It was now a difficult matter to decide _Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines and the State of Their Relations with Europeans

greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our

water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives

guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least

distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was

twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and

could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward,

it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any

distance attainable by our tired horses.

The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it

was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I

determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the

front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could

get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few

tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks.

Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until

only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving

them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them

to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water.

After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs

that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend,

that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As

I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped

I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and

the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy

tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about

twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight

would have been distinctly visible.

We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of

native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track

would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about

without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain;

the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the

sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted

to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us.

As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the

dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of

oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man

being too much fatigued to watch them.

December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most

valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was

obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if

possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to the

borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare)

could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide

upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all

consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak,

so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the

man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy

took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the

man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence,

I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the

mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the

water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we

arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to

clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could

get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half

before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had

to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of

sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water,

the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning

before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was

too cold and damp for us to rest.

December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary

and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up.

After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not

having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered

away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the

sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them

and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that

during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of

clearing it out to go through again.

The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we

and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away

to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the

firewood, which was there more abundant.

We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not

sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive

as before.

December 4.--After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a

pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state

in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give

them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in

the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was

anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of

water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her

at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped

we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our

absence.

The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of

rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out

the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few

drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much

under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one

little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties.

December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much

refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of

the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a

half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well

defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once

more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of

the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest

indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray,

I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had

left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed,

though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I

found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded

by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man,

getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by

harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting

hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any

further.

Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to

try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain.

They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction

of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the

south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I

considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th

November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place,

five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water

not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water

generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small

hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could

not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their

part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were

ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were

acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated

was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably

come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with

them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small

quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited

there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the

long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards

the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The

principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains

where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the

Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was

now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded,

seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the

article of food.

We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were

completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were

surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it,

whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to

lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water,

and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we

got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of

them.

Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the

dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would

soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat

coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us

out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which

they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or

lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the

Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after

hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every

moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our

horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that

we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What

made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night

given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put

apart for our breakfasts.

We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from

thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had

first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the

shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the

natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner

off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the

moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so

thoroughly dry and parched.

A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their

spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence

to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to

the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the

dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called

out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all

occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to

see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us

removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them,

and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they

were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our

object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures

towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were

now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely

upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for

we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any

excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to

us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence

caused us.

Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still

more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those

natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four

in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time,

however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected

their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and

steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go

to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no

more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I

dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles,

water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After

smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place

where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth

having been disturbed.

We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses

before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the

strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had

gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to

leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and

they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We

had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great

perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in

the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite

impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had

left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better

plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather,

and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered

with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to

the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak,

and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I

sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two

horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him

with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us

at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the

sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited

it being found.

December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of

them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with

us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we

arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water.

The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them

all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy

intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her

last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared

but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made

gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they

drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we

should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four

gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let

them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in

the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water,

now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very

well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable

to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again

when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water,

when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh

supply of water.

About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the

water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water

the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get

anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand.

At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after

which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of

water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was

too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving

him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my

absence.

Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a

sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge

of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as

I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save

him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and

giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on

to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink

of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards

evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I

left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I

took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so

much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the

evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite

safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the

prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was

awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the

three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the

water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful

nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had

defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting

endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three

of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable.

December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot

at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses,

two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany

them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had

with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two

horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass

was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to

pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great,

and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an

irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and

unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant

anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of

the past.

December 10.--After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water and

cleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in the

evening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were again

seen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions were

now quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a very

low diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About four

o'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing us

supplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of my

messenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, no

difficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset all

encamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain.

December 11.--Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to the

depot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, and

which were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men to

follow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three fresh

horses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene of

our late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we had

abandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lying

stiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and which

awakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by reminding

us of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful character

of the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to the

little plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggage

undisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the place

since we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which,

with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses to

feed tolerably well.

December 12.--I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horses

coming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whether

there was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, as

there were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, from

the fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and the

probability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood.

