped close to a mount which they called Mount
McConnel, after Fred McConnel, who had contributed to the expedition.
Near here they discovered the junction of the Suttor with a large river
coming from the north, called the Burdekin, after Mr. Burdekin of
Sydney, who had also liberally contributed to the expedition. The river
is described by Leichhardt as being here about a mile wide, with traces
of very high floods coming down its channel; the junction of the two
rivers is in latitude 20 deg. 37 min. 13 sec. On April 22nd, after
following up the Burdekin through fine open country well grassed, they
discovered the Clarke River coming in from the south-west, called after
the Rev. W. B. Clarke, of Sydney.
The course of the Burdekin River, which was closely traced, served the
little party through more than two degrees of latitude and the same of
longitude, with a never failing supply of pure water and good grass, and
then passing over some large fields of basalt towards the north-west,
they arrived on another watershed, the first river of which they called
the Lynd, after Mr. R. Lynd, a gentleman to whom the explorer was much
indebted. The first camp on the Lynd was in latitude 17 deg. 58 min.;
the country throughout its course was very rough, consisting mostly of
large granite boulders; its course was generally north-west, and the
adventurous party were now on waters flowing into the Gulf of
Carpentaria. The Lynd was followed to its junction with the Mitchell in
latitude 16 deg. 30 sec., and a marked tree of Leichhardt's is still
visible at the junction of the two streams. Although they were so far
from the termination of their journey, their flour had already been
exhausted for several weeks, their sugar bags were empty as well, they
were also without salt, and had scarcely any clothes. However, the
explorer speaks in great praise of the congenial climate they were
experiencing, the weather being almost perfect (this in June). Having
followed the course of the Mitchell River till it took them past the
latitude of the head of the Gulf, it was decided to leave it, and their
first camp thereafter was in latitude 15 deg. 52 min. 38 sec. Three days
after leaving the Mitchell, the party was attacked by the natives early
in the night; Gilbert was killed at once, Calvert and Roper were badly
wounded, and the whole party had a narrow escape from total destruction.
After burying their companion, they continued their journey towards the
Gulf, where the finding of salt water in the rivers gave them great
encouragement.
One river they named the Gilbert after their late companion, and after
crossing all the rivers flowing into the Gulf within tidal influence,
the party steered north-west, naming Beame's Brook and the Nicholson
River after two of Leichhardt's benefactors. They had now crossed
Captain Stokes' Plains of Promise, and were making their way along the
coast to Port Essington. They travelled through poor, scrubby, rough
country, crossing many rivers and creeks, and enduring a thousand
hardships, till on September 21st they reached the largest salt water
river they had seen, with islands in it; this they called the Macarthur,
after the Macarthurs of Camden, who had given liberal support to
Leichhardt. Continuing north-west through poor, scrubby country, on
October 9th they encamped on what was named the Limmen Bight River on
account of its debouching into Limmen Bight, and about the 19th, the
Roper was discovered and named after a member of the expedition. Here
they had the misfortune to have three of their horses drowned, and
Leichhardt was compelled to leave behind much of his valuable collection
of plants and stones; a matter that grieved him sorely. A great quantity
of game was obtained here, ducks, geese, and emus were killed every day,
and made a welcome addition to their fare of dried or jerked bullock
meat. They thickened their soup with green hide, which was considered a
treat; they made coffee from a bean found growing along the river banks,
which Leichhardt called the "River Bean" of the Mackenzie; and they were
constantly making experiments, sometimes rather dangerous, as to the
value as food of the seeds and fruits they found on their line of march.
The South Alligator River was reached, and the same north-west course,
continued through rocky country, which lamed their two remaining
bullocks, and when they reached what Leichhardt considered the East
Alligator River over some extensive plain country in which large numbers
of geese and ducks were seen, they were full of hope on meeting some
friendly natives, who could speak a few words of English, evidently
visitors to the settlement towards which our way-worn explorers were
trying to find their road. Many tracks of buffaloes were seen, and one
was shot, and made a welcome change from their usual fare. Eventually
they reached Port Essington, where Captain Macarthur gave them a kindly
welcome, and after a month's rest they left in the "Heroine," arriving
in Sydney March 29th, 1846. Their arrival created great astonishment and
delight, as they had been mourned as dead for a long time. The
Legislative Council granted L1,000, and the public subscribed L1,578 to
the party, which was presented to them by the Speaker of the Legislative
Council at a large public gathering in the School of Arts in Sydney.
