McKinlay's Journal of Exploration in the Interior of Australia.

by John McKinlay.

MCKINLAY'S EXPLORATIONS.

DIARY OF MR. J. MCKINLAY,

LEADER OF THE BURKE RELIEF EXPEDITION:

BEING JOURNAL OF EXPLORATIONS IN THE INTERIOR OF AUSTRALIA, TOGETHER WITH CHART.

TO THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF CROWN LANDS.

Depot Camp, Cudye-cudyena, or Buchanan Lake,

October 26, 1861.

Sir,

The following is a brief resume of the proceedings of the Burke Relief Expedition since the date of my departure from Adelaide.

Started from Adelaide with the camels, etc., on 16th August, 1861, and overtook the remnant of the party, horses, cart, etc. etc., nothing of any particular note occurring on the journey to Blanchewater (Mr. Baker's station) more than ordinary on such journeys, save the worthlessness of the cart and consequent detention thereon. A few days before arriving at said station, I was informed that the natives had brought in a report of some white men and camels being seen at some inland water by them, or rather others of Pando or Lake Hope tribe, but did not give the report much credit knowing how easy a person may be misled from the statement he hears from natives, and the probability of putting a wrong construction upon what he hears, more particularly from a tribe of people who really do not understand what you say to them, having hardly any English, but intend making every inquiry and, if at all satisfactory on the point, will make a push for their relief.

BLANCHEWATER.

Got all the stores forwarded ex Lubra, and dray repacked, and started on Tuesday, September 24; went about eleven miles, camels and cart camped at small creek, the horses camped further on, having mistaken their instructions; poor country.

Wednesday, September 25.

Tooncutchan, Mr. Baker's outstation--sixteen miles; met Mr. Elder and Mr.

Giles there, and Mr. Stuckey arrived in the afternoon; poor country.

Thursday, September 26.

Manawaukaninna, Messrs. Stuckey's outstation, unoccupied; thirteen and a half miles. Mr. Stuckey and I went to Lake Torrens about three miles distant to look out for a good crossing-place for the cart, which we did, and returned to hut. Three of the horses had a narrow escape from drowning before starting this morning. The country was a little better today; filled all our water vessels and bags for the dry country between this and Pando or Lake Hope.

Friday, September 27.

Started early; got all safe across the Lake Torrens, no water being at our crossing nor in view. Horses and camels went on to camp about twenty-five miles distant and leave what water was to spare for the dray and my horse, and proceed on the next day to Lake Pando, which I found afterwards they did, then bearing from 2 degrees 30 minutes to 3 degrees; cart and sheep came twelve and a half miles on same course; at three miles crossed Lake Torrens, then over a fearful jumble of broken sandhills quite unfit to be described, occasionally pa.s.sing a small flat trending west-north-west and east-south-east; at eleven and a half miles pa.s.sed on our left a small salt lake, dry, half a mile long; watched bullocks and sheep.

Sat.u.r.day, September 28.

Started early, came ten miles similar country; did not get to within two miles of where the horses and camels camped on 27th. I rode on and found the water there, and very welcome it was. The bullocks refused to pull and several lay down in the dray and a couple of them charged right and left; unyoked them and came on with them to where the water was left, from which place I meant to start the two blacks, Peter and Sambo, into the lake with them; gave the blacks each a canteen full of water, also Jack, the native shepherd, with instructions to keep on to the lake on the tracks of the advance party, intending to ride over to the lake myself to water my horse, leaving Palmer, and Frank (a native) with the cart and all the water to remain till the bullocks returned for the cart.

Started and at one and a half miles found the bullocks at a standstill and the sheep in sight, the bullocks refusing to be driven and charging the blacks. Just as I came up by some mischance the coupling of one of the charging bullocks gave way, and in an instant poor Peter was tossed up in the air by Bawley and as he descended was caught up again and tossed about on the ground; invariably the brute caught his horns against the large canteen and saved the poor fellow's life. I was obliged to leave the black then aft with the cart, and with Sambo started on for water; travelled and spelled during the whole night and got to the lake early Sunday 29th, party all right; lots of blacks, apparently peaceably inclined. Found that Mr. Hodgkinson and Mr. Middleton had that morning started for the dray with the camels with a supply of water. Mr. Elder and Mr. Stuckey went to look at the country and returned in the evening; the sandhills and flats alternately bore north-north-west and south-south-east from the camel and horses camp of 27th.