To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and,

accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returning

southerly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled over

a great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub,

with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could we

observe the slightest indications of the existence of water, although the

traces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them for

several miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubs

to get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; and

observing the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, which

they had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, is

what they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the little

water they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of the

desert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with the

dray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we divided

among the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during the

night.

December 13.--Having buried a few things that I might require when I

should come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attempt

to round the Great Bight,) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up,

and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water at

the sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked up

three strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some time

previously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with an

almost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at the

furthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, they

had been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect to

get through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be,

when we moved on finally.

On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on the

following day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot;

first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain near

the sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, and

the little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through the

scrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in the

plains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy to

the camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus,

four of which they had shot during my absence.

December 16.--About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at the

depot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this most

unfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused such

severe and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the object

for which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see if

the cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that she

had just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her.

Chapter XIII.

FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO

ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO

ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN

ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND HILLS, AND BURY

FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO

THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH

PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE

BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN

KAUEE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR.

December 17.--HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I was

in, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition and

diminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of the

year, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in the

Governor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH to

Adelaide for assistance, if required."

From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thus

acquired of the character of the country to the westward and to the

north, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party,

small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost three

horses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had also

found that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and fresh

after a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been able

to move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to the

north-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded with

provisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance of

the cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage on

board of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got on

tolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of this

valuable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being the

last place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundred

miles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong current

setting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approach

the land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evident

that we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it became

necessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my

plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if

I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray

would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by

obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a

long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me

reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage

through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon

the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and

requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my

decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M.

and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They

did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole

rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide.

Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole

time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with

me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good

conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for

six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many

hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of

the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet

before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not

wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a

termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they

might well perhaps doubt of our final success.

December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in

putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and

some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a

sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running

short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury

stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr.

Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter.

After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had

large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board.

My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing

letters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready this

evening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them to

him, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy of

my despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summary

of the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving Port

Lincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of the

future plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of the

undertaking.

"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840.

"SIR,--By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you,

for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief account

of our proceedings up to the present date.

"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left the

latter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route along

the coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rd

November.

"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use of

the expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with my

party, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency the

Governor.

"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay,

we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as I

advanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than I

had anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its arid

character, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes through

which we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impediments

of no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the very

unfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome without

the assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter the

greater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loads

they could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional supplies

of water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore,

we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November.

"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable services

of the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extending

around the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for a

vessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is no

harbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need.

"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler,

whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine the

country a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes that

by penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I might

be able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects.

"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to round

the head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have not

as yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back by

the want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal I

subsequently recovered.

"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, and

a man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; but

such was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating to

within twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged to

abandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horses

were so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could not

return, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relief

for ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. After

reaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunate

animals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and a

boy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night in

carrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread,

gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and that

the expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the loss

of three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions I

subsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, I

rejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for the

WATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly the

whole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrate

so inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. In

traversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits of

our present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the Great

Bight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flat

lands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush of

EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here and

there appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered at

intervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an oolitic

limestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibits

fossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recent

formation.

"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surface

water--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description,

and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been by

digging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to the

coast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from the

depth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole has

often filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thus

obtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterly

even this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have been

impeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towards

the head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unless

where partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges covered

with brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growth

than the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left Streaky

Bay.

"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have met

with have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have rendered

us important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing us

where to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similar

to that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interior

towards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh water

inland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existence

of a large body of water of any kind in that direction.

"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country,

and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining the

interior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have once

rounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), the

country may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me to

prosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining the

Northern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shall

endeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards King

George's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances may

admit of it.

"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of four

of its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to the

unfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of the

country, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for the

whole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute the

undertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wild

and fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me from

making use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I have

consequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of my

already small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retaining

only my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys.

Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceed

with only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly)

with two drays and a cart.

"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessary

for us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however,

is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and so

destitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even at

the expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses will

not have improved much in strength or condition. I have therefore

unhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of his

Excellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may be

sent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of the

WATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require no

additional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerly

received being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer.

"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and good

conduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which has

compelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before the

termination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerable

a share in its labours.

