Part 84

4 Stockmen.

1 Aboriginal Black.

These two sections would proceed together to the junction of the Alice and Victoria Rivers, and would be sufficiently strong to detach parties to examine points out of the more direct line of route which the main body would follow.

On reaching the spot above referred to, the Exploring Party would be fitted out in the most efficient manner for continuing its operations, by selecting the strongest and most serviceable portion of the horses, equipment, etc., while the Auxiliary Party would return with the remainder to the settlements; thus affording nearly all the advantages of a depot, without incurring the greater expense or inconvenience attending the otherwise necessary return of the Exploring Party by the same route.

It is scarcely necessary to advert to the many advantages which would be derived from this arrangement, for enabling the Exploring Party to reach the extreme known point of country, with its strength impaired in the least possible degree, while it would afford an opportunity of testing the capabilities of the party to be finally selected.

ESTIMATE OF THE COST (IN POUNDS/SHILLINGS/PENCE) OF THE EQUIPMENT, ETC., OF THE EXPLORING PARTY.

PROVISIONS. 1400 pounds Flour : 17/10/0. 500 pounds Bacon : 25/0/0. 400 pounds Sugar : 10/0/0. 70 pounds Tea : 7/0/0. 750 pounds Meat Biscuit : 37/10/0. 70 pounds Tobacco : 8/15/0. 20 pounds Sago : 0/13/4. 6 pounds Pepper : 0/6/0. 50 pounds Salt : 0/5/0. 50 pounds Soap : 0/18/8. 6 pounds Sperm Candles : 0/9/0. 150 pounds Dried Beef--800 pounds fresh meat : 10/0/0. 1000 pounds Fresh Meat : 12/0/0. SUBTOTAL : 130/7/0.

TRANSPORT. 45 Horses, at 40 pounds : 1800/0/0. 14 Riding Saddles, at 60 shillings : 42/0/0. 31 Pack Saddles, at 77 shillings 6 pence : 120/2/6. 45 Bridles and Headstalls, at 9 shillings : 20/5/0. 45 Horse Blankets, at 8 shillings : 18/0/0. 100 Hobbles, at 4 shillings : 20/0/0. 20 Pairs Girths, at 4 shillings : 4/0/0. 31 Canvas Saddle-bags, at 25 shillings : 38/17/0. 100 Provision Bags, at 3 shillings : 15/0/0. 40 Yards Canvas, at 1 shilling 6 pence : 3/0/0. 10 Horse-bells, at 6 shillings 6 pence : 3/5/0. Materials for repairs, etc. : 20/0/0. 90 Sets Horse-straps and Nails : 10/0/0. 100 Saddle-straps, at 1 shilling : 5/0/0. SUBTOTAL : 2119/9/6.

ARMS AND AMMUNITION. 13 Double guns, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0. 13 Revolvers, at 5 pounds : 65/0/0. 30 pounds Gunpowder : 6/0/0. 150 pounds Shot and Lead : 3/0/0. 5000 Percussion Caps : 1/10/0. 14 Belts and Pouches : 3/10/0. 14 Gun-buckets : 4/18/0. Sundries : 10/0/0. SUBTOTAL : 158/18/0.

CAMP EQUIPAGE. 14 Calico Sheets for Tents, at 12 shillings : 8/8/0. 50 yards Calico, at 6 pence : 1/5/0. 6 Camp Kettles, at 5 shillings : 1/10/0. 40 Pannikins, at 8 pence : 1/6/8. 3 Leather Buckets, at 17 shillings 6 pence : 2/12/6. 20 Tin Dishes, at 9 pence : 0/15/0. 2 Frying-Pans, at 4 shillings 6 pence : 0/9/0. 2 Water Bags, at 30 shillings : 3/0/0. 14 Water Holders, India-Rubber, at 10 shillings 6 pence : 7/7/0. 2 Socket Shovels, at 2 shillings 6 pence : 0/5/0. 2 spring Balances, at 7 shillings : 0/14/0. SUBTOTAL : 27/12/2.

INSTRUMENTS, ETC. 1 Sextant : 10/0/0. 1 Prismatic Compass : 3/0/0. 1 Artificial Horizon : 4/0/0. 4 Pocket Compasses : 1/0/0. 2 Aneroid Barometers : 7/0/0. 3 Thermometers : 1/1/0. 1 Lever Watch : 9/0/0. Stationery : 5/0/0. SUBTOTAL : 40/1/0.

