The Disappearance of Henry Bryan Trail Brochure outlining the 1839 Mt Bryan Expedition was created to commemorate the 170th Disappearance of Anniversary of the Mt Bryan Expedition’s arrival at Nor’ West Bend, Morgan on 10th December, 1839. Henry BryanTrail Special thanks to Graeme McVitty, Museum and those who have assisted with this project. 1839 MT BRYAN EXPEDITION This Brochure was produced by Mid Murray Council in conjunction with the Morgan Community Development and Tourism Association. Take the path of the 1839 expedition party led by Governor Gawler from Morgan to Mt Bryan.

A journey of discovery that ended in tragedy with the mysterious disappearance of one of its expedition members - a young man from England, Henry Bryan.

The trail will lead you on the expedition’s land adventure around Morgan and where it is believed to be the sites of Henry’s last known whereabouts.

Expedition campsite at Nor’ West Bend, Morgan

Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia. SLSA:zi4235614_01_65, angle of the Murray. Colonel Gawler’s camp. (From Sturt, Charles Narrative of an expedition into central Australia vol. 1 page 65. London, T & W Boone, 1849). The 1839 Mt Bryan Expedition Governor’s carriage which would have but that I recommended South South East from him, left under his saddle, declared made a grand and amazing spectacle as it was better to strike the river below intention of going South South East and Lt. Col. George Gawler, Governor of as they departed en route to Currency the Bend than above it and after remaining his footmarks were traced a few paces in South Australia instructed Captain Creek. with him a quarter of an hour to eat some that direction but then ceased to be visible. Charles Sturt in early November 1839 to order an expeditionary party to explore The main party reached Currency Creek berries of the exocarpi with some bread From Monday to Thursday the greatest the land along the Murray River up on the 23rd November and departed on went on - I saw him follow me and thought exertions have been made to discover him stream and overland from the great the 26th by boat and on horseback. he might keep my horse tracks which were - Captn Sturt Mr Inman and the [tracker] very plain in the sand.” followed down his proposed course to the North West Bend. The main expedition party led by river which, notwithstanding his first Governor Gawler and Captain Charles An hour later, a hot wind in the Burra Governor Gawler had instructed Sturt deviation to the Southward, is struck about to include his daughter Julia and Mrs Sturt also included: Creek floodplain whipped up a dust seven miles below the camp - boats went Sturt with her maid servant Eliza on storm causing Gawler to collapse and • William Jonathon Samuel Pullen, take refuge at the foot of a tree and down the river and returned, for twenty the expedition to demonstrate to new Colonial Marine Surveyor decided to reach camp at daylight the miles - land parties crossed the bush in all immigrants that travel and settlement • Henry Inman, Supt. of Police next morning as his horse was failing as directions - all of them lighting fires, firing with in the colony was safe. • Arthur Gell (Gawler’s Personal well as himself however Gawler had lost shots, or placing notes of direction on trees Strong criticism was shown by the press Secretary) sight of Bryan. in prominent places. of the day as to ladies being present on • John Craig, Aide to Gawler According to trackers, Bryan continued the expedition however the Governor • Issac Hearnshaw, Aide to Gawler I never had so deep a regard for any young for about 6 miles where he removed the • Charlotte Sturt, wife of Charles Sturt man that I had known for the same length may have questioned his own judgment saddle from the horse he was leading. • Julia Gawler (15 years) Governor of time, his character, looking at it with in later days with the hardships they They found Bryan had taken a few Gawler’s daughter the severity of a Christian eye, was more encountered. steps towards the SSE and then all signs • Eliza Arbuckle (19 years) Charlotte faultless than that of any other individual The expedition made its way from vanished with the exception of a note. Sturt’s maid servant of the same age…” said Governor Gawler on 22nd November 1839 with (See note on front cover) • Local Aboriginal interpreters in his letter to his brother-in-law, Henry some on horseback and others in the • Henry Bryan, youngest son of the “On Monday Captn Sturt and Mr Inman Cox 20th December 1839. with a very intelligent native went out Reverend Guy Bryan of Woodham- Bryan’s horse eventually made its way and tracking back my tracks to the point Walter, Essex, England and house back to Adelaide with its hoofs grown to guest of the Governor. at which we parted followed his to a place enormous length. about 6 miles further on, at which he It has been reported the provisions taken also appears to have lain down under the Bryan was never seen again to this day were as follows: and has not been declared missing, exhausting effects of the heat; and most presumed dead or a death certificate 480lb of meat, pickles, 6 loaves of bread unfortunately to have parted with his horse issued. and biscuit, vinegar 2 galls, 25 lb sugar, - His track after leaving me had been much 12 lb tea, 2 bushels salt, ½ lb pepper, to the southward of the extreme course 4lb butter, flour and oatmeal, oats, rice, that I gave him - His horse with the tether spirits, 5 dozen wine, 3 best tents, 1 rope dragging after him, had here gone Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia servants tent, 1 sailor’s tent. One and SLSA: PRG 50/34/6 Junction of the Murray and lake Alexandrina half tons in total. off directly westward, while a pencil note

