Part 6

Wednesday, November 20.

Wind working round from south of east to north of east. At 6 a.m. temperature 84 degrees; very cloudy and threatens much for rain--perhaps when the wind moderates we may have a fall. For the last few days Middleton has been laid up with a very bad sore ulcerated throat but is now nearly recovered. I am now quite recovered and anxiously awaiting the return of Mr. Hodgkinson's party that I may be enabled to start for Cooper's Creek by a route a little more to the southward than when I tried when last out. At 1 p.m. wind fallen and changed to west-north-west; temperature 98 degrees. Wind suddenly chopped round by west to south from which quarter till dark it blew quite a gale, causing the lake to recede about 600 yards further north. Highest temperature during afternoon 105 degrees; at 7 p.m. 90 degrees. It looks exceedingly like rain and very boisterous. Mr. Hodgkinson's party not yet arrived. At midnight a few drops of rain with the high wind.

Thursday, November 21.

Quite a calm, the sky completely overcast; whether it will rain or not remains to be seen. The water in the lake has returned to its old bed. Temperature at daylight 85 degrees. From a long conversation I had with a native yesterday, who came to the camp, I am led to believe that only one of the whites was murdered at Lake Cadhibaerri at the time of the attack upon them by the natives there. On the return of the party from the north-west they repulsed the natives, killing some and wounding others; the party buried their comrade and marched southward. The natives, on seeing that the whites had proceeded onwards, immediately returned to the scene of the disaster, dug up the body, cut off all the principal muscular parts, and feasted upon their revolting repast. So minutely does this native know all their movements that he has described to me all the waters they passed and others at which they camped, and waters that they remained at for some time, subsisting on a sort of vetch seed that the natives principally use here for food, and obtained in large quantities on many of the flooded flats by sweeping it into heaps, then winnowing it, then grinding or pounding it between two stones, then mixing it with water into the consistency of damper, and finally making a cake and putting it into the ashes the same way as damper--when cooked and fit for use it tastes rather strong, but no doubt they could live upon it for a long time as it must be wholesome. That, with the game and fish they could get from the waters of the creeks and lakes, would keep them alive very well if they did not further attempt to make their way to the Darling (which the native says they did) but I hope soon to see and trust they have not attempted to do so. If they have not done so, and that they are alive and escaped the natives, their relief is certain. One thing I cannot arrive at is how long or how many moons it is since they were attacked at Lake Cadhibaerri, as I then could form a much more accurate idea of the truthfulness or otherwise of the native's statements; but it must be some considerable time as the body I found was perfectly decomposed, and on the skull even there was not a particle of skin, but as bare as if it had lain in a grave for years. A slight shower this afternoon, hardly sufficient to wet one's shirt. Temperature highest during the day 104 degrees, very close and disagreeable; at sunset temperature 88 degrees, heavy clouds all round, not a breath of wind. Hodgkinson's party not yet arrived. If he does not come within the next two days I shall feel very uneasy. Had a visit from about a score of natives, some of them from the north-east, other two from the west-north-west about the stony desert, as they describe an abundance of stones in that quarter. Wind from south-east to south, during the night a very little rain.

Friday, November 22.

Daylight quite cloudy and like rain. Temperature 82 degrees, wind chopping all round; at noon south and north of west. Temperature 142 degrees and still a cool breeze blowing; sunset temperature 90 degrees, wind southward and strong. No appearance of Hodgkinson and party. The natives in a great stir here tonight about something--about a dozen of them crossed the lake to us after dark, wishing to camp near for the night; but as I did not approve of their movements in the evening immediately sent them off again.

Saturday, November 23.

At daylight wind strong from the east; temperature 80 degrees, at 5.30 a.m. blew quite a gale from south, the sky quite overcast and in every other part of the country would make preparations for a heavy fall of rain, but I have seen so much of this here that I don't expect rain till I see it. Temperature noon 110 degrees, rain all blown past; at sunset wind still strong from south; temperature 84 degrees. No appearance of Hodgkinson's party. Natives assembling in great numbers on this lake--distributed some beads, bracelets, and other trinkets amongst them, at which they seemed much pleased.

Sunday, November 24.

Wind south-east beautifully cool; temperature at sunrise 63 degrees; at noon in shade 84 degrees; at sunset wind south, temperature 76 degrees; cloudy. Hodgkinson not arrived.

Monday, November 25.

