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The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888

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John Forrest, of Western Australia, made his first important journey in
1869. It will be remembered that a report had been current for many years
amongst the natives of Western Australia, to the effect that a party of
white men coming from the east had been murdered by the natives on the
shore of an interior salt lake. A Mr. Monger, when out west in search of
pastoral country, came across a native who stated that he had been to the
place where the murder was committed, had seen the remains, and would
lead the party there.

As usual with the Australian natives, his story was most circumstantial.
He described the scene of the murder as being in the neighbourhood of a
large lake, so large that it looked like the sea, and that the white men
were attacked and killed whilst making a damper. These artistic details
with which the blacks embellish their narratives, make it very hard to
refuse credence to them.

Baron Von Mueller immediately wrote to the Western Australian Government,
offering to lead a party there, and ascertain the truth of the report.
The Government took the matter up, and made preparations to start an
expedition. Von Mueller was, however, prevented by his other engagements
from taking charge, and the command was given to Mr. John Forrest, a
surveyor.

On the 26th of April, 1869, Forrest and his party reached Yarraging, then
the farthest station to the eastward. On the first of May, when camped at
a native well, visited by Austin in 1854, Forrest says that he could
still distinctly see the tracks of that explorer's horses. Past this spot
he fell in with natives, who told him that a large party of men and
horses died at a place in a northerly direction, and that a gun belonging
to the party was still in the possession of the blacks. On closer
examination this story turned out to relate to nine of Mr. Austin's
horses poisoned during his expedition. Forrest continued his journey to
the eastward, and on the 18th came to a large dry salt lake, which he
named Lake Barlee. An attempt to cross this lake resulted in getting the
horses bogged, and a good deal of hard work had to be gone through before
the packs and horses were once more safe on dry land Lake Barlee was
afterwards found to be of great size, extending for more than forty miles
to the eastward. The native guide Forrest had with him now became rather
doubtful as to the exact position of the spot where he professed to have
seen the remains, and Forrest, after some searching, came across a large
party of the local inhabitants. But they proved anything but friendly,
threw dowaks at the blackfellow, and advised the whites to go away before
they were killed. As it was getting dark they adopted this advice, and
retreated some five miles and camped, Mr. Monger having unfortunately
lost his revolver in the scrub. Next morning they managed to get speech
with two of the blacks, who restored the revolver, which they had found,
and had been warming at the fire. These men stated that the bones were
two days' journey to the north, but they were the bones of horses, not of
men, and offered to take the whites there, promising to come to the camp
the following day, a promise which was riot kept.

No other intercourse with the blacks was obtainable, at least none that
produced any good results. One old man simply howled piteously all the
time they were in his company, and another one, who had two children with
him, said most emphatically that he had never heard of any horses having
been killed, but that the natives had just killed and eaten his brother.

After vainly searching the district for many days, Forrest determined to
utilise the remainder of the time at his disposal by examining the
country as far to the eastward as his resources would permit.

It was evident that the story of the white men's remains had originated
from the bones of the horses that died during Austin's trip; and, as no
matter how circumstantial might be the narrations of the blacks, they
invariably contradicted them the next time they were interrogated, it was
evident it would serve little purpose being led by them on a foolish
errand from place to place.

After pushing some distance east with very little encouragement in the
shape of good country, Forrest, taking with him one black boy and a seven
days' supply of rations, made a final excursion ahead, and managed to
reach a point one hundred miles beyond the spot where he left his
companions encamped. He found nothing to reward him. It was only by means
of shallow and scanty pools of water that he managed to get so far, and
the country where he turned back was certainly clearer than any he had
crossed but it was only open sand plains, with spinifex and large white
gums. He climbed a large gum tree to have a last look to the eastward,
but it was a scene of desolation. Some rough sandstone cliffs were
visible, distant about six miles N.E.; more to the north, a narrow line
of samphire flats appeared, with cypress and stunted gums on its
edges everywhere there was spinifex, and no prospect of water. Forrest
turned back, and retraced his steps to where he had left his companions.

On his homeward way he managed to cross the dry bed of Lake Barlee, which
had so nearly engulfed his horses, and examined the northern side of it.