CLOTHING. 20 Trousers, at 7 shillings : 7/0/0. 20 Serge Shirts, at 6 shillings : 6/0/0. 20 Cotton Shirts, at 3 shillings : 3/0/0. 20 Pairs of Boots, at 15 shillings : 15/0/0. 14 Blankets, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0. 14 Oiled Capes, at 10 shillings : 7/0/0. SUBTOTAL : 45/0/0.

TOTAL EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8.

CONTINGENCIES. Medical Stores and Drugs : 20/0/0. Petty Contingencies : 50/0/0. Collection and Forage for Horses prior to starting : 100/0/0. Freights and Passages from Sydney to Moreton Bay : 50/0/0. Conveyance of Stores from Brisbane to Surat : 200/0/0. Contingent Expenses in the Collection of the Party at Surat : 100/0/0. TOTAL CONTINGENCIES : 520/0/0.

SALARIES. Commander, 9 months, 600 pounds per annum : 450/0/0. Assistant, 7 months, 300 pounds per annum : 175/0/0. Overseer, 6 months, at 150 pounds per annum : 75/0/0. 4 Stockmen, 6 months, at 2 pounds per week : 208/0/0. 1 Aboriginal Stockman, 6 months : 20/0/0. Leader of the Auxiliary Party, 3 months : 75/0/0. 4 Stockmen, 3 months : 104/0/0. 1 Aboriginal Stockman, 3 months : 10/0/0. TOTAL SALARIES : 1117/0/0.

RECAPITULATION. EQUIPMENT : 2521/7/8. CONTINGENT EXPENSES : 520/0/0. SALARIES : 1117/0/0. TOTAL : 4158/7/8.

A.C. GREGORY.

Sydney, 16th September, 1857.

***

1858. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, NEW SOUTH WALES.

EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.

ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO BE PRINTED, 1 SEPTEMBER, 1858.

REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF DR. LEICHHARDT AND PARTY.

8TH DECEMBER, 1857, TO 11TH JANUARY, 1858.

Having received instructions from the Honourable the Secretary for Lands and Public Works to organise an expedition for the purpose of searching for traces of Dr. Leichhardt and party, who left New South Wales in 1848 with the intention of proceeding overland to Western Australia, I proceeded to Moreton Bay with such portions of the equipment as had been prepared in Sydney. On reaching Ipswich forty horses were purchased, and having despatched the stores to Mr. Royd's station, on the Dawson River, by drays, the party were collected at that place; but, owing to unforeseen delays in the transport of the stores, the equipment and organisation of the expedition was not complete till the latter part of March.

The following list of the party, horses, stores, etc., will show the principal arrangements.

The party consisted of nine persons, namely: Commander A.C. Gregory; assistant commander, C.F. Gregory; assistant, S. Burgoyne; overseer, G. Phibbs; stockmen, etc., R. Bowman, W. Selby, T. Dunn, W. von Wedel, and D. Worrell. The stock consisted of horses alone, comprising thirty-one pack and nine saddle horses, completely equipped. Provisions comprised the dried meat of two bullocks and four sheep, weighing, as butcher's meat, 16 hundredweight; but when dried and the bones removed, reduced to 300 pounds. In addition to this 500 pounds bacon, 1600 pounds flour, 100 pounds rice, 350 pounds sugar, 60 pounds tea, 40 pounds tobacco, and some minor articles. The arms and ammunition were: one minie rifle, eight double-barrel guns, nine revolver pistols, 25 pounds gunpowder, 150 pounds shot and balls, percussion caps, etc. For the conveyance of water two leather water-bags were provided, each holding five gallons, besides which each of the party was furnished with a water-bag of India-rubber holding three pints. The tents were made of calico, each suited for the accommodation of two persons, and the several articles of camp equipage were of the lightest construction consistent with the service required. The instruments employed were an eight-inch sextant, box-sextant, prismatic compasses, pocket compasses, double axis compass, aneroid barometers, thermometers, and artificial horizon, etc. Including forty sets of horse-shoes, farrier's and carpenter's tools, together with sundry material for repairs, etc., the total weight of the equipment was about 4,600 pounds, exclusive of the saddles and harness, which gave an average load of 150 pounds as the net load carried by each pack-horse.