At 1.30 a.m. temperature 62 degrees; at sunrise temperature 58 degrees, wind east-south-east, beautifully cool; at noon temperature 106 degrees in the sun and wind; at sundown 82 degrees, gentle breeze.

Tuesday, November 26.

Wind east, at sunrise temperature 63 degrees; at noon in the shade temperature 79 degrees, very light breeze: temperature at 2.30 p.m. 110 degrees, wind west-north-west and cool; at sunset temperature 90 degrees, calm. No appearance of the party from Blanchewater.

Wednesday, November 27.

Calm at sunrise, temperature 60 degrees; at 9 a.m. 116 degrees in the sun; at 1 p.m. 118 degrees. Got the horses in the forenoon and went east three and a half miles; first three-quarters of a mile over sandhills, rest of the way over flooded ground to Goderannie Creek; not much water now; then to Palcooraganny. At present this is the dry bed of a small lake with plenty of dry clover and grasses in the dry bed. On the north-east side of the lake is a well dug by the natives about ten to eleven feet deep with about one foot of water at present in it and good. I suppose a considerable quantity could be had if the hole were enlarged. Close by there was an encampment of blacks, in all about a dozen, not the same apparent well-fed fellows that frequent the lakes and main creeks. From enquiry it appears that during the dry season this is the sort of water they have to depend upon, and I think the wells are few and far between. A high sandhill was some little distance off and to it I went; from the top of which I had an extensive view. Could see nothing northward and westward but a jumble of lower sandhills looking very dreary without even a creek with its timber to break the monotony of the view. From the top of the hill there was water at a distance of one and a half to one and three-quarter miles. Depot about sixteen miles distant. Goderannie Creek is deep, with abundance of fish of various sorts, and drains all the creeks that fill our depot lake, and the creek to the west of the lake over the sandhills. Started the blackfellows and whites to dig a well close by the depot before I went away this morning. At eight feet eight inches struck water (good). Will deepen it tomorrow and see what supply would be likely to be had if necessity would require it. Party not yet returned; feel quite uneasy about them but suppose they did not get what they were sent for as soon as they expected.

Thursday, November 28.

At daylight wind strong from south-south-east, at sunrise temperature 63 degrees. Enlarging and deepening the well. Temperature at noon in the sun and wind 106 degrees; at sunset 73 degrees. Finished the well, now being nine feet six inches deep, three and a half feet broad and five feet long. For the first four feet it was a mixture of light-coloured clay and fine sand, next three and a half feet was a mixture of gypsum and blue clay, next to bottom a little clay mixed with chiefly fine sand, then the water seemed to come in from all quarters. Party not yet arrived--exceedingly anxious about them.

Friday, November 29.

Wind south-south-east and cool at sunrise, temperature 54 degrees, being much lower than we have had it except once. There is a depth of ten inches of water in the well during twelve hours. At 7.30 a.m. two natives arrived on opposite side of the lake, bringing the joyous tidings that the party under charge of Mr. Hodgkinson had camped at a creek called Keradinti about eight miles from this last night, so that I expect them every hour--I was heartily glad to hear of them. At 9.30 a.m. Mr. Hodgkinson and party arrived safe, for which I was truly thankful; I was afraid something had happened to them from their apparent long absence. I am sorry that the native Jack, that accompanied them from this, deserted about the inner stations, having heard some idle report of something having happened to the party here. Mr. Hodgkinson has brought back with him nearly everything I required. By him I also received some Adelaide papers in which were some Melbourne telegrams, one of which announced the rescue by Mr. Howitt of one of Burke's party, King, so that I have been deceived as to appearances at Lake Cadhibaerri respecting the different colours of hair found. Still I am under the impression that when Burke's diary is published that it will show of some affray with the natives about that place, or they would not have acted towards us when there as they did. By receipt of such intelligence, and that now the whole of the unfortunate party are accounted for, it renders my journey to Cooper's Creek, as I intended, useless for any purpose of relief. Had they on their arrival from the north coast at Cooper's Creek depot only pushed westward this length they could, with the greatest ease to themselves, have made the Adelaide stations. I am quite surprised that they could not get south by Strzelecki's Creek, being under the impression that two-thirds of the water of Cooper's Creek was drained off by that watercourse southward. My impression from observation here is that a very great portion of the waters of Cooper's Creek is drained northwards from this. Before leaving this it is my intention to push eastward some distance to ascertain the character of the country, and on my return to push westward for some distance to ascertain if the stony desert exists so far southward as this; I will then proceed northward and examine the waters reported by the natives to exist in that quarter, and ascertain if they are likely to be of permanent use to South Australia. From them I shall be entirely guided by the appearance of the country there as to my future movements. I am now satisfied that water can be had by digging. By the time I return from the east and westward the horses that have been down to the settled districts will have so far recovered from their fatigue, and be again able to proceed northward. At 5 p.m. depth of water in the well fifteen and a half inches, the water very hard and clear, quite the opposite of the lake, which is very soft and rather milky in colour. Mr. Hodgkinson, since he has been absent, has had a severe attack of illness brought on, I believe, by injury sustained from a pummelling he received at Apoinga, near the Burra, from one of the camels, Siva, who at that time was very unruly and inclined to be vicious. He has repeatedly complained and even now is not at all the thing. I trust he will thoroughly recover as he is a very energetic little fellow and the want of his services would be a considerable loss to me on my coming journey. Highest temperature during day 120 degrees.

