Explorations in Australia: 1.-Explorations in search of Dr. Leichardt and party. 2.-From Perth to Adelaide, around the great Australian bight. 3.-From Champion Bay, across the desert to the telegraph and to Adelaide. With an appendix on the condition of Western Australia.Forrest, John Forrest, Baron
History
Explorations in Australia: 1.-Explorations in search of Dr. Leichardt and party. 2.-From Perth to Adelaide, around the great Australian bight. 3.-From Champion Bay, across the desert to the telegraph and to Adelaide. With an appendix on the condition of Western Australia.
Forrest, John Forrest, Baron
Australia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Discovery and exploration
21st (Sunday).
Got an early start, and continued on East-South-East. At about three
miles reached a spring on a small patch of feed in the spinifex and
camped, but found, after digging it out, that scarcely any water came in.
I have no doubt that it will fill up a good deal in the night; but, our
horses being thirsty, I re-saddled and pushed on to the water about
sixteen miles ahead, which we reached at 4 p.m. There is not more than a
week's supply here, therefore I intend going ahead with Pierre to-morrow
in search of more. The country ahead seems promising, but there is a
great deal of spinifex almost everywhere. From Weld Spring to our present
camp is all spinifex, with the exception of a few flats along short
gullies. Latitude 25 degrees 22 minutes 50 seconds South, longitude about
121 degrees 57 minutes East. Barometer 28.50; thermometer 62 degrees at 5
p.m.
22nd.
Left camp in company with Tommy Pierre, with a pack-horse carrying
fifteen gallons of water. Steered South-East for four miles, then east
for about eight miles over fine grassy country, then South-East towards a
high range about twenty-five miles distant. After going about three
miles, struck a flat trending South-South-East, which we followed down
about four miles, passing two small clay-holes with water in them; then
we struck South-East for four miles, and came to a large brook trending
South-East, which we followed along until it lost itself on the plain
about six miles. Fine grassy country all the way, and game abundant.
There were a few gallons of water here and there in the brook, but none
large enough to camp at. I then turned east, and at about seven miles
reached the hill seen this morning, which I named Mount Moore, after Mr.
W.D. Moore, of Fremantle, a subscriber to the Expedition Fund. Ascending
the hill we had an extensive view to the South-West, South, and
South-East. Fine grassy country all round and very little spinifex. To
the south about nine miles we saw a lake, and farther off a remarkable
red-faced range, which I named Timperley Range, after my friend Mr. W.H.
Timperley, Inspector of Police, from whom I received a great deal of
assistance before leaving Champion Bay. A remarkable peak, with a reddish
top, bore South-South-East, which I named Mount Hosken, after Mr. M.
Hosken, of Geraldton, a contributor to the expedition. I made south
towards the lake, and at one mile and a half came on to a gully in the
grassy plain, in which we found abundance of water, sufficient to last
for months. We therefore camped for the night, with beautiful feed for
the horses. I was very thankful to find so much water and such fine
grassy country, for, if we had not found any this trip, we should have
been obliged to retreat towards Weld Springs, the water where I left the
party being only sufficient to last a few days. The country passed over
to-day was very grassy, with only a little spinifex, and it looks
promising ahead. Distance from camp about thirty-five miles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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