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Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales

J >> John Oxley >> Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales



JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES,
BY ORDER OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN THE YEARS 1817-18.
BY JOHN OXLEY,
SURVEYOR GENERAL OF THE TERRITORY AND LIEUTENANT OF THE ROYAL NAVY.
WITH MAPS AND VIEWS OF THE INTERIOR, OR NEWLY DISCOVERED COUNTRY.



Production notes:
* 12 items of errata listed in the book have been corrected in this eBook.
* Illustrations, Maps and Charts have not been included in this eBook.
* Notes included within the text have been included in square
brackets [] in the text at the point referenced.
* Italics have been converted to upper case.





CONTENTS


PART I

LIST OF PLATES
LIST OF CHARTS
INRODUCTION
JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA PART I.

PART II

PREFACE
JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA PART II.
APPENDIX PART I.
No. I. Instructions for conducting and leading first expedition.
No. II Report of tour over Blue Mountains in 1815 by the Governor.
No. III Letter from Oxley to Governor advising of his return from first
expedition.
APPENDIX PART II.
No. IV Diary of Mr. Evans, from 8th to 18th of July, 1818.
No. V. Governor's report on the return of Oxley from the second
expedition, together with a letter from Oxley on his arrival
at Port Stephens..
No. VI. Governor's report on Oxley's discovery of Port Stephens together
with a letter from Oxley to the Governor on this subject.
A brief abstract of the population of N.S.W in 1815, 1816 and 1817.
A statement of land in cultivation, quantities of stock, etc. from
1813 to 1817 inclusive.




LIST OF PLATES (NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EBOOK).

Field Plains from Mount Aymot.
The Grave of a Native of Australia.
Arbuthnot's Range, from the West.
Liverpool Plains. West Prospect from View Hill.
Bathurst's Falls.
A Native Chief of Bathurst.


LIST OF CHARTS (NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EBOOK).

Range of the Thermometer from April 9th to August 30th 1817 by John
Oxley.
A Chart of Part of the Interior of New South Wales, 1817.
First Expedition.
A Chart of Part of the Interior of New South Wales, 1818.
Second Expedition.
Reduced Sketch of the Two Expeditions.
A Plan of Port Macquarie Including a Sketch of Part of Hastings River,
on the East Coast of New South Wales.
A General Statement of the Inhabitants of New South Wales as per General
Muster commencing 28th September 1818, with an account of same
at Van Diemmens Land.
A General Statement of the Land in Cultivation etc., the quantities
of Stock etc., as accounted for at the General Muster, with an
account of same at Van Diemmens Land..





JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA
Part I.


TO HIS EXCELLENCY LACHLAN MACQUARIE, ESQ.
MAJOR GENERAL IN THE ARMY,
AND CAPTAIN GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEF IN AND OVER THE TERRITORY
OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND ITS DEPENDENCIES,
THE FOLLOWING JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION,
PERFORMED UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION AND DIRECTION,
IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS VERY OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT,
JOHN OXLEY.




INTRODUCTION.

The colony had been established many years before any successful attempt
had been made to penetrate into the interior of the country, by crossing
the range of hills, known to the colonists as the Blue Mountains: these
mountains were considered as the boundary of the settlements westward,
the country beyond them being deemed inaccessible.

The year 1813 proving extremely dry, the grass was nearly all destroyed,
and the water failed; the horned cattle suffered severely from this
drought, and died in great numbers. It was at this period that three
gentlemen, Lieutenant Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, Messrs.
Blaxland, and William Wentworth, determined upon attempting a passage
across these mountains, in hopes of finding a country which would afford
support to their herds during this trying season.

They crossed the Nepean River at Emu Plains, and ascending the first
range of mountains, were entangled among gullies and deep ravines for a
considerable time, insomuch that they began to despair of ultimate
success. At length they were fortunate enough to find a main dividing
range, along the ridge of which they travelled, observing that it led
them westward. After suffering many hardships, their distinguished
perseverance was at length rewarded by the view of a country, which at
first sight promised them all they could wish.

