Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume 2

Introductory--Remarks on the results of the former Expedition--The fitting out of another determined on--Its objects--Provisions, accoutrements, and retinue--Paper furnished by Mr. Kent--Causes that have prevented the earlier appearance of the present work.

Commencement of the expedition in November, 1829.--Joined by Mr. George M'Leay--Appearance of the party--Breadalbane Plains--Hospitality of Mr. O'Brien--Yass Plains--Hill of Pouni--Path of a hurricane--Character of the country between Underaliga and the Morumbidgee--Appearance of that river--Junction of the Dumot with it--Crossing and recrossing--Geological character and general aspect of the country--Plain of Pondebadgery--Few natives seen.

Character of the Morumbidgee where it issues from the hilly country--Appearance of approach to swamps--Hamilton Plains--Intercourse with the natives--Their appearance, customs, &c.--Change in the character of the river--Mirage--Dreariness of the country--Ride towards the Lachlan river--Two boats built and launched on the Morumbidgee; and the drays, with part of the men sent back to Goulburn Plains.

Embarkation of the party in the boats, and voyage down the Morumbidgee--The skiff swamped by striking on a sunken tree--Recovery of boat and its loading--Region of reeds--Dangers of the navigation--Contraction of the channel--Reach the junction of a large river--Intercourse with the natives on its banks--Character of the country below the junction of the rivers--Descent of a dangerous rapid--Warlike demonstrations of a tribe of natives--Unexpected deliverance from a conflict with them--Junction of another river--Give the name of the "Murray" to the principal stream.

Character of the country--Damage of provisions--Adroitness of the natives in catching fish--The skiff broken up--Stream from the North-East supposed to be the Darling--Change of country in descending the river--Intercourse with the natives--Prevalence of loathsome diseases among them--Apparent populousness of the country--Junction of several small streams--The Rufus, the Lindesay, &c.--Rainy and tempestuous weather--Curious appearance of the banks--Troublesomeness of the natives--Inhospitable and desolate aspect of the country--Condition of the men--Change in the geological character of the country--The river passes through a valley among hills.

Improvement in the aspect of the country--Increase of the river--Strong westerly gales--Chronometer broken--A healthier tribe of natives--Termination of the Murray in a large lake--Its extent and environs--Passage across it--Hostile appearance of the natives--Beautiful scenery--Channel from the lake to the sea at Encounter Bay--Reach the beach--Large flocks of water fowl--Curious refraction--State of provisions--Embarrassing situation--Inspection of the channel to the ocean--Weak condition of the men--Difficulties of the return.

Valley of the Murray--Its character and capabilities--Laborious progress up the river--Accident to the boat--Perilous collision with the natives--Turbid current of the Rufus--Passage of the Rapids--Assisted by the natives--Dangerous intercourse with them--Re-enter the Morumbidgee--Verdant condition of its banks--Nocturnal encounter with the natives--Interesting manifestation of feeling in one family--Reach the spot where the party had embarked on the river--Men begin to fail entirely--Determine to send two men forward for relief--Their return--Excursion on horseback--Reach Pondebadgery Plain, and meet the supplies from the colony--Cannibalism of the natives--Return to Sydney--Concluding remarks.

Environs of the lake Alexandrina--Appointment of Capt. Barker to make a further survey of the coast near Encounter Bay--Narrative of his proceedings--Mount Lofty, Mount Barker, and beautiful country adjacent--Australian salmon--Survey of the coast--Outlet of lake to the sea--Circumstances that led to the slaughter of Capt. Barker by the natives--His character--Features of this part of the country and capabilities of its coasts--Its adaptation for colonization--Suggestions for the furtherance of future Expeditions.

APPENDIX.

No. I. Geological Specimens found to the south-west of Port Jackson No. II. Official Report to the Colonial Government

Introductory

Remarks on the results of the former Expedition--The fitting out of another determined on--Its objects--Provisions, accoutrements, and retinue--Paper furnished by Mr. Kent--Causes that have prevented the earlier appearance of the present work.

OBJECTS OF THE EXPEDITION.