On their return track Forrest kept a more northerly and westerly course,
but saw nothing to alter the unfavourable report of the country made by
the former explorers. He returned to Perth on the 6th August.

Forrest was not more successful than those preceding him in finding good
available country to the eastward, but he at any rate obtained a correct
and reliable survey of a good deal of country hitherto unknown.

On his return to Perth, Baron Von Mueller, whose ardour in the cause was
rather increased by the disappointment experienced in finding that the
accounts of the natives were quite unreliable, recommended a journey from
the head waters of the Murchison in the direction of the Gulf of
Carpentaria. Forrest was quite willing to undertake the trip, but want of
funds stood in the way just then, and the matter was not enthusiastically
supported by others.

It was then proposed to make a journey to Adelaide. by way of the Great
Bight, which had not been traversed since Eyre's celebrated march round
it, and the leadership was offered to Forrest and accepted by him.

The party, beside the leader, consisted of his brother Alexander, two
white men and two natives, one of the last having been on the former
trip. A coasting schooner, the ADUR, of thirty tons, was to accompany
them round the coast, calling at Esperance Bay, Israelite Bay, and Eucla,
there to supply the party with fresh stores. On the 30th March, they left
Perth.

The first part of the journey to Esperance Bay was through comparatively
settled and well-known country, so that but little interest attaches to
it. At Esperance Bay, where the Messrs. Dempster had a station, they
arrived a few days before the relief schooner, and on the 9th May started
for Israelite Bay.

From Esperance Bay to Israelite Bay the record of the journey is equally
tame, and it was not until he once more parted from his relief boat that
Forrest had to encounter the serious part of his undertaking. He had now
to face the line of cliffs fronting the Bight behind which he had, he
knew, little or no chance of finding water for one hundred and fifty
miles. Forrest says that these cliffs, which fell perpendicularly into
the sea, although grand in the extreme, were terrible to gaze from.


"After looking very cautiously over the precipice, we all ran back quite
terror-stricken by the dreadful view."


Having made what arrangements he could to carry water, Forrest left the
last water on the 5th of April. They reached the break in the cliffs
where the water was obtainable by digging amongst the sandhills, on the
13th April, without any loss, having luckily found many small rock holes
filled with water, which enabled him to push steadily on.

While recruiting at the sand hills he made an excursion to the north, and
after passing through a fringe of scrub twelve miles deep, came upon most
beautifully grassed downs. At fifty miles from the sea there was nothing
visible but gently undulating plains of grass and saltbush at far as
could be seen. There being no prospect of finding water, he was forced to
turn back, fortunately finding small waterholes both on his outward and
homeward way.

On the 24th, they started for Eucla, the last point at which they were to
meet the Adur. On this course he kept to the north of the Hampton Range,
and crossed well-grassed country, but destitute of surface water,
reaching Eucla on the 2nd July. The ADUR was there awaiting them, and the
parties were soon re-united.

On the 8th, Forrest and his brother made another excursion to the north;
he penetrated some thirty miles finding, as before, beautifully-grassed,
boundless plain 9, but no signs of surface water.

After leaving Eucla, the explorers had a distressing stage to the head of
the Great Bight, where they obtained water by digging in the sand, the
horses having been three days without a drink, suffering much more than
on any previous stage. From here they soon entered the settled districts
of South Australia, and the exploring came to an end.

Although this trip of Forrest's can hardly be called an exploring trip,
inasmuch as he was repeating the journey made by Eyre, he embraced a
great deal of new country during its performance, and, owing to the
larger facilities he enjoyed, was able to pronounce a much more impartial
verdict than Eyre was competent to do. Eyre, be it remembered, was
struggling on for his life, Forrest travelled in comparative ease, being
able to supply himself three times from the schooner during the journey;
it is but natural that Eyre's report should bear a very sombre tinge.

Forrest showed that the fringe of gloomy thicket was only confined to the
coast; beyond, he on every occasion found fine pastoral country. He
says:--

"The country passed over between longitude 126 deg. 24 min. E. as a
grazing country, far surpasses anything I have ever seen. There is
nothing in the settled portions of Western Australia equal to it, either
in extent or quality; but the absence of permanent water is a great
drawback; . . . the country is very level, with scarcely any undulation,
and becomes clearer as you proceed northward."


