The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888

pedition-Landed at Bernier Island, in Shark's Bay, with three whale-boats-Cross to borne Island-Violent storm-Discovery of the Gascoyne-Return to Bernier Island-Find their CACHé of provisions destroye

s to reach the head of the Great Australian Bight-Loss of horses-Barren and scrubby country-Final determination to send back most of the party- Starts with overseer and three native

; an experience that, under an older leader might have made him a most serviceable man, but, otherwise, scarcely deserved the stress that Grey laid upon his acquisition. Most of the equipment was procured at the Cape of Good Hope, where a small vessel-the LYNHER-was chartered, and the landing-place in Australia was at Hanover Bay, on the extreme north-west coast, near the mouth of the Prince Regent's River; though, why this particular point was chosen, does not appear quite clear. Being becalmed a short distance from Hanover Bay, the foolish impetuosity of the young explor

ith twenty-six half-broken Timor ponies as a baggage train, and some sheep and goats. The rainy season had set in, and the stock began to die almost before they had well started, added to which, the party were enta

t Mitchell had already usurped the name. The adventurers followed the course of this river upward, traversing good country, well grassed and timbered, so far as their limited experience allowed them to

s range they discovered some curious paintings and drawings in the caves scattered amongst the rocks, also a head in profile cut in the face of a sandstone rock. [See Appendix.] Unable to find a pass through the mountains,

ouring Port George the Fourth. Thus ended the first expedition; toil, danger, and hardships having been incurred for little or no purpose, the discovery of the Glenelg River

he Governor, to continue his explorations; no vessel being available, he had to wait some time befor

er was to land them and their boats at Shark's Bay, or on one of the islands: there they intended to form a dep?t. After examining the bay, and making such incursions inlan

and at once their troubles commenced. The whaler sailed away taking with her, by an oversight, their whole supply of tobacco; there was no water on the island, and on the first attempt to

g damages, and then they made the mainla

age, that he believed he had discovered a great lake studded with islands; in company with three of his men he started on a weary tramp after the constantly shifting vision, needless to say without reaching it. Returning to the boats they found themselves prisoners for a time, until the wind dropped and the surf abated a little, and here they had to remain for a week sick, hungry and weary, and at one time threatened and at

had a surf-beaten shore to coast along, and no food of any sort worth mentioni

er boat too received such great damage that it was impossible to repair either of them. Nothing was now left, but to walk to Perth, and so wearied had the men become of fighting with the wind and sea, that

hed Perth after terrible suffering and privation, and a relief party was at once sent out, but they only found one man, who had left the others, thinking they were travelling too slow. Meanwhile, Walker, the second in charge, had come into Perth, and related that, being the strongest, he had pushed on in order to get relief sent back to the remainder. Another party, under Surveyor-General Roe, left in search, and after some trouble in tracking the erratic

ttle more than the fact that they were there, having neither strength nor resources to follow them up and determine their courses. Grey claims the discovery of the Gascoyne, Murchison, Hutt, Bower, Buller, Chapman, Greenough, Irwin, Arrowsmith, and Smith Rivers. This disastrous journey may be said to have concluded his services to Australia as

precaution, show plainly that enthusiasm, courage, and a generous spirit of self-sacrifice are not the

therefore directed to examine the coast and see if any of the rivers had navigable entrances. Mr. Moore, after whom the Moore River was named, was on board of the vessel, but no entrance was effected, although the part

sooner reached from Adelaide than from Sydney, the former town became the poin

ied on throughout the rapidly-rising district south and east of the Murray. Some of these were undertaken in quest of new runs, others in order

arious trips from New South Wales to Port Phillip, and from thence to Adelaide, and many minor discoveries were the result of those journeys. The he outflow and courses of rivers being determined, and the speculations of their

obably turn out to be the Lindsay junction of Sturt. From Mitchell's furthest point he traced it some considerable distance to the north-west, and at last found its termination in a large swampy lake, which he named Lake Hindmarsh, after the first Governor of South Australia. From this lake he found no outlet; so, leaving his cattle, and taking with him two men, he made an effort to reach the Murray. But the country was cov

e southerly and westerly course, and managed to get through in safety, but experienced grea

the country around Lake Victoria, and to the westward of the great bend. He was accompanied by Captain Sturt, then Surveyor-General of the p

