Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia - Thomas Mitchell
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This officer returned from Duck Creek after an absence of twelve hours,
and reported that he had found no water in Duck Creek after examining its
bed twelve miles; but that he had found a fine lagoon on the plains near
the head of the eastern branch, but around which there was no grass, all
having been recently burnt.
20TH JANUARY.--Macavoy returned at seven A.M., saying he had been twenty-
four miles down the Bogan without finding any water. About the same time
Sergeant Niblett, in charge of the bullocks, came to inform me that these
animals were looking very ill, and could not drink the mud remaining in
the pond. At the same time intelligence was brought me that four of the
horses had broken their tether ropes during the night, and that William
Baldock had been absent in search of them on foot, from an early hour in
the morning. I immediately sent back the whole of the bullocks to
Nyingan, with a dray containing the empty harness casks, also the horses,
and a cart carrying all our other empty casks; and the whole of the
cattle and horses returned in the evening with all the casks filled.
21ST JANUARY.--Having again despatched the bullocks back to Nyingan, I
conducted the light carts forward along my old track (of 1835), having on
two of these carts two of the half-boats, and in the carts under them all
the water-kegs that had been filled. My object was to use the iron boat
as a tank, at which we might water the bullocks at one stage forward;
that by so gaining that point and proceeding onwards towards the water I
hoped to find next day, we might encamp at least at such a convenient
distance from it, as would admit of the cattle being driven forward to
return next day and draw the drays to it. This I considered possible,
even if it might be found necessary to go as far for water as the fine
reach described in my journal as the place of my encampment on the 14th
May, 1835, beyond Mount Hopeless, and which I concluded from the gin's
description, must have been what she called Nimine, or the disputed
station of Lee. I encamped this party on a plain about twelve miles from
Canbelego, where I had left Mr. Kennedy, with instructions to bring the
drays on with the spare cattle and horses early next morning. I had sent
thence Corporal Macavoy and Yuranigh to follow the track of Baldock and
the horses; but it was obvious that we could remain no longer at
Canbelego. As soon as we could set up one of the half-boats, the contents
of the water-kegs were emptied into it, and the cart was immediately sent
back with the empty kegs to Canbelego, where fresh horses had been left,
to continue with the same cart and empty kegs to Nyingan during the
night, so as to arrive in time to admit of the dray--already there with
the harness casks--bringing an additional supply back in the kegs, when
the bullocks returned next day.
It was now necessary that I should ascertain as soon as possible the
state of the ponds lower down the Bogan, and thereupon determine at once,
whether to follow that dry channel further in such a season, or to cross
to the pond in Duck Creek, and await more favourable weather. I
accordingly set out at 3 P.M., from where the water had been placed in
the half-boat, accompanied by Dr. Stephenson, and followed by Corporal
Graham and Dicky the native boy. By the advice of the latter, I rode from
the camp in the direction of 30 deg. E. of N., and, crossing the Bogan, we
reached at about 31/2 miles beyond it, a channel like it, which I supposed
was Duck Creek; and in it, just where we made it, there was a small pond
of water. Having refreshed our horses, we followed this channel
downwards, without meeting with more water. To my surprise, I found the
general direction was westward, until it JOINED THE BOGAN. We next
followed the course of the Bogan as long as daylight allowed us to do so,
without discovering any indication that water had recently lodged in any
of the hollows, and we finally tied up our horses and lay down to sleep,
in hopes that next day might enable us to be more successful.