Monday, September 30.

Mr. Elder, Mr. Stuckey, and Mr. Giles started; wrote a pencil memo to town. Since we left last station weather very hot and disagreeable in the extreme for the time of year. Anxious about the men and camels; went westward some distance to find traces of the camels, thinking it probable that they might have strayed from them; very hot, north wind, no traces, nor did they return.

Tuesday, October 1.

Exceedingly anxious about the missing party; started out to the cart, found missing party had arrived there all safe on 29th, and started early on the 30th on their return. Immediately started back to lake, horse knocked up; obliged to camp with him and arrived at camp on Wednesday 2nd at 6 a.m., missing party not returned: thought I would never see them again, and an awful blow it would be to me, in the first place the loss of my two best men and the four camels I had so much reliance in. At once on arrival sent for three horses and took Bell and Jack (the native) with me to endeavour to get traces of them or the camels; proceeded east to the end of the lake and round the eastern end northward but no traces whatever; returned to camp with the intention of proceeding westward in search with Jack, and to my infinite pleasure found they, with the camels, had some short time before returned in a most exhausted state, their mouths, tongues, and throats in a most pitiable condition, and perfectly worn out; had they been out the remainder of that day without success they (the men) must have perished. From their own account it appears they, to lighten the cart, packed on the camels as much of the light sundries as they could, and on their return they by some ill luck got off the track and got confused, and after many efforts and leaving part of their load they abandoned themselves to the guidance of the camels who, by their instinct I suppose, brought them safe to a long lake west of the one we were encamped at, some five or seven miles off. On their arrival on the water they were met by a number of natives who kindly got them water and fish to supply their wants, and after spelling a time got some of them as guides to the camp on Pando, where they were rewarded by presents of a tomahawk and blanket, etc. Started Bell out to the cart with the bullocks and blackfellows, Sambo and Jack, leading a packhorse with supplies of damper and water.

Thursday, October 3.

Invalids recovering; Hodgkinson does not seem to have suffered as much as Middleton.

Friday, October 4.

Hodgkinson, with Davis and Jack, two freshest camels (Coppin and Siva) and two horses and plenty of water and food, started to run their tracks for the loading they left from the camels. The cart arrived all safe about midday. The bullock, Bawley, never made his appearance, and I suppose has gone to find his way back to Mr. Jacob's from whence he was purchased. Cool westerly breeze.

Sat.u.r.day, October 5.

Hodgkinson and party arrived all safe and were successful in finding the left articles. Middleton very slowly recovering.

Sunday, October 6, and Monday, October 7.

Spelling the camels and bullocks; taking off the shoes of the horses that were shod in town, having stayed on remarkably well. The country soft; not likely to shoe them for a time; appear in good condition; bullocks tender-necked. Rather a strange circ.u.mstance occurred while staying here.

A pelican, in an attempt to swallow a perch about a foot long by about five inches in diameter or twelve inches in circ.u.mference, was choked after getting it halfway down his throat, and found in the morning quite fresh and the tail of the fish out of its mouth. A considerable quant.i.ty of clover or trefoil on this lake; and at the eastern end on the flooded flat, gra.s.s but not abundant. The country in this part does not appear to have been visited by any rain for very many months; indeed years must have pa.s.sed since any quant.i.ty has fallen in this sandy region; the bottoms of the clay-pans are nearly as hard as bricks. A considerable quant.i.ty of saltbush of various kinds around the lake and on the flats, with some polygonum on the flooded flats; innumerable pigeons.

Tuesday, October 8.