"I have the honor to be, Sir,

"Your very obedient servant,

"EDW. JOHN EYRE.

"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ., PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC."

After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some time

very monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; the

loss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its former

cheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting or

fishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, and

the only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, so

that there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one native

boy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village.

The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, in

shoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little odd

jobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherding

the sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more strongly

than any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, which

inactivity ever produces.

For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up my

charts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of our

surplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, I

began to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I was

doomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directions

about, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like to

absent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest near

me, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state of

the horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at a

greater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to drag

out a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks,

and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward with

impatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active and

congenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, and

all the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active exploration

had occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety or

annoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listless

apathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life I

was now obliged to lead.

Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the daily

monotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us with

many luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate in

the fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstances

under which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings and

associations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were far

away; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts and

kindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced.

On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so much

in condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and sapless

quality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere;

I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks,

or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with a

tarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills,

and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains;

the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without much

nourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at,

being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to that

behind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, it

tasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it.

The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that we

had been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareous

oolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this was

occasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped by

it in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marine

shells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for some

time, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a small

piece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently brought

there by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very great

distance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be found

among the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in the

same character of country. Another substance found at one of the native

encampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with,

was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gun

flint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Great

Bight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and

where I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the country

would lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character.

The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days)

unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses had

enjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had prevented

them from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and in

better spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round the

head of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final,

as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for I

fully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, and

either succeed in the attempt or lose all.

On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following day

left the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and the

youngest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by

the overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a dray

with three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward.

We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs,

and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minor

articles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when we

arrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought our

six best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day's

work. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and back

again to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many natives

who appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be very

far away; none were however seen.

December 31.--We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took the

opportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animals

went backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on the

dray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been here

before, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arise

from the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having been

higher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case.

In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headed

up in a cask.

January 1, 1841.--This morning I went down with the men to assist in

watering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boy

familiarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during our

absence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and had

been among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th of

December, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved so

annoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to our

horses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the other

natives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting most

pathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they had

probably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weapons

they shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that they

procured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures as

to the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries about

water, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it took

them five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of the

Bight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except a

small hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off;

these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the place

where the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to the

sand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me the

remains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats;

but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity of

sand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to a

considerable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me to

prove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, more

than ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to the

interior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us any

waters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager and

ready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, through

the heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore,

no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed me

that there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerable

intervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and as

far as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, my

own observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me.

In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water the

horses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutely

incredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this in

addition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day.

Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, when

traversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunity

of indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to be

the case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food.

It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distended

after meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, when

deprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. At

night the natives all encamped with us in the plain.

January 2.--Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment,

accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west.

On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left all

our flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. The

heavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses:

twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling only

fourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore,

to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared to

be a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretched

region, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted to

force a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice I

had been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of these

occasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, after

giving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and after

taking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I had

the mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we had

been in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object.

Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseer

and man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days rest

there, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the native

boy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives also

remained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued in

camp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as I

hoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight.

On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses;

but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon being

yoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged,

therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask of

water, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded in

getting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; and

here we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one,

which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here we

dug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my own

horse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined to

take a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buried

apart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask of

water, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the natives

could discover it.

January 6.--Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn of

day, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by the

man leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned out

hot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleven

o'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and had

reached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December.

I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the riding

horses, but the man walked all the way.

The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the

north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of

heated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no

misunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came;

often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced any

thing like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previous

opinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of the

interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient for

that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some there

are who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion to

great respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over an

inland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhaps

snowcapped mountains of the interior.

We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with me

was quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spirits

failed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he lay

rolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rouse

him were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to get

up to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in the

midst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by a

careful examination, we might find a place where water could be procured

by digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heat

of the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I was

obliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a little

further to seek for shelter.

Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock upon

its shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, I

tied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect them

entirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads and

necks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock afforded

a delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled us

every now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, and

again return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours we

remained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, and

occasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derived

great advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long time

before I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasion

or threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child.

At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at once

found the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool and

comfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attempted

to dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose,

that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged to

give up the attempt.

