The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888Favenc, Ernest
History
The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888
Favenc, Ernest
Australia -- Discovery and exploration
Hann had with him as geologist a Mr. Taylor, and as botanist, Dr. Tate, a
survivor of the melancholy New Guinea expedition that left Sydney in the
brig MARIA, only to suffer wreck on the Barrier Reef, where, in the sea
and amongst the cannibals north of Rockingham Bay, most of the
unfortunates left their bones. Apparently, his ardour for exploration had
not been damped by his narrow escape.
One other member of the party, a Mr. Nation, was destined to meet a
tragic death by starvation in the newly-settled district of the northern
territory of South Australia. The party left Fossilbrook station, on
Fossilbrook Creek, a tributary of the Lynd, which would be north of the
starting point of the Jardines.
On leaving this creek they passed over much rugged and broken country,
the scene of Leichhardt's first trip, and a spot which presented many
indications of being auriferous. Here they devoted some days
unsuccessfully to prospecting, and on resuming their northern journey
came to a large river, which was named the Tate. Four days afterwards
another one was struck, which received the name of the Walsh.
From the Walsh the party crossed to the upper part of the Mitchell River,
and thence to a creek marked on Kennedy's map as "creek ninety yards
wide," which was called the Palmer, and here Warner, the surveyor, found
prospects of gold. Some further examination of the river resulted in
likely-looking results being obtained, and the find is now a matter of
history, verified by the discovery of one of the richest goldfields in
Queensland on the waters of this river.
Above the Palmer, Hann came across a memorial of the trip of the Jardines
in the tracks of some (or descendants) of the cattle, dropped by them,
but he was unable to find them. This was on a creek which, he supposed,
to be the one named by them the Kendall.
These animals had, no doubt, led a rather harassed life from the natives
since they had last been seen by the whites.
On the 1st September, Hann reached his northern limit, the 14th parallel
of latitude, and the next day commenced the ascent of the dividing range
between eastern and western waters. A few days afterwards he sighted the
sea, at Princess Charlotte's Bay.
From this point the party turned south, and soon came to a large river,
which was named the Normanby, and here a slight skirmish occurred with
the natives, with whom they had hitherto been on friendly terms. Whilst
the men were collecting the horses in the morning, and not suspecting
treachery, a body of blacks attempted to cut them off, each native being
well armed with a bundle of spears. A few shots, however, at long
distance were sufficient to disperse them, so that, fortunately, the
affair ended without bloodshed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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