Part 6 (1/2)

CHAPTER XIV

JOHN M'DOUALL STUART'S EXPEDITIONS IN THE SOUTH, TO THE CENTRE, AND ACROSS THE CONTINENT

The brave adventurer who is next to engage our attention must be placed in the front rank of explorers John M'Douall Stuart was excelled by none, and equalled by few, in the special qualities which command success in the arduous enterprise to which he devoted his life As a practical bushman he probably stands without a rival From first to last he spent over twenty years in the exploration of Australia, during which time he was the leader of six expeditions, in all of which heho He first served under a great master, Captain Sturt, whohtsman to the expedition which started for the centre of Australia in 1844 His own responsible and eminently successful labours in the same field will be sketched in the sequel It is not too much to claim for M'Douall Stuart the palm of martyrdom in the cause which lay so near his heart It is true that after his as done he was not left without honours, and also rewards, both in land andany of these things From his last journey he returned, or rather was carried, more dead than alive, racked with the pains of scurvy, contracted in the centre of the continent, which he was the first to discover He subsequently rallied a little, but never recovered his health, and died in England in 1869

I

The first of Stuart's journeys was undertaken on the solicitation, and also at the expense, of his friend Mr Wm Finke, and had for its object the discovery of new pastoral country in the unknown territory to the west and north-west of Lake Torrens On the 10th of June, 1858, Stuart started from Mount Eyre with only twowith him a small complement of horses and a too scanty allowance of provisions The first section of the journey, which was rugged and sterile, lay to the west of Lake Torrens, whose surface was occasionally sighted Water was found at h and stony country proved a serious difficulty to the horses, which were iely overlooked, and no shoes had been provided for the journey The blackfelloas supposed to know this country intiot bewildered, and proved of no service for the purpose he was intended to forward The leader, being thus thrown upon his own resources, was also greatly inconvenienced in shaping his course by the frequent and extraordinary illusions of theoccasions he says:--”I think we have now e is so powerful that little bushes appear like great gue what is before us; it is alht or so continuous as it is now; one would think the whole country was under water” Failing to obtain the object of his search in the north-west, Stuart now directed his journey to the south and east, exploring the central region between Lake Torrens and Lake Gairdner In this quarter soood country were found, but the water, in the few places where it was met with, proved to be as bitter as the sea

The blackfello, thinking it time to shi+ft for hi only the white man, Foster, to assist Stuart in the thick of his difficulties Hope of a successful issue to their labours was now fast ebbing from the breasts of these indo hither and thither for 1,000 miles, they had failed in the prime object of the expedition, their provisions were rapidly disappearing, and the horses were too footsore to travel an ordinary day's e theinto viehich Stuart named Mount Finke, and from the summit of which he ventured to hope for a better prospect, or, if not, to alter his course ”If I see nothing from the top of the mount to-morrow,” said he, ”I must turn down to Fowler's Bay for water for the horses As I could not reot on one of the lower spurs of Mount Finke to see as beforedistance, but nothing ht” Froht course was steered to the sea-coast, during which every ca-place is marked on the map by the name of ”desert”

In the matter of provisions, they had for some time been reduced to one meal a day, and toward the close of the journey it was found that only two more remained to carry thelad to feed on kangaroo reat abundance They are described as elegant little creatures, about four inches in length, of the shape of a kangaroo, with a tail terainst starvation the explorers were enabled to cross the rees of the desert, and so reached the habitations of civilized men

II

Mr Stuart was the first explorer who reached the centre of Australia

The journey which led to this memorable achieve upon this story it may be proper to say a feords on two preliminary essays in exploration, which, in some measure, opened the way to this much-desired result

About six months after his return froable explorer started on a new journey to exa to the north of Lake Torrens and the east of Lake Eyre

This country proved, in some respects, a surprise to Australian discovery It turned out to be unusually atered, being furrowed at moderate intervals by a series of creeks, some of which were entitled to the na feature consisted in thefrom two or three to more than a dozen in nuht have turned a mill-wheel, and continued to run a mile from the source

From this circumstance the whole territory has, not inaptly, been called the ”spring” country Another dominant feature was seen in the extraordinary abundance of quartz reefs,auriferous, but, of course, could not be fairly tested by any appliances which were then to hand Towards the close of the same year (1859) another journey was made to this part of Australia, when more accurate surveys were obtained, and the boundaries of a nu runs laid down In both of these expeditions ie of this country, but they were especially valuable as furnishi+ng Stuart with an advanced starting-point for his heroic project of crossing the continent from south to north This arduous, but happily successful, enterprise will now be described in its main outlines