22D JANUARY.--Having proceeded some miles along the western bends of the
Bogan, hastily--being desirous to see that day the great pond beyond
Mount Hopeless--I observed that the clay was very shining and compact in
a hollow sloping into an angle of the river-bed, that the grass was green
as from recent rain, and that there was more chirping of birds; I was
tempted once more by these indications, to look for water in the Bogan's
almost hopeless channel, and there we found a pond, at sight of which
poor Dicky shouted for joy; then drank, and fell asleep almost in the
water. It was small, but being sufficient for our immediate wants, we
thankfully refreshed our horses and ourselves, and proceeded on our
eventful journey. Almost immediately after leaving this pond I discovered
my old track, which we continued to follow across those large plains,
whence I had formerly discovered Mount Hopeless. These plains I soon
again recognized from the old tracks of my draywheels, distinctly visible
in many places after a lapse of nearly eleven years. Arriving at length
near the debateable land of Lee's old station, we resumed our examination
of the Bogan. There we perceived old cattle tracks; the ovens in which
the natives had roasted whole bullocks, and about their old encampments
many heaps of bones; but in none of the deep beds of former ponds or
lagoons could we discover any water. The grass was nevertheless excellent
and abundant; and its waste, added to the distress the want of water
occasioned us, made us doubly lament the absence of civilised
inhabitants, by whose industry that rich pasture and fine soil could have
been turned to good account. We saw no natives; nor were even kangaroos
or emus to be seen, as formerly, any longer inhabitants of these parts. I
turned at length, reluctantly, convinced that it would have been unsafe
to venture with cattle and drays into these regions before rain fell. In
returning, we at first found it difficult to find our old track, by which
alone we could hope that night to reach the small pond of the morning;
but Dr. Stephenson very fortunately found it, and we had also the good
fortune, for so we considered it, to arrive at the pond before sunset.
There we tied up our horses and lay down, glad indeed to have even that
water before our eyes. Dicky, the native boy, had repeatedly thrown
himself from his horse during the afternoon, quite ill from thirst.
23D JANUARY.--After our horses had drank, we left no water in the pond;
but they had fed on good grass, and we were well refreshed, although with
water only, for our ride back to the camp. Setting off from an old marked
tree of mine near the Bogan, on a bearing of 160 deg., I several times during
our ride fell in with the old track, and finally reached the camp after a
rapid ride of four hours. I found the whole party had arrived the
previous evening with the water, as arranged; but that Mr. Kennedy was
absent, having set off that morning in search of water to the N. E. with
Corporal Macavoy, on two government horses, leaving word that he should
return by twelve o'clock. He did not return at that hour, however, and at
two I moved the party across the Bogan, and proceeded along open plains
towards the ponds at Duck Creek, with the intention of there refreshing
the cattle and horses, and awaiting more favourable weather. I previously
watered out of the half-boat, 106 bullocks, and gave a quart to each of
the horses. On the way, the heat was so intense that our three best and
strongest kangaroo dogs died, and it was not until 10 P. M. that the
drays reached the ponds where I had proposed to encamp. About an hour and
a half before, Mr. Kennedy also came in, having galloped the two horses
66 miles, and hurt both their backs, Macavoy being a heavy man. At 9 P.
M., therm. 80 deg., wet bulb, 68 deg..
24TH JANUARY.--This morning I awoke completely blind, from ophthalmia,
and was obliged to have poultices laid on my eyes; several of the men
were also affected in the same manner. The exciting cause of this malady
in an organ presenting a moist surface was, obviously, the warm air
wholly devoid of moisture, and likely to produce the same effect until
the weather changed. At 9 P. M., therm. 84 deg., with wet bulb, 68 deg..
Chapter II.