As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed on

again for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. At

night we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and after

giving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, we

were obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhere

about. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold,

chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. These

sudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibility

in the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills that

cannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution.

January 7.--Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddle

at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the

undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and

his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the

sand hills.

To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to

meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak

condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total

absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged

to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding

water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves.

As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west,

through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute

of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came

upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast

for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of

the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former

ineffectual attempts.

Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended

the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed

them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four

persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so

completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed,

and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we

did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and

offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark.

This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or

in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in

the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in

much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The

berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very

pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is

very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear

red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best

flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these

berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and

to obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a great

distance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the natives

make use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of the

stones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing.

Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them;

the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives,

who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty under

which we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the most

influential among them, said something to two of the others, upon which

they got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of the

hole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in

an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sitting

so as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pint

pot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. As

our horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the hole

was a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with each

other, until we had got all the water we required.

In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindness

of these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses:

unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never could

have accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knife

as a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others a

portion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew our

gratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and though

they could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motives

which induced it.

Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of the

natives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere.

They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they would

take us to some further along the coast, where we could also procure

water, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the water

at no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hills

to the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for five

miles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning in

among these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug in

the sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, and

the water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place was

Yeer-kumban-kauwe.

Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dip

the bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied by

one of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, he

said he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind the

sand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character;

to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowl

were shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratified

that we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the Great

Bight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could be

procured, and from which we might again make another push still further

to the westward.

In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the nature

of the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. and

though we were far from being able to understand all that they said, or

to acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, we

still comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and important

particulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there was

no water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of any

description.

They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon this

point, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariably

pointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the only

one they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen.

With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland,

but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees of

a larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal,

which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth of

New South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with their

description, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country,

where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the natives

had a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described,

and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out my

previous impression.

The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journey

from Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar to

those we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs,

extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctly

visible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called,

"Bundah," and at two days' journey from their commencement, they

told us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seen

upon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been picked

up by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by the

natives.

January 8.--To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and the

natives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signal

fire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by three

more of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the native

boy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only a

single crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could not

succeed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to the

natives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay down

to rest for an hour.

Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had been

lying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp this

morning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be the

thief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lost

article. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and I

at once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling me

it was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; he

appeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up his

spears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be coming

over the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as they

crossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up,

and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascending

the hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy then

picked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious to

prevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been so

friendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of the

misunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away,

upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up their

spears and went away, except himself and one other. These two men

remained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to be

wet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night.

January 9.--The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet had

fallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, our

fire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it lit

again, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among the

sand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green as

well as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire from

going out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed by

the few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill and

comfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, as

the rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments.

About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up and

watering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and made

waterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we no

longer required them.

Chapter XIV.

PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE

INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME

TO THE CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO

DEPOT--BAD WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE GUTTER

HERO--JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO

THE HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE

EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE

HERO SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE

JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE

DEPOT.

January 10.--WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to the

westward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three to

four hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, in

bold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders,

but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable in

appearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly level

country, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by the

unceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country,

like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareous

oolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand or

of reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, the

principal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse grey

limestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-coloured

substance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yet

determine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs were

frightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay dissevered

from the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touch

to plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, the

country was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low,

prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. In

places two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal of

grass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; now

it was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor the

slightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated as

it was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh water

spiral shells, of two different kinds.

After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all at

once to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface,

about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the natives

had told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated a

position, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in such

great quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter of

conjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearance

of the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep and

impracticable as ever.

Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and halted

for the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had been

fortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock left

by yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading out

the remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slab

until our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, there

would not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen in

great numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot at

one. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we had

been upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degree

of chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us.

January 11.--Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, I

found them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting

country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this

excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great

Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the

cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I

turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the

place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of

forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable

value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were

enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them

to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which

we must have done if we had had no water.

January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky

enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a

large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to

experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was

probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as

an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day

afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses.

January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches

being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun

had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to

water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I

found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who

had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half

roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon

the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they

were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp,

and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most

acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much

of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in

return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I

would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left,

and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the

night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting the

kangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked,

and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us from

appreciating their skill in the culinary art.

January 14.--Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sand

the remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on our

road, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew their

feast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived at

the water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up for

the same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint when

they have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperance

or prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excess

as they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of the

morrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evil

thereof."

In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struck

across behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we had

first found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along a

large but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to on

the evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existence

of salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and we

were nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud.

About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back on

the 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there,

proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intense

heat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again moved

onwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilst

crossing the sandy country before us.

January 15.--At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twenty

gallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseer

with two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him on

the 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I set

off with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water at

the sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals the

next day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under the

sand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and brought

them back to the grass.

January 16.--After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feast

upon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills;

they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head of

the Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. About

eight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad to

reach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, and

heartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having been

left alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it had

been quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, that

from so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish,

that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again to

Fowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer came

back.

January 17.--Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my future

plans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head of

the Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope;

now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in the

appearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it became

less inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfied

me that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experience

told me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through the

dreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I to

do? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of the

labours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the three

attempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seem

incredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing a

passage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all the

disadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes.

ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT.

Names. Distances ridden. No. of days employed.

Mr Eyre 643 miles 40

Mr. Scott 50 miles 4

The Overseer 230 miles 22

Costelow 22

Houston 12

Corporal Coles 8

Eldest native boy 270 miles 19

Youngest native boy 395 miles 23

A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; many

of the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or worked

in the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eighty

miles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition to

those ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connection

with the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses,

and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water.

Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and might

have been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had the

situation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, been

previously known.

None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at all

conceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; when

baffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the same

dreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt,

whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strength

and condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men.

Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided to

attempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only,

sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays in

her to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I might

receive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries of

South Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at all

feasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses were

sufficiently recruited to commence their labours again.

On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had used

on our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day was

intensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, in

a well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A.M.--a strong corroboration,

if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was no

large body of inland water. At 2, P.M. the wind changed to west, and the

thermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veered

to south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then became

comparatively cool and pleasant.

The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect the

health of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into execution

my resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed the

luxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, we

found them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay,

to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, he

brought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot by

himself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety to

our fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position at

Point Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons.

Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party of

natives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were of

those who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some others

had also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler's

Bay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as I

arrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott and

myself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with great

difficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the sea

running high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was very

doubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmost

efforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself,

at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had had

much practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after a

good deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, both

English and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide the

Water-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for further

service on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence,

with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguished

him, chartered the "HERO," a fine cutter, a little larger than the

WATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had sent

him to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the native

from King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who was

almost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed at

being out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln.

After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail for

the shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other two

native boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more with

them; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and all

sat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gave

me ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile of

newspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund of

interest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness and

attention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us with

presents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in their

endeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in our

future efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were in

the wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuable

kangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunately

arrived safely, and in excellent condition.

The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberally

provided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we might

again hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency the

Governor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that the

HERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia,

but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyond

the boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired further

aid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicate

with the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenor

of his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindness

that I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties and

onerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if any

thing could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect I

entertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with the

disinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion of

his valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety,

at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided had

beset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but added

to the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in the

progress and prospects of the province necessarily produced.

In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentioned

that I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony of

South Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays and

heavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselves

with pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matter

of very serious consideration to decide what I should do under the

circumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and the

drays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight;

whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopeless

that I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to last

us to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives,

either to break through the instructions I had received with regard to

the HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force a

passage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myself

justified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, and

I reluctantly decided upon adopting it.

It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be my

companions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painful

necessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that of

parting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from the

commencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous and

active in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knew

that, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of his

character would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficulties

and dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not to

allow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friend

into a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painful

as it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there was

now no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, and

I was bound to follow it.

On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beach

with Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed,

and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at the

intelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result of

the expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it.

The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who had

accompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so much

from the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of the

nature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in a

great measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told that

the expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that he

would have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express any

regret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with the

exception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alluded

to, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring much

fatigue.

