McKinlay's Journal of Exploration in the Interior of Australia Part 6

Wind from south-east. Bell very little improved, the rest much better.

Bullocks up and yoked before sunrise. It appears to be gathering all round for rain but as usual I suppose will pa.s.s off without our being favoured with any. The natives lately have hardly ever visited the camp; I suppose their curiosity was satiated after the first few days, and when they found they could not drive off the animals without being heard or observed, and the probable consequences, they thought proper to keep aloof. Start this morning for Goonalcarae Creek, or Ellar's Creek, where there is abundance of fine feed, water, and protection from the excessive heat of the sun. Bullocks start at 7 a.m.; pa.s.sed on our right the recently-dried bed of a very nice lake, and so deceptive was it from its appearance some distance off that even the natives insisted that there was still water in it, but there was not any. The lake I have called Deception--it is a nice lake and retains water for a very long time. I pushed on through the flooded and well-gra.s.sed bed of Goonalcarae, or Ellar's Swamp. First went on a westerly course then on a southerly to the creek, but did not admire the water which was neither abundant nor sweet, although there were innumerable birds and some natives there. Went on to Lake Hodgkinson and was astonished to find it so much dried up in only twelve days, that being the time since we left it, and the water now quite bitter; then went on to Hayward's Creek that fills Lake Hodgkinson, and there found abundance of everything that we required--feed, water, wood, and shelter from the broiling sun. The dray did not get this length but camped on east end of lake, and obtaining for their use water, by digging, at four feet from the surface, good and clear; the cart will come on here in the morning and I shall remain here till there is a change in the weather as it is fearfully trying; there has been a shower on our course since we pa.s.sed on our way to Lakes Blanche and Sir Richard, but nothing of any consequence. The horses were more done up today than I have yet seen them from the oppressive heat.

Sunday, January 19.

Dray came in about noon; a considerable number of natives here on creek.

Monday, January 20.

Camp, Hayward's Creek; wind very strong from north-east to south-east.

Tuesday, January 21.

Camp, Hayward's Creek; wind chopping all round; heavy rain apparently to the north and north-east, but little of it came this way; gave the native who has been with us so long an old ewe to distribute amongst his friends.

Wednesday, January 22.

At daylight a Scotch mist from south; by 7 a.m. it came on a steady rain and lasted till 8.15 a.m., when it cleared off, still appearing to rain to north-east and west of this. Clear to the south with the wind from latter quarter; during remainder of the day weather cleared up in all quarters with a south wind, although a good many clouds are flying about.

Went round the lake to see what quant.i.ty of water was likely to be in the claypans where it fell the heaviest yesterday; there is not so much as I expected but still I will start out north tomorrow to ascertain the nature of the country and see if there be any watercourse in that direction that may hereafter be of use to parties wishing to pa.s.s to the north coast; but from what I saw to the east, and the country between that and this, I have very little hope of anything of the kind, but believe there is a creek to the westward of this that either comes from or goes to a lat.i.tude beyond and east of Sturt's furthest.

Thursday, January 23.

Started out at 11.30 a.m.; got to the top of a sandhill on north side of Lake Hodgkinson about six miles from camp; camp bearing about 175 degrees; pa.s.sed (dry) Lake Marraboothana; then through flats and basins, a large one cutting our course. Changed course and came to a dry creek called Pantyhwurladgie; then on a bearing of 284 degrees over stony desert for a large sandhill; a little water back about two miles from whence we shall have to send for it amongst the stones. Total distance travelled about thirty-three miles; to the north-east and south all stones, but sandhills bound the two latter quarters; beyond the termination of large sandhill there is nothing visible. To the west is a succession of sandhills running north and south, and terminating in desert and stony plains. Round to 348 degrees; in the distance are to be seen some terminations of inconsiderable sandhills.

Friday, January 24.

The country being short of water I merely go out today to return tomorrow; leaving here all the rations I intended for the journey northward, which for the present I had abandoned with the intention at a more suitable time to try it. Natives are with me but they declare it to be all dry; but I cannot rely on their statements at all times. The water, our supply for today, is about two miles off in the desert; our journey being over a succession of very high sandhills and stony flooded flats; skirting, for the first three-quarters of an hour, the desert to this spot, with a large red-topped sandhill on our right which terminates close by; have not seen a drop of water during the day and camp without it. I return tomorrow early for the last water which will be nearly dried up by the time I reach it. Distance travelled today twenty-four miles.

Tops of all the hills to north-east and east are very red, quite free from vegetation on tops and some with spinifex on their sides. To north, termination of sandhills with stony flats; north-west, unbroken horizon; from west-north-west round towards south-west a sandhill in the distance; altogether a dreary spot. A heavy-timbered creek comes in from south-west into the desert and appears in the distance to have a tributary from east-south-east; the timber ceases as it comes on to the open desert plain between four and five miles from this. Quite an unbroken horizon to the west of north-west for some distance. The sandhills that are in view are small and detached.