SEND TO NYINGAN FOR LEECHES.--BETTER PONDS FOUND TO THE NORTHEAST.--MOVE
TO THE PONDS OF CANNONBA AND SET UP OUR BIVOUAC.--HOT WIND.--HEAT GREATER
THAN MY TABLE FOR EXPANSION OF MERCURY WAS CALCULATED FOR.--PIPER'S
INTENTION TO QUIT THE PARTY.--HIS SENT TO BATHURST.--WEATHER CHANGES.--
RAIN.--MR. KENNEDY RETURNS FROM THE MACQUARIE.--SALT MADE FROM THE SALT
PLANT.--RECONNOITRE "DUCK CREEK."--THE PARTY QUITS CANNONBA--CROSSES
PLAINS TO MARRA CREEK--AND THENCE TO THE RIVER MACQUARIE.--OPHTHALMIA
STILL TROUBLESOME.--APPROACH OF A FLOOD ANNOUNCED.--ITS ARRIVAL IN CLEAR
MOONLIGHT.--MR. KINGHORNE GUIDES THE PARTY ALONG THE REEDY BANKS.--NO
WATER FOUND IN "DUCK CREEK."--DIFFICULTY OF WATERING THE CATTLE FROM
SOFTNESS OF THE BANKS OF PONDS AMONGST THE REEDS.--"YULLIYALLY," A
NATIVE, GUIDES THE PARTY.--NEW PLANTS DISCOVERED.--DESCRIPTION OF OUR
NATIVE GUIDE.--CONDITION OF HIS COUNTRYMEN.--HOW AFFECTED BY THE
INTRUSION OF THE WHITE RACE.--AT LENGTH EMERGE FROM THE REEDS.--WATER
SCARCE.--NECESSITY FOR PRESERVING ABORIGINAL NAMES OF RIVERS.--DELAYED BY
STRAY BULLOCKS SEVERAL DAYS.--AT LENGTH ARRIVE AT THE JUNCTION OF THE
RIVER WITH THE DARLING.--CROSS THE MACQUARIE NEAR ITS JUNCTION--AND FORD
THE DARLING AT WYABRY.
25TH JANUARY.--Dr. Stephenson having recommended the application of
leeches, and having observed them in the ponds at Nyingan, I sent William
Baldock and Yuranigh there in search of some, and they brought back
enough. Fourteen were applied to my eyes the same afternoon. The ground
here was quite naked; it was, in fact, the blue clay of the Darling, with
the same sterile looking plants; and no time was to be lost in seeking
some ponds where there might be also good grass for the cattle. Therm. at
sunrise, 97 deg.; at noon, 100 deg.; at 9 P.M. 90 deg.; with wet bulb, 71 deg..
26TH JANUARY.--I sent Corporal Graham with Piper, in a N. E. direction to
where we had observed the light of burning woods reflected from a cloudy
sky last evening; considering that a sure indication that water was near,
as natives are seldom found where there is none. He returned early with
the welcome tidings that he had found abundance of water in a creek about
five miles off, and excellent grass upon its banks. My eyes were so far
recovered that I could observe the altitude of a star, thus ascertaining
the latitude of this camp to be 31 deg. 20' 20" S. Therm. at sunrise, 85 deg.; at
noon, 112 deg.; at 9 P.M. 84 deg.; with wet bulb, 70 deg..
27TH JANUARY.--The whole party moved to the ponds called "Cannonba" by
the natives. There we found greater abundance of water and better grass
than we had seen near water during the whole journey, and I determined to
halt for at least two weeks, as part of the time I had previously
intended to devote to the repose and refreshment of the cattle, when we
should have reached the Darling. The cattle and their drivers had been
much harassed, and both needed and deserved rest. The horses had got out
of condition, and I considered that when we arrived at the Darling their
services would be more required. I was also to try the experiment here,
whether I might prosecute the journey without danger of losing my
eyesight; to have abandoned the undertaking at that point, had been
almost as painful to me as the other alternative. There were no hostile
natives here, the fire having been set up by some solitary gins; rain was
daily to be expected, at least cooler weather would certainly come in a
short time; the wheels of the drays had been long represented to me as
needing a thorough repair, from the effect of the heat on the wheels;--
and, upon the whole, I considered it very fortunate that we could encamp
under such circumstances on so favourable a spot. We placed our tents
amongst shady bushes--set up the blacksmith's forge, and soon all hands
were at work in their various avocations, whilst the cattle and horses
enjoyed the fresh grass, leisure to eat it, and abundance of water.
