Chapter 15

We left camp yesterday morning at 9. We followed the river down all day till it became dark, in the hope of reaching a station. We were disappointed in our expectations and did not see many tracks of cattle. Along our path on the east side of the river, about three-quarters of a mile below camp, we observed a tree marked A. After passing between a hill and the river, about six and a quarter miles below camp, we crossed extensive flats and a low sandhill. The country was thinly wooded in some places and scrubby at others. The land, although not very rich, had the best grasses, and cotton, and saltbush upon it; the sandhill was wooded with cypress pine and other trees. When we had come about eleven and a quarter miles Mr. Bourne discovered that he had left his pistol at the last camp. Jackey returned with him to get it. Before they left I advised them to take rations as there was little probability of their overtaking us; but they went off without them as quickly as they could, with the intention of joining us again some time before morning; but they did not succeed in doing so, nor have they made their appearance yet. We came here in about the following courses: 9.20 south-south-west for three-quarters of a mile to A-tree; 10.8 east-south-east for two and a quarter miles; 11.20 south and by west for three and a quarter miles to opposite a hill; 12.50 south and by east for three and a quarter miles; 3.50 south and by west for seven and a quarter miles; 3.55 south-west and by south for one mile; 4.35 west for one and a half miles; 4.55 south-east for a quarter of a mile; 6.10 south-south-west for three and a half miles. Distance today twenty-three miles.

Sunday May 18. Camp 71. River Warrego.

I would have gone on today if Mr. Bourne and Jackey had been with us as we have only a few days' rations. Not knowing how far I may have to go down the river before we reach a station where we can obtain a fresh supply, and knowing from my last trial of going to the eastward how much the horses suffered from the want of water, I determined not to put them to such suffering again if avoidable. In the middle of the day Fisherman, Jemmy, and I heard a loud report of what we thought was a gun probably discharged by Mr. Bourne or Jackey, and expected them to arrive immediately. I am very anxious about them, especially as it would be inconvenient to send Fisherman off to see what has become of them, Jemmy being so ill he cannot look after the horses. Meridian of the sun A.H. 86 degrees 23 seconds, latitude 27 degrees 5 minutes.

Monday May 19. Camp 72. River.

Fortunately the horses were not all mustered until the afternoon, as shortly before they were so Mr. Bourne and Jackey arrived. If we had found the horses as early as usual we would have been looking up the river for Mr. Bourne and Jackey, where we should not have found them. They had lost our tracks and followed down the river. We were exceedingly glad to see them and to find that they had brought a large portion of an emu with them which they killed yesterday. Mr. Bourne observed in the course he had pursued a tree marked EO on one side and on the other side EWC over C. I washed on the edge of the river near a deep waterhole in some clay and pebbles in search of gold but did not find any. This afternoon we left Camp 71 at 3.20. Came down on the eastern side of the river and encamped as it grew dark, within about six and a half miles of our last camp. I made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 85 degrees 51 minutes, the latitude is by that observation 27 degrees 8 minutes. The observation I yesterday made showed the camp three miles northward of the latitude from today's observation. We came here in about the following courses: 4.10 south-east for two miles; 4.30 east-south-east for one mile; 4.50 south-south-east one mile to Mr. Bourne's camp; 5.27 south-south-west for one and a quarter miles; 6 west-south-west for one and a quarter miles. Distance six and a half miles.

Tuesday May 20 1862. Camp 73.

We left Camp 72 this morning, 9.20, and made down the river after sunset. In that time we travelled about twenty-one miles. We hoped to have reached a station today and would have gone further if we had not been delayed. We got on to a cattle run, and when our packhorses saw the cattle moving they took fright and galloped off. Fisherman and Jackey went after five of them, the remainder were collected and came on here with them. The others Jackey and Fisherman collected and brought in a few hours after dark. This is a fine run, and the country we saw from our path consisted in a great measure of fine grassed plains. We were very glad to get to this cattle run as we had used all our flour excepting what would do us for two days; and if it had not been for the emu Jackey shot our food would have been done. We had half doomed one of our horses to the butcher's knife, although none of us liked the idea of eating a poor old saddle-horse, consequently we were all exceedingly glad to reach the cattle run. We came today in about the following courses: 10 south for two miles; 10.40 south-east and by south for two miles; 12 south-south-east half south for three and a half miles; at 1 south and by west for two and three-quarter miles; 2.30 south-west and by west for four and a quarter miles; 3.15 south-west for half a mile; 3.40 south-east and by east for one and a quarter miles; 4.5 south and by west for one mile; 5 south-west for two and a half miles; 5.30 west for one and a quarter miles. Distance twenty-one miles.

Wednesday May 21. Warrego River.

