Part 17 (1/1)

The forge, stores, and other additional supplies having been landed, and the party set to work shoeing horses, repairing saddle-bags, etc, I proceeded with Mr Walcott and Mr Angel in the boat to h survey of the coves on the western side of the bay, with a view to selecting a suitable spot from which to re-embark the horses on our return from the next trip, as it would be too late in the season by that time to venture the trip overland to Chae existed, with three fathoms at loater, one mile off the little cove from which the shi+p had been watered, and is approachable at all tiales, when a heavy swell sets in across the bay, rendering a landing unsafe The fresh water runs down a rocky gully at the north-west corner of the cove, at the north end of a small patch of sandy beach, and the supply appears tolerably abundant; it is, however, rather difficult of access towards the end of the dry season, as the water has then to be carried over the rocks in small baracas fifty or sixty yards to the boats, but froust it runs down strongly at high-water mark I walked back overland to the ca about four in of which was lined with a broad belt of roves

21st to 28th July

Was fully taken up in shoeing horses,stores, etc, ready for our trip to the eastward,the country already explored, so as to secure all the infor toin readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th Dece, Mr Walcott would land one of the shi+p's iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fre that I could not land until 3 pm, e quickly saddled up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorroithout water As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven ounces of ar per man per diem; ere, however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two re with extra strong shoes tipped with steel We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was always on foot by turns of an hour each It had been originally intended that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it was now so late in the season that I did not dee her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we ht not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the probability of a very e uncertainty The result proved we had adopted the right course Bivouac

DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS

30th July

Thiswe crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred their loads to our own backs and carried theh half athat we did not hteen miles, e found a little water left in the pool seen on the 18th Ca our old tracks to 330 pm, e turned to the south up a streae where it issued froes we found a fine pool of perrass This strea, and, as the packs were heavy, we remained here the rest of the afternoon Caust

Passing under the northern foot of the granite ranges on an easterly course for sixteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of open water in a branch of the creek on which we had encamped on the 16th July This pool was a valuable discovery, as it would not only for in theat least from 15,000 to 20,000 acres of arable land equal in quality to the Greenough Flats, the whole could, if necessary, be easily irrigated frohest part of the plain not being thirty feet above the water-level at the driest period of the year This fine tract of country, in connection with the lands already seen al on the eastern bank of the Sherlock, would in itself support a larger population than is at present contained in the whole of the colony of Western Australia We had seen aroos on these plains than on any other portion of our route; one that was shot reseood order, the fur aroo of the western coast, and of a pale hed about forty-five pounds Carees 54eastward over grassy plains and stony ridges, at thirteen miles we struck the Sherlock only two miles below the pool at which we had left the horse Rocket, and hoped to find hi the spot, the presence of crows and a wild dog gave indications of a different fate; we found him partly devoured within a few yards of where we left hion till sunset, we arrived at our old caround (Camp 43) at the bend of the Sherlock Caust

Followed up the left bank of the Sherlock to Ca in the bird-cage pools, where we halted for two hours At 130 p little but hakea and triodia Fivefrom the south-east, in which were several ss, at which we halted Caust (Sunday)

Although the feed here was very indifferent, yet, as we had again entered unexplored country, I was glad toupon the rather unpro tract of country that lay in the outward route

5th August

Making a rather late start, on account of the horses having strayed very far in search of feed, we steered for a bold range bearing east-south-east, distant about twentyfrom the south-south-east, and continued our course over a poor tract of country, covered with triodia and a few acacia, large bare red granite rocks cropping out here and there At one of these was a sh at first alarmed, he soon told us, in answer to our inquiries, that we should find no water to the east, but plenty to the south, which we found to be correct, as we had to halt, after a very long day's es for which we had been rees 10 minutes 35 seconds

RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY AHEAD

6th August

Having reconnoitred the country for so water, it was no use leading our horses further into the rugged defiles, where we ly struck to the south-west for four miles, e came on a rocky pool of permanent water in the south-east branch of the Sherlock, just at the point where it eiven them an hour's rest, we followed up the stream to the south-east for seven miles, when it divided into nue of granite, capped withonly been met ithin the first ust

The horses requiring water, we fell back upon the pool passed yesterday, where I decided upon leaving the bulk of the party for the day or thile I explored the country for a pass to the eastward Carees 14withh the hills to the eastward, and at six miles came upon a stream-bed that led us to the north-east fifteen or sixteenit contained no water, we resumed an easterly course over an open sandy and stony plain, covered with triodia, for twelve miles, and encamped in poor feed without water Carees 4 ust

A heavy dew having fallen during the night, our horses were much refreshed, and ere enabled to proceed with the scanty supply of water carried with us In an hour we struck upon the channel of a river with a sandy bed, 300 yards wide, in which were a few pools of water, under a bold sandstone bluff, rising abruptly 300 feet from the plain From the summit of this hill the river was observed to trend to the north-north-west for eight or ten e four miles to the south-south-east, towards whichturned our steps, across extensive beds of soft drift-sand brought down by the river Cajeput and acacia trees occupied a large portion of the channel, and it was not until reaching the gorge in the range that grass was met with in sufficient quantities to supply our wants Several large pools, tee ater-fowl, occupied the whole of the valley, which here was fully a quarter of aand triangulating the country, while the horses were enjoying the benefit of the fine feed Carees 6 ust

As this river, fro to the south-east, I deter named this river the Yule, we returned to the depot party by a so it in about thirty ust (Sunday)

Party resting Observed a set of lunars, which placed us in longitude 118 degrees 3 ular as to be alust

To-day the whole party proceeded twenty-foura small pool of water in a rocky ravine by the hich we had rassy plain six ust

Moved on to our camp of the 9th, and halted there for the remainder of the day The latitude by rees 6near the river was found to be very laborious, on account of the vast beds of loose drift-sand thrown up by the summer floods, we steered to the south-south-east for a pass in the ranges about twenty h which the river was supposed to co the hills, the river was observed to the ard; we accordingly altered our course to south-west, and struck it at about six gregate width of the several channels a procured in the a few inches in the sand The country passed over during the day was an open plain of light sandy loa out at intervals of a few ht, and thirty to forty feet in circumference (a fehich had already been met with on our first trip), were here reht brick-red colour An e at full speed, at the range of over 200 yards Carees 23 ust