Table of Contents
Expedition down the Macquarie river, and into the western interior
in 1828 and 1829.
Purpose of this Chapter—Name of Australia—Impressions
of its early Visitors—Character of the Australian
rivers—Author's first view of Port Jackson—Extent of
the Colony of New South Wales—its rapid advances in
prosperity—Erroneous impressions—Commercial importance
of Sydney—Growth of fine wool—Mr. M'Arthur's
meritorious exertions—Whale-fishery—Other
exports—Geographical features—Causes of the large
proportion of bad soil—Connection between the geology and
vegetation—Geological features— Character of the soil
connected with the geological formation—County of
Cumberland—Country westward of the Blue
Mountains—Disadvantages of the remote
settlers—Character of the Eastern coast—Rich tracts in
the interior—Periodical droughts—The seasons apparently
affected by the interior
marshes—Temperature—Fruits—Emigrants: Causes of
their success or failure—Moral disadvantages—System of
emigration recommended—Hints to emigrants—Progress of
inland discovery—Expeditions across the Blue
Mountains—Discoveries of Mr. Evans, Mr. Oxley, and
others—Conjectures respecting the interior.
State of the Colony in 1828-29—Objects of the
Expedition—Departure from Sydney—Wellington
Valley—Progress down the Macquarie—Arrival at Mount
Harris—Stopped by the marshes—Encamp amidst
reeds—Excursions down the river—Its termination—
Appearance of the marshes—Opthalmic affection of the
men—Mr. Hume's successful journey to the northward—
Journey across the plain—Second great
marsh—Perplexities—Situation of the exploring
party—Consequent resolutions.
Prosecution of our course into the interior—Mosquito
Brush—Aspect and productions of the country—Hunting
party of natives—Courageous conduct of one of
them—Mosquitoes—A man missing—Group of hills
called New-Year's Range—Journey down New-Year's
Creek—Tormenting attack of the kangaroo fly—Dreariness
and desolation of the country—Oxley's Table
Land—D'Urban's Group—Continue our journey down
New-Year's Creek— Extreme Disappointment on finding it
salt—Fall in with a tribe of natives—Our course
arrested by the want of fresh water—Extraordinary
sound—Retreat towards the Macquarie.
Intercourse with the natives—Their appearance and
condition—Remarks on the Salt or Darling
River—Appearance of the marshes on our return— Alarm
for safety of the provision party—Return to Mount
Harris—Miserable condition of the natives—Circumstances
attending the slaughter of two Irish runaways—Bend our course
towards the Castlereagh—Wallis's Ponds— Find the
famished natives feeding on gum—Channel of the
Castlereagh— Character of the country in its
vicinity—Another tribe of natives— Amicable intercourse
with them—Morrisset's chain of Ponds—Again reach the
Darling River ninety miles higher up than where we first struck
upon it.
Perplexity—Trait of honesty in the natives—Excursion on
horseback across the Darling—Forced to
return—Desolating effects of the drought—Retreat
towards the colony—Connection between the Macquarie and the
Darling— Return up the banks of the Macquarie—Starving
condition of the natives.
General remarks—Result of the expedition—Previous
anticipations— Mr. Oxley's remarks—Character of the
Rivers flowing westerly— Mr. Cunningham's remarks—Fall
of the Macquarie—Mr. Oxley's erroneous conclusions respecting
the character of the interior, naturally inferred from the state in
which he found the country—The marsh of the Macquarie merely
a marsh of the ordinary character—Captain King's
observations— Course of the Darling—Character of the
low interior plain—The convict Barber's report of rivers
traversing the interior—Surveyor-General Mitchell's Report of
his recent expedition.
Concluding Remarks—Obstacles that attend travelling into the
interior of Australia—Difficulty of carrying
supplies—Importance of steady intelligent
subordinates—Danger from the natives—Number of men
requisite,—and of cattle and
carriages—Provisions—Other arrangements—
Treatment of the natives—Dimensions of the boat used in the
second expedition.
Letter of Instructions
List of Stores supplied for the Expedition
Sheep-farming Returns
List of Geological Specimens
Official Reports to the Colonial Government
ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE FIRST VOLUME (Not all included in this
etext)
Native Burial Place near Budda—
Cataract of the Macquarie—
The Rose Cockatoo—
The Crested Pigeon of the Marshes—
A Selenite— Chrystallized Sulphate of
Lime
Expedition down the Morumbidgee and Murray rivers, in 1829, 1830
AND 1831.