Leichhardt's journey from Moreton Bay to Port Essington furnished the
first knowledge we had of the capabilities of North Queensland. It was
the turning of its first leaf of history, for his journey was for the
greater part through the territory now comprised within its boundaries.
The record of his trials, hardships, and endurance, will stand
unequalled among all histories of explorations in any part of Australia.
Mr. John Roper, who was badly speared in the night attack by blacks and
lost the use of one eye afterwards, died a few years ago at Merriwa,
New South Wales, and was the last survivor of Leichhardt's first trip to
Port Essington.
On a subsequent exploring trip, in which he intended to cross Australia
from east to west, Leichhardt and his party disappeared, and no definite
information has ever been forthcoming as to the fate that overtook them.
On this occasion he started from the Darling Downs, and his companions
were Hentig, Classan, Donald Stuart, Kelly, and two natives, Womai and
Billy. His last letter is dated April 4th, 1848, from Macpherson's
station--Coogoon, beyond Mount Abundance, situated about six miles west
of the present town of Roma.
Traces have been discovered of their journey through a part of the
Flinders River country. Two horses found by Duncan Macintyre on the
Dugald, a branch of the Cloncurry, about 1860, were identified as having
belonged to Leichhardt's expedition, and some traces were discovered by
A. C. Gregory in latitude 24 deg. south, consisting of a marked tree at
one of his old camps. These form the only records we possess of the
ill-fated travellers. Drought may have split his party up in the desert
interior, and, disorganised and scattered, they would fall an easy prey
to thirst and delirium, for so soon does extreme thirst in a hot and dry
climate demoralise the strongest men, that hope is lost even in a few
hours, and delirium sets in. People thus distracted, lie down under the
nearest bush to die, after having wandered to every point of the
compass in search of water until their strength fails. On the other
hand, the party may have been destroyed by flood, by hunger, or by the
attacks of hostile natives, a mutiny may have broken out and the party,
split up into fragments, may have wandered by devious paths and perished
in detail.
Many expeditions were sent out in search of the lost explorers, and
although not able to find any definite traces of his route, or to
account for his disappearance, they were instrumental in opening up vast
tracts of hitherto unknown territory, and adding largely to the
knowledge of the geography of the interior.
The following beautiful verses were written by Lynd, a friend of
Leichhardt's, and have been set to music:--
"Ye who prepare with pilgrim feet
Your long and doubtful path to wend.
If whitening on the waste ye meet
The relics of my martyred friend.
"His bones with reverence ye shall bear.
To where some crystal streamlet flows:
There by its mossy banks prepare
The pillow of his long repose.
"It shall be by a stream whose tides
Are drank by birds of every wing,
Where Nature resting but abides
The earliest awakening touch of spring.
"But raise no stone to mark the place.
For faithful to the hopes of man.
The Being he so loved to trace,
Shall breathe upon his bones again.
"Oh meet that he who so carest,
All bounteous Nature's varied charms,
That he her martyred son should rest
Within his mother's fondest arms.
"And there upon the path he trod,
And bravely led his desert band,
Shall science like the smile of God
Come brightening o'er the promised land.
"How will her pilgrims hail the power,
Beneath the drooping Myall's gloom.
To sit at eve and muse an hour,
And pluck a leaf from Leichhardt's tomb."
--Lynd.
The following descriptions are taken from a journal of an expedition
into the interior of tropical Australia in search of a route from Sydney
to the Gulf of Carpentaria by Lieut.-Colonel Sir T. L. Mitchell,
Surveyor-General of New South Wales, in 1845.
The money for this attempt was found by the Legislative Council of New
South Wales. The Secretary for the Colonies sanctioned the expedition,
which had been suggested by the leader himself, during a slack time in
his department. This trip, though it never approached the Gulf, or even
its watershed--which was its main object at starting--nevertheless
discovered such an extent of available country as to make it one of the
most valuable and interesting expeditions that were ever carried out in
North Queensland. This was Mitchell's third exploring trip, and it is
referred to now, as it relates to the discovery and opening up of a
large part of western, as well as a part of North Queensland. There is
no doubt that Mitchell would have reached the Gulf waters if his
equipment had not been so cumbersome and altogether dependent on good
seasons. An account of his outfit will be interesting reading in these
times when people think little of moving from the South to the North of
Australia with any kind of a party, and his departure must have looked
like the start of a small army on the move to conquer a new country. Sir
Thomas Mitchell took with him eight drays drawn by eighty bullocks, two
iron boats, seventeen horses (four being private property), and three
light carts; these were the modes of conveyance. There were 250 sheep to
travel with the party as a meat supply. Other stores consisted of
gelatine and a small quantity of pork. The party consisted of thirty
persons, most of whom were prisoners of the Crown in different stages of
probation, whose only incentive to obedience and fidelity was the
prospect of liberty at the end of the journey. According to the
testimony of their leader, they performed their work throughout
creditably; they were volunteers from among the convicts of Cockatoo
Island, and were eager to be employed on the expedition. Some of those
engaged on a previous trip were included in this expedition.
