Journal of an overland expedition in Australia From Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 Leichhardt, Ludwig (1813-1848) University of Sydney Library Sydney 2002 http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/ozlit © University of Sydney Library. The texts and Images are not to be used for commercial purposes without permission Source Text: Prepared from the print edition published by T. and W. Boone London 1847 All quotation marks are retained as data. First Published: 1847 F4571 Australian Etexts 1840-1869 prose nonfiction exploration and explorers (land) Journal of an overland expedition in Australia From Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 by “Die Götter brauchen manchen guten Mann Zu ihrem Dienst auf dieser weiten Erde.” GOETHE, Iph. auf Taurus. London T. and W. Boone 1847 Preface. IN preparing this volume for the press, I have been under the greatest obligations to Captain P. P. King, R. N., an officer whose researches have added so much to the geography of Australia. This gentleman has not only corrected my manuscript, but has added notes, the value of which will be appreciated by all who consider the opportunities he has had of obtaining the most correct information upon these subjects, during his surveys of the coasts parallel to my track. To S. A. Perry, Esq., Deputy Surveyor General, I am extremely indebted for the assiduous labour he has bestowed in draughting my map. I shall ever remember the friendly interest he expressed and the courteous attention with which he listened to the details of my journey. From the Rev. W. B. Clarke, in addition to the unvaried kindness he has evinced towards me since my arrival in Australia, I have received every assistance which his high scientific acquirements enabled him to give. I take this opportunity of publicly expressing my most sincere thanks to these gentlemen, for the generous assistance they have afforded me on this occasion, and for the warm interest which they have been kind enough to take in the success of my approaching enterprise. LUDWIG LEICHHARDT. SYDNEY, September 29th, 1846. Contents INTRODUCTION. PAGE Origin of the Expadition—Party formed—Leave Sydney for Brisbane— Party enlarged—Outfit and xi Stores CHAPTER I. Leave the last Station—Fossil Remains—Darling Downs—Enter the Wilderness—Waterloo 1 Plains—The Condamine—Heavy rains— Charley's misconduct—Murphy and Caleb lost—Kent's Lagoon— Coal—Murphy and Caleb found again CHAPTER II. Party reduced by the return of Mr. Hodgson and Caleb—Meet friendly Natives—Native tomb—The 26 Dawson—Vervain Plains—Gilbert's Range—Lynd's Range—Robinson's Creek—Murphy's Lake— Mountainous Country—Expedition Range—Mount Nicholson—Aldis's Peak—The Boyd CHAPTER III. Ruined Castle Creek—Zamia Creek—Bigge's Mountain—Allowance of flour reduced—Natives 57 spear a horse—Christmas Ranges—Brown's Lagoons—Thunder-storms—Albinia Downs—Comet Creek—Native camp CHAPTER IV. Swarms of cockatoos—Allowance of Hour further reduced—Native family—The Mackenzie— 93 Coal—Natives speaking a different idiom —Mount Stewart—Brown and myself miss the way back to the camp —Find our party again, on the fourth day—Neuman's Creek— Roper's Peak—Calvert's Peak—Gilbert's Dome—Great want of water CHAPTER V. Difference of soil as to moisture—Phillips's Mountain—Allowance of flour reduced again—Hughs's 133 Creek—Tombstone Creek—Charley and Brown become unruly—The Isaacs—Native women— Coxen's Peak and Range—Geological character—Charley rebels again and leaves—Brown follows him—Both return penitent—Varistions of the weather—Skull of native—Friendly natives visit the camp CHAPTER VI. Heads of the Isaacs—The Suttor—Flint-rock—Indications of water— Dinner of the natives 170 appropriated by us—Easter Sunday—Alarm of an old woman—Natives speaking a language entirely unknown to Charley and Brown—A barter with them—Mount M'Connel CHAPTER VII. The Burdekin—Transition from the depository to the primitive rocks— Thacker's Range—Wild 199 figs—Geological remarks—The Clarke—The Perry CHAPTER VIII. Brown and Charley quarrel—Night watch—Routine of our daily life, and habits of the members of 231 the party—Mount Lang—Streams of lava—A horse breaks his leg, is killed and eaten—Native tribe—Mr. Roper's accident—Whitsunday—Big Ant-hill Creek—Deprived of water for fifty hours—Friendly natives—Separation Creek—The Lynd—Pyschological effects of a sojourn in the wilderness—Native camp—Salt exhausted CHAPTER IX. The starry heavens—Substitute for coffee—Sawfish—Two-storied gunyas of the natives—The 277 Mitchell—Murphy's pony poisoned— Green tree-ant—New beverage—Crocodile—Audacity of kites— Natives not friendly—The camp attacked at night by them— Messrs. Roper and Calvert wounded, and Mr. Gilbert killed CHAPTER X. Indications of the neighbourhood of the sea—Natives much more numerous—The sea; the Gulf of 313 