.1. .6. alternative remained but to press through On the 29th November 1839 Miss Julia the night for our station on the Murray. I Gawler wrote in the manuscript of her am persuaded that there were Natives and diary, “Set off from Mr Morphett’s Station water in the mountain, and had I been at 10 o’clock, and landed on the banks of the alone, I should have risked all chances to Murray at 4 o’clock. Mr Inman gave us 4 wild duck eggs. Saw snakes swimming in discover them, but I did not feel it right the water as we came along, and a very large to throw the lives of the party on such a fish, besides Cormorants, Pelicans, Ducks probability.” and other birds. Very fine day and On Friday 13th December at the eastern a fair wind.” base of Mt Bryan with all water gone On the 10th December, the party arrived and the temperatures rising, Sturt at the Great Bend at Morgan and set up recommended that Gawler and Bryan set camp at the entrance of Bryan (Burra) off on the strongest horses to seek help Creek. for the rest of the party. The party was approximately 65 miles (110 kms) from On the 11th December while the main the camp so to help close the distance of party remained at the Nor’ West Bend rescue Sturt, Inman and Craig followed a campsite, Gawler, Sturt, Inman, Craig short time later. and Bryan rode northwards to explore the country. Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia Gawler was reluctant to have Bryan Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia - SLSA: B14428 Colonel George Gawler accompany him due to his age and felt SLSA: B456 Captain Sturt At 12 noon on a small hill to the north he should go alone however he states Gawler and Bryan swapped horses east of the campsite, Gawler saw a were quite overdone. This chance of in his letter to his brother-in-law, Henry in order that Bryan could ride the mountain in the distance and named it water on Mount Bryan induced me, after Cox, 20th December 1839, “The poor boy Governor’s horse slowly for the 12 or so Mt Bryan after his young friend consultation with the gentleman of the accompanied me most cheerfully, he had miles to camp and Gawler would ride Henry Bryan. party, to go there: it was 15 miles from been resting all day and did not appear to ahead. As reported in Gawler’s account us and placed us at a distance of 65 miles suffer from the subsequent exertion. He As mentioned in Governor Gawler’s as stated in the Despatch from the from our Camp. We arrived at its lower brought me the pulpy but bitter fruit of letter to his brother-in-law Henry Cox Govenor Gawler to the Colonisation ridges long after dark. On the following the mesembryantheumum and the little dated 20 December 1839, Gawler states, Commissioners for South Australia, morning, leaving Captain Sturt and Mr berries of the exocarpi - and ate plenty of “Bryan was active, cheerful and too January 4, 1840, “While contemplating H Bryan in charge of our provisions and them himself - he made many observations intelligent for doubt to rest upon his ability the scene about us, smokes were observed packhorses, I and Mr Inman set out in about our course, appearing to recollect its to follow a compass track for 12 or 14 miles to arise on Mount Bryan. Smokes search of the Natives and water, but after striking features well, and calculated our especially in a country with which he was indicate Natives, and Natives indicate the toiling over the spurs and through the distances with much precision.” generally acquainted and has traversed neighbourhood of water. Our casks had gullies during the morning of another leaked, the bung had escaped from one of On the 14th December with the two days before - I therefore took his offer, hot day we could not find either. We them, and the consequence was that our temperature well into the century, gave him a compass, telling him that I found an extinguished Native fire and a Gawler and his horse could not proceed, considered the true course to be South East stock of water was just exhausted. ruined Native hut, but that was all, and The horses had none on that day and we returned to the party to say that no .5. .2. Mt Bryan, near Hallett via Burra Mt Bryan Approx 77km Drive along the Goyder Highway and imagine the route the explorers The Disappearance of took on horseback to Mt Bryan in search of water. Burra Follow the Heysen Trail to the mountain from the Mt Bryan East Road Henry Bryan Trail past the old Mt Bryan School. www.heysentrail.sa.gov.au. Follow the route of this amazing expedition which unfortunately ended in tragedy.

Goyder Hwy 4.8km Stone Tank Rd 13.8km Bartsch’s Hill Monument Lindley Cemetary Rd Lindley Cemetary Rd Old Redcliff Rd Old Redcliff Rd 3 Samsons WellSamsons Well Rd Rd Directional Markers This monument was erected to commemorate the 165th Anniversary of the 1839 Mt Bryan Henry Bryan Expedition and is believed this site is near Trail Monument Stone Tank Road where Governor George Gawler named a mountain in the distance Mt Bryan after his You will see two stones have Goyder Hwy been placed to portray the young friend Henry Bryan. frustration felt by Bryan and Visitation to this site is by appointment only the Govenor being so close to and subject to the availability of the private 11km11km camp, yet so far. land owners. (see map reference 3)

Bungunnia Rd Bungunnia Rd N

2 6.5km Samsons Well Road Monument This monument was erected on 14th December Controversial Rd 2004 to commemorate the 165th Anniversary of the 1839 expedition on the day Henry Bryan Burra Creek 4km 4km vanished having become separated from Governor Gawler. The sight is believed to be near where Henry Bryan Creek Renmark Bryan vanished without a trace. Historical Lookout Monument 1 The unveiling of the plaque was attended by Bryan Creek 1.2km relatives of the original expedition party. Bryan Creek Historical Morgan Lookout Monument Visit the arrival and camp site of the 1839 Mt Bryan expedition at the Bryan Creek entrance to the Murray River on the outskirts of Morgan. See the historic map outlining the explorers journey 0 2.5 5 by water, land and direction taken on their return (see map reference 1)

Kilometres