Amongst the bushes here, a HAKEA, with simple filiform mucronulate leaves
without flower, occurred, loaded with oblong hard galls resembling dry
plums. Also the SENECIO CUNNINGHAMI (D.C.), found by Allan Cunningham on
the shores of Lake George. Mr. Stephenson discovered here a very pretty
new TRICHINIUM, with heads of hoary pink flowers. [* T. SEMILANATUM
(Lindl. MS.); ramosa, pubescens, ramulis, angulatis, foliis linearibus
acutis noveillis villosis, capitulis paucifloris hemisphericis, rachi
dense bracteis uninerviis acutis scpalisque angustis plumosis parce
lanatis.]
I learnt from the natives that this creek also joined the Bogan,
consequently that the real Duck Creek must either be still to the N. E.
of us, or be a branch out of this. At all events, the creek surveyed by
Larmer is thus proved to have been a discovery of his, and a most useful
one it has thus proved to us on this emergency. That chain of ponds
(whence we had just come) was called Bellaringa; this "Cannonba;" and to
what I suppose must be Duck Creek, water to which the natives point
northward, they give the name of "Marra." Therm. at sunrise, 78 deg.; at
noon, 115 deg.; at 4 P.M. 96 deg.; at 9, 88 deg.; with wet bulb, 73 deg..
28TH JANUARY.--Several kettles, a good spade, a Roman balance with large
chain complete, barrels, and other articles, were found at the bottom of
one of the ponds; and old tracks of cattle were numerous about the banks.
Thus it was clear that this favourable spot for a cattle station had not
been unheeded by the white man. It was vaguely asserted by some old gins
seen by Piper, that three men had been killed here when the place was
abandoned. We were about twelve or fourteen miles to the W.N.W. of Mount
Harris; and certainly the general bed of this watercourse was broader
than that of the Bogan, and moreover contained much granitic sand, all
but identifying its sources with those of the Macquarie. This day was
very hot; a thunder cloud passed over us, and a shower fell about 3 P.M.
Thermometer at sunrise, 78 deg.; at noon, 115 deg.; at 4 P.M. 108 deg.; at 9, 84 deg.;
with wet bulb, 63 deg..
29TH JANUARY.--A more than usually hot wind raised the thermometer to
115 deg. in the shade; but distant thunder was soon heard, and the horizon
became clouded. The day was very sultry, and although no rain fell near
us, it was evident that other parts to the north-east were receiving a
heavy shower. Thermometer at sunset, 102 deg..
30TH JANUARY.--An easterly wind brought a refreshing air from the quarter
where the thunder-cloud had exhausted itself last evening. This day the
doctor found the tree mentioned as bearing a nondescript fruit in my
former journal, Vol. I. page 82., but this tree bore neither flower nor
fruit. Thermometer at sunrise, 80 deg.; at noon, 103 deg.; at 4 P.M., 108 deg.; at 9,
100 1/2 deg.; with wet bulb, 79 deg..
31ST JANUARY.--The weather still very sultry. I commenced a series of
observations with a syphon barometer (made by Bunten of Paris). The table
for expansion of mercury and mean dilatation of glass, sent me by my
friend Captain P. P. King, came but to 88 deg. of Fahrenheit, whereas at 4
P.M., the centigrade thermometer stood at 441/2 deg., which is equal to 112 deg. of
Fahrenheit.
