William Landsborough - Journal of Landsborough\'s Expedition from Carpentaria
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William Landsborough >> Journal of Landsborough\'s Expedition from Carpentaria
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15 JOURNAL OF LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION
FROM CARPENTARIA,
IN SEARCH OF BURKE AND WILLS.
WITH A MAP SHOWING HIS ROUTE.
MELBOURNE:
F.F. BAILLIERE, PUBLISHER, 85 COLLINS STREET EAST.
LONDON: H. BAILLIERE. PARIS: J.B. BAILLIERE. NEW YORK AND MADRID.
AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1862.
LANDSBOROUGH'S EXPEDITION.
The readers of this pamphlet are no doubt aware that the anxiety
entertained for the fate of Burke and Wills led to the formation of
several expeditions in their search. The first of these was formed in
Melbourne and entrusted to the command of Mr. Howitt. The second in
Adelaide, under Mr. McKinlay. The third from Rockhampton, under Mr.
Walker; and the fourth from Brisbane, under Mr. Landsborough. These
several expeditions were organised and started within a short period of
each other. The steamship Victoria, Commander Norman, was despatched by
the Victorian Government to the Gulf of Carpentaria to assist the
explorers in carrying out their objects.
Mr. Howitt, as is well-known, early succeeded in ascertaining the
melancholy fate of Burke and Wills: but before his letter announcing it
reached Melbourne the other expeditions referred to had set out.
The brig Firefly was chartered in Melbourne to take from Brisbane to
Carpentaria Mr. Landsborough's party and equipments, and also some stores
for Mr. Walker's party, the latter having been instructed to proceed from
Rockhampton overland, by the shortest route, to a rendezvous at the Gulf.
The Firefly, having reached Moreton Bay and shipped the horses, set sail
for Carpentaria on the 24th August with Mr. Landsborough and his party.
As it is the object of this pamphlet to give details, especially of his
expedition, the journal, letters, etc., which follow, are now presented.
...
(NUMBER 1.)
BRISBANE PARTY, W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER, REPORT TO 30TH
SEPTEMBER 1861.
(COPY.)
Sweer's Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, 30th September 1861.
To Captain Norman of Her Majesty's Colonial War Steamer Victoria, and
Commander-in-chief of Northern Expedition Parties.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that the greatest attention was paid by
my parties to the horses for the expedition on board the Firefly, and
they ought, during the eight days after leaving Moreton Bay, while we had
the finest weather, to have done well, if their allowance of five gallons
of water each a day had been sufficient for them; but with that allowance
they were so thirsty that they did not thrive well. That quantity of
water may do well for horses intended for the Indian market, where they
can be fattened afterwards; but for our expedition horses, which were
intended for immediate service on landing, to be kept in a close hold,
confined by the cargo of the vessel, and fed with dry forage (they did
not eat the carrots at first, until they had acquired a taste for them)
eight gallons of water each per day at least should have been allowed to
them.
On Sunday the 1st instant, when Captain Kirby expected to get through the
Raine Island passage on the following day, where he hoped to get such
calm weather that it would admit of your giving him a fresh supply of
water, he allowed our party to give the horses a good drink. On that
occasion they drank each, on an average, nine gallons. Towards evening of
the same day the breeze freshened into a gale, and about ten at night,
when the Firefly was head-reaching under close-reefed sails, we had the
misfortune to lose sight of H.M.C.S. Victoria, under your command.
On Monday the 2nd instant the gale continued, and during the night the
ship was hove to with her head to the eastward.
On Tuesday the 3rd instant the gale still continued, but Captain Kirby,
having got observations of the sun, he boldly made sail in for the reefs,
and between eleven and twelve a.m. he sighted the Raine Island beacon,
and early in the afternoon he went through the passage, and got into
smooth water, where we congratulated ourselves, and were thankful, I
hope, to God, for the comparative safety of ourselves, and also of the
horses under our charge.
All the horses were alive except one, which, from the sand being pumped
from under its feet, had not been able to stand during the gale, and in
consequence had been trampled underfoot by the other horses and so much
injured that we were compelled to destroy it. About an hour before dark
we reached, with a fresh and favourable breeze, a point between the two
largest of the Sir Charles Hardy's Islands, where one of the anchors was
let go and, upon its dragging, another was let go, which dragged also,
until we were close to the lee shore, when it held, fortunately, till
after daylight of the morning of Wednesday the 4th instant when, the
cable parting, the brig went ashore broadside onto the reef which extends
for about half a mile from the base of the bold rocky island. The waves
breaking over the ship, the masts were cut away and fell over the side.
