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Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central

E >> Edward John Eyre >> Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central




We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe no
signs of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulf
with additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of a
Bootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S.

July 2.--We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, covered
principally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early in
the afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range.
Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, on
sending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got,
by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves and
horses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees
24 minutes E.

July 3.--During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that we
could not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we were
obliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depot
near Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of the
watercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we had
still to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over a
hilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves or
them; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the whole
party were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to Mount
Arden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light.) I now
ascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S.

July 4.--Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered an
arrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day,
and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Each
person undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided.
After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water and
found great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent and
high flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes several
feet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was rather
old and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point of
great importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain the
whole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine the
country to the north; my former experience having convinced me that it
would be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grass
and water could be procured.

We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, from
Crystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that range
had varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly from
the plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we had
no difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This was
convenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, when
compelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flinders
range are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principally
of an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metal
when struck with a hammer.

There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, and
many were coated over so completely with loose stones that from the
steepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascend
them. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of high
summits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generally
cheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr.
Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a day
to enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from the
summit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flinders
range.

Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soon
as the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, and
made the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me.
The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing and
the singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes to
wear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that did
not now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supply
with us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk a
watch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals from
the WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen.

July 4.--Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was
attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight
of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they
had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the
eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course.
This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some
considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few
days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight.

Sunday, July 5.--A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myself
in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also
for the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept a
constant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock the
sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer's
gulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and
rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the
gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of
the safe arrival of the cutter.




Chapter IV.



MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE
PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE
TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE
COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE
WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING
STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE
WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE
PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING--SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL.


July 6.--BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose
another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down
my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which
was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my
return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying
and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of
the gulf in our route up under Flinders range.

Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I
set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack
horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. After
rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still
traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of these
plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so
that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though
we had none to the southward.

After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse winding
from Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctly
marked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "salt
watercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches of
salt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in the
gravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole,
we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as they
required to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We could
get very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in the
black boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazingly
well.

There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eat
near this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, after
giving to each a feed of oats.

July 7.--Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that I
had got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome and
painful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out from
the main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its having
been the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This little
hill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a bold
rocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top of
it, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings.

The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country without
either trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this was
backed by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extending
northward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to the
West, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glittering
stripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. The
lake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerable
breadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether there
was actually any water in it or not.

Having completed my observations we descended again to the plains
steering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found a
puddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for the
night. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, which
was extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it was
not usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief,
whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from the
soil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture.

July 8.--Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy to
look for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I got
anxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions at
our sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with the
runaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundance
of good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe when
we got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way we
should probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkward
predicament.

This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of the
inconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone;
it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses,
and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion the
necessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for them
at the same time.

Moving on to the N. W. by N. we passed over heavy sandy ridges, with
barren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle of
rain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from the
nature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank it
readily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The only
vegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs,
and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappeared
altogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being open
and barren in the extreme.

I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactly
like the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones were
visible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge,
and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of the
lake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbroken
sheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On stepping
upon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surface
the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced
to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quite
impossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin of
the lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface of
its bed further west or not.

The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising from
the state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossible
to believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I could
judge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was water
in the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where I
was, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty miles
across, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly a
continuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on its
western side.

Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismal
prospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say I
felt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never been
sanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its character
and extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my future
plans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable as
far as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon its
shore, was desolate and forbidding.

It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake,
and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel around
its shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood,
whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country,
made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon the
ground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination of
Flinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuing
our course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in its
recesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to some
practicable opening to the north.

With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. for
ten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eat
or drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night.
We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A short
time before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending more
to the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very great
distance from us.

July 9.--One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the cork
out of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish water
we had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents;
we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but little
delay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, but
after travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerable
grass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Our
latitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. by an altitude of Arcturus, Mount
Eyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E.

July 10.--Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day to
N. 5 degrees E. being the bearing of the most distant range to the
northward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the first
ten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which we
watered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges of
dense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barren
plains between.

There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally some
small straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being
occasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track.

Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plains
covered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of a
large dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing no
water. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty.

Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a rather
recent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes where
it had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no water
anywhere.

A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with my
rifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, which
I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn,
growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse.

July 11.--To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse to
examine its character and search for water, which however I could not
find in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recent
all the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encamped
the previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh and
burning.

Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, but
miserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country.
We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but not
long after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains,
and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a long
one, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58
minutes S. by an altitude of the sun at noon.

After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles off
at N. 40 degrees E. from which I took several bearings, and among them I
set Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W., I then examined several of the
gorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and to
my great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay,
and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt water
tea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen under
Flinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a very
saline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use.

The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazed
with encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water had
evaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40
and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embedded
from the very top to the bottom.

In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes could
I entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the clouds
would not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground?
Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North,
nothing but difficulties met my view.

In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubby
sand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in a
third, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon the
hills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region;
and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day,
partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place.

My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obvious
change that had taken place in the character of the country for the
worse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirely
dependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had been
left on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days would
completely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had many
misgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subject
of painful anxiety.

July 12.--We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its
base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large
watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel
being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water
tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking
gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish
colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as
sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere.

The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty
rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation,
and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony
ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was
surrounded.

From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens
appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most
northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level
cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly,
and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to
be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being
more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among
which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but
which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from
gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them.

I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high
range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially
after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in
tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me,
than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being
more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt
watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles
of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn
my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring
up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day
that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the
plains.

Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course,
and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass
for our horses, but without water.

July 13.--Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern
hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at
which we watered our horses, and again proceeded.

Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we
traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches
carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water;
the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally
passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the
gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a
distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach
turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered
with loose stones, but without the least sign of water.

About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared
likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to
hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me
for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to
the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other
direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the
main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep
pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it
would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus
far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther
north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool.

Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to
construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had
hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was
soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the
watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time
is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we
least expect it!

July 14.--Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came,
we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go
and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves.

As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a
day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I
found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy
valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were
rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them
numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these
were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile
spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water
could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for
this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my
return, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horses
having broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking the
other with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them,
and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turn
them back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S.

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