Saturday, November 30.

Wind south-south-east. Temperature at sunrise 70 degrees; depth of water in the well at 5 a.m. eighteen and a quarter inches. Temperature at noon 99 degrees in the sun and wind. Temperature at sunset 84 degrees; wind west of south a little cloudy; so it was last night.

Sunday, December 1.

A little rain during the night but not enough to wet a sheet of paper. At sunrise temperature 70 degrees, calm. At noon slight breeze southerly; temperature 110 degrees. Found suspended the spring of one of Terry's breech-loading rifles round the neck of a native; he describes the remaining portions of the rifle out to the north-east, which will be nearly in our north course. Highest temperature during the afternoon in the sun 129 degrees; at sunset 99 degrees.

Monday, December 2.

Wind south-south-east, temperature at sunrise 77 degrees; sky completely overcast. Start out eastward to examine the country with two camels, five horses, and sufficient food for one and a half weeks, taking with me Middleton, Poole, Frank (a native), and a native of this place. My main object in going out now is firstly to ascertain if there is a likelihood of a flood down Cooper's Creek this season, after all the rain that has fallen along the eastern side of the continent some months back, and which I thought possible might have fallen as well on and to west of coast range, so to secure to us an open retreat in the event of our being able to make some considerable advance northward, and being detained some time. And secondly to ascertain if anyone was as yet stationed on Cooper's Creek, to intimate to them my intentions of proceeding northward for some distance, and the almost certainty of crossing any track of either of the search parties from the northern coast could possibly make en route to Cooper's Creek or even Eyre's Creek. Started at 9.15 a.m., and passed through nothing but sandhill and flooded flat country till 3 p.m., and arrived at Tac Wilten Creek, containing little water but drinkable. For the first few miles the sandhills were further apart with, in the interval, salt-bush and grassy flats. Watered the horses and camels; crossed the creek, passed up the south side; crossed a sandhill; crossed the creek, went a short distance to north side of creek; recrossed it and went up south side to water. This is a long narrow strip of water, not deep and drying up fast. A number of natives here. Crossed creek again and went to Aunrinnie; arrived at north-east end of water and crossed creek at 4.30 p.m. Distance about twenty-five miles. The water here although enough is quite unfit for use, the horses and camels refusing it; but there is good green feed in the flat.

Tuesday, December 3.

Started at 8 a.m.; passed over sandhills till 8.43 and made large lake, dry, Cullamun by name, destitute of vegetation and no margin of trees; passed over sandhills and flooded flat to a creek very broad, deep, and well defined by timber, and trending northward; not much water at present, good here but unfit for use above and below, like that of last night; creek called Agaboogana. Distance about eight miles. I went there rather out of my course to water the camels, being the nearest in going anything like the course I wished; passed sandhills through south end of large dry lake at 11.22, and again sandhills; then through large flooded swamp, Narrogoonnoo Mooku, with no marginal trees; southern end a good deal of cane grass; then again sandhills till 12.46; then large cracked flooded plain, Wandrabrinnannie, till arrived at a creek with no water; crossed and rode up creek on south side to east of north to Barka Water, no feed; got down into the bed of the creek and rode up about three-quarters of a mile to a water called Moollaney, pretty good; no great quantity and but little feed. Total distance about twenty-five miles. A lot of stones of a fruit found here, of a very ornamental little tree from six to fifteen feet high, which I have secured.