The smallest boat was then launched and immediately broke in pieces.
While the wreck of a masts was being cleared away by a good swimmer
called Muller, a Dutchman, in order to get a clear sea to launch the
ship's large boat, our party took the opportunity of feeding and watering
the horses, and in the meantime the tide had fallen so much that Muller
found footing. The boat was launched safely and, on being asked by
Captain Kirby, I went ashore with Mr. Martin, the supercargo, and a part
of the crew. We found we could wade on shore; and, on the previous
evening having seen the masts of a ship on the other side of the island,
Mr. Martin and I went across and found it was a vessel which had sunk
within half a mile of the shore in deep water.
At the abandoned camp of the shipwrecked crew we found a copy of The
Argus newspaper of the 14th June, a barrel of peas, fragments of paper
bearing the names of the Lady Kinnaird and Captain Chorley on them, a
part of a child's dress, etc.
On our return to the wreck of a Firefly, we found the crew very busily
engaged in carrying stores on shore on their backs, as Captain Kirby did
not like using the boat for that service, being afraid of having it
injured. In the evening we fed and watered the horses, and Mr. Campbell
offered to remain on board if he got someone to assist him to attend to
the horses during the night; but as there were drunken sailors on board,
and I thought the breaking up of the old Firefly not improbable, I did
not like remaining or asking anyone else to do so. After the ship struck,
the officers and crew considered themselves under no discipline, taking
from the stores whatever they wanted, and, I am sorry to say, much of the
Expedition spiced beef and other things were stolen, and many things
destroyed from recklessness; but I am pleased to add that, after your
arrival, when order and sobriety became prevalent, from the prompt and
wise measures adopted by you, a considerable quantity of the slops were
recovered by a diligent search through the effects brought on shore by
the crew of the Firefly.
Shortly after the ship struck I overheard one of the officers say that we
were all alike; and now that the vessel was a wreck the cargo belonged to
no one in particular; and one of our party overheard another officer say
to the crew: "There are twenty-two pairs of (Expedition) boots; help
yourselves. There are a pair each for all hands, and a pair to spare."
On the afternoon of Wednesday 4th instant (the day on which we were
wrecked) with Captain Kirby's approval I offered the carpenter five
pounds to cut the vessel close down to the water's edge to get the horses
out. (This, under the circumstances, I hope will meet also your
approval.) This he agreed to, and on the following morning when it was
almost high-water, he (the carpenter) and Muller swam off to the wreck to
do so, and shortly afterwards, when I had found a good place on the
island for watering the horses, I accompanied Messrs. Campbell and Martin
and three of my aboriginals to the wreck to assist the carpenter in
making a breach in the side of the Firefly. To do this work the only
tools the carpenter and his assistants had were two adzes and two small
tomahawks. My aboriginals, Jamie, Fisherman, and Jackie, worked hard with
the tomahawks, and were most able assistants in cutting the vessel down.
On Friday (the 6th instant) we landed safely twenty-five of the horses.
We were obliged to land them chiefly at low-water, and then we had to use
every precaution to prevent them swimming off to sea; for some of them in
the first instance, when we were not watching them, swam off and did not
drift ashore until they were exhausted, and one, after swimming for about
an hour in different directions, reached the southern island, about a
mile distant, with a strong wind and considerable waves against him.
On Saturday the 7th instant, while we were attending to the surviving
horse of four which had been trampled down by the stronger horses among
the floating empty water tanks, we had the great pleasure of seeing
H.M.C.S. Victoria coming to our relief; and I can assure you we were very
thankful, and our spirits much cheered by your telling us, after Captain
Kirby had intimated to us that he had abandoned the Firefly as a total
wreck, and in our presence told his crew that as shipwrecked mariners he
had placed them under your charge, that you would do your best under the
circumstances to enable us yet to start on our expedition from the Albert
River in search of Mr. Burke and his companions, and with that view you
would endeavour to get the Firefly afloat again, and have her refitted as
a transport hulk for the conveyance of our party, horses, and stores; and
if you did not succeed in that undertaking (which I hope you will pardon
us all for having thought a most hopeless affair) you would in several
trips transport our party, horses, and stores in H.M.C.S. Victoria.
