Explorations in Australia - John Forrest
This telegram was accompanied by another from the Honourable Arthur
Blyth, the Chief Secretary of the Colony:
Is there anything you want? Mail leaves on October 10th. Shall be happy
to facilitate any despatch you may wish forwarded to your Government.
Superintendent of Telegraphs has given instructions for every assistance
to be rendered you at the various telegraph stations on your road down.
The instructions sent by Mr. Todd, the Superintendent of Telegraphs, to
Mr. Blood, the officer in charge at Peake station, were to the following
effect:--
Please give my hearty congratulations to Mr. Forrest on the successful
completion of his great feat, which I have communicated to the Government
and press; also Baron Von Mueller, who sends his congratulations. I shall
be glad to have a few particulars as to route followed, if convenient to
Mr. Forrest to supply them. Render his party every attention.
Mr. Ernest Giles, the explorer, also telegraphed, and I also received
messages from the editors of the Register and Advertiser, Adelaide
newspapers, congratulating me, and asking for a few particulars for
publication in their papers. I complied with the request immediately,
forwarding a brief narrative of the more remarkable incidents of our
journey. On the 15th of October, the day after our arrival at Peake, I
wrote, for the information of Governor Musgrave, a short account of the
journey, and this, accompanied by a more detailed narrative, addressed to
the Honourable Malcolm Fraser, Commissioner of Crown Lands at Perth, was,
together with several private telegrams, forwarded free of charge by the
South Australian Government, which also provided us with fresh horses and
everything we required for our journey to Adelaide.
We left the Peake on the 4th of October, greatly refreshed by the rest
and the kind treatment we had received from Mr. and Mrs. Blood, and Mr.
Bagot, the owner of the cattle station.
Before I record the details of our journey and the receptions given us at
every place on the route, I will quote the concluding remarks of my
journal relative to the expedition:--
THE COUNTRY TRAVERSED.
I now beg to make a few remarks with reference to the character and
capability of the country traversed; and through the kindness and
courtesy of Baron Von Mueller, C.M.G., etc., Government Botanist of
Victoria, and of Mr. R. Brough Smyth, Secretary for Mines of Victoria, I
am enabled to annex reports upon the botanical and geological specimens
collected on our journey.
The whole of the country, from the settled districts near Champion Bay to
the head of the Murchison, is admirably suited for pastoral settlement,
and in a very short time will be taken up and stocked; indeed, some
already has been occupied.
From the head of the Murchison to the 129th meridian, the boundary of our
colony, I do not think will ever be settled. Of course there are many
grassy patches, such as at Windich Springs, the Weld Springs, all round
Mount Moore, and other places; but they are so isolated, and of such
extent, that it would never pay to stock them. The general character of
this immense tract is a gently undulating spinifex desert--Festuca
(Triodia) irritans, the spinifex of the desert explorers, but not the
spinifex of science. It is lightly wooded with acacia and other small
trees, and, except in a few creeks, there is a great absence of any large
timber.
The prevailing rock, which crops out on the rises and often forms low
cliffs, in which are receptacles for holding water, is LIGHT RED
SANDSTONE (desert sandstone, tertiary). The only game found in the
spinifex is a kangaroo rat, commonly called the wirrup; but in the grassy
openings there are many kangaroos, and often emus, also a rat known as
the wurrung. These animals are very good eating, and formed a valuable
addition to our store department. At the permanent waters there were
always myriads of bronze-winged pigeons, and also the white cockatoo with
scarlet crest, called the chockalott; also the beaccoo, or slate-coloured
parrot. Generally, however, with the exception of the crow and hawk,
birds were not very numerous except round water. Whenever a sheet of
water was found we found ducks, and in Lake Augusta swans and ducks were
innumerable.
In bringing this report to a close it is not necessary to refer much to
the reasons that induced me to keep more to the south than I originally
intended. It will readily be seen, after perusing this journal, that it
was a necessity, and that we could not get further north. It is a marvel
to me that we got through at all; the season was an exceptionally dry
one--in fact, a drought--our horses were of a very ordinary kind, and the
country most wretched.
