Part 15

Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Exploring Expedition from Brisbane.

To the Honourable Secretary Exploration Committee of Royal Society Victoria.

List of provisions received at the depot, Gulf of Carpentaria, on the 8th February 1862:

40 pounds of peas. 96 pounds of salt beef. 40 pounds of rice. 268 pounds of damaged beef, jerked. 27 pounds of damaged bacon. 650 pounds of damaged flour. 10 pounds of broken biscuits. 18 pounds of tobacco. Left from previous expedition to south-west. 90 pounds of flour. 40 pounds of sugar.

These provisions were all our party, consisting of six, had up to the 21st May, the date of our arrival at the station of Messrs. Williams on the Warrego.*

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(*Footnote. I may state here that, on the expedition to the south-west when our party consisted of five, we started with ninety days' rations of flour, beef, tea, and sugar, and five gallons of rum. These and the rations, a list of which is given above, were all that were furnished for the land expedition; and it was a source of much discouragement that my requisition for tea, sugar, and rum for the journey across the continent was not complied with, more especially as the allowance supplied at Brisbane was very liberal, as the annexed list will show:

List of stores sent by the Queensland Government for Landsborough's Expedition. (Cost in pounds/shillings/pence.)

August 15 1861.

12 bags (14 shillings) flour, 200 pounds each at 18/10 per ton (22/4): 22/18. 1 chest and half chest congou, at 7/15, in bond: 11/12. 9 bags Mauritius sugar, gr. tons: 14/0/16. Tare: 0/1/26. Nett: 13/2/18 at 50 shillings, in bond: 34/3/0.

1 package tobacco, nett 250 pounds, at 0/2/6, in bond: 31/5/0. 3 bags rice, 1 hundredweight each, at 24 pounds: 3/12/0. 1 cask oatmeal (224 pounds): 2/14/0. 2 hhds. rum, 112 gallons, at 5 shillings, in bond, shipped on board of the Victoria: 28/0/0. 7 drums (0/17/6) colza oil, 35 gallons, at 8 shillings (14/0): 14/17/6. 43 bales lucerne hay, nett 6 tons 10 hundredweight 2 qrs. 18 pounds at 10/0: 65/6/7. 45 bales oaten hay, nett 8 tons 11 hundredweight 2 qrs. 1 pound, at 12/0: 102/18/1. Freight paid captain of the Gem for same: 14/0/0. 15 bags (0/17/6) bran, gross 19/1/15. Tare: 0/1/17. Nett: 18/3/26 at 0/1/10 per bushel of 20 pounds: 9/14/11. 60 tons coals, in bulk, at 1/5 per ton: 75/0/0. 106 bags ditto, containing 10 12-20 tons, at 1/5 per ton: 13/5/0. 106 bags, at 0/1/2: 6/3/8. Total: 436/7/9.

After the wreck of a Firefly at Hardy's Island all her stores and those intended for the exploring parties were taken possession of by Captain Norman, and were only supplied by him on requisition.

The following are the names of the members of Mr. Landsborough's party.

W. Landsborough, commander. H.N. Campbell. George Bourne. W. Allison. W. Gleeson. Aboriginals: Charlie, Jemmy, Fisherman and Jackey.

Of these H.N. Campbell as assistant-commander, W. Allison, Jemmy, and Fisherman accompanied Mr. Landsborough on his first or south-west expedition. On his second or journey across the continent his party consisted of: George Bourne as second in command; Gleeson as cook; Fisherman, Jemmy, and Jackey. Messrs. Campbell, Allison, and Charlie returned by the Victoria, Mr. Landsborough considering his equipment inadequate to the supply of so large a party.

The camel found by Mr. Landsborough at the Darling was taken towards Melbourne but was lost through the carelessness of Jackey. Jackey, on two occasions on the Darling River, left for several days without leave, which led Mr. Landsborough to tell him that he would not take him any farther. This did not appear to vex him much for, without asking to be taken on or promising to behave better in future, he immediately went and hired himself to a settler in the neighbourhood. The rest of the party reached Melbourne in safety. Jemmy and Fisherman, who had never been in a city before, evinced no surprise at anything they saw. After a month's residence in Melbourne they were forwarded by steamer to Brisbane. Fisherman, before leaving Melbourne, lost his intelligence and was at times quite insane; but it is to be hoped that as his bodily health was good the sight of his native place will restore him to his right mind.)

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The following letter, received by Captain Cadell from Mr. Neilson of Neilson and Williams, two young men who have spent years in exploring the Australian wilderness and who are now settled on the Warrego, gives some additional information as to the discoveries of Landsborough's party:

Kennedy's 19th Camp, River Warrego, May 22 1862.

I have nothing to communicate but the arrival here yesterday of Mr. Landsborough and party from the Gulf of Carpentaria, whence he left on the 10th of February last in search of the traces of Burke's party. The journey which he has now accomplished has opened up a practicable route to the Gulf. He followed the Flinders from the Gulf on an average course of south-south-east to 20 degrees south to its head, when, in thirty miles, he picked up the head of the Thomson and followed it down to Cooper's Creek, making his way into the settled districts by following up that creek to its head, and then following the Warrego River to this point, from whence he goes into the Barwon. He speaks of the country to the head of the Thomson, and from thence along the whole course of the Flinders to the Gulf, as magnificent, consisting of rich basaltic plains, very thickly grassed, one of the most conspicuous grasses being greatly in appearance to sorghum. Horses are so fond of it that the party could scarcely drive them along with whips. The party has met no casualty, and look very well, notwithstanding experiencing a shortness of rations on the journey. The horses are looking well. Landsborough was quite surprised at hearing that Burke's remains had been found. They found no track nor tidings of his party. I have given Mr. Landsborough an account of our trip in July and August last towards Cooper's Creek. He considers it a connecting link in the overland route from the Darling to the Gulf, and one that will be used in taking stock to that point. I consider that the route as now found will be the one adopted by the eastern colonies, South Australia availing itself of Stuart's route.

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The following letter has been addressed to the Colonial Secretary of Queensland by Mr. Landsborough:

Mount Murchison, Darling River, July 5 1862.

Sir,

Having learned from the Queensland news, in the Sydney Weekly Mail of the 24th May, that the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer said that he had no doubt the parties in search of Burke's tracks were making tracks for themselves, I have now the honour to inform you that, so far as I am concerned, I have no immediate intention to apply for country discovered by me while searching for Burke's tracks; that my previous correspondence with you gave you a true description of the country I had seen in my expedition to the south-west from the Albert River depot; that I will send you, when I reach Melbourne or sooner, a copy of my journal, which I hope will give a satisfactory description of the country I have seen in my last expedition; and further that it is satisfactory to me in the meantime to state that the country I saw near the Gulf of Carpentaria I consider to be exceedingly well adapted for sheep runs, and that I am of opinion that the most valuable country is the Plains of Promise, and second to them the plains on the Gregory River.

Of the country I have seen on the last expedition which had not been previously explored I consider the most valuable, on which I am sure sheep will thrive, are the plains on the west bank of the Leichhardt River, and those plains on the Flinders River. Of the Leichhardt River country I can but speak of a small portion, as I only followed it up for about eight miles from where the tide came to a fine basaltic ford, where the water was fresh. Of the Flinders River country the best I saw on the lower part of the river is situated between 18 degrees 26 minutes latitude and 19 degrees 20 minutes latitude; and of the upper part of the river the best is the last 100 miles I saw.

I have the honour to be, sir,

Your obedient servant,