degrees, with Thring, Woodforde, and Masters. At 11.20 (eleven miles),
top of a high hill, which I named Mount Hawker, after the Honourable
George C. Hawker, Speaker of the House of Assembly, S.A. At 12.45, four
miles, struck a large creek; its course a little east of north, which I
have named McKinlay Creek, after John McKinlay, Esquire. The first part
of the journey was over stony undulations, gradually rising until we
reached the top of Mount Hawker, the view from which was not very
extensive on our course, being intercepted by stony spurs of the range
nearly the same height, about eight hundred feet, and very rocky and
precipitous. They are composed of sandstone, quartz, iron, limestone, and
hard white flinty rocks. The sandstone predominates. We descended with
great difficulty, crossed McKinlay Creek, and at five miles ascended
another high hill, which I have named Mount Hall, after the Honourable
George Hall, M.L.C. From this our view is most extensive, over a complete
sea of white grassy plains. At about fifteen or twenty miles south-east
are the terminations of other spurs of this range; beyond them nothing is
visible on the horizon but white grassy plains. To the east and
north-east the same. To the north apparently a strip of dense scrub and
forest, which seems to end about north-east, beyond which, in the far
distance, we can see the large grassy plain I turned back from on the
21st of May and 15th of June. No rising ground visible except the hills
of Ashburton range to north-west and south-east. Descended towards the
plains over stony rises, with gum-tree, lancewood, and other scrub and
spinifex. At five miles reached the plain. It is of the same description
as the other parts I have been over. No appearance of water. It is
hopeless to proceed further; it will only be rendering my return more
difficult, by reducing the strength of my horses, without the slightest
hope of success. All hope of gaining the Gulf without wells is now gone.
I have therefore turned back to a small plain (four miles), searched
round it, and in one of the small creeks found a little rain water, at
which I have camped. Wind, south.
Tuesday, 2nd July, Loveday Creek. This creek I have named Loveday Creek,
after R.J. Loveday, Esquire, Lithographer to the South Australian
Government. Returned towards the camp. On reaching McKinlay Creek I was
informed by Woodforde that Masters had remained behind, about six miles
back, and had not yet come up. This is against my strict orders which are
that no one shall leave the party without informing me, that I may halt
and wait for them. I have sent Thring back to one of the hills to fire
off a gun, and see if he is to be seen, as I have left my outward tracks
to avoid crossing Mount Hall--and the tracks are very difficult to be
seen over such stony country. I am afraid that he is lost. In an hour and
a half, Thring returned; he can see nothing of him. He cut our former
tracks, but can see nothing of his on them. My conjectures, I fear, are
too true. If he has missed the tracks, it is a thousand chances to one if
he is ever found again. To track a single horse is impossible. I
proceeded towards Mount Hawker, and camped on my outward tracks, at a
remarkable gorge that we had come through. Sent Thring back to the top of
Mount Hall to raise a smoke, to remain there some time, and see if he
comes up; if not, he is to proceed to our last night's camp, there to
remain all night, in case he should go there--while I and Woodforde
raised another smoke on top of Mount Hawker. A little after 2 p.m. Thring
returned with him. He found him on a hill near Mount Hall, looking for
the tracks. He was quite bewildered, and in a great state of excitement.
I am most thankful that he is found. The account that he gives is, that
his horse slipped the reins out of his hand, and that he was unable to
catch him for some time, and when he did so, he was unable to find our
tracks, or to track his own horse back, and he became quite confused. He
seems to be most thankful for his narrow escape. As it is too late to
reach the camp, I shall remain here to-night. Wind, west.
Wednesday, 3rd July, Under Mount Hawker. Proceeded to the camp on the
Tomkinson. Found all right, with the exception of one of the horses
(Reformer), which cannot be found. He is one of the two that I left here
formerly, and was looking so ill when I found him. He was last seen on
Monday night, when he looked miserable. I have sent three men in search
of him. Wind, variable.