Now that the great exertions made by you and your officers and crew in
getting the Firefly afloat again, in refitting her, in embarking
twenty-five of the horses, with our party and stores, and in transporting
them safely to the Gulf of Carpentaria, has been crowned with success,
allow me to congratulate you on those events, and to assure you that,
these difficulties being overcome, I have now great hopes of carrying out
at least satisfactorily, with the assistance of my brave, trusty, and
zealous companions, the instructions of the Victorian and Queensland
Governments, with those which I may receive from yourself.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,
Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.*
(*Footnote. Captain Kirby of the Firefly has since published a pamphlet
in which he states that my party were at times in a great state of alarm,
but in fairness to them I may mention that although they had frequently
much reason to be so, I never saw them exhibit any traces of fear. He
further states that from what he saw of them they showed great ineptitude
for camping out. This is surely very unlikely as we were all old
travellers, three of my party and myself had at one time been
gold-diggers, a mode of life well calculated to give the necessary
experience in this way. And as for Captain Alison, who had never been a
gold-digger, I observed on the island that his tent was particularly well
pitched.)
...
(NUMBER 2.)
(COPY.)
Sweer's Island, 8th October, 1861.
To Captain Norman, of H.M.C.S. Victoria, and Commander-in-chief of the
Northern Expedition Parties.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you of the following particulars with regard
to the Albert River:
On Tuesday morning (the 1st instant) at 8 o'clock we reached the mouth of
the Albert River, on the sandy beach of Kangaroo Point.* There were about
a dozen blacks, who appeared friendly and kept speaking to us as long as
we were within hearing; but none in the barge (not even the native
troopers) understood them. With the exception of Kangaroo Point, on the
east bank, the river has an unbroken fringe of mangrove to a point two
miles in a straight line from its mouth, and an unbroken fringe to a
point three miles in a straight line from the mouth on the other side of
the river. Above these points the lower part of the river has (where the
edges have no mangrove) fine hard sandy sloping banks which are well
adapted for landing horses or goods. A short time before we reached the
point, above thirteen miles in a straight line from the mouth of the
river where we anchored for the night, we saw about six blacks, who were
very friendly and followed us for some time. We found that the water was
fresh when we reached Alligator Point, about twenty miles in a straight
line from the mouth of the river; above this point the fringes of
mangrove are scarce on the edges of the river, and back from the river
there is rising ground, consisting of fine, well-grassed, and slightly
timbered downs. On passing up the river, on the left bank, we observed a
blackfellow asleep. At sunset we anchored at a point about twenty-six
miles in a straight line from the mouth of the river, where a river from
the southward, which Mr. Woods called the Barkly, joins the Albert River.
(*Footnote. Kangaroo Point would in my opinion be a healthy site for a
township. The ground is sufficiently high along the shore at that place,
and without mangroves. We did not find water there, but, as there were a
few blacks almost always in that neighbourhood, I have no doubt that
there is some surface water, or that it is easily procured by digging.)
On going on shore on the western bank of the Albert River I found within
a hundred yards of it a waterhole at which it would be more convenient to
water stock than the river, as the banks of it are at this place too
steep. Above the junction of the Barkly the Albert River is not navigable
for even boats, from its being too full of snags. On the following
morning we went up the Barkly on the barge for about two miles, to where
it was too full of snags to proceed further up the river by water. We
then took a walk over the Plains of Promise and crossed at a point about
three miles from where we had left the barge. In doing so we started a
black man and woman; they were both old and naked; the former went out of
sight by running down the bank and plunging into the river, and the
latter climbed up a tree, where, while we remained, she continued
speechless. Where we crossed the Barkly it had a narrow muddy bed, the
water in which was cool from its being shaded with pandanus, palms, and
Leichhardt-trees. A short distance lower we recrossed by a tree which the
carpenter felled for that purpose, at a point where the deep water in it
is caused in some measure by the rise of the tide; afterwards we followed
down the river to the barge. At different places we marked the trees, but
did not see any that had been marked previously, nor indeed any traces of
any European parties. After walking over the Plains of Promise we went
down the river and anchored opposite the point where the cliffs are
mentioned in the charts as thirty feet high. In the morning, accompanied
by the native troopers Jemmy and Jackie, I went north-westerly over
slightly timbered grassy plains, and reached in about a mile a waterhole,
and in about another mile a narrow mere, which I called Woods Lake,
extending northerly and southerly at least for a mile or so in an
unbroken sheet of water. I went southward along the edge of Woods Lake to
a clump of box and tea-trees, and while I was marking a tree Jackie shot
(chiefly with one discharge of his gun) about half a dozen of
whistling-ducks and a large grey crane. As I never saw so many aquatic
fowls assembled as were at this place it is to be hoped that, when we
reach the Albert River again, we will be able to shoot great quantities
of them for fresh food.