The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they would

be better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should have

to go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit of

observation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essential

service to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, and

whose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able to

interpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me that

some of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part of

the coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of King

George's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and I

would gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he had

been with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst he

was willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight,

that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause but

little extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also.

There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my service

for many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities,

had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst his

courage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous to

have him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Having

sent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which I

was placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party through

so inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determination

never to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I had

in view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there were

still eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to be

traversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consist

principally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. I

reminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had already

experienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as the

head of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that from

the knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of the

country; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassing

one--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from the

smallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, it

would be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then left

him to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, or

remain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tired

of remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when the

expedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to the

last; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard.

Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the party

decided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. The

prospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the whole

party, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner it

was over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all the

bran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays,

and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to hold

himself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately.

By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters were

written to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and my

final report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting the

expedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its members

disbanded.

In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, taking

with them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the country

rendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly being

compelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certain

destruction to them to have attempted to take them with me.

The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of the

Northern Expedition Committee:--

"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan., 1841.

"Sir,--By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour to

acquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and the

colonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expedition

placed under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northern

interior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containing

an account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great Australian

Bight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third and

more successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advanced

about fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line of

high cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposed

to be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the head

of Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of a

succession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by a

low scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles.

This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quite

impossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this very

unfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jaded

as ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gone

through during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of the

Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grass

and water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was

no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100

miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous

line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the

Great Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as I

had long looked forward to some considerable and important change in the

character of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable in

their appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo any

material change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the

precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three

or four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern

Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation

consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic

limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil,

small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse

greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are

composed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of a

whitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontal

strata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permit

me to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, I

was in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep and

overhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deep

cracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plunge

them into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs,

I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that any

portion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits,

and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint are

lying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How they

obtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit,

perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eye

could reach, the country was level and generally open, with some low

prickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and there

patches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few small

grassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thickly

covered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some of

them somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressions

or abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to be

observed; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change in

the general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The natives

we met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readily

afforded us every information we required--as far as we could make them

comprehend our wishes.

"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water along

the coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland,

there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as they

had ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion I

had myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren region

I had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I had

ever looked forward to some great and important change taking place in

the features of the country, and from which I had hoped I might

eventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition was

fitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not any

improvement in the appearance of the country, or the least indication

that there might be a change for the better, within any practicable

distance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitude

of Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. longitude; an

extent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my having

found a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into the

interior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing and

hopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to give

up all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is no

reasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with much

regret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my men

returned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago.

"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilst

myself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me)

proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses are

a little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by the

HERO.

"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spirit

and perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as it

has been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of the

service, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me to

return my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness I

have been so much indebted during the continuance of this long and

anxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I can

never be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberal

support and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and to

which I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even the

little I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and the

colonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my most

sincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointing

me to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting and

important--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported,

and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering and

encouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To a

conviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those by

whom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that has

sustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of no

ordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactory

result of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have the

cheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge the

trust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunate

circumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, and

which the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I have

not succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expedition

was fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not been

altogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunate

traveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we have

examined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where the

interior is not practicable, be directed to where it is.

"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northern

interior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with the

expedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In my

young friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and useful

assistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a most

praiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances and

disappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening.

"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

"EDWARD JOHN EYRE.

"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition."

We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with a

fearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we must

succeed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle course

remained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated and

hazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved and

stimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we had

engaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who had

guided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in all

our wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedly

order every thing for the best.

Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp,

attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for our

journey. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, and

as long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot.

In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparing

pack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles,

and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing and

repairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were required

for myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packing

in small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. which would be

required weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making light

oilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. etc. These many necessary

and important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passed

rapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, to

explore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned out

unfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; I

succeeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction I

had taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of the

Eucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered an

open pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent,

divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs became

less numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began to

occupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue our

exploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the change

which appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, that

the whole country around would have been one vast level open waste,

without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I felt

strongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind of

country to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range;

the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay,

the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; its

average height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet,

and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had found

existing at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was as

unfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of the

year, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, even

in the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in this

attempt.

On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, and

whenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressive

beyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generally

kept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone

(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us for

several days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far from

the neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancy

to us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, by

giving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we got

our meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gave

him--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar,

dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appeared

to grow better in condition every day.