Thursday, 4th July, The Tomkinson. Started at 8.20 a.m., course 300
degrees, with Woodforde, Thring, and Masters, ten horses, and a month's
provisions, to try once more to make the Victoria. Between my first and
last attempts, I may succeed. I am very unwilling to return without
trying all that is in my power. At three miles we left the plains, and
proceeded over stony rises for two miles. The country then became sandy,
with gum, spinifex, and lancewood scrub, not difficult to get through.
There is no grass. At twenty-five miles came to a little, and, as I am
not sure of coming upon any more soon, I camped. We have seen no water
since leaving the creek. Latitude, 18 degrees 25 minutes 40 seconds.
Wind, south-east.
Friday, 5th July, Spinifex and Gum Plains. Started at 7.50 a.m., course
360 degrees, to find water. At 9.10 (five miles), struck a creek with
water; followed it down, course 285 degrees, and at eight miles camped on
the last water. The banks in places have good feed upon them, but there
is a great deal of spinifex and scrub. The creek is getting narrower,
and, as the horses had but little to eat last night, I shall give them
the remainder of the day here, for there is no telling when they will get
another good feed. Day exceedingly hot, horses covered with sweat. This I
have named Burke Creek, after my brother explorer, Richard O'Hara Burke,
Esquire, of Melbourne. On camping I saw a remarkable bird fly up; I sent
Woodforde to try and shoot him, which he did. It was of a dark-brown
colour, and spotted like the landrail; the tail feathers were nine in
number, and twelve inches long. I have had it skinned, and will endeavour
to take it to Adelaide. Thring, Woodforde, and Masters cooked the body,
and ate it. They had scarcely finished, when, in a moment, they were
seized with violent vomiting, but in a few minutes they were all right
again. Wind, calm. Latitude, 18 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds.
Saturday, 6th July, Burke Creek. Started at 7.45 a.m., same course, to
follow the creek (285 degrees). At three miles it was lost in a grassy
gum plain; changed to 300 degrees. On this course the plain continued for
three miles; it then became sandy soil, with spinifex, gums, and scrub.
Crossed a low sand hill at fourteen miles; descended into another low
grassy plain subject to inundation, which, I suppose, receives Hunter
Creek. It continued for two miles, at the end of which we again ascended
a sandy rise, on the top of which the country became a sandy table land,
and continued so the rest of the day's journey. Camped without water, and
with very little grass. The table land was spinifex, gums, and scrub, in
some places very difficult to get through. Distance, thirty miles. Wind,
south-east. Latitude, 18 degrees 7 minutes 5 seconds. At 7 p.m. I
observed the comet, 5 degrees above the horizon, bearing 15 degrees west
of north, the nucleus more hazy, and the tail much longer. Calm.
Sunday, 7th July, West Sandy Table Land. Started at 8 a.m. on the same
course. At 3 p.m. we got into dense scrub, and, as I could see some
distance on before, being on one of the slight undulations, I felt there
was not the slightest hope of obtaining water; there was no change, no
rising ground visible. It would be hopeless to continue such sandy
country, as it can never hold water on the surface. We dug five feet, in
one of the small plains, but came to the clay without finding water, or
even moisture. There is not a mouthful of grass for the horses to eat;
the whole of the journey, with the exception of the small grassy plains,
is spinifex, gums, and scrub. I shall have to retreat to the last plain
we passed through to get feed for the horses, which are looking very bad.
The travelling has been heavy tearing through thick scrub, which in some
places has been burned: this makes it very rough for them. I must now
give up all hope of reaching the Victoria, and am unwillingly forced to
return, my horses being nearly worn out. Wind, variable. Distance,
twenty-five miles.
Monday, 8th July, Small Grass Plain in Scrub. Started at break of day and
continued until 4.30 p.m. Meeting with a little grass, camped; some of
the horses unable to go further. Wind, south.
Tuesday, 9th July, Sandy Table Land. Started at sunrise and arrived at
Burke Creek. At 11 a.m. turned the horses out to feed for two hours, and
proceeded up the creek to where I first struck it. Camped. At a little
more than a mile down the creek from here, there is a course of concrete
ironstone running across it, which forms a large pond of water nearly a
mile in length, apparently deep and permanent. Wind, west.
