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 SECOND EXPEDITION (IN THE VICINITY OF LAKE TORRENS). APRIL TO JULY, 1859.
Tuesday, 24th May, The Douglas. Herrgott's horse in want of shoes. Could not get a start until late. Found a little more rain water in a clay-pan. If I can find no water near the range, I shall have to fall back upon Strangway Springs. I am anxious to see what is on the other side of the range, or I would run this creek down. There are numerous tracks of natives about the creek; we have also seen three fires three or four days old. Latitude, 28 degrees 45 minutes 4 seconds. Started at 12.30 on a bearing of 313 degrees for the highest point of the range east, over stony table land. The creek runs in the same direction for four miles, it then turns to the westward, and is lost sight of among some hills. At ten miles struck a stony box-tree creek; its bed was sand and gravel, but no water. At 11.30 descended from the table land, and camped at a gum creek at sundown; the bed the same as the last, and no water. There were numerous native foot-tracks here also. I am sorry I could not reach the range to-night, but we had some very bad ground to travel over, and no water.
Wednesday, 25th May, Dry Gum Creek. Examined the creek for water, but found none. Started on the same course as yesterday, 313 degrees, for the north-east highest point, which I suppose to be the Mount Margaret of Major Warburton. Native tracks seen in the creek. There may be water some distance down the creek, but here it is too sandy to retain it. At four miles struck another gum creek in turning round the south side of the range; it was of the same description as the others, too sandy to hold water. Proceeded towards the highest point of the range, and obtained an observation of the sun within a mile and a half of the mount. Left the horses in charge of Muller and ascended the mount, which was very difficult; it took us an hour to go up, and three-quarters of an hour to come down. The hill is composed of a greenish slate, lying horizontally at the base, and courses of quartz and granite, with ironstone; but I can see nothing of Major Warburton's quartz cliffs; they must be more to the south-west. The range has a very peculiar appearance from a short distance off; it seems to be an immense number of rugged conical hills all thrown together. From the top, the view to the north-west was hidden by a higher point of the range. To the north-north-west there is another range, about twenty miles distant, apparently higher than this, running south-west and north-east. To the north is another far-distant range; to the east, broken hill and stony plain, with a number of clay-pans. A number of creeks run to the eastward from this range; they become gum creeks further down, but in and close to the range they have myall bushes, and other shrubs. No water to be obtained in this range. Changed my course to the north-east to examine a white clay-pan that I thought might contain some fresh water. At three miles came upon it, and was very much disappointed to find it salt. This being the second day that the horses have been without water, I must give up the search for springs and return to one mile south of the Douglas, where we had found a little rain water. It being nearly sundown, I made for the last large gum creek, striking it lower down, also cutting the other creeks between, hoping to find water in some, but there was none. Made the large gum creek at 10 o'clock. Camped for the night. Horses very much done up, in consequence of the ground that we have been travelling over being so rotten and stony. The country is not good, nor the range; but at three miles to the east it becomes less stony and better grassed. No water.
Thursday, 26th May, Large Gum Creek. Started at daylight for beyond the Douglas. At 3 o'clock arrived at water. Horses so much done up that I shall require to give them two days' rest, if the water will hold so long, and then I must return to the Strangway Springs, as we know that to be permanent water. There are some heavy clouds coming up from the south-west, which I hope will bring rain.
Saturday, 28th May, The Douglas. Horses looking better this morning, so I will give them this day also. I have sent Muller down the creek to the eastward, to see if there is any water in it. I should have gone again to-day to the Davenport range, to see if I could find the quartz reefs by striking it more to the south-west, but it would be too much for the horses, which are my mainstay, and this water will not last longer than to-day; it is going very fast. I do wish to goodness it would rain, for I do hate going back. Muller returned at sundown. He has been about twelve miles down the creek, but can find no water. It still continued sandy. He shot three new parrots.