The whole party left Parramatta on November 17th, 1845, and crossed the
Bogan on December 23rd, that country being then settled with stations,
the result of discoveries made in previous years by the same intrepid
explorer. Their journey led them by St. George's Bridge, the present
site of the town of St. George, on to the Maranoa River, then entirely
unsettled, and this river was followed up towards its source. Touching
on the Warrego, discovering Lake Salvator, and passing the present site
of Mantuan Downs, they reached the head of Belyando. This was thought at
first to be a river likely to lead to the Gulf country, but after
following it down nearly to the latitude where a river was described by
Leichhardt as joining the Suttor from the westward, Mitchell decided it
was a coast river, and so the party returned on their tracks to a depot
camp which had been established on the Maranoa, coming to the conclusion
that the rivers of Carpentaria must be sought for much further to the
westward. Therefore, continuing their travels in this direction, the
Nive River was discovered, and this was thought for a time to be a water
leading to the Gulf, but after following it towards the south-east, the
party turned northwards, and thus discovered the far-famed Barcoo River,
which they thought was the Victoria of Wickham and Stokes. Again high
hopes were entertained that at last a river was found that would lead
them to the desired end, and that this was a Gulf River. They followed
the course through all the splendid downs country, below where the Alice
joins it, and found it was going much too far to the south to be a Gulf
river, being thus again disappointed in their expectations. Mitchell
speaks in glowing terms of the country through which they passed, and
named Mount Northampton and Mount Enniskillen, two prominent landmarks.
Returning to his party, he took the route home by the Barwon and Namoi,
and so back to Sydney, which all reached in safety after an absence of
over twelve months. Mitchell's discovery of the Barcoo River was due to
a division of his party, and a light equipment, by which he could
advance as much as twenty or twenty-five miles a day, and still keep a
record of his latitude and progress.
This trip of Mitchell's led to the appointment of his second in command,
Mr. E. Kennedy, to return and discover where the Victoria or Barcoo
really went to, and to obtain further information of the mysterious
interior of the great Australian continent, and its peculiar river
system. Mitchell was famous for his exploring trips in the southern part
of Australia, and his two volumes of explorations remain a classic in
literature. His account of Australia Felix and the Werribee are most
interesting. Mitchell invariably traversed his route with compass and
chain, so that his positions can always be verified.
* * * * *
Edward Kennedy, who was second in command under Sir T. L. Mitchell when
the Barcoo was discovered, was appointed to lead a party to the same
districts in 1847. He followed down the Barcoo to where a large river
came in from the north, which he named the Thomson, after Sir E. Deas
Thomson, of Sydney. The Barcoo he identified with Mitchell's Victoria,
which at a lower stage is called Cooper's Creek. Kennedy intended to go
to the Gulf of Carpentaria, but the blacks removed his stock of rations
left at the Barcoo, and so he decided to return to Sydney by way of the
Warrego, Maranoa, Culgoa, and Barwon Rivers.
* * * * *
The Gregory brothers had successfully conducted several exploring
expeditions in West Australia before entering on those journeys in North
Queensland that have helped to make known its north-eastern parts. A
letter from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Duke of
Newcastle, to the Governors in Australia, was received, in which it was
recommended that an expedition should be organised for the exploration
of the unknown interior of Australia, stating that a sum of L5,000 had
been voted by the Imperial Government for the purpose, and suggesting
that Mr. A. C. Gregory should be appointed to the command, and Brisbane
be the point of departure. The expedition was to be conveyed by sea to
the mouth of the Victoria River, on the northern coast of Australia. It
was to be an Imperial expedition, paid for by the Imperial Government,
for the purpose of developing the vast and unknown resources of the
continent. It was called the North Australian Exploring Expedition. The
preliminary arrangements having been completed, the stores, equipment,
and a portion of the party were embarked at Sydney on the barque
"Monarch," and the schooner "Tom Tough," and sailed for Moreton Bay on
July 18th, 1855, arriving at the bar of the Brisbane River on the 22nd.
The horses and sheep were collected at Eagle Farm by Mr. H. C. Gregory,
and shipped on board the "Monarch" on July 31st. After some difficulties
in getting over the bar and obtaining the necessary supply of water at
Moreton Island, the expedition may be said to have started on its
responsible task on August 12th, 1855.
The party consisted of eighteen persons, the principal members
being:--Commander, A. C. Gregory; Assistant Commander, H. C. Gregory;
Geologist, J. S. Wilson; Artist and Storekeeper, J. Baines; Surveyor and
Naturalist, J. R. Elsey; Botanist, F. von Muller; Collector and
Preserver, J. Flood. The stock consisted of fifty horses and two hundred
sheep; and eighteen months' supply of rations were taken.
They sighted Port Essington on September 1st, but the next day the
"Monarch" grounded at high water on a reef, and was not worked off for
eight days, during which time the vessel lay on her side, and the horses
suffered very much in consequence, indeed, the subsequent loss of
numbers of them is attributed to the hardships endured during the
period. The horses were landed at Treachery Bay under great
difficulties, having to swim two miles before reaching the shore. Three
were drowned, one lost in mud, and one went mad and rushed away into
the bush and was lost. The "Monarch" sailed for Singapore, while the
"Tom Tough" proceeded up the Victoria River, where Mr. Gregory and some
of the party took the horses by easy stages to meet them, as they were
so weak from the knocking about on the voyage that they had frequently
to be lifted up. This little trip occupied three weeks before they
joined the party on the schooner. When they met, it was to learn that
mishaps had again occurred, the vessel had grounded on the rocks, and
much of the provisions had been damaged by salt water; the vessel had
also suffered injury; some of the sheep had died from want of water, and
the rest were too poor to kill. The record is one continuous struggle
with misfortune, but owing to good general-ship and patience, progress
was made, and the main objects of the expedition being constantly kept
in view, each step taken was one in advance.
After the horses had recovered a little from their journey, Mr. Gregory
and a small party made an exploring trip towards the interior, and to
the south to latitude 20 deg. 16 min. 22 sec., passing through some
inferior country, and touching the Great Sandy Desert seen by Sturt, red
ridges of sand running east and west, covered with the inhospitable
Triodia or Spinifex grass. As his object was to visit the Gulf country,
he retraced his steps to the camp on the Victoria River; and after
adjusting matters there, dividing his party and sending the vessel to
Coepang for supplies, with directions to come to the Albert River, he
started on his journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria on June 21st, 1856.
His party comprised the two Gregorys, Dr. Mueller, Elsey, Bowman, Dean,
and Melville, seven saddle and twenty-seven pack-horses, with five
months' provisions.
They followed down the Elsey River to the Roper, so called by
Leichhardt, and passed a camp of some explorers some six or seven years
old, where trees had been cut with sharp axes. They reached the
Macarthur River on August 4th, after passing through much poor country
covered with inferior grasses. Their track skirted the tableland, and as
the journal states, the country was barren and inhospitable in the
extreme. The Albert River was reached on August 30th, 1856, and not
finding any traces of the "Tom Tough" having been there, the explorer
started from that point to Moreton Bay. Coming to a large river, which
Leichhardt thought to be the Albert, Mr. Gregory named it after the
great explorer, and it is now known as the Leichhardt. This river they
crossed, and travelled east-south-east. After crossing the Flinders
River, where the country consisted of open plains, the party travelled
east-north-east through a flat ti-tree country, north of what is now the
Croydon goldfield, a barren, flat, and dismal prospect. Gregory says in
his journal, that had the season been earlier, he would have preferred
travelling up the Flinders, and turning to the Clarke from its upper
branches. However, they moved on to the Gilbert River, and followed it
up through rocky defiles and rough granite country till they reached the
Burdekin River on October 16th; the next day they passed one of
Leichhardt's stopping places, where he camped on April 26th, 1845, in
latitude 19 deg. 37 min. S. They were living on horseflesh at this time,
and mention is made of a horse that had not carried a pack since leaving
the Gilbert, being killed for food, and its flesh dried in the sun,
forming what is called jerked meat, an article well known to early
pioneers when salt was absent. They frequently saw the blacks, who
mostly ran away at the sight of the horses, probably the first they had
ever seen; but no casualty happened during the whole trip, owing to the
good management of the leader, and the caution always shown where danger
was likely. On October 30th they camped near the Suttor River, with
Mount McConnell in view. After the junction of the Suttor and Burdekin
Rivers had been passed, the Suttor was followed up past the latitude of
Sir Thomas Mitchell's camp on the Belyando, and thus his route connected
up with Dr. Leichhardt's. They left the Belyando, and on November 8th,
killed the eleven months' old filly, born on the Victoria River after
landing, the flesh was cured by drying, and the hair scraped off the
hide, which was made into soup. They passed the Mackenzie River, went on
to the Comet, below the junction, and found a camp of Leichhardt's party
on their second journey. They reached the Dawson River, and following a
dray track, they came again in contact with civilisation at Connor and
Fitz's station, where they were hospitably received. They then travelled
past Rannes (Hay's station), Rawbelle, Boondooma, Tabinga, Nanango,
Kilcoy, Durundur, reaching Brisbane on December 16th, 1856.
