Part 13

Tuesday January 14.

Continuation of excursion made by Jemmy and I down the watercourse from 36 Camp; at 6.50 made one mile and three-quarters about north to where we crossed an eastern channel of the main watercourse; at 7.5 made three-quarters of a mile about north-west; at 7.35 made one mile and a quarter west to a running stream in a watercourse with banks so low that a rise of a few feet would flood the adjoining plains; at 8.20 made two miles about north-north-east over rich thickly-grassed country intersected by several watercourses and swamps, where I felt convinced was a watercourse to the eastward of the Gregory River (I afterwards ascertained this to be so) which I then supposed to be Beames Brook, as I thought we were on Gregory River when I started and intended following it down on its right bank only to the crossing-place on our outward journey. We took no rations whatever with us and delayed to 8.35; at 8.55 made one mile south-east; at 9.23 made one mile and a quarter south-east by south over a rich, well-grassed, and slightly-timbered plain to the eastern channel of the watercourse, where we made our breakfast off figs and the young wood of the cabbage-tree: we found it rather a light one, as we had no supper on the previous night. Started again at 10.25; at 10.55 made one mile and a half south-south-east; at 11.20 made one mile south-south-east to where we crossed an eastern channel of the watercourse; at 11.35 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east; at 11.45 made half mile south by east; at 12.5 made one mile south by east; at 12.15 made half a mile south by west; at 12.35 made one mile south half west to watercourse where it has deep reaches of water and banks about twenty-six feet high. I guessed the last entry of miles as my watch had run down. We had a bath and started at 1.22. At 2.10 made two miles and a quarter about south half east along the watercourse to an eastern channel where the horses got water and we delayed until 2.22; at 2.44 made one mile south-east by south half south over plains; at 3.15 made one mile and a half south over plains; at 3.32 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east over plains; at 4.5 made one mile and a half south to emu tree, where we stayed to separate the best portions of the emu I had shot and take them to camp; at 5.10 made one mile and a half north to Number 36 Camp.

Wednesday January 15. Camp 36, situated on the right bank of Beames Brook.

Fisherman informed me that he had gone on Monday a long half-day's journey without finding any watercourse except one trending to the north-west and which, from his description, I thought might join the one I had seen about six miles distant. The country he saw in the course of his ride was well-grassed, lightly timbered plains, the latter stretching to the north-east. By climbing a tree he observed a range to the south-east. We left our camp here at 7.25; at 8.48 made three miles and a half north by west, which took us down rich plains with the river trees in sight along our course; at 9.45 made two miles and three-quarters north; at 11.15 made four miles and a half north, which course took us out of sight of the trees on the river, over a similar country to that I have described where we stopped for Mr. Allison to take an observation of the sun, and for Mr. Campbell and Fisherman, who were behind, to come up. Observations: altitude 86.52, latitude 18 degrees 18 minutes; we started again at 12.34 p.m.; at 1.17 made two miles north-west to where we crossed to the left side of eastern channel; at 1.35 made one mile north-west to watercourse with fine stream of water; at 1.50 made three-quarters of a mile north, where we watered the horses, and started again at 4.25; at 4.33 made a quarter of a mile about north where Jemmy and I encamped last Monday night; at 4.5 made one mile north-north-east to where we crossed to left side of eastern watercourse; at 5.24 made one mile and a half north-north-east over a thickly-grassed slightly-wooded plain with flood-marks on it; at 6.2 made one mile and three-quarters north over a similar country, slightly timbered with flooded box; at 6.13 made half a mile north-north-west; at 6.35 made three-quarters of a mile north-west by north over similar country; then crossed during a thunderstorm to left side of eastern channel of watercourse; at 7.15 made one mile and a half west by north to the main channel of Beames Brook which has a fine stream of water only a few feet below the level plains on each side of it. The water was muddy from the recent shower and in consequence anything but pleasant. Mosquitoes were very numerous and allowed some of us but little sleep.

Thursday January 16. Camp Number 37. Situated on the right bank of Beames Brook.

We left here at 7.16; at 8.30 made three-quarters of a mile north-east by north to where we crossed to right side of an eastern channel of a watercourse; at 10.5 made four miles and a half north-north-east over level rich country, slightly timbered with stunted box and a small tree like the Queensland sandalwood, called by Mr. Walker the gutta-percha tree, and reached extensive plains; at 11.15 made three miles and a quarter north-north-east over fine rich plains with the tall trees of the banks of a watercourse in sight to the eastward: at 11.32 made three-quarters of a mile north-north-west where we stopped on the plain, and Mr. Allison made the following observation of the sun: altitude 86.45, latitude 18 degrees 0 minutes 50 seconds; started again at 12.58; at 1.10 made one mile and a half north over fine slightly timbered downs, but from the want of rain the grass on them was rather brown, to where we crossed to the right bank of a watercourse (Barkly River) with high flood-marks, but at present without water; at 1.20 made half a mile north where we recrossed it; at 2.25 made three miles north to where we crossed again to left side without finding water; we passed at this place a number of blacks perched in the trees; at 3 made a quarter of a mile north to where we stopped as we could not proceed in consequence of a heavy thunderstorm and the bogginess of the ground; at 4.35 made quarter of a mile south, then three-quarters of a mile northerly to where we formed our thirty-eighth camp on the left of the main watercourse (Barkly River).

