Aimed at the casuall reader or the serious student or historian, Australian Explorers presents the journals of several great explorers of the Australian continent.
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JOURNAL OF MR. STUART'S FIFTH EXPEDITION. FROM NOVEMBER, 1860, TO SEPTEMBER, 1861.
Sunday, 28th April, Tomkinson Creek. Sent Thring down to examine and see how the creek runs. I have named it after S. Tomkinson, Esquire, Manager of the Bank of Australasia, at Adelaide. We have found many new plants and flowers, also some trees, one of which grows to a considerable size, the largest being about a foot in diameter. The fruit is about the size and colour, and has the appearance of plums; the bark is of a grey colour; the foliage oval, and dark-green. Another is more of a bush, and has a very peculiar appearance; the seed vessel is about the size of an orange, but more pointed. When ripe it opens into four divisions, which look exactly like honeycomb inside, and in which the seeds are contained; they are about the size of a nut, the outside being very hard. The natives roast and eat them. The leaves resemble the mulberry, and are of a downy light-green. We have obtained a few of the seeds of it. The bean-tree does not seem to grow up here. Mr. Kekwick, in looking for plants this morning, discovered one which very much resembles wheat in straw (which is very tough), ear, and seed. It grows two feet high. The seed is small, but very much like wheat both in shape and colour. At about 3 p.m. Thring returned, having run the creek out into a large grassy plain. The course of this creek is west-north-west for about nine miles; it then turns to west, and empties itself into the plain. There is plenty of water about, but where it empties itself it becomes quite dry. The native companion, the emu, and the sacred ibis are on this creek. The country is splendidly grassed. We have got to the north side of the Whittington range. I shall have to leave my two done-up horses here, and will get them when I return. The hills and rocks are of the same description as the first part of the range. Wind, south. Sun hot, but the nights and mornings are very cold.
Monday, 29th April, Tomkinson Creek. Had a late start this morning in consequence of my having to take a lunar observation. Started at 10.30 a.m. At 2.10 p.m. reached the top of a high hill; from this we could see a gum creek. Started at 2.30 to examine it; found water, and camped at 4. I have named the hill Mount Primrose, after John Primrose, Esquire, of North Adelaide. This water will last us six or eight weeks. The country passed to-day has been mostly stony rises of the same description as the other parts of the range. The valleys have a light sandy soil, nearly all with spinifex and scrub. The view from the top of Mount Primrose is not extensive, except to the west and south-west, which appears to be thick wood or scrub. Near the top we met with the Eucalyptus Dumosa. Wind, south-east. Latitude, 18 degrees 25 minutes.
Tuesday, 30th April, Carruthers Creek. The creek in which we are now camped I have named Carruthers Creek, after John Carruthers, Esquire, of North Adelaide. Started at 8.50 a.m. At 1.50 p.m. found a creek running from the range, with a splendid hole of permanent water situated under a cliff, where the creek leaves the range; it is very deep, with a rocky bottom. From the top of the range the country seems to be very thick, which I am afraid is scrub; no high hills visible. To the north of this the range appears to cease; I wish it had continued for another sixty miles. The country passed to-day has been stony rises coming from the range, very rough and rocky indeed. My horses' shoes are nearly all gone; I am obliged to let some go without--they have felt the last four rough days very much. Spinifex, scrub, and stunted gums all the day, with occasionally a few tufts of grass; this is very poor country indeed. Smoke of native fires still in south-east. The hills of the same formation as those we first came upon in entering the ranges from Attack Creek. I have named this creek Hunter Creek, after Mr. Hunter, of Messrs. Hunter, Stevenson, and Co., of Adelaide. Camped. The horses seem very tired. Wind, east. Latitude, 18 degrees 17 minutes.
Wednesday, 1st May, Hunter Creek. Started at 8 a.m., course, 305 degrees. At 8.45 crossed the Hunter going south-west; it came round again and continued crossing our course thirteen times in nine miles, after which it was lost in a large grassy and gum plain. At 5.15 camped. The plain in which the creek loses itself bears south-west; the banks are beautifully grassed, but about a mile on either side the soil is sandy, with spinifex and scrub, which continued for nine miles; we then entered upon a scrub and grassy plain. Here I noticed a new and very beautiful tree--in some instances a foot in diameter--with drooping branches. Its bark was grey and rough, and it had a small dark-green leaf, shaped like a butterfly's wing. Not finding a creek, nor the least indication of a watercourse, and the scrub becoming very thick, I changed to north, to see if I could find any water; but at three miles we lost the gums, the new tree taking their place, and becoming very thick scrub with plenty of grass, but no signs of a watercourse. I again changed to east in the hope of cutting one in that direction. At one mile and a half again came upon small gums; and at three miles, seeing neither creek nor any hope of getting water, camped. The horses very tired. Wind light from west-north-west. Latitude, 18 degrees 3 minutes 19 seconds.
Thursday, 2nd May, Large Scrubby and Grassy Plain. Started at 10 a.m. in consequence of some of the horses having strayed a long way to the east during the night; course, 143 degrees 30 minutes, back to Hunter Creek. I have taken a different course to see if there is any creek that supplies this plain with water. For about nine miles we passed over a splendidly grassed plain, with gum-trees, the new tree, and a number of all sorts of bushes. One part for about three miles is subject to inundation, and the Eucalyptus Dumosa grows thickly on it. We then passed over about two miles of spinifex and grass, and again entered the grassy plain, which continued to Hunter Creek. During the whole day we have not seen the shadow of a creek or watercourse. If there had been any sign of a watercourse, or if I could have seen any rising ground near our course, I would have gone on another day. I sent Wall to the top of the highest tree to see if there was anything within view; he could see nothing but the same description of plain. If my horses can travel to-morrow, I will try a course to the north, and run down the creek, to see if there is one that will lead me through this plain. If I could get to some rising ground, I think I should be all right; but there is none visible except the end of the range, which is lost sight of to the north-east. Wind again south-east, with a few clouds. Latitude, 18 degrees 13 minutes 40 seconds.
