Part 13 (1/2)

COPY OF INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

Downing Street, April 18, 1816.

It is most desirable that any person travelling into the interior should keep a detailed Journal of his proceedings. In this Journal all observations and occurrences of every kind, with all their circ.u.mstances, however minute, and however familiar they may have been rendered by custom, should be carefully noted down; and it is also desirable that he should be as circ.u.mstantial as possible in describing the general appearance of the country, its surface, soil, animals, vegetables and minerals, every thing that relates to the population, the peculiar manners, customs, language, etc., of the individual natives, or the tribes of them that he may meet with.

The following however will be among the most important subjects, on which it will be more immediately the province of a traveller to endeavour to obtain information.

The general nature of the climate, as to the heat, cold, moisture, winds, rains, etc.; the temperature regularly registered from Fahrenheit's thermometer, as observed at two or three periods of the day.

The direction of the mountains; their general appearance as to shape, whether detached, or continuous in ranges.

The rivers, and their several branches, their direction, velocity, breadth and depth.

The animals, whether birds, beasts, or fishes, reptiles, insects, etc., distinguis.h.i.+ng those animals, if any, which appear to have been domesticated by the natives.

The vegetables, and particularly those that are applicable to any useful purpose, whether in medicine, dyeing, etc.; any scented woods, or such as may be adapted for cabinet work, or furniture, and more particularly such woods as may appear to be useful in s.h.i.+p-building; of all which it would be desirable to procure small specimens, labelled and numbered, so that an easy reference may be made to them in the Journal, to ascertain the quant.i.ties in which they are found, and the situations in which they grow.

Minerals, any of the precious metals, or stones, if used or valued by the natives.

With respect to the animals, vegetables, and minerals, it is desirable that specimens of the most remarkable should be preserved as far as the means of the traveller will admit, and especially the seeds of any plants not hitherto known: when the preservation of specimens is impossible, drawings or detailed accounts of them are most desirable.

The description, and characteristic difference, of the several people whom he way meet; the extent of the population, their occupation, and means of subsistence; whether chiefly, or to what extent, by fis.h.i.+ng, hunting, or agriculture, and the princ.i.p.al objects of their several pursuits.

A circ.u.mstantial account of such articles, if any, as might be advantageously imported into Great Britain.

A vocabulary of the language spoken by the natives whom he may meet, using in the compilation of each the same English words.

If the people are sufficiently numerous to form tribes, it is important to ascertain their condition, and rules of the society; their genius and disposition; the nature of their amus.e.m.e.nts; their diseases and remedies, etc.; their objects of wors.h.i.+p, religious ceremonies; and the influence of those ceremonies on their moral character and conduct.

(Signed) JOHN THOMAS CAMPBELL, Sec.

(True copy.)

No. Ia.

LIST OF THE NAMES AND DESIGNATIONS OF THE SEVERAL PERSONS PROCEEDING ON THE EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY, UNDER THE COMMAND OF JOHN OXLEY, ESQ., SURVEYOR GENERAL OF LANDS.

1 John Oxley, Esq., chief of the expedition.

2 Mr. George William Evans, second in command.

3 Mr. Allan Cunningham, King's botanist.

4 Charles Fraser, colonial botanist.

5 William Parr, mineralogist.

6 George Hubbard, boat-builder.

7 James King, 1st boatman, and sailor.

8 James King, 2nd horse-sh.o.e.r.

9 William Meggs, butcher.

10 Patrick Byrne, guide and horse leader.

11 William Blake, harness-mender.