This morning we followed down the river for about two and three-quarter miles in a south and by east direction, and reached the station occupied by Mr. Williams where we received a most hospitable reception and learnt the unfortunate fate of Burke and Wills. Here I took sights and made the meridian altitude of the sun A.H. 83 degrees 85 minutes. The latitude is by that observation 27 degrees 38 minutes.

Thursday May 22. Camp 19. Warrego River.

Today we made preparations for proceeding to the Darling River. I sold to Mr. Williams the following articles: Carbine 4 pounds; Enfield rifle 3 pounds; revolver (Colt) small size 4 pounds 10 shillings; cartridges for revolver 12 shillings; steelyards 5 shillings; pick and shovel 5 shillings; 2 1/2 pounds of powder 10 shillings; cartouche box 5 shillings; shoeing tools 15 shillings; four sets horseshoes 8 shillings; spokeshave etc. 4 shillings; 1 1/4 boxes gun caps 9 shillings; three powder flasks (one damaged) 3 shillings; cleaning rod for gun etc. 4 shillings; three boxes gun caps (broken) and pistol cleaning rod 6 shillings; six yards canvas (damaged) 6 shillings; nine saddle-girths (partially damaged) 14 shillings; 6 pounds nails and screws at 1 shilling and 6 pence; medicine 10 shillings; fryingpan 2 shillings; two packsaddles (broken) 2 pounds; crupper 4 shillings and 6 pence. Total 19 pounds 13 shillings and 6 pence. And bought the following supplies: 100 pounds of flour 2 pounds 10 shillings; 24 pounds of sugar 18 shillings; 3 pounds of tea 12 shillings; one bar of soap 4 shillings. Total 4 pounds 4 shillings. The money Mr. Williams gave for the stores was a higher amount than would have been obtained at a township by public auction. Neither did he purchase them so much because he wanted them as to oblige me. He also supplied us with as much beef and butter as we required to take with us, and would not accept payment for any supplies that were raised by themselves.

Tuesday May 23. About ten miles below Mr. Kennedy's Camp 19, camp on the Warrego River.

As the road was indistinct Messrs. Williams kindly accompanied us to the stage, about two and a half miles this side of the station, where they showed us the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy K XIX. The horsemanship and bushmanship displayed by these young Australians were very remarkable. A large portion of my life has been spent in the bush, yet dray-tracks that I could only follow at a few places they evidently considered at all places a plain road.

May 24. About half a mile below the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy K XXI.

This morning we left our last camp at 9.15. When we had travelled down on the east bank of the river about twenty-eight miles, at 3.50 in the afternoon, we reached here. On the bank there is a station occupied by Mr. Con, and on the opposite bank a station occupied by Mr. Gallagher. The country we passed over today is as fine, rich and well-grassed as any person could wish for pastoral purposes. A few weeks ago the hut-keeper, an inoffensive old man who thought the blacks were harmless, was killed and shockingly mangled by them, and the hut robbed, in the absence of the stockman. With the contents of a bottle of rum we had long preserved, in case it might be wanted for medicinal purposes, we drank the health and many returns of the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

Sunday May 25. Warrego River, about half a mile below the tree marked by Mr. Kennedy K XXI.

We rested ourselves and the horses. This morning I gave the manager of stock here twenty rounds of cartridges, a few bullets, and a few caps for a breach-loading rifle that I had sold him. The rifle is one I had borrowed from Mr. Bourne for my last expedition, but as it was injured in the service I promised to replace it. Its original cost was 15 pounds 10 shillings, but I sold it for a lower price, namely, 10 pounds. We followed the road which came down the eastern bank of the river over well-grassed rich level country and sandy ridges for about twelve miles.

May 26. Cunnamulla, Warrego River.

We followed the road down the river for about thirty-five miles from the cattle stations, near Mr. Kennedy's 21st camp.

Tuesday May 27. Wooroorooka, Warrego River.

We continued following the road down the river till we reached Wooroorooka. This run is occupied by a herd of horses belonging to T. Danger, Esquire. Yesterday and today we travelled each day about seven and a half hours. The distance is called seventy miles. The country we saw between Cunnamulla and Wooroorooka was wet thinly-wooded plains intersected by ana-branches of the river and by sandhills. At Wooroorooka I met a gentleman called Mr. Birch who at one time very ably assisted Mr. Stutchburgh in making a geological survey of a great part of Australia. To him Mr. Bourne and I are greatly indebted for giving us much intelligence of events that have taken place since we left Brisbane last August. I learn from him that he had travelled the distance from the boundary line of New South Wales to Wooroorooka, and found it was five and three-quarter miles.

Wednesday May 28. Bananka, Warrego River, New South Wales.

From Wooroorooka we followed the road down the river for about twelve miles and reached a station occupied by the sheep of the Bogan River Company. Our path was over slightly wooded plains, the soil rich and covered with the best grasses. The grass, from the dry season, was so parched that it looked in its present state almost worthless, but the fine condition of the sheep showed it to be still first-rate pasturage.