Wednesday, 10th July, Burke Creek. Shortly after sunrise proceeded toward
the main camp, and arrived there at 3 p.m. Found all well. The natives
have been about. They attacked Wall while in search of the missing horse;
he and his horse narrowly escaped being hit by their boomerangs. The
missing horse cannot be found. I suppose that he has crept into some
bushes and died; for, the night before he was missed, he left the other
horses and came to the camp fire; he appeared to be very stupid, and for
some time they could not get him away; when they did so, he went off
reeling. Wind, south-west.
Thursday, 11th July, Tomkinson Creek. Shoeing horses, and repairing
saddles and bags to carry our provisions back. We have now run out of
everything for that purpose, and are obliged to make all sorts of shifts.
The two tarpaulins that I brought from Mr. Chambers's station for mending
the bags, are all used up some time ago, and nearly all the spare bags;
the sewing-twine has been used long since, and we are obliged to make
some from old bags. We are all nearly naked, the scrub has been so severe
on our clothes; one can scarcely tell the original colour of a single
garment, everything is so patched. Our boots are also gone. It is with
great reluctance that I am forced to return without a further trial. I
should like to go back, and try from Newcastle Water, but my provisions
will not allow me. I started with thirty weeks' supply at seven pounds of
flour per week, and have now been out twenty-six, and it will take me ten
weeks before I can reach the first station. The men are also failing, and
showing the effects of short rations. I only wish I had sufficient to
carry me over until the rain will fall in next March. I think I should be
able to make both the Victoria and the Gulf. I had no idea when starting
that the hills would terminate so soon in such extensive level country,
without water, or I should have tried to make the river, and see what the
country was, when I first saw the rising grounds from Mount Primrose,
which are the sand and iron undulations passed over on my southernmost
western journey. Before I went to Newcastle Water they completely
deceived me; for from the top of the mount they had the appearance of a
high range, which I was glad to see, thinking that if the range I was
then following up should cease, or if I could not find a way into the
river further north, I would be sure to get in by that distant range,
which caused me to leave the Newcastle Water country sooner than I should
otherwise have done; and now I have not provisions to take me back again.
From what I have seen of the country to the west and south of Newcastle
Water, I am of opinion that it would be no use trying again to make the
river, for I believe no water can be obtained by sinking. To the west and
north-west of Newcastle Water the country is apparently lower, and I
think that water could be obtained at a moderate depth. It is the
shortest distance between the waters; but the greatest difficulty would
be in getting through the dense forest and scrub, but that, I should
think, could be overcome. It certainly is a great disappointment to me
not to be able to get through, but I believe I have left nothing untried
that has been in my power. I have tried to make the Gulf and river, both
before rain fell, and immediately after it had fallen; but the results
were the same, UNSUCCESSFUL. Even after the rain I could not get a step
further than before it. I shall commence my homeward journey to-morrow
morning. Wind, south. The horses have had a severe trial from the long
journeys they have made, and the great hardships and privations they have
undergone. On my last journey they were one hundred and six hours without
water.
On Friday, July 12th, Mr. Stuart quitted Tomkinson Creek to return to
Adelaide, and on the following Friday reached Ann Creek on the north side
of the Murchison range. On the 30th, the party proceeded across the
Centre, and camped south-west of it, on the Hanson. The nights now became
very cold, and there was usually white frost on the grass, and ice in the
buckets every morning. On August 6th they camped under Brinkley Bluff,
and remained there until the 8th. The Hamilton was reached on the 23rd,
and here the natives again showed some hostility, contenting themselves,
however, with yelling and howling, and endeavouring to set fire to the
grass, in which they were happily unsuccessful. On Saturday, August 31st,
they arrived at Mr. Levi's station, where all of them "were overjoyed at
once more seeing the face of a white man." They were received with great
kindness and attention. After remaining there three days they proceeded
by way of Louden Spa, William Springs, Paisley Ponds, and Hamilton
Springs to Chambers Creek, where they arrived on September 7th and
remained until the 10th.
The last entry in Mr. Stuart's journal is as follows:
Sunday, 15th September, Moolooloo. I shall leave to-morrow for Port
Augusta, and proceed by steamer for Adelaide, leaving the party to be
brought into town by Mr. Kekwick.