Carpentaria—The Staaten—A native intrudes into the camp—The Van Diemen—The Gilbert— Singular native huts—Caron River—Friendly natives—The Yappar —Mr. Calvert recovered— Mode of encampment—Swarms of flies— Abundance of salt—Natives friendly, and more intelligent CHAPTER XI. Systematic grass burnings of the natives—Native carving—Audacity of the natives overawed—The 353 Albert, or Maet Suyker—Native mode of making sure of a dead emu—Bullock bogged; obliged to kill it— Native device for taking emus—Beames's Brook—The Nicholson —Reconnoitre by night—Smith's Creek—The Marlow CHAPTER XII. Heaps of oyster-shells—False alarm of a native in the camp—Turner's Creek—Wentworth's 383 Creek—Journals lost; found again—The Van Alphen—Importance of tea—Choice of bullocks for an expedition— Choice of a dog—The Calvert—The Abel Tasman—Glucking-bird again— Discover a mode of using the fruit of the Pandanus— Seven Emu River—Crocodile—The Robinson—Shoal of porpoises —Native method of preparing the fruit of the Pandanus and Cycas for food—Mr. Roper convalescent—Wear and tear of clothes—Succeed in dressing the seeds of Sterculia—The Macarthur—Friendly parley with circumcised natives—Store of tea exhausted— Medical property of the Grevillea discovered CHAPTER XIII. Cape Maria—Obliged to leave a portion of our collection of Natural History—Limmen Bight 423 River—Habits of water birds—Native fishtrap—The Four Archers—The Wickham—The dog dies—Immense number of ducks and geese—The Roper—Three horses drowned— Obliged to leave a portion of my Botanical collection—More intercourse with friendly natives, circumcised— Hodgson's Creek—The Wilton—Another horse drowned—Anxiety about our cattle—An attack on the camp frustrated—Boils—Basalt again—Injurious effects of the seeds of an Acacia CHAPTER XIV. Interview with a Native—Distressing heat—A horse staked: it dies— Myriads of Flying-foxes— 463 Magnificent valley—Friendly natives— Shot exhausted—Instinct of bullocks—South Alligator River— Friendly Natives with an English handkerchief, and acquainted with fire-arms—Their language—Mirage CHAPTER XV. Joy at meeting natives speaking some English—They are very friendly —Allamurr—Discernment 500 of native sincerity—East Alligator River —Clouds of dust mistaken for smoke—Impatience to reach the end of the journey—Natives still more intelligent—Nyuall—Buffaloes; source from which they sprung—Native guides engaged; but they desert us—Mount Morris Bay—Raffles Bay—Leave the packhorse and bullock behind—Bill White—Arrive at Port Essington—Voyage to Sydney APPENDIX. Letter from the Colonial Secretary to Dr. Leichhardt 538 The Leichhardt Testimonial 539 LIST OF PLATES. Lagoon near South Alligator River FRONTISPIECE. Portraits of “Charley” and “Harry Brown” to face page 14 Mount Nicholson, Expedition Range, &c. 51 Peak Range to face page 124 Red Mountain 125 Fletcher's Awl, &c. 137 Campbell's Peak 138 Mount M'Connel 198 Ranges seen from a granitic hill between second and third camp at the Burdekin to face page 203 Robey's Range 204 Ranges from the camp at the Burdekin, 20th April to face page 223 Grasshopper 481 View near South Alligator River to face page 488 Victoria Square, Port Essington to face page 536 N.B. A large 3-sheet Map by J. Arrowsmith, explanatory of Dr. Leichhardt's Route, is published, and to be had separately, in a case. Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia Introduction ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION—PARTY FORMED—LEAVE SYDNEY FOR BRISBANE—PARTY ENLARGED—OUTFIT AND STORES. ON my return to Moreton Bay, from an exploratory journey in the country northward of that district, which had occupied me for two years, I found that the subject of an overland expedition to Port Essington on the North Coast of Australia, was occupying much attention, as well on the part of the public as on that of the Legislative Council, which had earnestly recommended the appropriation of a sum of money to the amount of £1000, for the equipment of an expedition under Sir Thomas Mitchell, to accomplish this highly interesting object. Some delay was, however, caused by the necessity of communicating with the Secretary of State for the Colonies; and in the mean time it was understood that Captain Sturt was preparing to start from Adelaide to proceed across the Continent. From the experience which I had gained during my two years' journeyings, both in surmounting the difficulties of travelling through a broken mountainous country, and in enduring privations of every sort, “I was inspired with the desire of attempting it,” provided I could be assisted in the expense that would necessarily be incurred for the outfit, and could find a few companions who would be contented with animal food, and willingly and patiently submit to the privation of flour, tea, and sugar, and resign themselves to my guidance.