Friday January 17. Camp Number 38. Situated on the left bank of Barkly River.

The morning was wet so I thought that after the rain of yesterday we could not proceed, but it cleared up between 8 and 9, and at 10.20 we were packed up and started; at 10.45 made one mile north by east to the tree marked Lieutenant Woods with line and broad arrow; at 12 made three miles west to Beames Brook over richly grassed plains slightly wooded with stunted box; at 1.30 made quarter mile south by east where we crossed Beames Brook. We found the crossing-place a bad one; when a few of the horses crossed it became so bad that we had to unpack and unsaddle several before we could get them onto the firm ground on the left side of the brook. This is the first stream of water we have crossed since we left the O'Shanassy River near its junction with the Gregory. Beames Brook therefore must connect the Gregory with the Albert River, which accounts for the great size of the latter. At 1.55 made one mile north by west; at 2.20 made three-quarters of a mile north-west to Nicholson River, which has got a broad sandy bed so full of tea-tree that we could not see its breadth at this place; at 2.35 made half a mile south-east by east; at 2.55 made three-quarters of a mile east back to Beames Brook and to our outward track; at 3.4 made half a mile north-east to tree broad arrow before L, where we had on outward journey dined off the young wood of a cabbage-tree. We also observed the tracks of an expedition party trending towards the depot; at 4.10 made three miles north-east down the brook and then down the plain; at 4.45 made one mile and a half east to outward track; at 4.50 made half a mile south-west to our outward Number 2 Camp (Post Office Lagoon) where we expected to have got letters but in this we were disappointed.

Sunday January 19.

Yesterday we rested ourselves and our horses; at 6.20 a.m. my party left the Number 2 Camp of outward, and 39 of inward journey, situated at what I call the Post Office Lagoon, near a point on the left side of the Albert River, just above the Barkly and Beames Brook. I stayed behind, attended by Jemmy, until 7.30, and marked the camp tree as I had done at the other camp with my brand, the number of the camp, and the date; at 7.30 we made about half a mile in a north-north-east direction over rich undulating well-grassed country, slightly timbered with flooded box; at 7.45 made three-quarters of a mile north-east; at 8 made three-quarters of a mile north-east by north over similar country; at 8.18 made one mile north-north-east across similar country with portions of it without timber; at 8.37 made one mile north-east by north down well-grassed plains with the timbered country extending from the Albert River about a mile to the eastward of our track; at 8.46 made half a mile north-east; at 10.10 made four miles and a quarter north-east down well-grassed plains to where we stopped to rest the horses for ten minutes, as the ground was very soft from the recent rain; at 10.35 made three-quarters of a mile north-east by east to triangle made on the left bank of the Albert River by Lieutenant Woods; at 10.58 made one mile north-east by east to where we crossed Moore's Creek; at 11.10 made half a mile north-east by east; at 11.20 made half a mile east-south-east to Albert River depot.

(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,

Commander of the Victoria and Queensland Land Expedition. 8th February 1862.

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Mr. Landsborough's journal.

H.W.N. CAMPBELL,

Second in Command.

...

H.M.C.S. Victoria, 7th February 1862.

Sir,

You will proceed to the depot on the Albert River and so soon as possible after arrival render assistance to Mr. Landsborough to get the horses and stores safely over to the eastern shore: then collect whatever surplus of provisions may be remaining, i.e. flour, biscuit, or peas, and have them securely fastened down in one of the iron water tanks sunk in the ground for that purpose. It will be as well to place therein some of the ammunition remaining, and to take a list of whatever is secured in the tank for the information of the Royal Society.

When the above is completed and all stores belonging to this ship collected you will remove the guard and return on board, bringing with you any of Mr. Landsborough's party that he may not require to proceed with him overland.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) W.H. NORMAN, Commander.

Lieutenant C.C. Gascoyne.

...

H.M.C.S. Victoria, off Albert River, 9th February 1862.

Sir,

In accordance with your instructions of 7th February 1862 I proceeded up the Albert River with Mr. Landsborough and have the honour to forward the following report of my proceedings, namely: