Chapter 12

Today we followed the creek down for about fifteen miles and three-quarters and encamped at a fine waterhole. All along the creek there are fine deep waterholes. The channel is a kind of sandstone formation, particularly good for retaining water. About eight miles above here the creek is joined by another watercourse, about the same size, from the north-west. I have named it Coxen Creek. The country is not so level as it is higher up the creek. The soil is very good with grass, saltbush, and herbs. Sheep or cattle will do well on it but it will not carry much stock to its acreage as it is confined at many places by ridges with triodia and only a small proportion of other grasses. Triodia is certainly better than nothing, as stock will eat it when it is young, and at other times will eat it rather than starve. The best part of the country is thickly wooded with acacia and other small trees. This would not be objectionable where blacks were quiet and where it is not necessary at times to run sheep in large flocks; but in the first occupation of the country it will be so, as labour will probably be scarce. We travelled today at our usual pace from 8.27 a.m. to 1.55 p.m. Gleeson was so much recovered that he did not complain of fatigue. We came here on the following courses: 9.27 south-east for two and three-quarter miles; 11.10 south-south-east five miles to the junction of Coxen Creek; 1.55 south-south-east eight miles.

March 25.

Started at 8.15 this morning. Came down the right bank of the creek for about fifteen miles and encamped at 2.53. The creek has fine deep holes of water. The channel generally is confined by sandstone at places by shelving rocks a few feet high and inaccessible for horses. Here the channel is broad and sandy; about seven miles below the last camp it is joined by a smaller watercourse from the north-west named by me Raff Creek. The country we saw from our path was mostly good. It consists of well-grassed, thinly-wooded flats, separated from each other by belts of Port Curtis sandalwood, bauhinia, and other small trees, and at other places by low ridges with triodia. The country in the immediate neighbourhood consists of low ridges of poor soil with numerous rocky gullies. These ridges are chiefly wooded with ironbak and grassed with triodia. We traversed down the creek in the following way: 9.25 south-south-east three and a quarter miles; 11.4 south two and three-quarter miles to Raff Creek; 1.30 south five and three-quarter miles; 2.10 south-east and by south one and a quarter miles to a small creek from the north-west; 3.54 south two miles to here.

March 26.

We left camp this morning at 8.45. When we had travelled at our usual pace till 1.45 we encamped at a small creek from the north-east. We stopped here as we found dray-tracks near the creek that I wanted to trace. After unsaddling Fisherman and I traced them a short distance to the north-east. The tracks were made probably by the parties who have occupied Bowen Downs. Bowen Downs is a fine tract of country that Mr. N. Buchanan and I discovered about two years ago. The country we passed over today is easily described. It is undulating poor land of a sandstone formation, grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark and bloodwood. Having left the creek on which we encamped last night our course today took us back onto high ground from which, descending, we reached this by the following courses: 11.45 south-south-west eight and three-quarter miles; 1.45 south five and three-quarter miles. Distance come today fourteen and a half miles. In a waterhole near camp Mr. Bourne caught a great quantity of small fish, an agreeable addition to our fare, and from the same waterhole Fisherman got a quantity of mussels for our breakfast tomorrow.

March 27. Camp 35, situated on the right bank of a small well-watered creek at a point about half a mile above its junction with a larger creek from the north-west.

Jackey and I left camp this morning at 9. When we had gone down the creek in a southerly direction for two and three-quarter miles we left it and went west, expecting to find the tracks of our party as I had asked Mr. Bourne to steer south-south-west; but, not finding the tracks, we returned to camp and reached it at 1.15. At camp we learned that the horses were only mustered a few minutes before our arrival. In my ride with Jackey down the creek I saw the recent tracks of a cow or steer (probably made by the beast that had been on the Flinders River). I would have tried to have found the beast with a view of killing it for the benefit of our party, but from seeing the dray-tracks near the camp I thought this was unnecessary as I was convinced we were near a station. Before leaving the subject of the beast I may mention that it may have been taken from the Darling to one of the stations on the head of the Burdekin and, having strayed from there to the Flinders River, was now on its way back. Started from camp at 1.45 p.m. When we had come a mile we crossed a creek flowing to the northward. On both sides of the creek there are stony ranges grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark. After leaving the creek we crossed the ridges and came on land with a good deal of rich soil and wooded with belts of myall, Port Curtis sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. About these scrubs the grass is very good and there is a luxuriant undergrowth of saltbush and salt herbs. When we had come four miles from camp we sighted to the south-west a small isolated hill and went towards it. When we had crossed about three and a half miles over country like what I have just described we reached the isolated hill and Mr. Bourne and I ascended it. It is surrounded by rich, well-grassed, high downs, wooded at places with small belts of myall. The shape of the hill is like an artificial mound with the ruins of a tower on its summit. It is so like a hill I saw when I was last on Bowen Downs that I almost fancied it the same. The hills in this neighbourhood however do not correspond with those in my chart. About four and a half miles to the north-north-west we observed two table-topped hills, and in the distance to the south-south-east a hill which may be the Simon Pure Tower-hill. From the hill we came east half north two and a half miles and encamped.

March 28.

We started this morning at 8.55. When we had come about sixteen miles we reached Tower-hill. On its summit I found a small tree that I remembered Mr. N. Buchanan had marked L when on my first expedition to this part of the country. Almost half the way to Tower-hill was wooded with myall and western-wood acacia. In the middle of that wooded country we crossed a range and observed unwooded downs to the right of our path. The remainder of the way was rich undulating ground slightly wooded with trees and grassed with the best grasses. To the left of our course there was low ground wooded at places with box, and at other places with western-wood acacia. From the range in the first part of the way Tower-hill bore south-east and by south, and a little range south-south-east (the latter is about one and a half miles west-south-west from Tower-hill). After descending Tower-hill we came half a mile and encamped. In a waterhole near camp Mr. Bourne and I while bathing found mussels in abundance; but as our caterers, of whom Mr. Bourne was the chief, had shot two turkeys we did not gather any mussels. We came on the following courses: 10.30 south four miles to a range; 12 south-south-east two and three-quarter miles to open downs; 2.45 south-east eight and a quarter miles to Tower-hill; east half a mile to encampment. Distance today sixteen and a half miles.

March 29.

From last camp we reached Landsborough's Creek in twenty-three and a half miles. I expected today to have reached a station that Mr. Buchanan when I left Brisbane told me he intended forming on this creek. I told my party to expect that we would here get fresh provisions. When we had travelled upwards of ten miles from last camp, and in that distance only saw the appearance of a single horse track, I came to the conclusion that Mr. Buchanan had taken no stock up the creek, and changed our course so as to strike it lower down. Further on Mr. Bourne, Gleeson, and I felt confident we were on stocked country; but this impression was soon changed by Fisherman telling us that he believed the grass had been eaten off by grasshoppers. The country we crossed today is a rich soil and is wooded along the watercourses with box, and at other places with a few bushes. Near the creek the land is flat and badly grassed, but back from the creek the land is undulating and well grassed. From our path we saw on both sides of us table ranges which gave a charm to the landscape. We came here on the following courses: 11.20 south-west and by south eight miles; 12.10 west one mile; 12.48 south-south-west one and three-quarter miles; 1.20 south one and a half miles; 2.35 south-east three and three-quarter miles; 5.25 south seven and a half miles.

March 30.

This being Sunday we rested ourselves and horses.

March 31. Camp 38 situated on the left side of Landsborough's Creek at a place about two miles north of a table range on the opposite bank.

We started this morning at 10.25. When we had followed down the left bank of the creek we crossed Cornish Creek a short distance above its junction with Landsborough's Creek. It had been recently flooded, and although the ford was a good one the stream was still about three feet deep. Below the junction of this creek the watercourse is called Landsborough's River. (Lower down we ascertained it was called the Thomson River.) On the left bank of Cornish Creek there are wooded ranges extending for several miles down the river. After leaving these ridges our path down the left bank of the river went over rich undulating ground with good grass and a few belts of box-trees. On the opposite side of the river there is a considerable extent of wooded country. On our journey one of the packs having partly broken loose so frightened the horse carrying it that he galloped off, and was not recovered until he had scattered his load, consisting of medicines and peas, broadcast on the plain. The medicine was recovered but the bulk of the peas were lost. About ten miles before I reached camp I made the meridian altitude of the sun 63.18, on a good land horizon; latitude 22 degrees 27 minutes 39 seconds. We came here on the following courses: 10.20 south-east and by east two and three-quarter miles; 11.40 south-south-east four miles; 12.45 south-south-east two miles to ---- Creek; 3.20 south seven and a quarter miles. Distance today sixteen miles.

April 1.