May 29. Eringa, Warrego River, New South Wales, Con's Old Station.

Our path today took us down the left bank of the river, a distance said to be twenty-eight miles, which we travelled in six and a half hours. The country we saw is similar to all the country on the river. From the point of the river where it is unconfined by ridges it flows in several channels.

Sunday June 2. Bunnawanah, Darling River.

Last Friday and Saturday were spent in travelling to here from the Warrego River. The distance from Eringa to here is called seventy miles. About eight miles before we reached here we passed the station of Messrs. Collis on Culgoa River. The country we saw between here and the Warrego River is level, covered with saltbush and grass. It resembles some country I have seen near Hay on the Murrumbidgee River. From the newspapers yesterday we learned that Mr. Walker's party had arrived in April at Port Denison, and learned that Mr. Howitt had received instructions to remain on Cooper's Creek for our arrival. Of course if I had known there was a depot there I should have gone to it from the Thomson River; and now I think it will be advisable to proceed to Menindie and there take the most advisable mode of letting Howitt know of our safe return from the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Wednesday June 5. Bunnawanah, Darling River.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and today we remained here to recruit the horses. Mr. Rutherford, one of the proprietors of the neighbouring station, kindly supplied us with what stores we required at a lower rate than is charged anywhere; and at the station of Mr. T. Danger we got as much beef as we required for the road en route to Menindie.

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NOTES.

Excoecaria: A good-sized bush or small tree occupying the low depressions above the saline alluvial ground on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is milk-flowing but poisonous.

Erythrina: or coral tree.

Pigweed: Portulaca, or the native purslane, a creeping annual of a reddish-green colour and an excellent vegetable.

Triodia: Sometimes called spinifex, or porcupine grass, is a true desert plant, and at the end of each leaf it is so armed with short prickles that horses dread going through it, and stock never touch it except when it is very young or they are starving.

Gidya: A native name; the botanical name cannot be given without a specimen.

Western-wood Acacia: Same as Gidya.

Roley-poley: An annual salsolaceous plant. It grows in the form of a large ball, several feet high, on rich soil. It withers in the dry season, is easily broken off and rolled along by the winds, hence its name.

Cotton Vine: A plant, probably the same cynanolium of which the unripe milky pod is eaten by the natives about Lake Torrens.

Polygonum cunninghami: A very wiry shrubby bush, which always indicates that the ground where it grows is liable to be occasionally flooded. It is the same as the one from the Murray and Darling.

Mulga Scrub (an Acacia): This is frequently mentioned by Stuart; its botanical name is not known.

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As it is desirable that all the routes from the Darling towards the Barcoo River should be known the following letter from Mr. Neilson is appended. The route he describes is almost on a direct line from Mount Rankine to Carpentaria.

Kennedy's XIX Camp, River Warrego, May 22 1862.

Dear Sir,

Agreeably to your request I beg to furnish you with a few memoranda of a journey made by Messrs. H. and F. Williams and myself from Mount Rankine on the Darling towards Cooper's Creek. We left the Darling on the 22nd of June 1861, and after crossing the Talywalka Creek at six miles camped on Mulyoh Spring, course north-west by west distance twenty-five miles. Our next day's journey was to Wentholey on the Paroo Creek upon the same bearing and a distance of forty miles. We then followed the Paroo Creek upward on a general course of north by east half east to the 29th parallel, when we struck out to the north-west, and on rising the range saw a large sheet of water. Camped upon it. It proved to be a lake of about twenty-five miles in circumference and very shallow. Our distance travelled, twenty-three miles from the boundary. Next day followed the same course and camped at thirty miles on a large clay-pan. Followed on the next day, and at ten miles came on a Boree Creek with water. Followed on bearing to the northward of north-west about half a point, and camped on a lateral creek containing pools of water and polygonum flats, and on examining the bed of the creek found some crayfish-eyes, and judged to be in the vicinity of a large water. Distance travelled twenty-six miles. Next day followed the creek on a north-north-west bearing, and at eleven miles came to a large creek running rapid and having flooded flats extending two miles from its bed, and bearing marks of very high floods. We crossed the creek and extended our journey about fifteen miles to the west; the country being cut up by creeks not then flooded but bearing evidences of high floods. Our rations being short we turned back. From this point I consider our position to be within about thirty-five miles of Cooper's Creek. We followed the creek we left, running down for about fifty miles on a south-west by south course. A larger volume of water comes down this creek than what comes down the Warrego, and it contains some fine reaches of water where the creeks meet and form one channel. I believe it to be identical with the Nive of Mitchell, never traced out, and in its position with the Paroo forms a line of communication practicable in all seasons from Mount Rankine on the Darling to Cooper's Creek, and by Cooper's Creek upwards to the Thomson, completes, with your discoveries, a perfect and practicable line of communication to Carpentaria.