urt, left town on Friday last week on an excursion to the Murray and the interio

marked by one of the fatalities that are bound to be a feature of exploration. Leaving the river they penetrated into waterless country, and the horses knocked up. Colonel Gawler and Mr. Bryan pushed back on the freshest animals, intending to bring back water for the others, but on the way Bryan

r, on this occasion she visited a newly-formed, or rather twice-formed, settlement, Port Essington. This station, after the visit by Captain Bremer, was, it will be remembered, abandoned. In 1838, its former founder, now Sir Gordon Bremer, resettled it, and the nucleus o

ves the settlement rather an imposing appearance from the water, which I imagine is the object at present a

ssary to tell the reader that it has long since passed out of existence; we

enced by Hume and Hovell sixteen years before, namely, th

stockman and a blackfellow. Making their way through the Snowy Mountains to the southward, they found a river running through fine grazing country, plains and forest, until its course brought them to a large lake;

eady known territory was called Gippsland, after Sir George Gipps, the Governor who had the disagreeable eccentricity of insisting that all the towns laid out

ds re-named by Count Strzelecki, whose titles were retained, whil

as the La Trobe, &c., had a ring

his own interests to serve, said little or nothing about the result of his journey, not wishing to be forestalled in the occupation of the country. Strzelecki, not being inte

pushed his way through to Western Port, crossing the fine rivers and rich country just found by McMillan. They had to abandon their horses and packs during the latter part of the journey, and fight their way through a dense scrub on a scanty ration of one biscuit and a slice of bacon per day. Here the count's exceeding hardihood stood them in good stead; so weaken

by Strzelecki; he traced the La Trobe and other rivers into a large lake fifty miles

ore was the outlook to be over smiling downs backed up by the fleecy-topped Alps, a scene that told of nothing but peace, prosperity, and all the riches of a bountiful soil. The way of the pioneer was, in future, to lead to the north, where the earth refused to afford him pasture for hi

sion to examine the country to the westward, as far as they could penetrate. Before this he had made an expedition to the north of Adelaide terminating at Mount Arden, an eleva

rub (mallee), and the melancholy ti-tree. It must be remembered, however, that Eyre's track bordered closely on the sea coast, and the country would, as is usual in Australia, be of a barren and inhospitable character. Westward of Streaky Bay the scrub still continued, so a dep?t was formed, and ta

le better, but still devoid of water, the party only getting through by means of the rain which lucki

able distance, I had to forego my wish to visit it. I have, however, no doubt of its being salt, from the nature of the country, and the fact of finding the water very salt in one of the creeks dra

pursued his old

rile nature of the country and the absence of watercourses being against it. Such a journey it was true might be most interesting, from a geographical point of view, showing the character of the country intervening between the two settlements, and unfolding the secrets hidden behind the lofty and singular cliffs at the head of the Great Bight, but for more immediate practical results, Eyre favoured th

Where they turned back they saw a fine valley with a running stream through the centre. This valley they named Rossitur Vale, and the stream the Mississippi, after Captain

ion with Adelaide with any degree of enthusiasm. The PERTH GAZETTE of that time, indulges

wild adventurers. What is South Australia to us? They have their self-supporting system, they have revelled in MOONSHINE long enough; and we ought not to be such fools as to be caught by a mere puffing document appointing gentlemen here to co-operate with the South Australian committee. If we wish to see them, we can soon find our way, and we require no puffing advertisements from the neighbouring colony of high-minded

being opened up with the sister colony. It must he remembered that Western Australia was a free colony, and consequently the bugbear of c

fter a breakfast at Government House, when Captain Sturt presented him with a

d continue far enough to take him out of the depressed country around Lake Torrens, and in fact, as he says, form a stepping-stone into the interior. His party was a small one for those days, consis

lack boy, made a short trip to Lake Torrens, le

sequently, was not much disappointed when he

yielded to the foot, and that below the surface the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it beca

e about fifteen or twenty miles across,

north was impossible on account of the absence of grass and water, the very rain water turning salt after lying a short time on the saline

lake of combined mud and salt; in another a desert of bare an

coria of a volcanic region, and even the natives, judging from the specimen I

om its appearance that he would find water there, but in this he was deceived. Subsisting as best they could on rain puddles on t

ruitless trip to the north-west, and although they at times discovered a few creeks with a fair amount of water in them, the 2nd of September found Eyre on the top of a small hill, that he appropriately named Mount Hopeless, gazing at the mysteriou

