Part 3 (2/2)

1848

As the stock belonging to the settlers on the Swan River had increased to the full extent of the pastoral capabilities of the known available country, it beca importance to push forward the exploration of the Colony of West Australia, and accordingly, in 1848 the Surveyor-General, Captain Roe, conducted an expedition to the south-east of Swan River, while the settlers organised one to proceed to the north, and rant the services of Mr

assistant-Surveyor AC Gregory as the leader of the party

THE SETTLERS' EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD FROM PERTH, UNDER MR

assISTANT-SURVEYOR AC GREGORY

We could not do justice to the enterprise and exertions of the gentleood land to the northward in any other way than by giving Mr Augustus Gregory's Journal entire:--

INSTRUCTIONS TO LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OBJECTS

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Perth, August 28, 1848

SIR,

I am directed by the Governor to infor expedition about to proceed northwards on account of the zeal, energy, and enterprising spirit that have been exhibited by you on other occasions, and called into action with credit to yourself and advantage to the public interests The party under your direction, it is intended, should proceed northward as high as the Gascoyne River (The Gascoyne River flows into Shark Bay, in latitude 24 degrees 52 minutes South) It is advisable to approach that river from the eastward, about 100in a north-easterly and northerly direction fro desirable that part of your route which lies farthest in the interior country should be first accomplished, in order to avail yourself of the best chance of finding water

You will examine that river as far as itits course; of ascertaining, if possible, the nature of the bar at thepracticable for boats, to what distance from the bar, and the nature of the soil in the vicinity of either bank

After having examined thus the Gascoyne River you will proceed in a southerly direction and examine the river, as yet unnamed, about forty miles farther south, that flows into Shark's Bay, the mouth of which was seen by Captain Grey, and is placed by hi the sea-shore for any distance you will pay as much attention as your limited means will allow you to do to the peculiarities of the coast, and of any estuaries, creeks, or roadsteads that may present themselves

You will bear in mind that the primary object of this expedition is the examination of a new tract of unknown country for practical purposes, by practical men--that, in fact, the discovery of new land of an available kind for pasture has beco to be desired, of paramount importance, and an object in the attainment of which the interests and perhaps the fate of this colony depend

You will thus conduct your expedition with the view of pro this principal object to the best of your ability But it is hardly needful to observe to you that this chief objectto observe the geographical, geological, and h; its productions--anietable; and the character, dialects, and custoinal tribes you may fall in with

You have been so frequently eh of minor importance perhaps to the present, that you must be well aware it is no less impolitic than cruel to come into actual collision, wantonly, unadvisedly, and maliciously, with the natives; and, on the contrary, that it is no less hury recollections of white people, where the footsteps of travellers, however few and far between, must be expected to follow yours

Should your route, either in proceeding on the expedition or returning, be in the direction of that part of the Irwin River where for the discovery of coal the colony is indebted to yourself and brothers, it would be desirable that you should devote a short time to the examination of the locality where it was first found; to excavation, to some moderate extent, in the vicinity of the veins of coal of most promise; and, above all, to the ascertainment of the fact if coal crops out, or if there be in the soil any indications of it between the place where the mine was discovered by you in 1846 and the seashore, in that intervening space of about thirty-eight or forty miles, or to the northward of it in the direction of Shark's Bay, where Dr von Soain make its appearance

In the event of accident, occasioning loss of provisions and beasts of burden, and a necessity arising for a prompt return to the settled districts, you will bear in mind the causes of impediment on the march which proved so disastrous to Captain Grey's party on its return froht manifested in another expedition in the murder of Lieutenant Eyre's European coetfulness of the nature of barbarians, and the facilities for ale, that have led to injuries fatal to life, as in the case of Mr Cunningham in Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition, and of two of his companions at another time; and in some instances, as in those of Captain Stokes and Captain Grey, that have led to results all but fatal to the explorers and their expeditions; injuries suddenly and unexpectedly inflicted on individuals straggling fro considerable distances in advance of it

You are to bear in hout your expedition to keep a register of the depths at which water has been found by you, and of those depths to which you have penetrated in vain for it