Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume 2Sturt, Charles
History
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume 2
Sturt, Charles
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869
I had feared, not only in consequence of the unceremonious manner in
which we had left them, but, because I had, in some measure, rejected
the advances of their chiefs, that none of the natives would follow us,
and I regretted the circumstance on account of my men, as well as the
trouble we should necessarily have in conciliating the next tribe. We
had not, however, been long encamped, when seven blacks joined us. I
think they would have passed on if we had not called to them. As it
was, they remained with us but for a short time. We treated them very
kindly, but they were evidently under constraint, and were, no doubt,
glad when they found we did not object to their departing.
NEW RIVER IDENTIFIED WITH THE DARLING.
I have stated, that I felt satisfied in my own mind, that the beautiful
stream we had passed was no other than the river Darling of my former
journey. The bare assertion, however, is not sufficient to satisfy the
mind of the reader, upon a point of such importance, more especially
when it is considered how remarkable a change the Darling must have
undergone, if this were indeed a continuation of it. I am free to
confess that it required an effort to convince myself, but after due
consideration, I see no reason to alter the opinion I formed at a
moment of peculiar embarrassment. Yet it by no means follows that I
shall convince others, although I am myself convinced. The question is
one of curious speculation, and the consideration of it will lead us to
an interesting conjecture, as to the probable nature of the distant
interior, between the two points. It will be remembered that I was
obliged to relinquish my pursuit of the Darling, in east long. 144
degrees 48 minutes 30 seconds in lat. 30 degrees 17 minutes 30 seconds
south. I place the junction of the Murray and the new river, in long.
140 degrees 56 minutes east, and in south lat. 34 degrees 3 minutes. I
must remark, however, that the lunars I took on this last occasion,
were not satisfactory, and that there is, probably, an error, though
not a material one, in the calculation. Before I measure the distance
between the above points, or make any remarks on the results of my own
observations, I would impress the following facts upon the reader's
mind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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