* * * * *
Mr. A. C. Gregory's expedition in search of Leichhardt was equipped by
the New South Wales Government. The objects of this expedition were
primarily to search for traces of Leichhardt and his party, and secondly
the examination of the country in the intervening spaces between the
tracks of previous explorers. The expedition was organised in Sydney,
and made a start from Juandah, on the Dawson River, on March 24th, 1857.
They crossed the dense scrubs and basaltic ridge dividing the Dawson
waters from those trending to the west, flowing into the basin of the
Maranoa River. The Maranoa was reached in latitude 25 deg. 45 min., and
they followed it up to Mount Owen, advanced to the Warrego River,
westward from there to the Nive, and pursued a north-north-west course
to the Barcoo River, then called the Victoria. As the captain of the
"Beagle" had discovered and named the Victoria River on the north-west
coast first, the name of Sir T. Mitchell's river was changed to the
Barcoo, a native name. When Mr. Gregory traversed this fine country, one
of those devastating periodical droughts that visit this inland
territory now and again, must have been prevailing for many months, and
had left the land a wilderness. That land Mitchell had described in 1846
in glowing language as the fairest that the sun shone on, with pastures
and herbage equal to all the wants of man, and water in abundance
covered with wild fowl. When Gregory passed through it in 1857, it was
bare of all vegetation, there was scarcely any water in the bed of the
river, and that only at long intervals, nothing but the bare brown earth
visible.
In latitude 24 deg. 35 min. S., longitude 136 deg. 6 min., a Moreton Bay
ash tree was discovered with the letter [Symbol: L] cut in, and the
stumps of some small trees cut with an axe, evidently one of
Leichhardt's camps, but no further traces could be discovered, though
both sides of the river were followed down. The Thomson River was
reached and followed up to latitude 23 deg. 47 sec., and here they were
compelled to retrace their steps owing to the terrible state of the
country through drought; it being impossible to travel either north or
west, although at that time the country was not stocked. The
far-reaching plains were devoid of all vegetation except for
drought-resisting herbage. The principal object of their journey had to
be abandoned and a southerly course taken, as it was considered madness
to travel into the sandy desert bordering on the river during such a
season. So, with horses weakened by hard living, they followed down the
Thomson, over dry mud plains that wearied both man and beast, and across
stony desert ridges to Cooper's Creek and to Lake Torrens. Before
reaching the branch of Cooper's Creek called Strezlecki Creek by Captain
Sturt, they saw the tracks of two horses lost by that explorer in this
locality years before. Their course was continued south-south-west
towards Mount Hopeless at the northern extremity of the high ranges of
South Australia, which had been visible across the level country at a
distance of sixty miles. Eight miles beyond Mount Hopeless, they came to
a cattle station, recently established by Mr. Baker. After that they
proceeded by easy stages to Adelaide.