When it is remembered that a horse in poor condition and in warm weather
cannot go much over a day without water, and when the sterility of the
country is considered, it will be readily seen what a disadvantage one
labours under without camels, which can go ten days without water. Well
can I sympathize with Mr. Giles when he states in his journal: "All I
coveted from my brother explorers was their camels, for what is a horse
in such a region as this? He is not physically capable of enduring the
terrors of this country." And so it is; horses are the noblest and most
useful animals in the world, but they must have food and water regularly.
The camel, on the other hand, is physically formed to travel over these
desolate regions, and in Australia has been known to go twelve and
fourteen days without water, carrying 300 pounds, and sometimes 400
pounds weight.
From these few remarks it will be seen what a great disadvantage Mr.
Giles and myself laboured under compared with Major Warburton and Mr.
Gosse; and what in similar circumstances might have been easily performed
by them was quite impossible in our circumstances.
In reading this journal, it may be wondered why we followed so much along
Mr. Gosse's track, when a new route for ourselves might have been chosen
more to the south. The reason is, I had intended, as soon as I reached the
129th meridian (the boundary of our colony), to make a long trip to the
south, near to Eucla, and thus map that important locality; but on
reaching there I was prevented by the following causes: The weather was
excessively warm; the country to the south seemed most uninviting
--sand-hills as far as could be seen, covered with spinifex; our horses
were very poor; our rations were running short, the meat and tea and
sugar being nearly gone; water was very scarce, and I could clearly see
that, although Mr. Gosse had travelled the route last year, it did not
follow that we should be able to do it easily this, as all the water
thus far where he had camped was gone. I felt we were altogether on our
own resources for water, and I concluded to push on towards the
telegraph line as quickly as possible. It turned out, although we had
considerable difficulty, that we reached the line sooner than I could
have anticipated.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
I have the very pleasant duty to record my thorough appreciation of the
services of my companions. To my brother, Mr. Alexander Forrest, I am
especially indebted for his assistance and advice on many occasions, also
for his indomitable energy and perseverance. Every service entrusted to
him was admirably carried out. He never disappointed me. When absent for
a week, I knew to a few minutes when we should meet again. Whether horses
or loads had to be abandoned, it mattered not to him, he always carried
out the service; and I attribute much of the success to being supported
by such an able and hopeful second in command. In addition to this, he
bestowed great care on the stores of the expedition; collected all the
botanical specimens, besides taking observations for laying down our
route on many occasions during my absence.
To Tommy Windich (native) I am much indebted for his services as a
bushman, and his experience generally. Accompanying me on many occasions,
often in circumstances of difficulty and privation, I ever found him a
good, honest companion.
To James Kennedy, James Sweeney, and Tommy Pierre I am thankful for the
ready obedience and entire confidence they placed in me. They ever
conducted themselves in a proper manner, and on no occasion uttered a
single murmur.
I take this opportunity of thanking all those gentlemen who so kindly
subscribed to the Expedition Fund.
In conclusion, sir, I beg you will convey to his Excellency Governor Weld
my sincere thanks for the kindness and support he has given me in this
arduous enterprise. I can truthfully state, if it had not been for his
zeal and assistance, I should not have been able to undertake and
accomplish this exploration.
I have also to thank the Honourable F.P. Barlee, Colonial Secretary, and
yourself, for your kind attention and consideration, and your desire that
I should have everything that was necessary to bring the expedition to a
successful termination.
CHAPTER 6.
PUBLIC RECEPTIONS AT ADELAIDE AND PERTH.
Procession and Banquet at Adelaide.
Arrival in Western Australia.
Banquet and Ball at Perth.
Results of Exploration.
We reached Beltana on the 18th, where we were joined by Mr. Henry Gosse,
brother and companion of the explorer, and arrived at Jamestown on the
28th of October. This was the first township on the route, and the
inhabitants, although somewhat taken by surprise by our appearance, would
not let the opportunity pass for giving us a warm welcome. On the
following morning there was a good muster of the principal residents at
Jureit's Hotel, and an address was presented to me. Our healths were then
drunk and duly responded to, and we had every reason to be highly
gratified with our first formal reception.
BURRA BURRA AND GAWLER.