This expedition, which consisted of only three men and thirteen horses, set out on the 2nd of March, 1860, from Chambers's Creek, a valuable water supply which had been discovered by Stuart in 1858 For soh an extensive tract of country which, though yet unoccupied, had become well known to this, its first explorer Toward the northern part they followed the River Neale, which furnished plenty of water, and led them into the unknown country The next important creeks to be discovered and crossed were the Ha the latter there began to heave into sight a strange and striking mountain structure, which presented the appearance of a locoine with its funnel ”We proceeded,” says the journal, ”towards this reh heavy sand-hills covered with spinifex, and, at 12 ht's ca on a hill upwards of 100 feet high From the base of the pillar to its top is about 150 feet, quite perpendicular, and it is 20 feet wide by 10 feet deep, with two small peaks on the top I have named it Chambers's Pillar, in honour of Jareat supporter in all ood country had been traversed before this point was reached; indeed, the whole of this route was a surprise in this respect, as it had been expected to land the a barren wilderness, the continuation of the journey brought them into another splendid tract, watered by a creek na distance, tered flanks and penetrate the dense thickets of a proved to be atorn in forcing a passage through the living and the dead tie--the James--was succeeded by two other chains, which were naes, the latter of which have since become a well-known landmark in the history of more recent explorations Stuart thus describes the view he obtained froe of these mountains:--”Frorassy country, with a few sues and seees is as fine a pastoral hill-country as a rass to the top of the hills, and abundance of water through the whole of the ranges” Still heading northward, the expedition reached a position, on the 22nd of April, which is very oal which had proved the incite period of our history was now reached at last Mr Stuart was standing in the centre of the continent This achieveht well have been proud, is inti modest entry in his diary:--”To-day I find by my observation of the sun--111 0' 30”--that I am now camped in the centre of Australia I havethere There is a high mount about two miles and a half to north-north-east I wish it had been in the centre; but on it, to- there and name it Central Mount Stuart” This cere, when a fine vieas obtained froh ion of Australia must have been a surprise to the first discoverer, for it falsified the prophecies of half a century The centre of Australia was as much a matter of curiosity and conjecture in our early history as the North Pole is at the present time Oxley was first in the field, with his pet theory of an inland sea This conjecture received its quietus from Sturt, but it was only to make room for the opposite fallacy of a stony desert Now, at last, when the veil was lifted and the reality disclosed, it turned out to be just that which nobody had prophesied and few had ventured to expect It was sirass, and fairly supplied ater Both now and afterwards it was used by Stuart as a recruiting-ground for his toil-worn expedition Leaving part of his little force here for the present, the leader made a tentative effort to ascertain whether there was any practicable route out west to the Victoria River Finding none, he returned, and kept steering his foroal of the journey, hebut difficulties in the attempt to penetrate further to the north He hihtly relieved by the native cucumber, his only resource Water became even harder to find The horses, also, which were too much of the cart breed, did not well stand a hard pinch Above all, the blacks, who had never been friendly, became the more hostile the further the expedition advanced The crisis was reached when they ines set fire to the grass, and tried every stratagem to separate the explorers from their horses, after which there would soon have been an end to the expedition Failing in this device, they next ers in the proportion of ten to one Even so, they had to co Nevertheless, Stuart deemed it scarcely prudent to oppose himself to a tribe of warlike blacks in the centre of Australia, with an ar co further rely did, and returned to the most northern settlements of South Australia

III

Mr Stuart reached Adelaide in October, 1860 When it became known that he had encamped in the centre of Australia and pushed his way considerably further north, the public enthusiasain rose to fever heat in the cause of exploration The Parliaain came forith a vote of 2,500 to provide for another and a larger expedition, which was speedily organized, with the old and well-tried explorer for its leader He took with him seven men, thirty horses, and thirty weeks' provisions The former route was folloith a little deviation, as far as Attack Creek, the scene of the previous repulse In all his journeys Stuart had the shrewdness to search out and follow upthe physical conformation most likely to furnish the needful supply of water Still on the look-out for this good fortune, Attack Creek had not been far left in the rear when an elevated chain--the Whittington Range--was discovered, and followed for a long distance It led thee supply of water, which served as a base for iood account as a retreat in time of difficulty Another mountain-systee of the journey Like the for toofor the Victoria River, on the western coast Breaking away from the mountains, repeated attempts were h lands soon shaded away into an intern country, which received the name of Sturt's Plains, in honour of the ”father of Australian exploration” But it proved to be absolutely arid, and blocked on all sides by ih these ie would have to be forced, or the expedition must end in failure The latter alternative was not to be thought of till every expedient had been exhausted Leaving a portion of his force in the depot, Stuart, three several tih theobstacles he had ever experienced in his journeys It ith the greatest difficulty the horses could be brought to face this formidable barrier; and when forced to do so, the animals were injured and the explorers' clothes torn to shreds It was hard to persevere in the face of such sacrifices; yet it was done ht have been croith success but for the absolute failure of water The furthest point reached in these assaults on the iory's last camp on the Caed over the final aim of the expedition would have been easily attained To accomplish this object, Stuart did all thatcould be more admirable than the pluck and perseverance displayed in this conflict with the impossible But he, too, like all mortals, had to yield to stern necessity With a heavy heart he turned his back on the coveted north-west and retreated to the old ca to leave any alternative untried, he now modified his plan, and proposed to strike north for the Gulf of Carpentaria, if such a course ht be possible