Into this Land of Promise they descended by a steep mountain, which
Governor Macquarie has since named Mount York [Note: This mountain was
found to be 795 feet in perpendicular height above the vale of Clwydd.].
The valley [Note: Named by Governor Macquarie the Vale of Clwydd.] to
which it gave them access was covered with grass, and well watered by a
small stream running easterly, and which was subsequently found to fall
into the Nepean River. From Mount York they proceeded westerly eight or
ten miles, passing during the latter part of the way through an open
country, but broken into steep hills. Seeing that the stream before
mentioned as watering the valley ran easterly, it was evident they had
not yet crossed the ranges which it was supposed would give source to
waters falling westerly; they had however proceeded sufficiently far for
their purpose, and ascertained that no serious obstacles existed to a
farther progress westward.

Their provisions being nearly expended, they returned to Sydney, after
an absence of little more than a month; and the report of their
discoveries opened new prospects to the colonists, who had began to fear
that their narrow and confined limits would not long afford pasture and
subsistence for their greatly increasing flocks and herds.

His Excellency Governor Macquarie, with that promptitude which
distinguishes his character, resolved not to let slip so favourable an
opportunity of obtaining a farther knowledge of the interior. Mr. Evans,
the deputy surveyor, was directed to proceed With a party, and follow up
the discoveries already made. He crossed the Nepean River on the 20th of
November, 1813, and on the 26th arrived at the termination of Messrs.
Lawson, Blaxland, and Wentworth's journey. Proceeding westward, he
crossed a mountainous [Note: Since named Clarence Hilly Range.] broken
country, the grass of which was good, and the valleys well-watered, until
the 30th, when he came to a small stream, running westerly; this stream,
called by him the Fish River, he continued to trace until the 7th of
December, passing through a very fine country, adapted to every purpose
either of agriculture or grazing; when he met another stream coming from
the southward: this latter stream he named Campbell River, and when
joined with the Fish River, the united streams received the name of the
Macquarie River, in honour of his excellency the present governor of
New South Wales.

Mr. Evans continued to trace the Macquarie River until December the
18th, passing over rich tracts clear of timber, well-watered, and
offering every advantage which a country in its natural state can be
supposed to afford. During this excursion, Mr. Evans fell in with
abundance of kangaroos and emus, and the river abounded with fine
fish: he saw only six natives during the whole time of his absence,
viz. two women and four children, although on his return he observed many
fires in the neighbourhood of the mountains. On the 8th of January, 1814,
he returned to Emu Plains, having gone in the whole near one hundred
miles
in a direct line due west from the Nepean River.

From the report of Mr. Evans, Governor Macquarie was induced to believe
that a road might be opened for the whole distance already surveyed, and
was most anxious that the colony should reap as soon as possible the
advantages, which the discovery of such extensive and fertile tracts
seemed to open.

The ample means afforded for this purpose enabled Mr. Cox, to whose
superintendence this work was entrusted, to complete a road passable for
loaded carriages early in 1815. This road extended in length upwards of
one hundred miles, the first fifty of which passed along a narrow ridge
of the Blue Mountains, bounded on each side by deep ravines, and
precipitous rocks. The road which was cut down Mount York was a work of
considerable labour and magnitude, and reflected the highest credit
upon all employed in it. This important task being finished, the
governor resolved in person to visit a country of which so much had been
said, and to judge from actual observation how far the sanguine hopes
which had been entertained were likely to be realized; his excellency
therefore, accompanied by Mrs. Macquarie and his suite, set out from Emu
Plains on the 26th of April, 1815, and arrived on the 4th of May at a
small encampment (the site of which had been previously selected), on
Bathurst Plains, near the termination of Mr. Evans's journey. Governor
Macquarie having been pleased to publish for the information of the
colonists such observations on the country as he deemed necessary, I
shall not presume to add any thing to an account, which so clearly and
accurately describes all that could be interesting or beneficial to the
colonist and general inquirer.

I have therefore inserted in the Appendix the account published by the
Governor in the Sydney Gazette, of the 10th of June, 1815, as affording
the best and most authentic information on the subject. During the
Governor's stay at Bathurst, he despatched Mr. Evans, and a party with a
month's provisions, to explore the country to the south-west, and it is
the result of that journey which led to the expedition, the direction of
which was entrusted to my command.

The means which his excellency placed at my disposal were well
calculated to attain the object in view, and it is a matter of the most
sincere regret, that the nature and description of the country which we
passed through was for the most part such as to afford few interesting
objects of research or remark.