We started this morning at eight. When we had come down along the left bank of the river about eight miles Jemmy and I left our party and went back to the unwooded downs. These downs extend as far as the eye can reach to the eastward. Before we had gone far we found the recent tracks of an exploring party, and instead of rejoining our party we followed the tracks to see where they led, which appeared to be in the direction of some untimbered hills on the left bank of the Aramak Creek. After leaving the tracks we made for the river, and reached it at a point a short distance above an old camp of mine where there is a tree marked L over LXIX. At the river we found we had overshot our party, so we had to follow the river up to find their encampment. Our path today went fifteen miles over unwooded, undulating, rich ground bearing abundance of grass; then eleven and a half miles over a country with higher undulations and good grass, with myall, western-wood acacia and Port Curtis sandalwood. We went by the following courses: 11.20 south eight and three-quarter miles; 2.20 south and by east six and a half miles; 3.24 south-south-west two and a half miles; 4.45 south-west four miles; 5.7 west one mile to the river; 5.25 north-north-west three-quarters of a mile to marked tree; 6.30 north-west and by north three miles to encampment. Distance travelled by Jemmy and myself today twenty-six and a half miles.

April 2.

We started this morning at 8.15 and travelled down the river till six in the evening, journeying later than usual to get out of the neighbourhood of some blacks that we passed about seven miles back from here. At a place about fourteen and a half miles back I halted with Jackey and made an observation of the sun; afterwards, when we had nearly overtaken the party, I observed the blacks were near them. We galloped towards them to make them run away; but instead of doing so they remained and received us in a friendly manner and offered us their spears and boomerangs. I let Jackey take a spear and two boomerangs; the spear we wanted for making ramrods; in return for their presents I gave them a tomahawk. These blacks are fine, tall, powerful fellows. When we overtook the party Mr. Bourne informed me that the blacks had followed it for about three miles, and that one of them, a powerfully built man about six feet high, had been so very bold that he (Mr. Bourne) had repeatedly fired over his head without causing him any alarm; and that on one occasion, on looking round, he saw him apparently in the act of throwing his boomerang at him. These blacks told Jemmy, who understood their language, that they had seen nothing of any explorers with camels. When we were unsaddling I was sorry to find that we had not got out of the neighbourhood of the blacks as I observed some of them were watching us from behind some trees close at hand. Jemmy told them that I was very angry at them for following us. In reply they said I was mistaken, that they had not followed, they had never seen us before. Shortly afterwards Jemmy had a long conversation with them during which they informed him they had seen a party of explorers to the eastward, but that they had never seen any with camels or drays. When they left they assured us they would not return until morning. A place that we passed about nine miles up the river bears east and by north from a conical hill which is on the right bank of the river, and west and by south from a table range near our path on this side of the river. Besides this table range there are isolated ranges distant from one to three miles from each other and extending along the left bank of the river from our last camp. On the opposite bank (the right bank) there were no hills in sight except the conical hill already mentioned and a range near our present camp. Rich undulating ground, covered with good grass and slightly wooded with myall, western-wood acacia, and Port Curtis sandalwood, extends from the ranges in many places to the left bank of the river. Near the junction of Aramak Creek I made the meridian altitude of the sun 62 degrees 2 minutes, the latitude 22 degrees 58 minutes 29 seconds. We came here on the following courses from last camp: 9.15 a.m. south-east and by south for three miles to old camp; 11.20 a.m. south-south-east for five and a half miles to Aramak Creek; 1.50 p.m. south-west for two and a half miles; 2.50 p.m. south-south-east for three miles; 3.20 p.m. south-west for one and a half miles to creek from south-east; 5.15 p.m. south-west for five miles to another creek from south-east; 6.15 p.m. south and by east for two and a half miles. Distance twenty-three miles.

April 3. Left Camp 41, situated on the left bank of the river at a place between two isolated ranges.

One of the ranges is on the left bank; I have named it Mackenzie Range. The other, on the opposite bank, I have named Herbert Range. From camp the south end of Mackenzie Range bears 45 degrees, and the south end of Herbert Range 235 degrees. The four blacks who left us yesterday evening paid us a visit as soon as it was light this morning; they were very communicative and informed us that the river flowed to the southward, that it was joined about two days' journey from this by a large river from the north-east; that a long way down the river the country was sandy and destitute of grass, and that beyond the ranges in sight there were no hills. They said further, on being asked if they knew of any country to the westward without grass, that they had not seen or heard of any country of that description in such direction. We started this morning at 8.45 and at 3.43 p.m., having travelled sixteen miles along the left bank of the river, we camped. The country we saw during the forenoon was of an undulating character and the soil rich, with myall and western-wood acacia. The grass was good, but from the absence of rain not so fresh looking as higher up the river. Our path in the afternoon lay near the river over low ground, wooded with box, having an undergrowth of saltbush and polygonum. To the eastward there was fine undulating open country. Somewhere above here I think it is probable that the river is joined by a larger stream from the westward as it is now quite unfordable and about sixty feet in width. We came in the following courses from last camp: 9.45 south-south-east for three miles; 11 south for three and a half miles; 1.20 south-south-west for three miles; 3.15 south-west for five and three-quarter miles; 3.43 south-south-west for three-quarters of a mile.

