Part 21

Camp 16. Dewless night, wind from east by north. I take this to be the main branch of the Flinders; the hills on its right proper banks are very bold and must be over 3000 feet high. If they are not before named I have called them Gregory's Ranges after Augustus Gregory, Esquire, now Surveyor-General of Queensland. The point I changed my course at yesterday I have called Mount Wildash after F. Wildash, Esquire, of Queensland. Immediately east of Mount Wildash close by is another bluff equally high which I have called Hawker's Bluff after the Honourable G.C. Hawker. Started at 7.58 a.m. on bearing of 100 degrees for the southern end of dark range in the distance; at 8.30 south of conspicuous sandstone rocky peak which I have called Morphett's Peak after John Morphett, Esquire, of Adelaide; dip of about 35 degrees in the sandstone to about north-east or a little more east. Kept the above course three miles over good travelling country; spelled a few minutes then up and down and over very rocky ranges, in many places precipitous and most intricate travelling from 9 a.m. till 11.30; three and a half miles farther, then table-land till 1.50, the drainage is to the east, no doubt to go south after it has cleared the rocky ranges; spelled, watering the camels from 2.25 to 2.45 p.m., up to this eight and three-quarter miles further. Commenced ascending another mass of similar rocky ranges; stopped at 3.40 two and a quarter miles further to look out a track to endeavour to get out of this awful place. Started again at 4.55 p.m. after spelling one and a quarter hours, could not get the animals over. Went back till 5.22 one mile on our track, or to sixteen and a half miles on bearing 100 degrees, to try another place, southerly and westerly along and over very rocky ranges till 6.15, about two miles on average bearing of 215 to 220 degrees. Came to a small sandy creek, then another, where by digging we will be able to give the animals some water, there is plenty of feed; it has been a very distressing day for the poor brutes; distance sixteen and a half miles on course of 100 degrees, and two miles on 220 degrees; gave each of the animals from two to five buckets. Although when first seen the little water that was visible did not exceed a quart with a few small dead fish about 1 1/2 inches long, but after digging and clearing away the sand we got sufficient for tonight and tomorrow morning. It has been close and oppressive which has added to the distress of the horses and camels. One of the latter, an old Indian, could hardly be persuaded to come along. Very light rain commenced about dark or a little after, but I doubt whether it will come to anything; however it will damp the grass for the poor animals and make it more palatable.

Saturday, June 14.

Camp 17. Only rained sufficient to damp the grass. Still cloudy; not a breath of wind at daylight. Craggy hills to commence the journey with this morning. This sandy watercourse flows to west and south, a mere narrow channel, but it was of much service to us; we would have fared badly for the poor animals had we not fallen in with it, insignificant as it appears. Our pack-bags got sadly torn yesterday with broken timber and rocks, all of which latter is sandstone. We passed much splendid splitting timber on our way yesterday, stringy-bark and other trees I don't know the names of, but useful timber. Crossed the creek at 8.38 a.m. on bearing of south by east till 8.55 three-quarters mile; spelled looking out on top of hill sixteen minutes, then on east course chiefly; at 11.30 six miles south one mile from the hill I was making for yesterday. Still on easterly course up and over a rugged and scrubby range till 2 p.m. about three and three-quarter miles. Lost an hour in searching for one of the horses that bolted and kicked off all his load prior to this. Boco (horse) obliged to be left behind. Then about north-north-east descended a range very steep and rough, then spinifex precipices, sharp ledges of rocks and every roughness one could imagine for about two miles or thereabouts, chiefly in the creek, then creek bore about east by north to east-north-east which I followed till after dark about six and a half miles, altogether about nineteen miles. Obliged to leave another horse (Governor) in the creek, fairly knocked up. He has been very soft although the highest priced horse of the lot, one bought of Mr. Boord for 50 pounds. There is another will have to be left if the country does not immediately change for the better; fortunately we found water in several places in the bed of the creek or the horses would have fared badly--a little grass of a very coarse nature just in the sides of the creek, the rest all spinifex and scrub, the latter the camels greedily devour; the rough country has told much on the feet of the latter, another of which, the old Indian, I am afraid will have to be left behind. First pines seen today since crossing Lake Torrens.

Sunday, June 15.

Camp 18. Very cloudy, every appearance of rain. Started at 9.10 along the bed of the creek still about east by north; at 10.35 three miles the creek receives a considerable tributary from the south-east, in fact it is the main channel and the one we are in the tributary, then it flowed north 15 degrees west to north or nearly so till 11.45 when the horses knocked up, must camp and give them the rest of the day and probably tomorrow; on this latter course about two miles; distance travelled between five and six miles. After getting to camp ascended the hills on the right or eastern side of the river and never beheld such a fearfully grand country in my life, nothing but towers and pinnacles of sandstone conglomerate, fit for nothing but wallaby and euro; and if it is for a thousand years from this time it can be used by no other animals but them and the natives as it is at present. The apparent course of this river from the greatest height I could get to is about 305 degrees, going in the first place after passing the camp a little more north for three or four miles--it is a terrible country. Should the river, on a closer examination tomorrow, prove to go as I imagine it does, I have nothing for it but to retrace my steps and go up the main branch and try and cross the range at top. Still very cloudy and looks as if it would rain every minute. I wish I had a little more food, if I had I would give the animals a week here but I have barely sufficient for six days. Oaks have been seen today in the bed of the river since the junction of the two channels. The river runs below the junction of the two branches for some distance, but here it is dry its full width which is about 150 to 200 yards and is very picturesque, with beautiful drooping gums, papery-bark trees, and various others, and the bold cliffs towering one above the other with awful grandeur. No one can conceive how much effect the travel of the last few days and the shortness of nourishing food has had upon our animals which ten days ago were fit for anything--always excepting this description of awful country. Wind from all points of the compass.

Monday, June 16.

Camp 19. In the bed of the River Gilbert (I take it to be) no room for camp anywhere else. The country is literally teeming with euro and wallaby, but as the natives are about in the rocks and precipices hunting we have no chance of shooting any. Very cloudy yet; rained a little during the night but nothing of any consequence; we cannot now be more than from sixty to seventy miles from the River Burdekin but from this spot utterly impracticable. Had to come down this length for anything like feed; traces of numbers of natives and their fires still burning. Went up the rocks and precipices on the eastern side of the river, and found that a high range extends eastwards, running north-west and south-east, completely blocking us in from here. Rode down the river to see if there is any likelihood of our getting out east by a tributary that it receives about one and a half miles down but found not. Rained a little in the forenoon and slight showers during the afternoon. Found that the old Indian camel (Narro) was unable to get up and go about to feed so, considering that the horses and the two remaining camels (Arabs) wanted a spell for a few days, I resolved upon killing the old camel and using him whilst here to save our dried beef, reluctantly as he is everything but a favourite morsel, but when we are compelled it is no use hesitating so had him shot; and firstly had his liver stewed or steamed, which I must say was the most extraordinary morsel I ever attempted to eat; it was as dry and juiceless and of as little flavour as if it had never formed a component part of any living animal; scarcely any of the party could touch it.

Tuesday, June 17.

In Camp 19, sandy bed of river. Rained pretty heavily during the night in showers. Cut up the meat of the camel to dry but the weather is very unfavourable; the rest of him eats much better than the liver; the heart is quite as good as a bullock's and the meat, considering the condition of the animal, not at all as tough as one would expect; the party after starving for two or three meals have quietly taken to him now and rather like the meat.

Wednesday, June 18.

Still in Camp 19--not the most enviable place in the world. Heavy dew last night. I am afraid the meat we are attempting to dry will be a failure on account of the moist state of the weather. I was sadly grieved on return of the party that went to see after the horses to learn that one of our very best horses (Rowdy) was lying dead a short distance down the river, still warm; he must have been poisoned or bitten by a snake; at present we will feel his loss much as he was so strong and always kept fat. Although the meat will not be quite dry I will see and make a start out of this in the morning in case it may be some poisonous herb that may happen to be in the bed of the river. I will return up the river to where the main branch joined the tributary we came down, and try by following it for some distance to get some place where I can ascend the ranges to the east, but I expect it to be a work of great difficulty; however that I will think nothing of if I only succeed and get the animals all over safe. The weather seems taking up now.

Thursday, June 19.

Camp 19. Beautiful morning, not a breath of wind. Try what success we will have up the main branch of this river in finding a passage over the range to eastward. Have got rid of everything we can possibly spare and that will now be of little use to us and had them buried on the south-west side of creek, under the creek side of large broken-off standing dead tree, and up the bank about forty yards from a large gumtree, with a large square patch of bark taken off and small arrow at 4 o'clock in the direction should they be sought for, which I much doubt. The horses don't look at all the thing I am sorry to see, knowing that they have some heavy work immediately before them; even before attempting to ascend the ranges we have to travel in the bed of the river where the sand is excessively heavy and trying on the poor animals in their present leg-weary state and want of condition. I never saw animals fall off so suddenly in my life. Followed our tracks back to the junction of the two branches about two and a half miles, then took the left-hand or south-east branch, found it improve much more than I had anticipated; the rocky hills recede occasionally and leave a nice bank of grass, but most of it recently burnt by the natives; on our left the rock appeared now to be chiefly slate, while on the right it still remained sandstone and quartz; the bed is broad and generally very open and sandy, upon which we have principally to travel; followed it for about eight miles in about an east-south-east course. From here (Camp 20) for some distance (seen from a hill here) the river appears to receive from the east by south generally plenty of water at intervals and generally at those places running; no doubt all the way it runs either over or under the land. Where we are now encamped the river is upwards of 150 yards broad. We found on turning out the camel meat to air that it was quite putrid and had consequently to throw the whole of it away; at this time it is a very great loss to us, the loss of upwards of seventy pounds of food. Even with the spell our horses have had they come along very indifferently, and I am almost afraid some more of them will have to be left behind as I have not sufficient food to wait spelling for them till they get flesh; there does not appear to be the same nourishment in the grass that there is almost anywhere else. Saw the smoke of natives a few miles ahead of us; I suppose we will see something of them tomorrow. Shot a new pigeon, will try to preserve the skin. Some figs were got by some of the party this morning before starting; I ate one of them apparently ripe, it was very insipid, the principal part of them were full of small flies. Distance travelled by bed of river not direct about ten and a half miles.

Friday, June 20.

Camp 20. Heavy dew last night; sky completely overcast with very heavy rainy-looking clouds. We have now on hand dried meat sufficient for about five and a half days, at the rate of one pound three ounces per day without salt or anything else, which is not very heavy diet. I never saw a country where less game was to be obtained; what euro and wallaby are here are so very wild there is no getting near them. Just here the hills are not so high or so rough as some distance further down; I hope they may continue so, that the animals won't be distressed more than possible. Not a breath of wind this morning. Our course as seen from a hill close by last night will be about east-south-east for some distance this morning. Started at 8.10 a.m.; at three and a quarter miles came to a barrier right across from range to range, and after considerable detention succeeded in finding a road on our left round the range that the barriers form from; at four miles came to where one branch (the largest) comes from the south with plenty of water in its bed in the stone and rocks; the other branch is considerably to the east so will try it, although it does not at all look a watery branch but is much more in the direction I want to go. About the same course, over much more open country, hilly and thinly clad with small ironbark timber, and is chiefly of slate formation and well-grassed, but no water in its bed as far as we went, say about five and a half miles further where we fortunately got sufficient at the junction of a small side creek with the main watercourse to suit our immediate wants. It is perfectly surprising to see such a broad channel with such ranges close by and no water. One other of our best horses obliged to be left behind today; he has been ailing for some short time and all at once refused to proceed. A few kangaroo seen today. I trust we will fall in with plenty of water tomorrow, our horses never do so well as when they can go to water themselves instead of watering out of buckets. For some distance the creek bears to north of east; in fact the next bend, about a mile long, is from north or so, when it appears to turn to south and east. We managed occasionally during today to get upon the slopes from the hills on either side of the creek, which was much better travelling than in the soft sandy bed of the creek, which I have called Stuart's Creek after Mr. McDouall Stuart, the indefatigable explorer of South Australia. This part would make a good sound sheep country if water at all times was obtainable. A number of oaks all along this branch, and more just here on our left side of the creek where the water is, and we are encamped.

Saturday, June 21.

Camp 21. The clouds of yesterday passed over with only a few drops of rain just after starting. Today cloudy again; wind from east by north; started at 7.53 a.m. As the horses came in to water, just before starting, we found that the horse Jamie had come up during the night but looks hardly able to drag his legs after him. It is a great pity as he is a splendid hackney and is a great loss at present. The narrow-leafed papery-barked tree grows on the sides of the creek to a great size and height, completely overtopping the gums, oaks, etc. There is very little feed in this part of the country that the camels are fond of. At about four miles, creek running, with plenty of feed; for three and a half miles further the creek comes from north-east by north, then a little more east. General course today about north-east and distance travelled about sixteen miles, when we fortunately got sufficient water in a barrier in the creek, evidently from recent rain, the bed of the creek otherwise perfectly dry. Three more horses knocked up and obliged to be left behind, namely Bawley, Fidget, and Camel (mare) although good travelling. Ascended hill at camp and found that the first leading main range bears east and about 40 degrees north, which I intend making for.

Sunday, June 22.