The next day we reached Kooringa, on the Burra, and there too our arrival
excited considerable enthusiasm, and we were invited to a complimentary
dinner at the Burra Hotel Assembly Rooms, Mr. Philip Lane, the Chairman
of the District Council, presiding. An address was presented, and, my
health having been proposed by Mr. W.H. Rosoman, Manager of the National
Bank, in replying, I took the opportunity of expressing my thanks to my
associates in the expedition for their unfailing co-operation under
occasionally great difficulties and privations.
On Saturday, the 31st, having witnessed a cricket-match at Farrell's
Flat, we visited the Burra Burra Mines, and there we received an address
from the manager, accountant, captain, chief engineer, and storekeeper.
We remained at Burra the next day (Sunday), and on Monday morning started
by train for Salisbury with our fifteen horses in horse-boxes. Eleven of
these were the survivors of the expedition, and we were desirous that our
faithful and hard-worked four-footed companions should have their share
of the attention of our South Australian friends. At Gawler we were
received by a crowd of people, and flags were flying to do us honour. The
Town Clerk and a considerable number of the principal residents were
waiting for us in an open space near the railway station, and presented
an address on behalf of the municipality. We were then invited to a
luncheon at the Criterion Hotel, the chair being filled, in the absence
of the Mayor, who was unwell, by Mr. James Morton. Here again I was
called on to respond for my health being proposed; but I need not weary
the reader by endeavouring to repeat all I said upon that and other
similar occasions. I acknowledged and deeply felt the personal kindness
of the receptions my party had experienced; and I fully shared with those
who signed the addresses I received, or proposed my health at dinners,
the hearty desire that the successful issue of my expedition might be the
means of uniting still more closely the two colonies in bonds of mutual
good-feeling and sympathy. I had been similarly welcomed at Gawler and
other places in South Australia on the occasion of my previous visit, and
I was, I trust, not unjustifiably proud and pleased that my old friends
had recognized my recent services.
RECEPTION AT SALISBURY.
At Salisbury, which we reached on the 2nd of November, a very hearty
reception awaited us, and we were entertained at a dinner given at the
Salisbury Hotel under the presidency of the Reverend J.R. Ferguson. After
dinner the chairman read a brief address, signed by the Chairman of the
District Council; and as the speeches referred not only to my own
expedition, but were interesting in relation to other explorations and
the method of conducting them, I may be pardoned for quoting a portion of
the report of the proceedings which appeared in the local newspapers:--
The Chairman then said he wished to express the great pleasure it was to
him to meet Mr. Forrest, his brother, and party, after their triumphant
accomplishment of the daring and arduous undertaking of crossing from the
Australian shores of the Indian Ocean to the very interior of South
Australia. We at all times felt constrained to value and honour men who
in any way contributed to the progress and welfare of mankind. We
esteemed those men whose lives were devoted to the explorations of
science, and whose discoveries were rendered serviceable to the comfort
and advancement of the race; and what were the achievements of travellers
but contributions to the advancement and welfare of the
race--contributions in which were involved the most magnificent heroism
in penetrating the regions which had hitherto been untrodden by the foot
of the white man? They obtained their contributions to the advancement
and welfare of men by the manifestation of high moral endurance, which
enabled them to submit to privations and discomforts of the most trying
character; while withal they showed dauntless courage in going forward
and meeting dangers of every possible kind, even to the loss of life
itself. He was disposed to rank the achievements of their guests with
those of the foremost of travellers of whom we read. He had sat enchanted
with the perusal of the travels of John Franklin in the Arctic Regions;
and, by the way, John Franklin accompanied Captain Flinders in his
expedition in the year 1800, which was sent out for the purpose of
surveying the south coast of Australia. He had perused with intense
interest the travels of Samuel Baker in the interior of Africa along the
source of that wondrous Nile, as also those of Speke, Grant, Stanley, and
that prince of men, the late Dr. Livingstone; and the name of their guest
was entitled to rank along with such. (Cheers.) Let now our stockholders
and men of capital take advantage of Mr. Forrest's explorations--let his
well-earned honours be bestowed upon him--and let all representatives of
intelligence and enterprise hail him. We who were here as Australians
were proud of him and rejoiced over him, and would seek to send him back
to his own home with our loud plaudits and our heartiest gratitude.
The Vice-Chairman, in proposing The Health of Mr. John Forrest, the
Leader of the Expedition, said he was sure they were all extremely glad
to see Mr. Forrest and his party in their midst. When Mr. Forrest was
amongst them before they all thought he was a fine, jolly young fellow,
and thought none the less of him on that occasion. (Applause.) At any
rate, he was stouter than when he appeared on his first visit. He thought
the country would feel grateful to Mr. Forrest and his companions for the
benefits which would result from their achievement. (Applause.)
Mr. John Forrest, who was received with loud cheers, said he thanked them
very heartily for the enthusiastic way in which they had drunk his
health, and for the very handsome address they had presented to him. He
felt altogether unable to respond in the way he could wish to the many
remarks that had been made by their worthy chairman. If he could only
make himself believe that he was worthy of being placed in the rank of
the men whom he had mentioned, he certainly would feel very proud indeed.
It had always given him the greatest pleasure to read the accounts of the
travels of these great men. He remembered being closely connected with
Captain Flinders's researches upon the south coast of Australia, and,
after his journey from Perth to Eucla, Mr. Eyre, the late Governor of
Jamaica, wrote to him that he risked his life upon the accuracy of
Captain Flinders's observations, and in no case had he the least cause to
regret it. Exploration in other parts of the world, as in Africa, was
carried on in a very different style to the exploration in Australia.
Even in the early times, exploration here was carried on in a very
different way to what it was at the present time. Large equipages, many
waggons, and that sort of thing were used in the time of Captain Sturt
and other early explorers, until Mr. Eyre took a light equipment, with
very few horses and very few men. Since then the work had had to be done
with very light turn-outs. In Western Australia a good deal of
exploration was done before his time, and expeditions had been very
common. They generally cost very little indeed. The horses were generally
given by the settlers, the Government contributed a few hundred pounds,
and young settlers volunteered for the service. The cost was sometimes
400 or 500 pounds; and upon his expedition, up to the time they left the
settled districts of Western Australia, they had only spent about 330
pounds. He did not know that he could say anything more. He had spoken
several times on his journey down, and it seemed to him that he had said
the same thing over and over again. His forte was not in public speaking,
but he hoped they would take the will for the deed. They never could
forget the very kind and hearty reception they had received in every
place they had visited in South Australia. (Cheers.)
The Reverend J.G. Wright proposed The health of Mr. Alexander Forrest and
the remainder of the Party. He remarked that they had heard a great deal
about Mr. Forrest, the leader of the party, and whilst he had manifested
a great deal of courage and perseverance, and they all felt indebted to
him as the leader of the party, yet there was much praise due to his
brother and the rest of his companions. He was gratified at having the
opportunity of meeting them before they went down to the metropolis, and
he was sure it was no small matter to Salisbury to have such a band
remaining with them for a short time. It would be a source of pleasure to
colonists generally to see them, and he trusted that the work which had
been so nobly performed, and what had followed after it, would tend to
link the colonies more closely together. He was glad to see that original
holders of the land in their western colony--the natives--had been
employed in the work of exploration and opening up the country. (Hear,
hear.) They were expected to do honour to generals and warriors who had
distinguished themselves and placed their names high on the roll of fame,
but he thought that such could not claim greater honours than the
explorer. His work was not one of bloodshed, but one which was undertaken
in the interests and for the benefit of humanity. Civilization,
agriculture, art, and science followed the explorations of those noble
men who had taken their lives in their hands and faced difficulties and
dangers for the advancement of their fellow-men. He proposed with the
heartiest feelings the toast of Mr. Alexander Forrest and his companions.
The toast was very cordially drunk.
Mr. Alex. Forrest, on rising to respond, was greeted with hearty and
continued cheering. He said he thanked the company most heartily for the
manner in which they had drunk his health and that of his companions. He
could assure them they felt highly flattered at the reception which had
been accorded them. It was more than they expected. When here four years
ago, it was on a small trip compared with what they had accomplished this
time. It would not be necessary for him to go over the same ground that
his brother had remarked upon--in fact, his brother had quite taken the
wind out of his sails; and public speaking certainly not being his forte,
although he was quite at home round the camp-fire, he must ask them to
excuse him making a lengthy speech. He could assure them they all thanked
them very sincerely for their kindness, and deeply appreciated the honour
which had been done them. (Cheers.)