April 4.

We left Camp 42 at 8.35 a.m. and travelled in the back country from the river. I steered in the forenoon about two points off what I considered was the probable course of the river, and intended returning to it in the afternoon; unfortunately however I left the main party in the middle of the day and omitted to tell Mr. Bourne to change the course if necessary to reach the river. When I overtook the party I altered the course and at 3.20 p.m. reached a creek that probably drains a great deal of back country. As there was water in its channel we encamped. The creek I named Stark Creek. Before we reached here we crossed two other creeks; the first I named Salton Creek and other Isabella Creek. The country we passed over from our last camp consists chiefly of high and wooded downs, and though the soil was rich the grass and saltbush, from the want of rain, was rather dry. The country near the watercourses is wooded with myall, western-wood acacia, and Port Curtis sandalwood. We came here in about the following courses: 10.27 south-south-west for four and three-quarter miles to Salton Creek; 11.5 a.m. south-south-west for one and three-quarter miles to Salton Creek; 11.30 a.m. south-south-east for one and a half miles to Isabella Creek; 12 a.m. south-south-east for one and a half miles; 12.35 a.m. east one mile; 12.50 a.m. south-east for one mile; 1.55 p.m. west-south-west for three miles; 3.30 a.m. south-south-west for three and a half miles to Stark Creek. Distance today eighteen miles.

April 5.

We left camp this morning at 8.20 a.m. The Camp 43 is situated on the right bank of Stark Creek. We travelled in the first instance slightly to the westward of south with the view of reaching the river. In a few miles we crossed a large watercourse at present dry but with extensive flood-marks and heaps of mussel-shells on its banks. This creek I named Porteous Creek. A few miles further in the same direction we crossed a small watercourse which apparently joins Porteous Creek. The banks are wooded with myall. Behind these belts of myall the country rises in gentle undulations, the soil is rich, almost without trees, and from the appearance of the grass it was evident there had been no rain for a long time. In the afternoon we went north-westerly and by that course reached the river; then after following it down for a short distance we encamped. The appearance of the grass we saw in the afternoon was fresher than that we had seen earlier in the day; and near the river, where the low ground had been flooded, the herbage was quite green. Shortly after we encamped a middle-aged blackfellow, two youths, and two little boys paid us a visit; they were very friendly but we did not get any information from them. From last camp we came here on the following courses: 9.20 south-west for two and a half miles; 10 south-west by west for one and three-quarter miles to Porteous Creek; 10.50 west-south-west for two and a quarter miles to a small creek; 11.30 west for one and three-quarter miles; 11.40 north for half a mile; 12.43 south-west for one and three-quarter miles; 2.23 west for five miles; 2.43 north-west for one mile; 3.23 west-north-west for two miles; 4.23 south-west for two and a half miles. Distance twenty-one miles.

April 6.

As this was Sunday and we did not think the blacks numerous or dangerous in the neighbourhood we rested ourselves and horses. The elderly blackfellow and one of the others we had seen yesterday paid us a visit, and in the course of the day he brought the others of his party and a man about his own age whom we had not seen before. He made me understand that his elderly friend wanted to see a gun so I gratified his curiosity. The boys did not run away as they had done when they saw me fire a shot on a previous occasion. The blacks examined with great curiosity our equipment and accepted greedily everything we gave them but did not steal anything. Mr. Bourne gave our newest acquaintance a shirt which pleased him very much. They relished some food he gave them and said "Thank you sir" upon Jackey making them understand it was proper to say so. The presents which pleased them most were a broad file, a needle and thread, a broken glass bottle, and clothes. The file they could make a better tomahawk of than their stone ones; the broken glass bottle they would use for knives or wood scrapers. We did not give them many clothes as cold weather had warned us we had none to spare. Jemmy, on further acquaintance with the blacks, found they could speak a language he understood.

April 7. Bowen Downs.