Started from Pando Lake Camp at twenty minutes to 9 a.m., wind west and cool, on a bearing of 285 degrees, two miles north-north-west, to junction of Pando Creek till 10.37; in all about four and a quarter miles. Creek is about 250 yards to 300 broad; on the south-west bank of lake there appears to be layers of salty substance. Tipandranara Lake bears from junction 294 degrees; our camp of this morning 117 degrees; south-eastern portion of lake 106 degrees; apparent course of Pando Creek 340 degrees. Within two miles the creek contracts to less than 100 yards, and at camp about six feet. All arrived at 4.10 p.m. on small Lake Uppadae or Camel Lake; total distance fifteen miles. Travelled over a miserable country, with saltbush of various description, and samphire, and small stones occasionally. Upper entrance to lake bears 12 degrees from outlet; length about one and a quarter miles by an average of three-quarters of a mile, surrounded by sandhills and very little timber round it, and that little of the most miserable description of box; a considerable quant.i.ty of rushes and a little gra.s.s round the margin, and lots of waterfowl. For the latter half of the day's travel we were pursuing a course from North 20 degrees West to North 10 degrees West, and as much as north at last.

Wednesday, October 9.

Moved round western side of lake for one and a half miles; then bearing 20 degrees, at one and a half miles further struck the creek, now dry; then 1 degree 30 minutes about three-quarters of a mile; on a bearing of 350 degrees, half a mile distant a creek comes in from the east--evidently the same creek that leaves the main creek about one and a quarter miles from this same course--forming a circuit as an anabranch, from west to east one mile; then a bearing of 339 degrees for three and a half miles. Found I had mistaken top of a dry lake for creek; changed course to 145 degrees; three miles. Creek now alongside; general course 20 degrees; went that course two miles and camped at a long deep waterhole. Creek dry in a number of places. I forgot to say that the day we came to Lake Camel, the two natives, Peter and Sambo, absconded, after getting shirts, etc. Those were the fellows that were to guide us and act as interpreters with the natives concerning the white man reported before, and carrying off with them a new canteen and strap, which we will much want yet.

Thursday, October 10.

Started at 7.25; crossed creek at 9.30, bearing 20 degrees to North; recrossed creek ten minutes past 10; same course; then North 40 degrees East till twenty minutes to one; then crossed at the junction of two creeks, apparently insignificant, and went east one mile to main creek; then northward five miles. Scoured great part of the country ahead and could find no water; getting late, and the day very heavy for the bullocks; determined to get them to water; retreated in a course South 20 degrees West about four miles, to a small pool of water in the creek that I crossed at midday, and camped.

Friday, October 11.

Started with the camels and Mr. Middleton, and a native named Bulingani, provisions and water, to go to the relief of the whites said to be in the interior, but at the same time with the intention of returning to camp if unsuccessful in finding a good camp for the animals. On a bearing of 18 degrees, at twenty-two miles, arrived at Lake Perigundi, a semicircular lake from three to four miles in length by one and three-quarter miles broad. The water not very good; the natives even dig round in the clay a short distance from the lake for water for their use. Appear friendly, and we saw about 200 of them--more rather than under that number, and looking remarkably healthy. Camped, surrounded by them on all sides except the lake side about 300 yards off. One of the camels got bogged and narrowly escaped. We kept watch and watch during the night, sending the native who was with us to camp with the blacks, who gave us some fish.

Sat.u.r.day, October 12.

Up early and returned to camp. Found it deserted in consequence of instructions given to Mr. Hodgkinson previous to departure--that he was to examine the creek southward; and in the event of his finding good feed and water (which at the camp were both indifferent) to remove the camp at once, which he found, and consequently removed, leaving me a memo at an appointed place of his distance and direction, which was about one and a half miles south and west. Two of the working bullocks got off during my absence, and before they were overtaken by the blackfellow (Frank) on horseback, they had got down south as far as Lake Hope; so he reported on arrival.

Sunday, October 13.

Today I started Palmer and Jack on horseback to look after Frank and the bullocks, when they met with the bullocks coming back on their tracks; preparing for a start tomorrow, carrying a supply of water; name of our present camp, a fine long sheet of water, w.a.n.kadunnie; bears 220 degrees from the camp retreated from.

Monday, October 14.