Tommy Pierre, one of the aboriginals attached to the expedition, being
called upon to respond, after some hesitation, said, "Well, gentlemen, I
am not in good humour to-night. (Laughter.) I am very glad I got through.
We got a capital gaffer that leaded us through; but it wasn't him that
got us through, it isn't ourselves, but God who brought us through the
place, and we ought to be very thankful to God for getting us through.
(Laughter and cheers.) I am not in good humour to-night to speak
(laughter), but I will speak when I get in Adelaide." (Prolonged
cheering.)
Tommy Windich, the other aboriginal attached to the expedition, was also
asked to respond, but he could not muster courage enough to do so.
WELCOME AT ADELAIDE.
The preparations for our reception at Adelaide were most elaborate. It
seems to have been resolved that the capital of South Australia should
appear as the representative of the satisfaction felt throughout the
colony at the successful completion of an adventure, the result of which
was so deeply interesting, and which had been several times attempted by
explorers, not less ardent and determined, but less fortunate than
ourselves. At an early hour on the morning of the 3rd of November, on
which day it was known our party would arrive, the streets through which
we were to pass were thronged with thousands eager to bid us welcome. Not
only the city itself, but the suburban districts contributed to swell the
crowd. Balconies and housetops were thronged, and all along the line of
route were flags and decorations of flowers and evergreens, streamers
with inscriptions of welcome, and arches adorned with large pictures
representing incidents of bush life. The bells, too, rang out merry
peals, and the day was observed as a general holiday at Adelaide.
We left Salisbury at twelve o'clock, escorted by a considerable number of
the inhabitants. Before reaching Adelaide we were met by carriages
containing the Mayors of Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Kensington, and
Norwood, the town clerks, and members of the different corporations. A
very interesting and characteristic compliment was paid to us by the
presence of members of various exploring expeditions, who, from their own
experience, could best estimate the value of the results we had achieved,
and the difficulties we had encountered. Following the official
personages, on horseback, was Mr. John Chambers, who, with his brother,
the late Mr. James Chambers, and the late Mr. Finke, sent out in 1860 the
parties under the leadership of the intrepid Mr. John McDouall Stuart, to
explore the interior lying between South Australia and the northern
shores of the continent. Three members of this party--Messrs. A.J.
Lawrence, D. Thompson, and John Wall--followed on horseback, carrying
standards marked with the dates January, 1862, and July 25, 1862, when
Stuart departed from Adelaide, and when he planted his flag on the
northern shores. Then came representatives of the various exploring
parties--Messrs. F.G. Waterhouse, F. Thring, W.P. Auld, S. King, J.W.
Billiatt, and H. Nash, of Stuart's party; Mr. R.E. Warburton, Mr. Dennis
White, and Charley, the native boy, of Colonel Warburton's expedition;
Mr. William Gosse (leader), and Mr. Harry Gosse, of the Gosse expedition;
and Mr. Ernest Giles, leader of the Giles expedition.
The reception committee and representatives of the Oddfellows, Foresters,
Druids, Rechabites, Good Templars, German, and other friendly societies,
followed, after which came our party. We wore the rough, weather-beaten,
and, it may be added, shockingly dilapidated garments in which we had
been clothed during our expedition, and were mounted on the horses which
had served us so well. It was wished that we should represent to the
Adelaide public, as realistically as we could, the actual appearance of
our party while engaged on the long journey, so we slung our rifles at
our sides, and each of us led a pack-horse carrying the kegs we had used
for the conveyance of water. In one respect, no doubt, we failed to
realize adequately the appearance of our party when struggling through
the spinifex desert, or anxiously searching for rock holes and springs.
The month of great hospitality we had experienced since reaching Peake
station had considerably improved our own personal appearance, and the
horses were very unlike the wretched, half-dying animals we had such
difficulty to keep alive and moving. After us came, in long procession,
bands of music, and the members of the various orders, the German Club,
the Bushmen's Club, and a goodly number of horsemen and carriages. The
bands played inspiring strains, the crowd shouted and cheered, and my
brother and I were perpetually bowing acknowledgments. As for the two
natives, Tommy Windich and Tommy Pierre, they appeared to be perfectly
amazed by the novelty of the spectacle, and the enthusiasm of the vast
throng which lined the streets.