It is, perhaps, with reference to the physical geography of Australia
that the results of the expedition are most important, as by connecting
the explorations of Sir T. Mitchell, Kennedy, Captain Sturt, and Eyre,
the waters of the tropical interior of the eastern portion of the
continent were proved to flow towards Spencer's Gulf, if not actually
into it, the barometrical observations showing that Lake Torrens, the
lowest part of the interior, is decidedly below sea level.[A]
* * * * *
As the people of Victoria were desirous of taking part in the
explorations of Northern Australia, a most elaborate and expensive
expedition was organised to travel across Australia from Melbourne to
the Gulf of Carpentaria. Great credit is due to the enterprise of the
people and the Government of Victoria for this display of public spirit,
for, apparently, Victoria had less to gain than any of the other
colonies by geographical discoveries in the interior. Robert O'Hara
Burke was appointed leader, G. J. Landells second, and W. J. Wills third
in command. Burke and Wills and two others reached the Gulf, and named
the Cloncurry River; but the notes of the trip do not give much
information as to the journey or the country travelled through. The
expedition left Melbourne on August 20th, 1860, fifteen men in all,
provided with twelve months' provisions, making twenty-one tons of
goods. The party was too large and cumbersome, and the time of year was
badly chosen for a start; there were no bushmen with them, and the
leader was a man unfamiliar with bush life, though full of devotion to
the cause he had taken in hand. The record of the trip is one full of
disaster, arising from mistakes that could have been avoided had men
competent for the task been chosen. They started from Cooper's Creek,
where Brahe was left with a depot store, while Burke, Wills, King, and
Grey with three months' provisions set out for the Gulf on December
16th, 1860. The party that had been so well equipped in every way on
leaving Melbourne, was reduced to too small a compass when the critical
time for action arrived. They followed the edge of the stony desert to
the point reached by Sturt on October 21st, 1845, and then steered for
the Gulf of Carpentaria, at the mouth of the Flinders. After passing
through the Cloncurry Ranges, the little party followed one of the
tributaries of that river, one that had numerous palm trees on its
banks, which must have been either the Corella or Dugald, to the west of
the Cloncurry River, and on February 11th, 1861, in the middle of the
wet season, Burke and Wills reached tidal water in the Gulf, on the
right bank of the Bynoe River, which is a delta of the Flinders River.
Thus the object of the expedition was attained. On the return journey,
Grey died through exhaustion and weakness. The ground was very heavy for
walking owing to the rains, and the only horse had to be abandoned,
while the camel was almost too weak to travel, even without any load.
Burke, Wills, and King arrived at Cooper's Creek on April 21st, having
been absent four and a half months on their trip. They found the depot
had been deserted that morning by Brahe; he, however, had remained
several weeks beyond the time he was instructed to stay. Instead of
following on his tracks, Burke decided on starting via Mount Hopeless to
Adelaide, but not finding water, they returned to Cooper's Creek,
growing weaker every day. Their last camel died, and they were forced to
live on the seeds of the Nardoo (Marsilea quadrifida), which, however,
gave them no strength. The blacks treated them kindly, but they left
the creek, and then came the mournful end. Burke and Wills died, and
Howitt's search party found King, the only survivor of the little band,
wasted to a shadow in a camp of the blacks. As no proper record of the
journey, or description of the country was made, and in the diary many
gaps occur of several days together, the expedition was barren of
scientific results. There is merely the fact of visiting the shores of
the Gulf, and returning to Cooper's Creek, under the most distressing
circumstances and hardships. Although successful in the main, it is a
record of sorrow, despondency, and a sacrifice of life. On this
expedition camels were used for the first time in Australia. Until the
fate of Burke became known, many efforts were made to discover what had
become of him, and to this end, there were five exploring parties sent
out in search of him. They were Howitt's, Walker's, Landsborough's,
Norman's, and McKinlay's, and their discoveries led to an important
increase in the knowledge of Australia.
[Footnote A: There is reason to believe from later and more detailed
surveys that Lake Torrens is not below the level of the sea.]
* * * * *
Mr. A. W. Howitt's party proceeded to the spot where Brahe had kept the
depot, and seeing no traces there of the missing party (although they
had dug up the stores left), he searched down the river, and they came
on King sitting in a hut which the blacks had made for him. He presented
a melancholy appearance, wasted to a shadow, and hardly to be recognised
as a civilised being except by the remnants of clothes on him; this was
on September 15th, 1861. As soon as King was a little restored, they
looked for Wills' remains, and having found them, gave them burial,
marking a tree close by; a few days afterwards Burke's bones were found
and interred. They called all the blacks around, and presented them with
articles such as tomahawks, knives, necklaces, looking glasses, combs,
etc., and made them very happy indeed. When the sad story was revealed
there was much sorrow and grief throughout Victoria; and it was agreed
that Mr. Howitt should go back and bring down the bodies for a public
funeral in Melbourne. A large sum of money was voted to the nearest
relatives of Burke and Wills, and a grant made to King sufficient to
keep him in comfort for life. A searching inquiry was made into the
circumstances relative to the conduct of some of the officers of the
expedition, and a few of them were severely censured for neglect of duty
in not properly supporting the leader.
