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_____________________________________________________________________________________ PRG 180/1/3-5 Camping out expeditions Henry Hammond Tilbrook This item is out of copyright. The covers of Volumes 3-5 are a marbled dark blue. The spine of Volume 3 is black, while the spines of Volume 4 and Volume 5 are navy. Volume 4 starts on page 62 and volume 5 on 124. A series of three lines – – – usually indicates time has passed, substituting crosses.. PRG 180/1/3 Camping out expeditions Henry Hammond Tilbrook Transcribed by H. Davies, volunteer at the State Library of South Australia, 2017 CAMPING-OUT EXPEDITIONS. BY HENRY HAMMOND TILBROOK, EAST ADELAIDE, SA. SERIES B. BOOK 1 [written on both the outside and the inside of the cover] ‘Lives of small men all remind us, We can write our lives ourselves, And, departing, leave behind us Some fat volumes on the shelves.’ Per Longfellow. In the lives of most men there’s a tale to unfold Which it is selfish to keep to themselves. They should take up the pen, ere getting too old, And some fat volumes leave for our shelves’. H.H.T. BOOK 1 – Series B. TRIP 1. – FAR NORTH. – 1889. By H.H. Tilbrook. In the spring of 1889, Mr Fred Lester and I – H.H. Tilbrook – made up our minds to try and get us each a rug of Euro skins. Kangaroos had been almost annihilated for hundreds of miles around, and the question was, Where was a hunting-ground to be found within a reasonable distance which would give us the slightest chance of success? We had to start from Clare, 90 miles north of Adelaide. To obtain skins enough within three weeks to make two rugs was really a large order. I am not going to anticipate, but will go on with the narrative. I knew a spot far far away where I thought the agile Euro still existed. It was three hundred and fifty miles north of Adelaide, and some two hundred and seventy miles from Clare. Having perfected our arrangements with a settler at Uroonda, some twenty-five miles N.E. of Carrieton, for a pair of horses and a trap to serve us throughout our three weeks’ journey:- Page 2 CLARE TO CARRIETON AND UROONDA We left Clare at 8 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2nd, 1889. I at that time was forty-one years of age, and Mr Lester twenty six years. We had previously packed our luggage, tent, provisions, and ammunition, to take with us on the train. My friend had ten pounds weight of spare bullets! He was evidently an optimist! We journeyed to Farrell’s Flat in Mr L’s buggy, drawn by Mr Ure’s horse. The distance was twelve miles. I paid Mr L. my fare – 3/6 to the Flat, to ease his pocket, as I would have had to pay out PRG 180/1/3-5 Tilbrook Camping out expeditions transcript Page 1 of 171 _____________________________________________________________________________________ that sum had I proceeded by mailcoach. Mrs Lester was with us. She was to travel in our company as far as Petersburg. There we were to part – she to Cockburn to a Mr Peacke’s, the Border Custom-House officer there, and we for Carrieton en route to our hunting-grounds. We started from Clare rather late, but had a pleasant ride to F.F. Railway Station, where we arrived in good time. Putting the horse and trap in O’Leary’s yard, preparatory to the former being paddocked for three weeks, we sped on our journey. Bidding adieu to Mrs L. at Petersburg, we continued on our way, and towards evening found ourselves at Carrieton, having accomplished a train journey of one hundred and eleven miles. Page 3 The difference in the rates of speed on the broad and the narrow guages was very marked. The traveller had to summon all his stock of patience while patronising the latter. Indeed I was much afraid that some ancient and dilapidated cow might come upon us from the rear, take advantage of our defencelessness, run us off the track, and then leisurely feed upon our bones. We saw a few bovines of the wild-eyed sex which evidently had such intention; but, fortunately for us, they did not put these terrible plans into execution. I did think of asking my friend L. to bring forth his gun and his rifle – he had both – while I got out my combined Greener hammerless breech-loading gun and rifle, and take his station with me at the rear of the carriage, and thus resist any onslaught that might be made upon the train. But, luckily, that was not required. The cows, mostly, deigned hardly to notice us! But I think if the Railway Commissioners – there were three then – had shifted the ‘cow-catchers’ from the front of the engines to the back of the last carriages they would have caught more cows. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant ride on that portion of the Northern Railway. Upon Ulooloo I gazed with interest, for it was over that spot that I had tramped many long years before. Black Rock, to, reminded me of my long journey with Page 4 sheep across what was then open pastoral country, but now fenced off in sections and given over to agriculture. Towards Carrieton there were indications that we were fringing the inland desert. It was partly agricultural, but mostly pastoral, land, divided into big paddocks. The township of Carrieton, actually, was situated a little west of framed Yednalue. At Carrieton we expected to have a good deal of trouble in getting to our destination – which was Mr Solly’s homestead at Uroonda, some twenty-five miles from the railway station, in a north-easterly direction. We had arranged with Mr Solly to meet us at Carrieton with his horses and trap on that very day. But he had telegraphed that it was raining, and asked us to put off the beginning of our trip for two days. This was obviously impossible, as my companion’s leave from his business was for three weeks and two days only. Consequently we expected that we should have to take the mailcoach to Cradock – a distance of thirty miles – and then try and get to the farm, eleven miles south-easterly, from there. Upon getting out of the train at Carrieton, we were, therefore agreeably surprised to find our intended host there, rigged out in all the glory and cockiness of a full-blown private of the Mounted Infantry, V.M.F.! And right well these athletic farmers Page 5. PRG 180/1/3-5 Tilbrook Camping out expeditions transcript Page 2 of 171 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Looked in their smart and tasteful uniforms.! Since then khaki has become the order of the day owing to its inconspicuousness. The surprise of the meeting was mutual! Whether the pleasure was mutual or not, who can say? Our friend had come in to drill and to shoot a Martini-Henry match at the rifle range. We were satisfied, and about dark he had to take us aboard his very primitive four-wheeler. Carrieton Railway Station is one and three-quarter miles from Carrieton township. When we arrived, the publican’s trap was at the Railway Station. We were told to put our things in it, and jump up ourselves. I asked the publican what we had to pay. ‘Nothing’, said he, in a kindly tone, placing his hand affectionately on my shoulder; ‘but tea will be ready in a few minutes.’ Although I wished to be off at once, for we had a long way to go, and it was getting dark, what could we do but let this good-natured fellow have his reward? The tea, which was rather tardy in making its appearance, cost us 2/- each, and I would much rather have paid the two shillings for the ride to the township and made an earlier start. But the others had to be considered. Our total wait at the township was quite two hours. At dusk we made a start. We had no light on the trap. Page 6 There was no road – only a track. The ground was of so dark a color that it was invisible to us from our seats. At the various creeks a brace of white posts was planted on either bank. If we went between them into the creek and up the other bank, all was lovely! Our driver hit the right spot every time. Nevertheless, he could not see where he was going any more than we could. He just trusted to his horses. All the track was not the same. In some parts there were fences. No stranger could travel over that part in the dark. It was a cold frosty night. After travelling twenty-five miles, we arrived a Mr Solly’s farm at 10 p.m. That was at Uroonda. Farmers’ wives are not generally a nervous class. Upon our arrival, we saw Mrs S. through the window, blinds up, engaged in her domestic duties, her two children – girls – around her. We received a hearty welcome from her, and after another tea – or, shall we call it supper? – turned in to our blankets in a galvanized-iron leanto adjoining the house. The latter consisted of two rooms built of stone. Total distance travelled that day: – To Farrell’s Flat 12 miles Bt fwd 125 miles To Carrieton 111 miles To Uroonda 25 miles To Township 2 Total 150 miles Page 7 Before turning in to my improvised bed, I wrote a few lines to my darling wife, Marianne, for posting next day at Cradock.

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