I have doubt to venture an opinion that it is quite practicable to make a cross-country track from this to the junction of the Thompson and Cooper from the knowledge I have formed; but I think the requirements of the case are better met by striking the Cooper where it takes the turn westward (i.e.. where Sturt followed it to the east) that point being more adapted to the wants of the more southern settlers.

I have forwarded a tracing of my route to Mr. Gregory by my letter of February 26th last, and just give you the foregoing crude data to go upon, and of which you may make what use you think proper.

I beg to remain,

Yours faithfully,

John Neilson.

Landsborough Esquire.

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The head of the Barcoo River was discovered by Sir Thomas Mitchell who named it the Victoria River. He described it as probably having its outlet at Carpentaria. Kennedy was sent to trace it, but unfortunately he had a dry season to contend with; so much so that some distance below the junction of the Thomson he found its channel perfectly dry and had to return. He followed it however sufficiently far to enable him to make tolerably sure that it was the head of Cooper's Creek. Gregory afterwards, by following it down, on his route to South Australia ascertained this to be the case. Another river, previously discovered by Captain Wickham, in Northern Australia, had been called by him the Victoria: because of this, and from Kennedy having learned the native name of Mitchell's Victoria to be the Barcoo, it is now generally known by that designation.

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Tintinalagy, Darling River, July 22 1862.

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st ultimo handed to me on the 14th instant at Mount Murchison by Mr. Verdon. You will no doubt have received my last letter informing you that, as I was led to suppose that the grass was better at Mount Murchison than at Menindie, I remained there for instructions from you.

As I had come to the conclusion that, as Mr. Howitt was in South Australia, it would be unnecessary for me to take any steps to inform him of my return from the Gulf of Carpentaria in accordance with the instructions I received from you, we are here on our way to Melbourne. Having lost some of our horses we have been delayed here for a few days, and may be delayed longer as the camel is away. The camel I should have mentioned earlier we brought with us from Bunnawanah.

This has been a bad season for coming down the river, so much so that one of the oldest settlers says he never saw the grass so scarce as it now is. We have however, I hope, got over the worst part of the river as the country is getting green from the rain that has fallen recently.

On our way to Euston I hope to dispose of the horses and material of the expedition. From Euston I intend sending Gleeson and a man I have hired with the camel to Melbourne. To pay their expenses I will advance Gleeson a sufficient sum. To Gleeson's assistant I have promised the usual wages from the date of our arrival at Euston. To drive the camel I will probably give them two riding-horses and a packhorse. With them I will send an Expedition horse and the foal that was dropped near the Gulf of Carpentaria, which I dare say the Royal Society will sell me to take to Queensland as a relic of my expedition. I hope you will excuse my engaging an assistant for Gleeson, as Mr. Bourne and the three aborigines, who have been a long time engaged in this expedition, are anxious to get to Melbourne to return to Queensland. When we reach Euston we intend taking the coach.

From the paper I learn there is an impression abroad that I did not come by a likely route for finding Burke's party, and that it appeared by my letter that I had been commissioned to open up a route for stock to the Gulf.

With regard to the latter I received the command of my party from the Colonial Secretary of Queensland, and he certainly gave me no instructions respecting the route I was to take, but for which he referred me to your instructions. In these it was contemplated that I should return by sea. Had it been contemplated that I was to have come back overland my instructions would have been, I dare say, to have come back by Mount Stuart. From having travelled in the end of last year about halfway to Mount Stuart from the Albert River depot, I consider that if I had waited a few weeks when I reached the 138th meridian I would have had the advantage of the wet season, and might have proceeded by that route, or at all events gone south from that meridian provided I had sufficient equipment for that purpose.

My opinion was, as may be seen in my correspondence with Captain Norman, that Burke and Wills had gone from their depot by Bowen Downs towards Carpentaria. I therefore came overland that way, and as I did not learn anything of their party from the blacks when I reached there I proceeded to the settled country.

For my part I must say that I think, with the information we had then, we took the most probable route for finding Burke's party. In all our expeditions we followed the watercourses and went over more ground than I thought it should have been possible to do with our small and shipwrecked equipment.

I never imagined that Burke and Wills would have been able to walk straight from Cooper's Creek across what I thought was in a great measure a desert to Carpentaria. It should also be remembered that when I wrote my letter to you on my arrival at the Darling River we had learned all about the fate of Burke's party, and the time was past for saying much about our want of success with respect to them.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

W. Landsborough.

Commander of Victorian and Queensland Party Organised at Brisbane.

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In reply to the above he was instructed to sell his equipment and proceed to Melbourne.

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