Camp 22. Wind from east by north and cloudy; obliged to lighten further our load by leaving the tents and spare pack-saddles and bags here on north side of creek; started at 8.20 a.m. The barrier here is composed of a yellow close-grained stone impregnated with small specks of quartz, and the hills on either side, pieces of granite of the same kind are also strewed in the bed, brought down by the currents. A few oak-trees immediately above this camp. Passed over hilly well-grassed ironbark granite country on a bearing of about 90 degrees (but first of all a little to the north of that, and afterwards as much to the south, which equalised the bearing) for the point of a range which I mean to ascend. Got to it at eleven and a half miles; then quarter of a mile along top of range, the ascent of which we found excessively difficult, and had two of our best horses nearly killed by falling backwards down the hill, and only being brought up from going to the bottom and getting smashed by some trees and rocks; the camels especially we had to unpack twice (two ascents) and I once thought we were not to get them up they are so weak, especially the smallest one--a splendid little animal. Then we got a comparatively easy descent and made for north end of a heavy range close by on a bearing of 85 degrees. At three-quarters of a mile got to the end of it, over rough country intercepted with innumerable creeks, hills, rock, and timber; then bore east-south-east for distant bluff of range along well-grassed but very hilly sound country for two miles. Could hardly get the small camel along, and no appearance of water, and it within an hour of sunset. Went down the spur of a small range we were on and providentially at the bottom found in a little blind creek sufficient excellent water for ourselves and all the animals. I'm sure I don't know what the poor animals would have done had we not found them water; and to our uneasiness two of the men, Maitland and Kirby, were seized with sickness on the road and useless to us. I found after getting over the large range that I could have got round it had I kept south, and by travelling a circuitous route, but from the western side of the range the way I came was the only way visible that was passable, and it was nearly as impassable as it was possible for it to be. From the top of it you command a very extensive view in all directions. To the south in the distance is a fine long leading range, apparently running from west-north-west to east-south-east; to the north and west high black ranges; to the east heavy dark ranges but don't appear united. Drainage can't make out.

Monday, June 23.

Camp 23. Heavy dew, cloudy morning. Will be obliged to stay here to recruit the animals where there is plenty of excellent feed and sufficient water, and am sorry to say kill a horse and endeavour to dry or jerk him, in the meantime I hope the weather may prove favourable for that purpose. I did hope not to be driven to killing the horses; had I for a moment thought so when at the Gulf I would have shaped my course south for Adelaide, but I never dreamt of such a rough country as I found in this direction, Walker and Landsborough will have found it so likewise. Ascended one of the ridges close by but could not tell which way the principal drainage went, it is open forest land from north of east by south round to north of west for a great extent of miles, with heavy ranges beyond, and a couple of breaks apparently in the range at 110 and 145 degrees, which to take I have not yet made up my mind, and the horses are so weak that I don't wish to take more out of them than can possibly be avoided, and reconnoitring at present would only cause probably another horse or two to be left, which is everything but advisable. Wind was fresh during the night. Killed one of the horses had of Mr. Scott, being most suitable for our purpose, and an excellent packhorse he was, always having carried during our travels one of the heaviest packs, and was one of the unfortunate animals that fell down the range yesterday. It is a little cloudy but I hope it will blow off and give us favourable weather for drying his flesh; ate his heart, liver, and kidneys, and found them excellent made into a sort of hash with a little remnant of pepper we had.

Tuesday, June 24.

Camp 23. A little dew early part of the night, but little the remainder. Keen cold wind from all quarters, chiefly from north-east to south-east and clear sky; if it continues will suit our meat-drying well, which will be of vast advantage to us; to lose the flesh of another animal as we did the camel's would indeed be a serious loss. Our two patients Maitland and Kirby deadly sick; whatever can be wrong with them I can't imagine; the latter has been ailing off and on for some time and has got dispirited in the rough country. Busy this morning cutting up the flesh of the horse and tying it on the lines to dry; had he been in good condition it would take a good judge to distinguish his flesh from beef; it makes most excellent hash and soup. One of our horses has mysteriously got lame in his stifle since coming here, I hope not permanently.

Wednesday, June 25.

Camp 23. Wind the same as yesterday and fluctuating--very heavy dew last night and very cold. The last two days have been warm and suit our purpose for meat-drying admirably. The two invalids are still very unwell, but trust they will be better by the time the meat is thoroughly dry and cause us no unnecessary detention till we get into the stations on the river Burdekin, where they can have a change of food. The horses appear to benefit on this spell and feed.

Thursday, June 26.

Still in Camp 23. Heavy dew, foggy morning till about 10 a.m. when the meat was hung out to dry. Wind from all quarters but turned out rather a nice warm day, and will be about sufficient to dry our meat to enable us to start in the morning. Shoeing some of the horses that cast their shoes over the rough country, and preparing for a start; the lame horse is a little better; the invalids I cannot say are much improved. There is a great scope of good pastoral land here but rather hilly. I have made up my mind to try what appears to be the easiest and, from here, the straightest course on a bearing of 110 degrees. The drainage appears to go from here firstly to the south-east, receiving all the drainage of the large ranges apparently from 110 degrees round to south, when it appears to turn suddenly round some prominent ranges after receiving drainage from the westward of this, and uniting in one large watercourse and flowing behind a large leading range to south and east. Probably the head of the River Clarke takes its rise here.

Friday, June 27.