The rapid progress now being made in improved methods of boring for
water, will soon bring this country under the sway of the pastoralists,
and without doubt render it one of the most valuable provinces of Western
Australia.

On his arrival in Adelaide, Forrest received a hearty welcome, and
equally so on his return to Perth. In the following year Alexander
Forrest took charge of a private exploring party in search of new
pastoral country. He had the advantage of a good season, and reached as
far as 123 deg. 37 min. E. longitude; he then struck S.S.E., towards the
coast, finally returning by way of Messrs. Dempster's station in
Esperance Bay.

Forrest's expedition, unfortunately, left no hope that any river existed
that might possibly have been unknowingly crossed at its mouth by Eyre.




CHAPTER XII.



The first expeditions of Ernest Giles--Lake Amadens--Determined attempts
to cross the desert--Death of Gibson--Return-Warburton's expedition--
Messrs. Elder and Hughes--Outfit of camels--Departure from Alice
Springs--Amongst the glens--Waterloo Well--No continuation to
Sturt's Creek--Sufferings from starvation--Fortunate relief from death
by thirst--Arrive at the head of the Oakover--Lewis starts to obtain
succour--His return--Gosse sent out by the South Australian Government--
Exploring bullocks--Ayre's rock--Obliged to retreat--Forrest's expedition
from west to east--Good pastoral country--Windich Springs--The Weld
Springs--Attacked by the natives--Lake Augusta--Dry country--Relieved by
a shower--Safe arrival and great success of the expedition--Ernest
Giles in the field--Elder supplies camels--The longest march ever
made in Australia--Wonderful endurance of the camels--The lonely
desert--Strange discovery of water--Queen Victoria's Spring--The march
renewed--Attacked by blacks--Approach the well-known country in Western
Australia--Safe arrival--Giles returns overland, north of Forrest's
track--Little or no result--Great drought--The western interior.


Before following up Forrest's career as an explorer, and tracing his most
important work of crossing the centre of Australia from the sea to the
telegraph line, we must see what the South Australians had been doing.

Ernest Giles, in 1872, made an excursion to the westward, starting from
Chambers' Pillar. His progress was stopped by a large, dry, salt lake, to
which he gave the high-sounding name of Lake Amadens, and which unhappily
figures on maps of Australia in a rather misleading way, as a large,
permanent, BONA FIDE lake. Not being able with his small party to
ascertain the exact limits of this obstacle, which was of the same
character as those so often described as barring the way of the Western
Australian explorers, Giles returned, having traversed a good deal of
country, up to that time unknown and unexamined.

In the following year he again took the field, assisted by the help and
sympathy of Baron Von Mueller, and a sum of money subscribed by the South
Australian Government. He left the settled districts at the river now
called the Alberga, which flows into Lake Eyre, and travelling
north-west, made many determined attempts to cross the spinifex desert
that had confronted him; but had to return beaten.

On one occasion, anxious to reach a range that he saw in the distance,
and where he hoped to find a change of country, he started with one man
and a supply of water on pack horses; as the horses knocked up they were
left to find their way back themselves, until at last, when but two were
left, Giles sent his companion, Gibson, back on one, whilst he made a
final effort to reach the range.

This trip, which recalls one of the purposeless and impetuous exploits of
Grey, resulted in the death of Gibson and the loss of several horses.
Giles' horse soon knocked up, and he had to return on foot. Having, with
really astonishing prudence, left a keg of water buried on his way out,
he made for that. To his dismay, after proceeding some distance he saw
Gibson's track turn off on the trail of one of the horses that had been
abandoned, instead of keeping to the outward track. Hoping still that he
might have found his way back, Giles hastened on to the buried keg, but
it was untouched, and he knew that the unfortunate man's fate was sealed.
Giles made his way back to where the rest were encamped, and they
immediately went in search; but it was fruitless. Neither man nor horse
were ever seen again, and the scene of his death is now marked on the
maps as "Gibson's Desert." During his excursions in various directions,
trying to find a westward route, Giles discovered and traversed four
different ranges of mountains. The party suffered much from the hostility
of the blacks, who on several occasions attacked them; and the leader,
in his journal, complains, like Warburton, of the sleepless nights caused
by the myriads of ants that infested the desert country. The farthest
point reached was the 125th degree of east longitude. He returned to
Adelaide after an absence of twelve months, during which he had gone
through much hardship and danger.

