Explorations in Australia: The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to SeaStuart, John McDouall
History
Explorations in Australia: The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to Sea
Stuart, John McDouall
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Stuart, John McDouall, 1815-1866
Saturday, 23rd March, Brinkley Bluff, McDonnell Range. Heavy shower of
rain about 4 a.m. this morning. After sunrise it all cleared away and
became fine. Started at 8.20 to cross the northern portion of the range
by following the creek up. We have had a very hard and difficult journey
of it. It is now 4 p.m., and we have arrived at Hamilton Springs. The
ground was so soft, even at the top of the ranges, that we had the
greatest difficulty in getting the horses through. We did so, however,
with the loss of a great number of shoes, and many of the horses were
very lame. Wind still south-east.
Sunday 24th March, Hamilton Springs. I am compelled to have some of the
horses shod to-day, and also to have a number of saddle-bags mended,
which were torn by the scrub yesterday. This afternoon there is a great
deal of thunder and lightning in the north and north-east.
Monday, 25th March, Hamilton Springs. Part of the horses missing this
morning in consequence of the green feed; did not get a start until 10.20
a.m.; bearing 43 degrees. The country became so boggy after seven miles
that we were unable to proceed further than eleven miles. There being no
surface water, although the ground was so soft that the horses kept
bogging up to their bodies, we were forced to retreat five miles to
obtain some for them. Wind south-east, the stormy weather apparently
breaking up. Camped at 5 p.m. Latitude, 23 degrees 28 minutes 51 seconds.
Tuesday, 26th March, Scrub North-east of Hamilton Springs. Started at 9
a.m. on a south-south-east course to round the boggy country. At about
six miles we were enabled to cross the lower part, and go in the
direction of a low range. Camped on the north-east side of it. The last
four miles were over fair travelling-country of a red soil, with mulga
and other bushes, in some places rather thick, abounding in green grass.
We also passed many bushes of the honey mulga, but the season is passed,
and it is all dried up. Wind, east. Latitude by Pollux, 23 degrees 24
minutes 51 seconds; by Jupiter, 23 degrees 24 minutes 52 seconds.
Wednesday, 27th March, Low Granite Range in Scrub. More than half of the
horses are missing this morning; at noon we have managed to get all but
ten; they are scattered all over the place; at 5 p.m. they cannot be
found, and the water is nearly all gone, and the country much dried
towards Strangway range. I have sent the horses four miles back to a
large clay-pan that we saw yesterday, to remain there to-night and in the
morning to return. Two of the party to separate from there, and to go in
search of the missing horses, which I suppose have gone back to the
Hamilton Springs; it is very vexing, some of our best are amongst them.
Wind, east.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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