Introductory—Remarks on the results of the former
Expedition—The fitting out of another determined on—Its
objects—Provisions, accoutrements, and retinue—Paper
furnished by Mr. Kent—Causes that have prevented the earlier
appearance of the present work.
Commencement of the expedition in November, 1829.—Joined by
Mr. George M'Leay—Appearance of the party—Breadalbane
Plains—Hospitality of Mr. O'Brien—Yass
Plains—Hill of Pouni—Path of a
hurricane—Character of the country between Underaliga and the
Morumbidgee—Appearance of that river— Junction of the
Dumot with it—Crossing and recrossing—Geological
character and general aspect of the country—Plain of
Pondebadgery—Few natives seen.
Character of the Morumbidgee where it issues from the hilly
country— Appearance of approach to swamps—Hamilton
Plains—Intercourse with the natives—Their appearance,
customs, &c.—Change in the character of the
river—Mirage— Dreariness of the country—Ride
towards the Lachlan river —Two boats built and launched on
the Morumbidgee; and the drays, with part of the men sent back to
Goulburn Plains.
Embarkation of the party in the boats, and voyage down the
Morumbidgee— The skiff swamped by striking on a sunken
tree—Recovery of boat and its loading—Region of
reeds—Dangers of the navigation—Contraction of the
channel—Reach the junction of a large river—Intercourse
with the natives on its banks—Character of the country below
the junction of the rivers— Descent of a dangerous
rapid—Warlike demonstrations of a tribe of
natives—Unexpected deliverance from a conflict with
them—Junction of another river—Give the name of the
"Murray" to the principal stream.
Character of the country—Damage of
provisions—Adroitness of the natives in catching
fish—The skiff broken up—Stream from the North-East
supposed to be the Darling—Change of country in descending
the river—Intercourse with the natives—Prevalence of
loathsome diseases among them—Apparent populousness of the
country—Junction of several small streams—The Rufus,
the Lindesay, &c.—Rainy and tempestuous
weather—Curious appearance of the banks—Troublesomeness
of the natives—Inhospitable and desolate aspect of the
country—Condition of the men—Change in the geological
character of the country—The river passes through a valley
among hills.
Improvement in the aspect of the country—Increase of the
river—Strong westerly gales—Chronometer broken—A
healthier tribe of natives— Termination of the Murray in a
large lake—Its extent and environs— Passage across
it—Hostile appearance of the natives— Beautiful scenery
—Channel from the lake to the sea at Encounter
Bay—Reach the beach— Large flocks of water
fowl—Curious refraction—State of provisions—
Embarrassing situation—Inspection of the channel to the
ocean—Weak condition of the men—Difficulties of the
return.
Valley of the Murray—Its character and
capabilities—Laborious progress up the river—Accident
to the boat—Perilous collision with the natives —Turbid
current of the Rufus—Passage of the Rapids—Assisted by
the natives—Dangerous intercourse with them—Re-enter
the Morumbidgee— Verdant condition of its
banks—Nocturnal encounter with the natives— Interesting
manifestation of feeling in one family—Reach the spot where
the party had embarked on the river—Men begin to fail
entirely— Determine to send two men forward for
relief—Their return—Excursion on horseback—Reach
Pondebadgery Plain, and meet the supplies from the
colony—Cannibalism of the natives—Return to
Sydney—Concluding remarks.
Environs of the lake Alexandrina—Appointment of Capt. Barker
to make a further survey of the coast near Encounter
Bay—Narrative of his proceedings—Mount Lofty, Mount
Barker, and beautiful country adjacent— Australian
salmon—Survey of the coast—Outlet of lake to the
sea— Circumstances that led to the slaughter of Capt. Barker
by the natives— His character—Features of this part of
the country and capabilities of its coasts—Its adaptation for
colonization—Suggestions for the furtherance of future
Expeditions.
Geological Specimens found to the south-west of Port Jackson
Official Report to the Colonial Government
ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE SECOND VOLUME (Not all included in this
etext)
The Opossum Hunt—
View on the Morumbidgee River—
Junction of the supposed Darling with the
Murray— Palaeornis Melanura, or Black Tailed
Paroquet— Pomatorhinus Temporalis— Pomatorhinus
Superciliosus—
Chart of Cape Jervis,
and Encounter Bay— Mass of Fossils of the Tertiary
Formation— Bulla— Conus— Genus Unknown—
Chrystallized Selenite— Selenite— Single Fossils of the
Tertiary Formation