The bank on which I marked the tree will, probably at no very distant
time, be chosen as the site of a homestead for a sheep establishment, as
it is surrounded by fine dry plains which are covered with good grasses,
among which I observed sufficient saline herbage to make me feel
satisfied that they are well adapted for sheep runs. As the wind was
unfavourable during the afternoon the crew had to row down the river. On
passing near where we saw the blacks on our way up we found about twenty,
counting men, women, and children, waiting to see us as we passed. On the
following morning we went ashore and got water in a waterhole near the
bank, and also firewood off an old fallen tree, which, I think, is
probably the real ebony. Late in the evening we reached a point on the
eastern bank about three miles above Kangaroo Point.
We went ashore and in the course of a walk started on the wing two large
bustards, and also, within shot of us, two or three wallabies.
In our way up and down the river the temperature ranged on the bar from
74 to 94 degrees. The nights were agreeable, and we were fortunately not
troubled with mosquitoes or sandflies.
On the upper part of the river we saw altogether three crocodiles, but
they were so shy that they remained in sight only a few seconds.
The slightly timbered downs and plains on the banks of the Albert River
are, as I hoped they would be from their western position, of a similar
character to good inland settled sheep country of New South Wales and
Queensland; the trees that we saw are all small; but as sheep do best in
Australia where the temperature is dry, the soil rich, and slightly
timbered, and as this is the general description, I believe, of the
country and climate of the Albert River, the sheep farmer should be
willing to put up with the inconvenience caused from the want of good
timber for building purposes.
We saw large quantities of the small white cockatoos, and the
rose-coloured ones, which are to be found only in the inland settled
country of New South Wales and Queensland. The Albert River being
navigable will make the country on its banks very valuable, as I believe
sheep will do well on it, more especially as they do well on
inferior-looking country within the tropics to the north-west of
Rockhampton.
Allow me to recommend for the depot which you propose forming with the
Firefly hulk on the Albert River some place as convenient as possible to
Woods Lake, or the waterhole that I mentioned that I had found near the
head of the navigation, and as there is very little forage on board the
Firefly it would be advisable to land, as soon as possible, the horses on
the west bank of the river above the second inlet, that is, if there is
any chance of the Firefly being delayed in proceeding up the river.
I have the honour to be, etc.,
(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,
Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.
...
(NUMBER 3.)
BRISBANE PARTY, W. LANDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, LEADER.
CONTINUATION OF REPORT ON THE ALBERT RIVER, ETC.
OCTOBER 15TH 1861.
(COPY.)
Albert River, Gulf of Carpentaria, October 15 1861.
To Captain Norman of H.M.C.S. Victoria, and Commander-in-chief of the
Northern Expedition Parties.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that the senior lieutenant of H.M.C.S.
Victoria, having been commissioned by you to take the Firefly hulk to the
head of the navigation of the Albert River to form a depot there, shortly
after midnight of the 14th October, at the flood of the tide, which
occurs here only once in twenty-four hours, we stood in for the mouth of
the river and, as the channel is of a winding character, and the ship
almost unmanageable, we had to take her right over the bar. From thence
we proceeded some time after daylight with a fair wind, several miles up
the river to where we took grass on board, which some of my party, having
preceded us, had in readiness. On the 16th, from the time of the tide,
the wind being unfavourable, we had reached no further than Norman's
Group of Islands, which are about ten miles in a straight line from the
mouth of the river. At that place, from the small quantity of water on
board it became necessary to decide on what bank the horses should be
landed; consequently three parties started in search of water--a boat and
two land parties. The former, under the command of Mr. Frost, found a
good pond of water near the lowest water we had found when we first
explored the Albert River. In the same neighbourhood Mr. Campbell's
party, who went up the west bank of the river, found another waterhole,
which was distant from the ship, by the road they went, about four miles,
and passable for the horses, although partly over mudflats which during
high tides are covered with water; and on that account I thought, having
observed the country to be very low from the masthead, it would be
impassable.