This day I was apprised of Piper's intention to leave the party, taking
with him the two younger and more useful natives. He had recently made
some very unreasonable demands. It was now obvious from various sayings
and doings thus brought to my recollection, that he had never any serious
intention of accompanying this expedition throughout its progress. The
services of other more intelligent natives might easily have been
obtained, having been proffered by many in the settled districts, but
Piper from having been with me before, was preferred as a matter of
course. He had not improved in speech or manners during the long interval
of ten years that had elapsed since our former acquaintance, although
during that time he had visited Adelaide, Sydney, Moreton Bay, the river
Hunter, etc., etc. From the day on which he had joined the party on this
last occasion, he had been allowed a horse, saddle, doublebarrelled gun,
clothing, and the same rations as the other men, blankets, place in a
tent with the men, etc. Unlike most other natives, he was a very bad
shot, and very awkward about a horse; it was impossible to obtain any
clear intelligence from his countrymen through him as interpreter; he
went very unwillingly about doing anything. He had drawn his rations and
those of the two young natives separately from the men's mess the week
before this, on the plea that they did not obtain their fair share; he
was thus premeditately preparing for his clandestine departure,
foreseeing that on the Saturday, when rations were issued, he could thus
obtain a week's provisions in advance, without suspicion. He also had it
in his power, like a true savage, to take the lion's share from the other
two, in thus drawing rations apart from the men's mess. He had heard of
the gins who had made the conflagration having retired towards the
cattle-stations on the Macquarie. Here, then, while other men were
actively at their work,--blacksmiths, carpenters, bullock-drivers,--this
man, who was as well fed and clothed as they, carried on a horse to boot,
and doing no work, was the only dissatisfied person. Me, whom he called
his "old master," he would heartlessly leave, without a native guide,
just at the time when such guides were most required. The only difficulty
I felt on this occasion was how to secure the services of the two others,
and yet dismiss him. He had just received a week's ration in advance, and
he was baking the whole of the flour into bread. I sent to have him
instantly seized, and brought with the dough and the other native,
Yuranigh, before Mr. Kennedy and myself, as magistrates. He denied the
intention to decamp. The other declared he had proposed to him to leave
the party and go in search of gins, and that he could not understand him;
that he was afraid to accompany Piper in a country so far from his own
home (Buree). On this I ordered Piper to be sent to Bathurst, and the
rations he was about to carry off, to be given to the other two, and that
he should be kept apart from them during the night. Thermometer at
sunrise, 85 deg.; at noon, 111 deg.; at 4 P.M., 112 deg.; at 9, 101 deg.;--with wet bulb,
78 deg..
1ST FEBRUARY.--This morning Piper was sent off with Corporal Graham. Mr.
Kennedy rode on also in order to find out the nearest police station, and
make arrangements, if possible, there, for forwarding Piper to Bathurst,
his own district, which would put it out of his power to molest the party
by endeavouring to induce the other natives to leave it. On them this
measure appeared to have a salutary effect, Yuranigh calmly observing
that Piper had only himself to blame for what had befallen him, and that
he had acted like a fool. Mr. Kennedy undertook also to obtain, if he
could, some more kangaroo dogs to replace those which had died from
excessive heat. By that loss our party was left almost without dogs; and
dogs were useful not only to kill kangaroos and emus, but to afford
protection from, or to give notice of, nightly attacks by the natives, in
which attacks those on that part of the Darling we were approaching, had
been rather too successful against various armed parties of whites.
Thermometer at sunrise, 88 deg.; at noon, 104 deg.; at 4 P.M., 106 deg.; at 9 P.M.,
88 deg.;--with wet bulb, 76 deg..
2ND FEBRUARY.--The setting sun descended on a blue stratus cloud which
appeared along the edge of all other parts of the horizon, and eagerly
watching any indication of a change, I drew even from this a presage of
rain. Thermometer at sunrise, 88 deg.; at noon, 104 deg.; at 4 P.M., 106; at 9,
88 deg.;--with wet bulb, 72 deg..
3RD FEBRUARY.--High winds whistled among the trees this morning, and dark
clouds of stratus appeared in the sky. A substantial shower fell about 9
A.M., and the horizon was gradually shut in by clouds of nimbus. The high
wind had blown steadily from north both yesterday and this morning, and
in the same quarter a thunder cloud seemed busy. But when the rain began
to fall, the wind shifted to the S.W., from which quarter the rain seemed
to come. With it came a very peculiar smell, which I had noticed near
Mount Arapiles in 1836, about the time of the commencement of the rainy
weather there; and nothing could have been more welcome to us now, than
the prospect of rain, and the decided change in the temperature from 115 deg.
to 73 deg.. This was almost the first day during a month in which the air had
not been warmer than our blood; often had it been greater than fever
heat, so that 73 deg. felt to us as cool as 50 deg. would have been to a resident
of Sydney. Much rain did not fall at our camp, but it seemed that rain
was falling about the sources of the Bogan and other places at which a
supply of water was indispensable to enable us to proceed. At sunset,
glimpses of a clear sky appeared about the horizon, and during the night
the moon and stars came forth, and destroyed all hopes of more rain. We
were thankful, however, for the relief afforded by what had fallen, which
had lowered the temperature about 40 degrees, and enabled us to enjoy a
night of refreshing rest. Thermometer at sunrise, 85 deg.; at noon, 80 deg.; at 4
P.M., 73 deg.; at 9, 68 deg.;--with wet bulb, 67 deg..