The botanical productions of the country have however in a great measure
been ascertained by Mr. Allan Cunningham, the King's botanist, who
accompanied the expedition.

With respect to the construction of the chart prefixed to this Journal,
it is thought proper to observe, that the situation of the principal
stations of Bathurst, and the depot on the Lachlan River, were
ascertained by celestial observations, and connected by a series of
triangles, commencing at the latter point, and closing at Bathurst. New
base lines were frequently measured, and any unavoidable errors which
might arise from the nature of the country were corrected at every proper
opportunity by observed latitudes; so that on the return of the
expedition to Bathurst, I had the satisfaction to find the connection of
the angles complete, the error in the whole survey not exceeding a mile
of longitude.

The instruments chiefly used were a small theodolite by Ramsden, and
Kater's pocket compass [Note: A most valuable instrument, combining all
the advantages of the circumferentor, without being so liable to be
damaged and put out of order by carriage.], with the addition of an
excellent sextant, pocket chronometer, and artificial horizon. I have
to lament that our mountain barometers were broken at an early stage
of the expedition; the height however of some principal points had been
previously obtained, and is marked on the chart; these in two instances
were verified by geometrical measurement, and the difference was found
to be too trilling to be noticed. The conveyance of such delicate
instruments is always attended with great risk, and in our case
peculiarly so, our means being only those of horseback. I am afraid
that a method of constructing those instruments, so as to place them
beyond the reach of injury by carriage, will always remain among the
desiderata of science. I have given to our thermometrical observations
the form of a chart, as affording the readiest view of the atmospherical
changes which took place during our journey. The winds and weather are
also more particularly noticed on the same sheet than in the narrative.

It may perhaps be not superfluous to mention, that it is the intention
of His Majesty's Government to follow the course of the Macquarie River,
and it is sanguinely expected that the result of the contemplated
expedition will be such as to leave no longer in doubt the true
character of the country comprising the interior of this vast island. It
would be as presumptuous as useless to speculate on the probable
termination of the Macquarie River, when a few months will (it is to be
hoped) decide the long disputed point, whether Australia, with a surface
nearly as extensive as Europe, is, from its geological formation,
destitute of rivers, either terminating in interior seas, or having
their estuaries on the coast.

J. O.
Sydney, New South Wales,
Dec. 11, 1817.


ERRATA: 12 items of errata, listed in the book at this point,
have been corrected in this eBook.




JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA--Part I



On the twenty-fourth of March I received the instructions of his
excellency the Governor to take charge of the expedition which had been
fitted out for the purpose of ascertaining the course of the Lachlan
River, and generally to prosecute the examination of the western
interior of New South Wales.

On the sixth of April I quitted Sydney, and after a pleasant journey
arrived at Bathurst on the fourteenth, and found that our provisions
and other necessary stores were in readiness at the depot on the
Lachlan River. We were detained at Bathurst by rainy unfavourable
weather until the nineteenth, when the morning proving fine, the BAT
horses, with the remainder of the provisions, baggage, and instruments,
were sent off, we intending to follow them the ensuing morning.

Bathurst had assumed a very different appearance since I first visited
it in the suite of his excellency the Governor in 1815. The industrious
hand of man had been busy in improving the beautiful works of nature; a
good substantial house for the superintendant had been erected, the
government grounds fenced in, and the stack yards showed that the
abundant produce of the last harvest had amply repaid the labour
bestowed on its culture. The fine healthy appearance of the flocks and
herds was a convincing proof how admirably adapted these extensive downs
and thinly wooded hills are for grazing, more particularly of sheep. The
mind dwelt with pleasure on the idea that at no very distant period
these secluded plains would be covered with flocks bearing the richest
fleeces, and contribute in no small degree to the prosperity of the
eastern settlements.

The soil, in the immediate neighbourhood of Bathurst, is for the first
six inches of a light, black, vegetable mould, lying on a stratum of
sand, about eighteen inches deep, but of a poor description, and mixed
with small stones, under which is a strong clay. The surface of the
hills is covered with small gravel, the soil light and sandy, with a
sub-soil of clay. The low flats on the immediate borders of the river
are evidently formed by washings from the hills and valleys deposited by
floods, and the overflowings of the watercourses.