At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the novelty

had worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time this

man had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether the

King George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found he

could not. There were one or two words common to both, but the general

character, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very different

upon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much better

than Wylie could.

Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seized

with a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violent

pain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly taken

some deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the same

way; this attack continued for several days, without our being able to

discover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we were

using, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had been

broached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it,

we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious character

having been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us the

inconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had not

been so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of great

consequence to us.

By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journey

were nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran and

corn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, and

harness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing in

order for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury our

surplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoon

of the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the evening

of the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lights

we had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horses

being barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life.

Chapter XV.

RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR

ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE

SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE

HORSES--REACH YEERKUMBAN KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES

AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE

HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE

CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF

THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER.

February 24.--THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon the

arduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Our

loads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coats

were all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole under

ground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise a

shot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after a

second; we then observed two people in the distance following up the dray

tracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored in

the bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from being

noticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what we

were about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply.

As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised one

of them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO;

the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavy

pilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under this

guise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, and

learn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me that

the Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me to

return in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the letters

up, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter,

where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and give

up the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appeared

to consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received a

kind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any further

attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore the

Northern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within the

colony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my party

back overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to make

from the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view to

lessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at the

unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great results

had been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed to

write to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellency

and of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trust

confided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts to

the westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide.

Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages to

the same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible of

the lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for the

kind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and the

Colonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I found

myself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by duty

to adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up my

party and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, I

had well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon to

adopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of my

friends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing to

induce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at.

It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of the

Northern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplated

expedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I had

myself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of public

attention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, what

publicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interest

felt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were the

expectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopes

been dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations of

eight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made;

hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, I

had been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returned

now, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expenses

that had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrown

away the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for past

failure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had been

reposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had been

originally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible to

accomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I considered

myself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt,

as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without any

regard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under these

feelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, to

reply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to the

many friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf.

February 25.--Having finished my letters, and buried all the spare

stores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they might

travel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loaded

the pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon our

route. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys,

nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and six

sheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west,

was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of flour

each weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The long

rest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we had

received for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now in

good condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journey

under more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead of

the summer season.

Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with the

sheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, to

manage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of the

pack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but something

having unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and four

out of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for five

miles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except the

saddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horses

that had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after the

others, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about in

every direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we were

all assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving a

short note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we again

recommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at the

well in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the night

set in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with the

pack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightened

and gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay than

they had done in the daytime.

February 26.--Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain under

the sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time to

save the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudently

left there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away.

At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp,

and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examining

the place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and upon

which we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only just

arrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; it

seems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, and

being unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they had

broken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could not

discover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside,

I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they would

have enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed the

contents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious task

of returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. A

bucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallon

keg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dug

up, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate in

arriving when we did to prevent further loss.

The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon after

our arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they left

us on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and were

now coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buried

at these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took the

horses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could not

get them watered to-night.

February 27.--Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses to

the well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out the

cask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided into

packages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. The

native I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, had

returned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him this

morning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliest

opportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge him

with the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are a

strange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits are

often quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through a

country, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us,

anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times,

we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native,

though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, they

usually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among all

who had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I found

that every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described as

prevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage of

the nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any

(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, as

is frequently the case with many tribes in Australia.

For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we had

not been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we were

persecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a huge

proboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers,

and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, and

inflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerable

thickness.

February 28.--As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, and

the sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer and

two natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boy

set off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where the

nine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon digging

it up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured and

offensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drank

hastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would not

touch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it might

sweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheep

to the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night.

After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laid

down, tired with the labours of the day.

March 1.--Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our former

encampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; the

latter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both in

smell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculating

upon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought but

little with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buried

here; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with the

boy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, and

over heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we did

ourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the other

was riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively to

carry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn.

March 2.--A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelve

we arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a long

and arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives being

here to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw it

out. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea,

and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficult

watering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, and

took up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and water

the sheep, before dark.

Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines and the State of Their Relations with Europeans — Complete · 第 21 / 29 章

It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were