The tract of country between the overland telegraph line and the western
settlements now became the battlefield of the explorers; few of them, it
is true, hoped to find much available country, the accounts of those who
had penetrated a short distance being so depressing; but they struggled
for the honour of being the first to cross the gap of unknown land, often
to the neglect of careful inspection.

One of the expeditions that led to the western half of the continent
being condemned as a hopeless desert was that commanded by Colonel
Warburton, It was promoted by two South Australian colonists whose names
have been always to the front when exploration has been
concerned--Messrs. Thomas Elder and Walter Hughes. They jointly fitted
out the expedition, which, it was hoped, would lead to the advancement of
geographical knowledge; unfortunately, the result was not at all
commensurate. The original idea was that the party should start from
about the neighbourhood of Central Mount Stuart, and make for Perth, this
course, however, was not adhered to. In spite of being fitted out solely
with camels, Warburton suffered so much delay in getting through the
sandhills that his provisions were all consumed and his camels knocked up
before he got half-way through, compelling him to bear up north to the
head waters of the Oakover River, discovered by F. Gregory.

The party consisted of the leader and his son Richard, Mr. Lewis
(surveyor), one white man, two Afghans, and a black boy. They had
seventeen camels, and six months' rations. On the 15th of April, 1873,
the explorers left Alice Springs, one of the stations on the overland
telegraph line, and on the 17th reached the Burt, where they left the
line and struck out west. Warburton's course at first lay some seventy
miles south of Central Mount Stuart; but after a vain search for the
rivers Hugh and Fincke, which were supposed to flow through the M'Donnell
Ranges, he altered his direction, steering to the north-west, meaning to
connect with A. C. Gregory's most southerly point on Sturt's Creek. Their
way for some distance was through good pastoral country, and in some of
the minor ranges beautiful glens were discovered, with deep permanent
pools of water in their beds. So frightened were the camels at the
appearance of the rocks that surrounded these water-holes, that they
would not approach them to drink, and, in fact, even refused the water
when it was brought to them.

On the 22nd of May, after being some days in poor sandy country, they
came to a good creek, the head of which was running, and the whole flat
where the creek emerged from the hills was one spring. This spot, the
best camp they had yet seen, was named Eva Springs. Leaving the main
party resting at these springs, Warburton, with two companions, started
on ahead, and were successful in finding some native wells, that enabled
him to break up his camp and move on with the whole of the men and
material.

On the 5th June they crossed the boundary line between Western Australia
and South Australia; but their progress was now monotonous and most
uninteresting, being through the scrubby, sandy tableland common to the
interior.

At some native wells, called by them Waterloo Wells, they had an enforced
spell of more than a month, and in addition lost three camels, and one of
the Afghans nearly died of scurvy. Afterwards they soon got fairly into
the salt-lake country, and on the 12th August, at the end of a long and
exhausting march, were relieved by one of the small native wells, on
which the blacks of this region exist. They were now by their reckoning
within ten miles of Sturt's Creek; but although Warburton made two
separate attempts to find it, he was unable to see any country that at
all resembled the description given by Gregory.

He concluded there was some error in the longitude, and proceeded on his
westerly course. The record of the day's journey now becomes a simple
tale of traversing a barren country, and an incessant search for native
wells; added to that, the excessive heat, caused by the radiation of the
sandhills during the day induced the leader to spare his camels as much
as possible, by travelling at night. This naturally led to a most
unsatisfactory inspection being made of the country, and it is impossible
to say what clues or indications to better country or more permanent
waters were passed by. In fact, he more than once during this part of his
journal mentions the fact of wild geese flying over the camp, although
they never found any surface water to account for their presence.