Sat.u.r.day, January 25.

Started back and got to water just in time to give the horses about half as much as they could drink and a little for ourselves; rapid evaporation has taken place since we left yesterday, for then there was enough for 100 horses, now there is not half enough for our eight; so must make for one of the permanent waters south of this tomorrow; have to close-hobble our horses and tie their heads down to them to prevent them straying too far. Strong breeze from the southward.

Sunday, January 26.

Started at 7 a.m. for c.o.o.nhadie, a rainwater watering-place in desert, but found it quite dry; start for camp, Hayward's Creek, and arrived at 1 p.m.; distance about twenty-nine and a quarter miles direct from place to place, but we made it more, being obliged to go round to avoid sandhills and rounding Lake Hodgkinson. The horses stood much in need of water and seemed to enjoy it much, from quant.i.ty they drank and the time they took about it. It was fortunate for us that the weather was cool for the season of the year. Wind south and east; found all right at the camp and the men that were ailing much improved. The water in the creek is diminishing gradually, about three-quarters of an inch per day.

Monday, January 27.

Camp, Hayward's Creek. Wind easterly. Natives very much displeased at our remaining here but until the weather suits my purpose better than it does at present they must put up with it.

Tuesday, January 28.

Camp, Hayward's Creek. Wind east and south, very hot. Several of the party still complaining, the cause of which is difficult to say as the water in the creek appears good and there is plenty of it. The water in the creek is between five and six miles long. There is a lake or swamp rapidly drying up close by, from which there is a very disagreeable odour when the wind is from that quarter; the ailing may proceed from the malaria arising from that place; other waters in the immediate neighbourhood drying up fast. Natives in a great state of excitement today, wishing to inform me that the flood, or arimitha, was coming down and that we must get out of this or we should be drowned (I only wish it would come) stating that it had now reached as far as a place I know well, so tomorrow will make it my business to ride over that length to the south and east to Browne's Creek to ascertain the truth or otherwise of this information.

Wednesday, January 29.

Wind north and east. Started with Middleton to ascertain if the flood is really coming down or not; followed this creek round my way and was quite astonished at the number of natives I saw--they must have been considerably over three hundred--and I am satisfied that I did not see them all as I did not go quite up to their camp; we had no conception that there were any such numbers so close to us, a distance of only some six or seven miles. There are myriads of fish of various kinds. There was a camp close by till yesterday, within less than half a mile, but I never saw more than one hundred in it at one time--averaging from forty to sixty. They pa.s.s our camp with their nets to drag the creek between this and the lake, and come back loaded with the denizens of the creek; they are not at all liberal with them. I should be sorry to trust to their hospitality or generosity as I think they possess but little of either of those qualities. Arrived at Browne's Creek, at the place named by natives for the arrival of the flood, but found their tale false--they saw me on my way there and I suppose knew my errand--some of shallowest waters in the upper holes of the creek had dried up since I saw them last but there is abundance lower down.

Thursday, January 30.

Wind east. Camp, Hayward's Creek. Natives kept much aloof today, I suppose in consequence of my finding their piece of gratuitous information false. Self and all the party affected with griping and vomiting with the exception of Middleton and Davis. Cannot make out the cause; I wish it would rain that I could start through the desert out of this and get on to the waters to north and west of this, and be doing something, as this sort of life is worse than hard work on the const.i.tution. There is one thing, this detention here has enabled us to have the backs of the working animals attended to better than we could otherwise have done, and they are all on splendid feed, but the flies and excessive heat of the sun is very much against the healing of any kind of sores or wounds. I had occasion to bleed several of the horses and, from the mere incision caused by the fleam, the necks of several swelled up very much although every precaution was adopted.

Friday, January 31.

Started out to pick an easy track for the cart towards Moolianbrooana Lake; found a pretty good one on to the old cart tracks which will do; went then to ascertain how the waters were standing in Caunboogonannie, or Lake Jeannie, and found that, although there was still a very considerable quant.i.ty in the lake from the vast number of waterfowl upon it, and perhaps other causes, it had acquired a disagreeable taste, and I have no doubt that it will get quite unfit for use in a month or so if it does not receive a fresh supply during that time. From a hole dug about eighteen inches from the water's edge I had a drink and a pot of tea of excellent water; lots of natives round and in the lake, although round the margin I observed innumerable small fish (parrow) dead, washed in by the wind and ripple of the lake. Our horses did not seem to admire the water but that I am not astonished at.

Sat.u.r.day, February 1.

Hayward's Creek. Wind east; party still ailing.

Sunday, February 2.

Camp, Hayward's Creek. Some of party better and some worse. Wind easterly.