* * * * *
One of the expeditions in search of Burke and Wills was led by John
McKinlay, who travelled through a great part of North Queensland, and
reported favourably on its capacity for settlement. He started from
Adelaide in August, 1861, and arrived at the Albert River in May, 1862,
thus crossing the continent a second time. He was a bushman well fitted
for such an enterprise by experience, endurance, and decision. The
second in command was W. O. Hodgkinson, subsequently Minister for Mines
in Queensland. McKinlay found a grave near Cooper's Creek which he
examined, and found a European buried there, which he understood from
the natives to be a white man killed by them, but afterwards it was
known to have been Gray's burial place. The party made an excursion into
the melancholy desert country described by Sturt many years before,
consisting of dry lakes, red sand hills, and stones. They travelled
through to the Cloncurry district, and onwards to the Gulf, passing
through country now under occupation, Fort Constantine, Clonagh, and
Conobie being the principal stations there, and thence over the
Leichhardt River to the Albert, which was reached on May 13th. McKinlay
expected to receive supplies from the "Victoria," but she had sailed
three months before, and thus short of provisions and generally hard up,
he had to tackle a long overland journey to the settlements on the
eastern side of North Queensland, a most trying and harassing
undertaking, which, however, he accomplished successfully. He had first
to eat the cattle, then the horses, then the camels. They killed their
last camel for food--it was called "Siva"--and it proved a saviour, as
they arrived at Harvey and Somer's station, on the Bowen, with their
last piece of camel meat, and one horse each left. They had a hard rough
trip from the Gulf, travelling in by the Burdekin, and McKinlay proved
himself a daring and most persevering and experienced explorer. The
McKinlay River--a branch of the Cloncurry--and the township of McKinlay
are named after him.
* * * * *
Though not pertaining to any exploration or discovery connected with
North Queensland, it will be interesting to refer shortly to the Horn
Exploring Expedition which was carried out on a scientific basis to make
known the country in the more central part of the Australian continent.
The scientific exploration of central Australia, or that part known as
the Macdonnell Ranges, had long been desired by the leading scientific
men of Australia. The party consisted of sixteen in all, with twenty-six
camels, and two horses, and made a final start from Oodnadatta (which is
the northern terminal point of the railway from Adelaide), on May 6th,
1894.
In the very centre of the continent there exists an elevated tract of
country known as the Macdonnell Ranges. These mountains, barren and
rugged in the extreme, rise to an altitude of nearly 5,000 feet above
sea level, while the country surrounding them has an elevation of about
2,000 feet above the sea level, and slopes away towards the coast on
every side, which at no point is nearer than 1,000 miles. The mountains
are at the head of the Finke River; the region is called Larapintine
from the native name of the river. The existence of these ranges saves
that portion of the continent from being an absolute desert, as they
catch the tropical showers, which flow down the sides of the mountains,
and cause inundations in the low country, and a spring of grass, which,
however, is not permanent, the rainfall being from five to twelve inches
annually. These ranges measure, from east to west, about 400 miles, with
a width of from twenty to fifty miles, the entire area covering more
than 10,000 square miles of country. Apart from these ranges, there are
several remarkable isolated masses, about 32 miles S.S.W. from Lake
Amadeus. Rising like an enormous water-worn boulder, half buried in the
surrounding sea of sand hills, is that remarkable monolith known as
"Ayers' Rock." Its summit can be seen more than forty miles away, as it
rises about 1,100 feet above the surrounding plain. The circumference at
its base is nearly five miles, and its sides are so steep as to be
practically inaccessible, although Mr. W. C. Gosse, the explorer,
succeeded with great difficulty in ascending it. It is quite bare of
vegetation, except a few fig trees growing in the crevices. Fifteen
miles west of Ayers' Rock is another remarkable mountain mass called
Mount Olga, rising to 1,500 feet from the plain. The Finke River flows
south from these Macdonnell Ranges towards Lake Eyre, and water is only
found after floods. Both alluvial gold and quartz reefs are found in the
ranges. Professor Ralph Tate, of the University of Adelaide, and Mr. J.
A. Watt, of the Sydney University, assisted in drawing up the report.