MELBOURNE: F.F. BAILLIERE, PUBLISHER IN ORDINARY TO THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT, AND IMPORTER OF MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC WORKS. LONDON. NEW YORK. PARIS. MADRID.
COLONIAL AGENTS: SYDNEY, A. CUBITT; ADELAIDE, W.C. RIGBY; TASMANIA, WALCH AND SONS.
* * *
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 outstationsixteen 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 passing a small flat trending west-north-west and east-south-east; at eleven and a half miles passed on our left a small salt lake, dry, half a mile long; watched bullocks and sheep.
Saturday, 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.
