Volume I Part 1 (1/2)
Journals Of Two Expeditions Of Discovery In North-West And Western Australia.
by George Grey.
VOLUME 1.
PREFACE.
The following pages contain the results of the author's travels and residence in the western parts of Australia, between the years 1837 and 1840, during which period he traversed extensive regions unknown to the European traveller, and probably never before trodden by the foot of civilized man.
It is not alone with gratification of enlightened curiosity that the countries now first brought to notice are likely to be objects of interest. A knowledge of the districts lying between Swan River and Shark Bay cannot but be of importance to future colonists, whilst the intertropical provinces of the north-west coasts, distinguished as they are by important peculiarities both of character and position, are equally calculated to draw the attention of the literary and enterprising enquirer.
It only remains to state in a few words the circ.u.mstances under which this work is given to the public.
The author arrived in England in September, 1840, and was engaged in preparing his notes for publication when he was unexpectedly honoured with an appointment which re-called him to Australia in the month of December following.
Avocations both of a public and private nature arising out of that appointment prevented him from carrying his work through the press during the short period of his residence in this country, and consequently the final arrangement of the impression and the duties of typographical revision devolved on others.
Although no pains have been spared to render these volumes worthy of the public eye, the circ.u.mstances under which they appear will naturally occasion them to be marked by defects which, doubtless, would not have escaped the author's notice and correction had he been present.
It would be an act of injustice not to express here the obligations the author is under to Mr. J.E. Gray of the British Museum for his valuable a.s.sistance in whatever relates to natural history in the body of the work, as well as for the contributions in the same branch of science which will be found in the Appendix; nor are his thanks less due to Mr.
Adam White for an interesting paper on the Entomology of Australia; and to Mr. Gould, who has lately visited that country, for his list of the Birds of the Western Coast.
JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY.
CHAPTER 1. COMMENCEMENT OF THE EXPEDITION. TENERIFE.
GENERAL PLAN AND OBJECTS.
The Expeditions of which the results are narrated in the following pages took their origin from a proposition made to Government by myself, in conjunction with Lieutenant Lus.h.i.+ngton,* in the latter part of the year 1836.
(*Footnote. Now Captain Lus.h.i.+ngton of the 9th Foot.)
At that time a large portion of the western coast and interior of the great Australian continent had remained unvisited and unknown; whilst the opinions of the celebrated navigators Captains Dampier and King, connected with other circ.u.mstances, led to the inference, or at least the hope, that a great river, or water inlet, might be found to open out at some point on its western or north-western side; which had then been only partially surveyed from seaward.
DESIGN OF THE EXPEDITION.
Anxious to solve this interesting geographical problem, we addressed a letter to Lord Glenelg, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, wherein we offered our services to conduct an exploration from the Swan River to the northward, having regard to the direction of the coast, so as to intersect any considerable body of water connecting it with the interior; and, in the event of such being discovered, to extend our examination of it as far as circ.u.mstances might admit.
The letter containing this offer also enumerated several secondary objects, to which we proposed to direct our attention, and which were ultimately comprehended in our instructions.
The offer and suggestions were favourably entertained by Lord Glenelg, and further communications invited; and, the project having been favoured by the support of the Royal Geographical Society, our services were finally accepted by the Government.
INSTRUCTIONS.
More mature consideration however led to a material alteration in the first plan; for whilst our princ.i.p.al object, namely, the search for a great river or interior inlet, remained the same, it was considered, for several reasons, more advisable that the exploration should commence from the vicinity of Prince Regent's River, on the north-west coast, and be directed towards the Swan. I shall pa.s.s over the various points of detail which occupied our time and attention until the moment of departure, as they offer no matters of general interest. It will be sufficient to say that everything suggested as likely to be conducive to the success and utility of the expedition was most liberally granted and supplied; and, when all was prepared, a letter of instructions dated the 16th June 1837 was addressed by Lord Glenelg to myself and Lieutenant Lus.h.i.+ngton conjointly; which embraced the following points: