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
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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
Wednesday, 17th April,* (* The Journal of this Expedition, as published
by the Royal Geographical Society, commences here.) Quartz Hill, West
Mount Blyth. Started at 7.25 a.m. on a bearing of 70 degrees. We again
passed quartz hills running as yesterday; the spinifex still continuing,
with a little grass, until we came within a mile of the hills in the
Murchison range; finding some water, I camped, and gave the horses the
rest of the day to recruit. Last night after sundown, and during the
night, we had a few slight showers of rain, and a great deal of thunder
and lightning, mostly from south-west. About 11 to-day the clouds all
cleared away. About a mile before camping, we observed the ground covered
with numerous native tracks; also that a number of the gum-trees were
stripped of their bark all round.
Thursday, 18th April, West Mount Blyth. Started at 7.40 a.m., same
bearing, across the Murchison range, in which we found great difficulty.
On the north-east side of Mount Blyth we found a large gum creek of
permanent water, and camped. I have named this Ann Creek. I then rode to
the highest point of the range, taking Thring with me, to see if there is
any rising ground to north-west by which I may cross the gum plain. I
could see no rise, nothing but a line of dark-green wood on the horizon.
We had great difficulty in getting to the top, the rocks being so
precipitous. In coming down the eastern side we were gratified by the
sight of a beautiful waterfall, upwards of one hundred feet high, over
columns of basaltic rock, its form, two sides of a triangle, the water
coming over the angle. Wind, south-east.
Friday, 19th April, Ann Creek. Started at 7.45 a.m., on a course of 324
degrees, towards Mount Samuel. After sundown arrived at Goodiar Creek;
one of the horses done up; had to leave him a little distance back; he is
unwell. On leaving the Murchison range we crossed a number of quartz
reefs and hills running east and south-west. Wind, south-south-east.
Saturday, 20th April, Goodiar Creek. Three horses missing this morning,
in consequence of the scarcity of feed. The horse left behind last night
has been brought in; he looks very bad indeed. About 11 a.m. the other
horses were found, brought in, and saddled, and we proceeded on a
north-north-west course for Bishop Creek, but found the sick horse too
ill to proceed further than Tennant Creek, where we camped, there being
plenty of water and feed. Two natives were seen by Masters this morning
when in search of the horses--he could not get them to come near him.
Wind, south-west.
Sunday, 21st April, Tennant Creek. Wind from south-west; a few clouds
from east.
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