I cannot close my Journal without expressing my warmest thanks to my
second in command, and my other companions; they have been brave, and
have vied with each other in performing their duties in such a manner as
to make me at all times feel confident that my orders were carried out to
the best of their ability, and to my entire satisfaction; and I also beg
to tender my best thanks to the promoters (Messrs. Chambers and Finke)
and the Government, for the handsome manner I was fitted out.
JOHN McDOUALL STUART,
Leader of the Expedition.
JOURNAL OF MR. STUART'S SUCCESSFUL EXPEDITION ACROSS THE CONTINENT OF
AUSTRALIA. FROM DECEMBER, 1861, TO DECEMBER, 1862.
Mr. Stuart made his public entry into Adelaide on Monday, 23rd September,
and reported himself to the authorities. Almost at the same time the
Victorian Government obtained their first traces of the survivors of the
ill-fated expedition under Burke and Wills.* (* The news of their death
reached Melbourne on November 2nd.) The South Australian Government had
such confidence in Mr. Stuart that, on his expressing his readiness to
make another attempt to cross the continent, they at once closed with his
offer, and in less than a month (on October 21st) the new expedition
started from Adelaide to proceed to Chambers Creek, and get everything in
order there for a final start. Mr. Stuart accompanied them for a few
miles to see that everything went on well, when, one of the horses
becoming restive, he advanced with the intention of cutting the rope
which was choking the animal; the horse reared and struck him on the
temple with its fore foot, knocking him down and rendering him
insensible. The brute then sprang forward and placed one of his hind feet
on Mr. Stuart's right hand, and, rearing again, dislocated two joints of
his first finger, tearing the flesh and nail from it, and injuring the
bone to such an extent that amputation of the finger was at first thought
unavoidable. By careful treatment, however, it was unnecessary to resort
to such a course, and in five weeks the leader was able to start to
overtake his party, some of whom were to remain at Moolooloo until he
joined them.
In no way discouraged either by his own unlucky accident and previous
want of success, or by the melancholy end of his brother explorers, Burke
and Wills, Mr. Stuart arrived at Moolooloo on Friday, December 20th, and
at Finniss Springs on the 29th. The names of the party were as follows:
John McDouall Stuart, Leader of the Expedition.
William Kekwick, Second Officer.
F.W. Thring, Third Officer.
W.P. Auld, Assistant.
Stephen King.
John Billiatt.
James Frew.
Heath Nash.
John McGorrerey, Shoeing Smith.
J.W. Waterhouse, Naturalist to the Expedition.
Besides these, there were at starting, Woodforde and Jeffries; but at
Finniss Springs, the latter struck one of his companions, and, on being
called to account by his leader, refused to go any further. As to the
former, when quitting Mr. Levi's station on January 21st, it was
arranged, in order to lighten the weak horses, that the great-coats of
the party should be left, but Woodforde objected to this, and said he
would not go unless he had his great-coat with him. Mr. Stuart had very
properly decided not to take any man who refused to obey orders, and he
therefore started without him. The next day Woodforde rejoined the party
near Milne Springs, but did not accompany them many days longer; for on
February 3rd, shortly after starting, he asked McGorrerey to hold his gun
while he returned to get something he had left behind at the previous
night's camp. About an hour afterwards, McGorrerey discovered a piece of
folded-up paper on the nipple of the gun, and on examination this proved
to be an insolent note, addressed to his leader, stating that he had gone
back, taking with him a horse, saddle, bridle, tether-rope, and sundry
other things not belonging to him. Mr. Stuart had been much dissatisfied
with his conduct for some days, and had made up his mind to send him
back, believing that he was doing everything in his power to discourage
the party, and bring his leader's authority into contempt.