Sunday, April 20.--Proceeded on our journey towards the Lachlan River.
At two o'clock we arrived at the head of Queen Charlotte's Valley,
passing through a fine open grazing country; the soil on the hills and
in the vale a light clayey loam, occasionally intermixed with sand and
gravel: the late rains had rendered the ground soft and boggy. The trees
were small and stunted, and thinly scattered over the hills, which
frequently closed in stony points on the valley. The rocks a coarse
granite.

Monday, April 21.--Our journey for the greater part of the way lay over
stony ridges, and for the last six miles over a country much wooded with
ill-grown gum and stringy bark trees (all of the eucalyptus genus); the
grass good, and in tolerable plenty, and much more so than the
appearance of the soil would seem to promise. At three o'clock, the
horses being very much fatigued, we stopped under the point of a rocky
hill for the evening.

April 22.--A clear and frosty morning. Last night was the coldest we had
yet experienced, the thermometer being at six o'clock as low as 26. We
felt the cold most severely, being far beyond what we had been
accustomed to on the coast; the difference of temperature in twelve
hours being upwards of twenty degrees of cold. Our route lay through a
dull uninteresting country, thickly covered with dwarf timber, daviesia,
etc. Passed under Mount Lachlan, a hill of very considerable height; a
stream of water runs north-westerly under its base. Turned off a little
from our track to the right, and ascended Mount Molle, whence there is a
beautiful and extensive prospect from the south by the west to the
north. The country (except the dividing range between the Lachlan and
Macquarie Rivers, which is very lofty and irregular) rising into gentle
hills, thinly timbered, with rich intervening valleys, through which
flow small streams of water. I think from Mount Molle, between the
points above mentioned, a distance of forty miles round may he seen; the
view to the west being lost in the blue haze of the horizon, no hills
appearing in that quarter. The Mount itself is a fine rich hill,
favourably situated for a commanding prospect; the valleys which
surround it are excellent land, well watered with running streams. We
descended its west side, and stopped for the night in the valley
beneath, on the banks of a small rivulet.

April 23.--A fine clear morning. At two o'clock we arrived at Limestone
Creek, passing through a beautiful picturesque country of low hills and
fine valleys well watered: the timber, as usual of diminutive growth,
and unfit for any useful purpose. The ridges of the higher eminences
were invariably stony, and about a mile and a half from the Creek, there
is a narrow slip of barren country covered with small slate stones: the
soil until then was on the sides of the hills of a fine vegetable mould,
the more level and lower grounds a hazel-coloured stiff loam, both
equally
covered with grass, particularly the anthistria. The timber standing
at wide intervals, without any brush or undergrowth, gave the country a
fine park-like appearance. I never saw a country better adapted for the
grazing of all kinds of stock than that we passed over this day. The
limestone, which is the first that has hitherto been discovered in
Australia, abounds in the valley where we halted; the sides and abrupt
projections of the hills being composed entirely of it, and worn by the
operation of time into a thousand whimsical shapes and forms. A small
stream runs through the valley, which in June 1815 was dry; the bottom
of this rivulet was covered with a variety of stones, but the bases of
the hills which projected into it, and from which the earth had been
washed, were of pure limestone of a bluish grey colour.

April 24.--A fine mild morning. A small piece of limestone which had
been put in the fire last night was found perfectly calcined into the
purest white lime. At eight o'clock proceeded on our journey, through a
very uninteresting but good grazing country: nature here seemed to have
assumed her tamest and most unvarying hue. The soil of the country we
passed through was generally excellent, but the timber was still as
useless as we had hitherto found it. We arrived about one o'clock at a
small pond of water, where it was necessary to stop, as there was no
other water nearer than the Lachlan River, which was distant about
fourteen miles.

April 25.--Our course for the first seven or eight miles was through a
level open country, the soil and grass indifferently good. We now
ascended a hill a little to the left of the road, for the purpose of
viewing the country through which the river ran: it appeared a perfect
plain encompassed by moderately high hills, except in the south-east
and west quarters, these being apparently the points whence and to which
the river flows. The whole country a forest of eucalypti, with
occasionally on the banks of the river a space clear of timber: there
was nothing either grand or interesting in the view from this hill,
neither did I see in any direction such high land as might be expected
to give source to a river of magnitude. When we quitted the hill, we
went west, to make the Lachlan River, passing for nearly six miles over
a perfect level, the land poor, and in places scrubby. At two o'clock
saw the river, which certainly did not disappoint me: it was evidently
much higher than usual, running a strong stream; the banks very steep,
but not so as to render the water inaccessible: the land on each side
quite flat, and thinly clothed with small trees; the soil a rich light
loam: higher points occasionally projected on the river, and on those
the soil was by no means so good. The largest trees were growing
immediately at the water's edge on both sides, and from their position
formed an arch over the river, obscuring it from observation, although
it was from thirty to forty yards across. At four o'clock we arrived at
the depot.

We had scarcely alighted from our horses, when natives were seen in
considerable numbers on the other side of the river. I went down
opposite to them, and after some little persuasion about twenty of them
swam across, having their galengar or stone hatchet in one hand, which
on their landing they threw at our feet, to show us that they were as
much divested of arms as ourselves. After staying a short time they were
presented with some kangaroo flesh, with which they re-crossed the
river, and kindled their fires. They were very stout and manly, well
featured, with long beards: there were a few cloaks among them made of
the opossum skin, and it was evident that some of the party had been at
Bathurst, from their making use of several English words, and from their
readily comprehending many of our questions.

April 26.--Fine clear warm weather. The natives were still on the
opposite bank, and five of them came over to us in the course of the
morning; but remained a very short time. During the last night a few
fine shrimps were caught; the soldiers stationed at the depot said they
had frequently taken them in considerable numbers. During the day
arranged the loads for the boats and horses, that they might be enabled
to set off early the next morning.

April 27.--Loaded the boats with as much of the salt provisions as they
could safely carry, and despatched them to wait at the first creek about
seven or eight miles down the river until the loaded horses came, and
then to assist in taking their loads over the creek; intending myself to
follow with the remainder of the baggage early to-morrow morning.

The observations which were made here placed the depot in lat. 33. 40.
S.,
and in long. 148. 21. E., the variation of the needle being 7. 47. E.
The barometrical observations, which had been regularly taken from Sydney
to this place, did not give us an elevation of more than six hundred feet
above the level of the sea; a circumstance which, considering our
distance
from the west coast, surprised me much.

The few words of which we were enabled to obtain the meaning from the
natives who occasionally visited its, being different from those used by
the natives on the east coast, it way perhaps be interesting to insert
them.

AUSTRALIAN. ENGLISH.

Nh-air, The eyebrows.
Whada, The ears.
Ulan-gar,) The head.
Nat-tang,)
Anany, The beard.
Morro, The nose.
Er-ra, The teeth.
Mill-a, The eyes.
Narra, The fingers.
Bulla-yega, The hair of the head.
Chu-ang, The mouth.
0-ro, The neck.
Bargar, The arms.
Ben-ing, The breast.
Bur-bing, The belly.
Mille-aar, The loins.
Dha-na, The thighs.
Wolm-ga, The knees.
Dhee-nany, The feet.
Dhu-a, The back.
Mor-aya, Bones worn in the cartilage of the nose.
Mada, Skins, with which they are clothed.
Wamb-aur, Scars, raised for ornament, or distinction,
on their bodies.
Gum-iil, Girdles worn round the body.
Un-elenar, One night.
Gow, Woman.
Mar-o-gu-la, Another tribe.
Mem-aa, A native man.
Wam-aa, A kind of hornet's-nest, which they eat.
Warenur, Fire.
Curr-eli, Timber, or trees.
Galu-nur, Thistles, the roots of which they eat.
Gulura, The moon.
Yandu, Sleep.
Galen-gar,)
Ori-al, ) Stone hatchets.
Ta-wi-uth,)

The above were all the words the meaning of which we could clearly
comprehend: the words used by the natives on the coast to express the
same objects have not the remotest resemblance to the above.

April 28.--Fine clear mild weather. Proceeded with the remainder of the
baggage to join the boats down the river; arrived at Lewis's Creek,
which, although nearly dry when crossed by Mr. Evans in 1815, is now a
considerable stream. The distance from the depot is about nine miles;
the country on both banks of the river low but good: the upper levels
would afford excellent grazing, but the soil is of inferior quality: the
points of the low hills end alternately on each side the river. The land
up both banks of Lewis's Creek is very rich, and covered with herbage.
The boats had come safely down the river, although the large boat
grounded
once; the river appears to me to be from three to five feet above its
usual level.

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