I accompanied Mr. Bourne, Mr. Hennie the botanist, and two native
police-troopers to the eastward in search of water. In that direction we
went about six miles, which was further than was necessary as we found
water within that distance. The first three miles we went was chiefly
over hard flats which at high tides are covered with water; the next was
over such good country that Mr. Bourne, although I had given him my
account of the Plains of Promise, said he did not expect to have seen
such fine country on the Albert River. The character of the country is
plains with the best grasses on them. Mr. Bourne and I agreed in thinking
that the lowest of them (with the exception of there being on them no
cotton and cabbage saltbush) resembled in appearance, and from their
having salty herbage in abundance, some parts of the Murrumbidgee plains.
The higher parts are more thickly grassed and are slightly wooded with
stunted timber, consisting of box, apple, white-gum, cotton, and other
trees. The cotton-trees I had never seen before; but Mr. Hennie told me
they had been found by Dr. Mueller when in Mr. Gregory's party in the
expedition to Northern Australia.
On this country we found abundance of waterholes, some of which were
divided from each other by sandstone dykes and contained fresh, and
others brackish, water. Near the waterholes, at the most conspicuous
points of timber on our route, we marked trees. The north-easterly
waterhole I called Mueller Lake. It is a fine long sheet of water which
is brackish but not to an extent to render it undrinkable.
Before we reached any water on our way from the ship, we observed, at
some distance from us, several blacks, of whom three gins and three
children we overtook in their camps. These we tried to persuade by signs
to lead us to the nearest water, but they were so extremely terrified
that they clung to each other and would not move, except to point in the
direction in which by our proceeding a short distance we found it
ourselves.
On the 17th October the ship was taken alongside of the western bank of
the river, and, a landing stage having been made, twenty-three of the
horses were walked on shore and driven up to Frost's Ponds; the remaining
two from their being too weak were kept on board. A few of the horses
after their voyage were in good order, and the most of the others, which
were in such low condition from their insufficient allowance of water
from Moreton Bay to Torres Strait, now showed, from their having plenty
of water since their reshipment at Hardy's Islands, that they were in a
thriving state.
On the 20th Messrs. Bourne, Moore, Frost, and two troopers started up the
river on a shooting and land excursion. I accompanied them to near
Frost's Ponds where the horses were running, and I was glad to find the
horses were doing well, as I expected they would do, from the herbage of
the plains in that neighbourhood being of the most fattening character.
Late in the evening our sportsmen returned and gave a most glowing
description of about eight miles of the plains they had crossed in going
to and returning from some waterholes they had found, one of which was
within half a mile of the river. As they made their excursion an
exploring rather than a sporting expedition they shot very little,
although they saw several wallabies on the plains, and crowds of duck and
other aquatic fowl at the waterholes they passed in the course of their
walk.
On the 22nd, having made circulars to the effect that the Firefly hulk
and the horses (broad arrow before L) were on their way up the river, the
latter on the west bank, some of our party landed on the east bank and
stuck them up in places where Mr. Walker's party would probably find them
in the event of their passing us and following down that side of the
river. In doing so we went over a fine grassed plain, and in that
distance found two waterholes. On the 24th the blacks paid us a visit and
we gave them presents; but afterwards, as they stole some clothes that
were out to dry, we determined to give them no further encouragement
unless they returned the stolen things. This Mr. Woods, on the following
day, tried to explain to a few of them who swam across the river to the
bank that we were alongside of.
When I see naked blacks I am very much tempted to give them clothes and
tomahawks; but this should not be indulged for I have found from having
done so that the more they have got the more they have wanted; and on the
other hand I have found that when they got nothing from us they gave us
very little of their company and thus rarely gave us any occasion for
quarrelling with them.
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