4TH FEBRUARY.--The morning dawned in a most serene sky, with refreshing
breezes from the south, and the thermometer at 61 deg.. This day we had
completed the repair of the wheels of half the drays. Many of the tire-
rings had been cut, rewelded, and again fixed and bolted on the wheels;
the wood of these having contracted so much in the intense heat, as to
have rendered these repairs indispensable. The same repairs were required
by the wheels of the remaining drays and those of the light carts, and
the smith and wheelwright continued their work with activity and zeal.
Meanwhile the cattle were daily regaining strength and vigour for another
effort. Thermometer at sunrise, 61 deg.; at noon, 89 deg.; at 4 P.M., 89 deg.; at 9,
72 deg.;--with wet bulb, 62 deg..
5TH FEBRUARY.--This morning the mercurial column stood higher than I had
yet observed it here, and clouds of cirrus lay in long streaks across the
sky, ranging from east to west, but these were most abundant towards the
northern horizon. The day was comparatively cool and pleasant, the
thermometer never having risen above 96 deg.. By 6 P.M., the barometer had
fallen nearly four millimetres, and even upon this apparently trivial
circumstance, I could build some hope of rain; such was my anxiety for a
change of weather at that time, when the earth was so parched as not only
to preclude our travelling, but almost to deprive us of sight.
Thermometer at sunrise, 60 deg.; at noon, 94 deg.; at 4 P.M., 96 deg.; at 9, 73 deg.;
with wet bulb, 64 deg..
6TH FEBRUARY.--Dark stratus-shaped clouds wholly covered the sky, and
shut out the sun, to my unspeakable delight. A most decided change seemed
to have taken place; still the barometer remained as low as on the
previous evening. A slight breeze from south-east changed to north, and
at about 7 A.M. the rain began to fall. Clouds of nimbus closed on the
woody horizon, and we had a day of rain. In the evening the barometer had
fallen still lower, and it was probable that the rain might continue
through the night. Range of thermometer from 74 deg. to 72 deg..
7TH FEBRUARY.--Some heavy showers fell during the night, and the
mercurial column stood exactly at the same point as on the last evening.
About 10 A.M. a very heavy shower fell, after which the sun broke
through, and the mass of vapour separated into vast clouds of nimbus.
Much rain seemed to be still falling in the east, where the Macquarie,
Bogan, and other rivers had their sources. At noon, the barometer had
risen one millimetre. The rain had penetrated the clay soil of the plains
about five inches.
Mr. Kennedy returned in the afternoon, having duly provided for Piper's
conveyance by the mounted police to Bathurst, and brought back a good
bull-dog, and also some useful information respecting the various water-
courses, and the river Macquarie, which he had gathered from the natives
about the stations along the banks of that river. Thermometer at sunrise,
74 deg.; at noon, 86 deg.; at 4 P.M., 90 deg.; at 9, 80 deg.;--with wet bulb, 75 deg..
8TH FEBRUARY.--The moisture recently imbibed by the earth and air made us
much more sensible of the high temperature in which we had been living,
although it had been reduced by the late rains. The night air,
especially, breathed no refreshing coolness as heretofore during the dry
heat. The drier earth below seemed to be steaming the wet soil above it
(as Brown, our cook, justly observed). Thermometer at sunrise, 80 deg.; at
noon, 96 deg.; at 4 P.M., 95 deg.; at 9, 80 deg.;--with wet bulb, 75 deg..