This, unhappily, it proved not to be His path was effectually barred in this direction also After theremained but to abandon the enterprise and return to the haunts of civilization

The following entry in his journal shoith how ret this retreat was forced upon hireat disappointh, but I believe I have left nothing untried that has been in my power I have tried to make the Gulf and the river (Victoria) both before rain fell and immediately after it had fallen, but the results were the same--_unsuccessful_ I shall co The horses have had a severe trial froreat hardshi+ps and privations they have undergone On my last journey they were one hundred and six hours without water” So ended this second heroic effort to cross the continent Notwithstanding his defeat, Stuart had succeeded in penetrating one hundred miles beyond the furthest point reached on the previous journey His133

IV

Now, at last, we are to see the reward of perseverance If Fortune has any favour for the brave, it was time to smile on John M'Douall Stuart

Two noble efforts had ended in failure, but this third attempt was to be croith complete success, and land the explorer on the much-coveted shores of the Indian Ocean A month had not elapsed since his return from the second journey when the Government of South Australia despatched hi provided with reinforcements, he left the settled districts in January, 1862, and by the 8th of April had reached Newcastle Water, the round of the former journey Without loss of time he made a renewed attempt to pierce the north-western scrub and carve his way to the Victoria River But again his Herculean struggles proved to be only wasted effort This route was accordingly abandoned, finally and for ever, as being absolutely impracticable The line ofthe track of Leichhardt's and Gregory's discoveries, and thus gaining the Roper River, which enters the Gulf of Carpentaria This new project proved more easy in the accomplishment than he had ventured to expect There were, of course, stubborn obstacles to be overcoeable intervals, bringing the party on, by a succession of ponds, first to the Daly Waters, and thence to an ie over the wilderness conducted them to the much-desired Roper River It is described as a noble strea in volu been followed in the direction of its source, led the expedition a long way towards its destination on the shores of the Indian Ocean

After it failed the tract had to be crossed before the Adelaide River, one of the knoestern streah so much that was new both in flora and fauna The valley of this river was constantly revealing to the eyes of the strangers soiant banificent water-lilies on the placid bosoer reaches There was only one drawback, and that a rather serious one It was the paradise of mosquitoes, whichthe otten during the day But through pleasure and pain the expedition pushed on towards the attaine as to make the conclusion of the journey a surprise to his ood news a secret till his party should be in a position to behold it with their own eyes ”At eight miles and a half,” says he, ”we came upon a broad valley of black alluvial soil, covered with long grass From this I can hear the wash of the sea On the other side of the valley, which is rathera line of thick heavy bushes, very dense, showing that to be the boundary of the beach Crossed the valley and entered the scrub, which was a complete network of vines Stopped the horses to clear a hile I advanced a few yards on the beach, and was gratified and delighted to behold the waters of the Indian Ocean, in Van Die of its proxi, who rode in advance of me, called out 'The sea!' which so took them all by surprise, and they were so astonished, that he had to repeat the call before they fully understood asand hearty cheers I dipped my feet and washed my hands, as I had promised the late Governor, Sir Richard McDonnell, I would do if I reached it Thus I have, through the instrureat object of the expedition, and to take the whole party safely as witnesses to the fact, and through one of the finest countries man could wish to behold From Newcastle Water to the sea-beach the ht without water, and then got it the next day” The Union Jack was now hoisted, and near the foot of athe following inscription:--”The exploring party under the command of John M'Douall Stuart arrived at this spot on the 25th day of July, 1862, having crossed the entire continent of Australia, froh the centre They left the city of Adelaide on the 26th day of October, 1861, and the most northern station of the colony on the 21st day of January, 1862 To co his name All well

God save the Queen!” Burke and Wills had crossed the sahteen months earlier, but this achievement in no way detracts from the merit of Stuart's success, for his journey was entirely independent of their, or any other, expedition

The felicitous termination of this splendid enterprise marks a principal era in the history of Australian exploration It led directly to three important results--the annexation of the northern territory to South Australia, the establishment of a colonial settlement at Port Darwin, and the construction of the transcontinental telegraph along almost the whole route of this expedition