The expedition of which we have just detailed the proceedings was so far satisfactory in its results, that it not only set at rest the hypothesis of the existence of an internal shoal sea in southern Australia, and ascertained the actual termination of the rivers it had been directed to trace, but also added very largely to our knowledge of the country considerably to the westward of former discoveries. And although no land had been traversed of a fertile description of sufficient extent to invite the settler, the fact of a large river such as the Darling lying at the back of our almost intertropical settlements, gave a fresh importance to the distant interior. It was evident that this river was the chief drain for carrying off the waters falling westerly from the eastern coast, and as its course indicated a decline of country diametrically opposite to that which had been calculated upon, it became an object of great importance to ascertain its further direction. Had not the saline quality of its waters been accounted for, by the known existence of brine springs in its bed, it would have been natural to have supposed that it communicated with some mediterranean sea; but, under existing circumstances, it remained to be proved whether this river held on a due south course, or whether it ultimately turned westerly, and ran into the heart of the interior. In order fully to determine this point, it would be necessary to regain it banks, so far below the parallel to which it had been traced as to leave no doubt of its identity; but it was difficult to fix upon a plan for approaching that central stream without suffering from the want of water, since it could hardly be expected that the Lachlan would afford such means, as it was reasonable to presume that its termination was very similar to that of the Macquarie. The attention of the government was, consequently, fixed upon the Morumbidgee, a river stated to be of considerable size and of impetuous current. Receiving its supplies from the lofty ranges behind Mount Dromedary, it promised to hold a longer course than those rivers which, depending on periodical rains alone for existence, had been found so soon to exhaust themselves.

PREPARATIONS.

The fitting out of another expedition was accordingly determined upon; and about the end of September 1829, I received the Governor's instructions to make the necessary preparations for a second descent into the interior, for the purpose of tracing the Morumbidgee, or such rivers as it might prove to be connected with, as far as practicable. In the event of failure in this object, it was hoped that an attempt to regain the banks of the Darling on a N.W. course from the point at which the expedition might be thwarted in its primary views, would not be unattended with success. Under any circumstances, however, by pursuing these measures, an important part of the colony would necessarily be traversed, of which the features were as yet altogether unknown.

It became my interest and my object to make the expedition as complete as possible, and, as far as in me lay, to provide for every contingency: and as it appeared to me that, in all likelihood, we should in one stage or other of our journey have to trust entirely to water conveyance, I determined on taking a whale-boat, whose dimensions and strength should in some measure be proportioned to the service required. I likewise constructed a small still for the distillation of water, in the event of our finding the water of the Darling salt, when we should reach its banks. The whale-boat, after being fitted, was taken to pieces for more convenient carriage, as has been more particularly detailed in the last chapter of the preceding volume.

So little danger had been apprehended from the natives in the former journey, that three firelocks had been considered sufficient for our defence. On the present occasion, however, I thought it adviseable to provide arms for each individual.

Mr. Hume declined accompanying me, as the harvest was at hand. Mr. George M'Leay therefore supplied his place, rather as a companion than as an assistant; and of those who accompanied me down the banks of the Macquarie, I again selected Harris (my body servant), Hopkinson, and Fraser.

MR. KENT'S REPORT.

The concluding chapter of this volume, relative to the promontory of St. Vincent, or Cape Jervis, has been furnished me by the kindness of Mr. Kent, who accompanied the lamented officer to whom the further exploration of that part of coast unhappily proved fatal. There is a melancholy coincidence between Captain Barker's death and that of Captain Cook, which cannot fail to interest the public, as the information that has been furnished will call for their serious consideration. I shall leave for their proper place, the remarks I have to offer upon it, since my motive in these prefatory observations has been, to carry the reader forward to that point at which he will have to view the proceedings of the expedition alone, in order the more satisfactorily to arrive at their results. And, although he must expect a considerable portion of dry reading in the following pages, I have endeavoured to make the narrative of events, some of which are remarkably striking, as interesting as possible.

REMARKS ON THE PRESENT WORK; DELIVERANCE FROM DANGERS.

It only remains for me to refer the reader to the concluding chapter of the preceding volume, for such general information as I have been enabled to furnish upon the nature of the services on which I was employed, and on the manner of conducting similar expeditions. Indeed, I trust that this book (whatever be its defects) will be found to contain much valuable information of a practical character, and I may venture to affirm, that it will give a true description of the country, and of the various other subjects of which it treats.