Starvation was shortly looming ahead; the constant halts and delays had
so protracted their journey that they were almost at the end of their
resources, and still surrounded by a most inhospitable waste. Sickness,
too, came on then, and the full brunt of the search work ahead fell upon
Lewis and the black boy, Charley; their time was taken up in watching for
the smoke of the natives' fires, or looking for their tracks. In the
evening they could travel a little, and in the early morning; at night
the myriads of ants proved an unbearable plague, and prevented the
wearied men getting their natural rest. Their position was as well nigh
hopeless as it was possible for any party to be in; if they stopped to
relieve their camels they starved themselves, and without rest the camels
could not carry them to look for native wells ahead. At last, on the 9th
of October, they reached a small waterhole that the camels themselves had
found when straying, and here perforce, they had to rest, for with the
exception of Lewis and the black boy, the remainder of the party were too
weak to do anything. At this camp they slaughtered another of their
precious camels, and for a time satisfied their gnawing hunger with the
fresh meat; they were also lucky enough to get some galar parrots and
pigeons. Here they stayed for nearly three weeks, and then shifted to
another well to the south.

Warburton now decided to make a desperate push to the head of the Oakover
River, and effect his escape if possible from the desert; on the evening
of the fourth they started, and but for the black boy would have
doubtless all marched on to death. The boy had left the camp in the
morning, after their first night's tramp, and coming across the tracks of
some natives, ran them up, finding another well at their camp, by the
time he got back, the party had been obliged to start without him;
fortunately, he heard the tinkle of the camel bell as he crossed the
sandhills, and by cooeeing loudly managed to attract attention. He then
led the way to this new source of relief, which, but for him, the party
would have missed.

Again they recommenced their journey to the Oakover, Lewis and Charley on
ahead, Warburton and his son coming on as fast as their exhausted state
would permit; their only hope for life now lay in the chance of the
advance party finding water soon and bringing it back to them. At midday,
on the 14th, Lewis appeared with a bag of water; another well had been
found, but this time it nearly cost Charley's life. As he usually did, he
had gone in advance when close to the native camp, in order not to alarm
them. The blacks had received him kindly and given him water; but when he
cooeed for his companions they took a sudden alarm, and set upon him,
spearing him in the arm and back, and cutting his head open with a club.
The remainder of the party were just able to rescue him. It seems quite
certain that this attack was not premeditated, but the effect of timidity
caused by the unexpected appearance of the white men and the camels.

At this well the party had to rest, until Lewis and one of the Afghans
pushed on to the head of the Oakover, which they thought could not be so
very far distant, as the nights were cool and dewy, and in the camp of
the natives they found two large seashells, an old iron tomahawk, and
part of the tire of a dray wheel.

On the 19th November Lewis started, and on the 25th he returned, having
been successful in reaching the head waters of the Oakover, and on the
5th December the whole party arrived at the rocky creek that he had
found. They now travelled very slowly down the river, but saw no signs of
settlement, so the indefatigable Lewis had once more to go ahead, whilst
the others waited and starved on the flesh of the last camel. He had to
ride 170 miles before he arrived at the station of Messrs. Grant, Harper,
and Anderson, who immediately supplied him with fresh horses and all
requisites with which to return to the starving men.

It was on the 29th of December, and Warburton was lying in the shade,
moodily thinking that the cattle station must be abandoned, and that
Lewis had been forced to go on to Roeburne, when the black boy, who was
climbing up a tree, called out, and starting to their feet the astonished
men found the pack-horses of the relief party almost in their camp.

Out of the seventeen camels the two that Lewis had ridden in for help
were all that survived, and for the rest of their equipment, it had been
left piecemeal in the desert.

It is distressing to think that all this suffering and labour should not
have been adequately rewarded. Warburton got into a strip of desert
country, but apparently was too much occupied with pressing straight
through to devote any time to examine any country beyond his track.
Whatever may have been the aridity, the water supply must have been ample
to support such large numbers of natives as he came in contact with. In
one camp there were numbers of women and children and one cripple; but
they quietly vacated the well when the whites came, without any apparent
difficulty, showing that they had other resources within easy reach.

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