Monday, February 3.

Camp, Hayward's Creek. Wind easterly; digging a well, in case the origin of our sickness be caused by the water in the creek.

Tuesday, February 4.

Camp, Hayward's Creek. Wind north and gusty with hot puffs. Got the well down about fifteen feet; the lower part, for about seven or eight feet, chiefly through sand; abundance of water but salt to the taste and I think unfit for use. Had it emptied out when it soon filled; the water continues salt and lathers well with soap and can wash well; it cannot be used by us although the natives don't despise it.

Wednesday, February 5.

Camp, Hayward's Creek. Wind from east and west of north during the morning with hot gusts, very oppressive.

Thursday, February 6.

Camp, at Hayward's Creek. Wind north till late in the afternoon with some thunder and lightning and a good many clouds; appears in the distance to be raining in patches, but I have so often been deceived that I now take less notice of appearances of that kind; late in the afternoon the wind chopped round to south. Has been very hot and sultry all day. Intend in the morning to send Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton to Lake Goonaidringinnie to ascertain for certain if that lake still contains abundance of water, and good, as I think it does--and on the way to pa.s.s and examine Lake Moolionboorana to see if it will suit as a stage to camp at on our journey to Goonaidringinne, as it was not very deep when I was there last and I have my doubts about it. The natives report a considerable quant.i.ty of rain to have fallen to the east and towards north-east in the country north of Lakes Blanche and MacDonnell or Appacalradillie. If so I wish it had fallen when I was there that I might have been able to have examined the country there thoroughly.

Friday, February 7.

Started Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton to Lake Goonaidringinnie. Wind from all points of compa.s.s with many clouds; weather disagreeable and sultry during the day; rained steadily once or twice during the night with a good deal of thunder and lightning in the distance; much rain must have fallen to east and north of east as well as to the south.

Sat.u.r.day, February 8.

Splendid rain and steady. Thundering all round with every appearance of a considerable quant.i.ty of rain which will, I trust, come in such abundance as to enable me to push to the north-west across the desert, as up to this time I have been completely shut up, as it were, here for want of a decent shower to enable me to do anything of service anywhere; and the provisions gradually getting less although the ration is now as low as I can well make it. I have reduced it first from 8 pounds of flour per man per week to 7 pounds, then to 6 pounds, then to 4 1/2 pounds; sugar reduced from 2 pounds per man per week to 1 1/2 pounds; and tea from 4 ounces to 3 ounces per man per week, with plenty of good mutton; but we find the supply of flour very scanty at the 4 1/2 pounds. There has been a good deal of loss in weight in the bags of flour, as much as 9 pounds per 100 pounds; and a great portion of it had a most disagreeable taste and flavour from some naphtha, or some such liquid, having been carelessly allowed to be spilt over it on its way, I understand, from Port Augusta to Blanchewater; and I attribute the whole of the illness of the party to the use of the flour saturated as it is by this rascally stuff. In the afternoon Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton returned; they report having seen a considerable quant.i.ty of rainwater about thirteen miles this side of Lake Goonaidringinnie, and plenty of water in that lake and good; also plenty of natives on its banks. Lake Moolionboorana very much reduced and unfit for my purpose. Heavy rain all through the night with heavy thunder and lightnings. I have now abandoned the idea of going to Goonaidringinnie and will start towards Eyre's Creek, pa.s.sing or following, at some seventy miles from this, a large creek named by the natives here Panbacra.

Sunday, February 9.

Still raining a little and the ground too soft to travel over but, if much more does not fall, will start in the morning. The rain that has fallen is quite a G.o.dsend, both to this party and to the natives who have started off to the sandhills in all directions to obtain the lizards and other animals that escape to the sandhills for protection from the floods.

Monday, February 10.

Started the cart at 7.50 a.m., and horses and camels to start afterwards for Wattiegoroonita. Pa.s.sed over sandhills to top of a sandhill that rounds the lake, and over alternate sandhills and bare flats for nine and a half miles, pa.s.sing at about six miles on the last course a small salt lake; travelled on the north-east side of it as it was boggy. The lake is called Warmagoladhailie. The ground very soft and heavy travelling.

Travelled along the sand ranges and over spinifex and stony flooded flats, then over one small sandhill and stony desert. Camped at a few bushes to boil the teakettle, there being not a blade of gra.s.s; but a few saltbushes are near which the animals must do the best with for one night. Astonishing the small quant.i.ty of water pa.s.sed for the last eight or nine miles. Distance travelled today twenty-four miles. The natives are out here looking for the snakes and other small reptiles and animals that live in the sandhills everywhere in this quarter whether hot or cold, regardless of the want of water. This is a most dismal-looking camp; there are a few isolated sandhills north and west of this. Cart and sheep not up tonight.

Tuesday, February 11.