At Marchant Springs, where they arrived on February 15th, they began to
experience annoyance from the natives. On the 17th, as Auld was
approaching the water-hole, a native who was there called to some others
who were posted in trees, and shortly afterwards a great cloud of smoke
was seen to windward, coming towards the camp. It was evidently their
intention to attack the exploring party under cover of the smoke, "but
Thring, while looking for the horses, came suddenly on three of them
concealed behind a bush, armed with spears and boomerangs; he did not
perceive them until within twelve yards of them. They immediately jumped
up, and one of them threw a boomerang at him, which fortunately missed
both him and his horse. He was obliged to use his revolver in self
defence," but with what result Mr. Stuart does not state.
The excessive heat of the weather now proved a great hindrance to the
expedition. They had already lost so many horses that a large part of
their provisions, etc. had to be abandoned on various occasions. On
February 23rd, Mr. Stuart writes:
"Before reaching this place (the Hugh) five other horses gave in, and
were unable to proceed further. I cannot understand the cause of the
horses knocking up so much; every one of them has fallen off the last
week. Whether it is the excessive heat or the brackish water of the
Finke, I am unable to say. Last night I tried some citric acid in the
water of the Finke, and it caused it to effervesce, showing that the
water contained soda." It was afterwards ascertained that the horses were
suffering from worms, which may partially account for their failing
strength.
After leaving the Hugh, on February 25th, they were again annoyed by the
natives. When about half-way through the gorge, they "set fire to the
grass and dry wood across the creek, which caused a dense smoke to blow
in our faces. I had the party prepared for an attack. After passing
through the smoke and fire, three natives made their appearance about
twenty-five yards off, on the hill side, armed with spears and shields,
and bidding us defiance by placing the spears in the womeras, and yelling
out at the highest pitch of their voices. I ordered Auld to dismount and
fire a shot a little distance on one side of them, to let them know what
distance our weapons carried. The ball struck the rock pointed out to him
to aim at, and stopped their yelling, but seemed to have no other effect.
I again ordered him to fire at the rock on which the middle one of the
three was standing; the shot was a good one, for the ball struck the
desired spot, and immediately had the effect of sending them all off at
full speed."
Again, on March 5th, while crossing the plains under Mount Hay, they came
suddenly on three natives armed with long spears and shields, who ran off
into the scrub. A short distance further, while watering the horses at
some rain water, these three natives returned, accompanied by four
others, and made signs of hostility, by yelling and shaking their spears,
and performing other threatening antics while widely separating
themselves in a half-circle. Mr. Stuart says: "I had the party prepared
to receive an attack; but when they saw us stationary they approached no
nearer. I ordered some of the party to fire close to them, to show them
we could injure them at a long distance, if they continued to annoy us,
but they did not seem at all frightened at the report of the rifles nor
the whizzing of the balls near to them, since they still remained in a
threatening attitude. With the aid of a telescope we could perceive a
number of others concealed in the belt of scrub. They all seemed fine
muscular men. There was one tall fellow in particular with a large shield
and a very long spear (upwards of twelve feet), which he seemed very
anxious to use if he could have got within distance. We crossed the
creek, and had proceeded a short distance across the plain, when they
again came running towards us, apparently determined to attack; they were
received with a discharge of rifles, which caused them to retire and keep
at a respectful distance. Having already wasted too much time with them,
I proceeded over the plain, keeping a sharp look-out; should they
threaten us again, I shall allow them to come close, and make an example
of them. It is evident their designs are hostile. Before entering the
scrub we could see no signs of them following. About sundown, arrived at
Mount Harris without further annoyance."
A week later (on March 12th) the Centre was passed; and on the 17th,
while going from Woodforde Creek through the bad country towards the
Bonney, Thring met with an awkward accident, which his leader thus
describes: "Being anxious to keep my old tracks through the scrub, as it
does not wear the saddle-bags so much as breaking through a new line, I
missed them about two miles after starting, in consequence of the
earliness and cloudiness of the morning. I sent Thring in search of them,
and he, on finding them a short distance off, fired his revolver to let
us know that the tracks were found. The young horse he was riding stood
the first report very well. I, not hearing the report, was moving on,
which caused him to fire again, whereupon his horse backed and threw him
with violence to the ground on his chest. He feels his chest is much hurt
by the fall. The horse then returned on the tracks at full gallop," and
was not recovered until shortly before sundown.