lly decided to abandon his intended trip to the interior, and go westward to

ted without sending to Adelaide; so he was, therefore, detained some time, and on the 24th of October started for Streaky Bay, the Governor having placed the WATERWITCH at his disposal for use in South Australian waters. A

some natives, whom they thought to induce to guide them to water; but the blacks made them understand that there was none ahead, and so Eyre found to his cost, for, still trying to discover some he reduced his horses so that it was only with the greatest difficulty, and after the loss of three of the best of them, that the party struggled back to some sandhills, where they could obtain a little brackish wate

decided on another attempt, although one would have thought the suffering his ho

ad to send the horses back, and on the 5th, making another effort from this point, only got on another seven miles. Sending the dray and horses back, Eyre, with one white man and the black boy, went on, having buried some casks of water against their return. A terribly hot day set in, which so completely exhausted the whole party, that the

ountry at the head of the Bight, which he had by this time passed, he returned to the

k), but her charter did not extend beyond the boundary of South Australia

the whole of his party back by the vessel, and push

are also astonished at his persistence in a course that, whilst inevitably entailing the greatest possible suffering on men and horses, could lead to no good nor useful result. With his small party and equipment it would at best be only a struggle for life round the coast, giving no more information than had been acquired by the

ter, and three native boys, one having come by the HERO, were left a

nd on the 25th made another departure. After passing the water where they had met the natives, they entered upon a dry and desolate tract over which they crossed in safety, but with great suffering. Once more reliev

to undergo, were so spiritless and reduced that they could travel scarcely any distance without giving in, and yet the worst was to come. For some time the black boys had been very sullen and discontented, the constant hardships and fatigue, added to what they well-knew lay before them, told upon their spiri

owing short extract from Eyre's diary on March 11th, just after a

whole extent, and at a season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five days without water, and both h

ng to the conclusion that he must have passed the water, he decided to send the horses back to the last camp for a fresh supply before venturing further on. At midnight the overseer and the natives started back, leaving Eyre to mind the baggage with the scanty allowance of six pin

n the sand drift-their seventh day out, after travelling, by Eyre's computation, one hundred and sixty miles. It was not until the 27th of

he sandhills faced the ocean, and from experience Eyre knew well

amp, Eyre took the first watch to look after the horses, as t

, and kept separating in the scrub, giving the lonely man much trouble to keep them together, and when his watch was nearly up he headed

alled out in reply, but no answer was returned; and, hastening in the direction, was met by one of the boy

death, was lying on the ground in his last agony, and as Eyre raised his faithful companion, the

ght be in league with the other two, who, perhaps were, even now, lurking about to take my life, as they had done that of the overseer. Three days had passed away since we left the last water, and it was very doubtful when we might find any more. Six hundred mi

all the baked bread, and other stores, and a keg of water. All he had left was a rifle with a ba

to stop them, had been immediately shot. His next care was to put his rifle in serviceable condition, and then as morning broke they hastened away from the fatal camp.

scene are recalled before me with frightful vividness, and make me shudder even now when I think of them. A

ar, remaining at a distance, calling out to the remaining boy (Wylie), who, however, refused to go to them. Finding himself unable to get to close quarte

reached the end of the long line of cliffs, and amongst the sand dunes

ills he encountered, Eyre proceeded on with better hopes for the future; he felt confident that

se was killed, and a supply of

rses they still had left began to pick up a little. At last, when their rations were quite exhausted, they sighted a ship at anchor in Thistle

strength, under the hospitable care of Captain Rossitur, who, it wi

essfully crossed from Port Lincoln to King George's Sound, with incredible suffering, not alone to himself, but also to his men and horses, so far as they accompani

. No fringe of low mangrove covered flats, studded with inlets and salt-water creeks, masking the entrance of a river, was here to be found. A bold outline of barren cliffs, or a clean-swept sandy shore, alone fronted the ocean, and Flinders, constantly on the alert as he always was for anything approaching an outlet or river mouth, would scarcely have missed one here. As for any knowledge of the interior that was gained, of course there was none, even the conjectures of a worn out, starving man, picking his way painfully around

is experience and knowledge of the natives was of great service. When Sturt started on his memorable trip to the central deser

ife he was appointed their protector on the Murray, at the time when the continual skirmis

in and again, in efforts to keep peace between the rival races. The blacks of the Murray Bend were always nota