[Gutenberg 4328] • Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I by Sturt, Charles -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

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TWO EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, VOLUME I by CHARLES STURT

VOLUME I. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME

PRELIMINARY CHAPTER.

EXPEDITION DOWN THE MACQUARIE RIVER, AND INTO THE WESTERN INTERIOR IN 1828 AND 1829.

CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. APPENDIX.

ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE FIRST VOLUME

PRELIMINARY CHAPTER

PURPOSE OF THIS PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. NAME OF AUSTRALIA. IMPRESSIONS OF ITS EARLY VISITORS. CHARACTER OF AUSTRALIAN RIVERS. FIRST VIEW OF PORT JACKSON. EXTENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND DIVISIONS OF THE COLONY. ITS ADVANCES IN PROSPERITY. ERRONEOUS IMPRESSIONS. COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE OF SYDNEY. STAPLE OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES. GROWTH OF FINE WOOL. MR. M'ARTHUR'S EXERTIONS. TO REAR MERINO FLOCKS. EXPORT OF WOOL TO ENGLAND. WHALE FISHERY. OTHER EXPORTS. GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES. GREAT PROPORTION OF BAD SOIL. CAUSE OF THIS. CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GEOLOGY AND VEGETATION. GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. CHARACTER OF THE SOIL CONNECTED WITH GEOLOGICAL FORMATION. COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. COUNTRY WEST OF BLUE MOUNTAINS. MEANS OF INLAND TRANSPORT. DISADVANTAGES OF DISTANT SETTLERS. CHARACTER OF EASTERN COAST. PORT MACQUARIE AND FIVE ISLANDS. RICH TRACTS IN THE INTERIOR. PERIODICAL DROUGHTS; THE SEASONS AFFECTED BY THE MARSHES. TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. FRUITS. REMARKS ON EMIGRATION. DESCRIPTION OF IMMIGRANTS; MOST LIKELY TO PROSPER. CASES OF EMIGRANTS; CAUSES OF SUCCESS OR FAILURE. MORAL OBJECTIONS TO THE COLONY. SYSTEM OF IMMIGRATION RECOMMENDED; ENCOURAGEMENT FOR EMIGRATION. COMMITTEE FOUND AT SYDNEY. HINTS TO EMIGRANTS. PROGRESS OF INLAND DISCOVERY. MR. CALEY'S ATTEMPT. LIEUT. LAWSON'S EXPEDITION. MR. EVANS' DISCOVERIES. MR. OXLEY'S DISCOVERIES. DISCOVERIES OF MESSRS. MECHAN, HUME, HOVEL AND CUNNINGHAM.

EXPEDITION DOWN THE BANKS OF THE MACQUARIE RIVER in 1828 and 1829.

CHAPTER I.

OBJECTS OF THE EXPEDITION. JOURNEY FROM SYDNEY TO EMU PLAINS. FROM EMU PLAINS TO WELLINGTON VALLEY. WELLINGTON VALLEY. LOW STATE OF THE MACQUARIE RIVER. DEPARTURE FOR THE INTERIOR. BANKS OF THE MACQUARIE. DIBILAMBLE. SCENERY NEAR THE RIVER. TAYLOR'S RIVULET. SURPRISE SOME NATIVES. NATIVE BURIAL PLACE. BUDDAH LAKE. EXTREME HEAT OF THE WEATHER. CATARACT OF THE MACQUARIE. A TRIBE OF NATIVES. CONDUCT OF THE NATIVES. CROSSING OF THE RIVER. BAROMETER BROKEN. DESERTED BY THE NATIVES. GREAT HEAT. ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY, AND THE RIVER. ARRIVAL AT MOUNT HARRIS. VESTIGES OF MR. OXLEY'S ENCAMPMENT. ILLNESS OF TWO OF THE MEN. MOUNT FOSTER AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. ENCAMP AMIDST REEDS. NATURE OF THE COUNTRY. MEN ATTACKED WITH OPHTHALMIA. DEPARTURE OF TWO MEN FOR WELLINGTON. CONSULTATION. BOAT EXCURSION. TERMINATION OF THE RIVER. CAUSES OF THE FAILURE OF THE RIVER. MR. HUME'S REPORT. FALSE CHANNEL; PERPLEXITIES. EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-WEST. A PLAIN ON FIRE. A TRIBE OF NATIVES. CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY. ISOLATED HILL. VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT. RESULTS OF THE EXCURSION. RETURN TO THE CAMP. MR. HUME'S EXCURSION. DOUBTS OF THE FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE RIVER. PERPLEXING SITUATION. JOURNEY CONTINUED. SECOND GREAT MARSH. CONCLUSIONS IN REGARD TO THE MACQUARIE. SITUATION OF THE PARTY.

CHAPTER II.

CREEK LEADING NORTHERLY; PRODUCTIONS OF THE COUNTRY. HUNTING PARTY OF NATIVES. FATE OF THE MACQUARIE. NEW YEAR'S RANGE. MOSQUITOES. A MAN MISSING. COUNTRY AROUND NEW YEAR'S RANGE. NEW YEAR'S CREEK. ANNOYED BY KANGAROO FLIES. SUDDENLY RELIEVED. DESOLATION OF THE COUNTRY. SANDY PLAINS; LEAVE THE CREEK. OXLEY'S TABLE LAND. EXCURSION TO D'URBAN'S GROUP. DISTRESS FROM WANT OF WATER. BEARINGS FROM OXLEY'S TABLE LAND. D'URBAN'S GROUP. DESCRIPTION OF OXLEY'S TABLE LAND. CONTINUE THE JOURNEY; DOWN NEW YEAR'S CREEK. DISTRESSED FOR WATER. REACH A LARGE RIVER. DISAPPOINTMENT ON FINDING THE RIVER SALT. JUNCTION OF NEW YEAR'S CREEK. NATIVE VILLAGE. TERROR OF THE NATIVES. THEY FIRE THE BUSH. REMARKS ON THE NATIVES; DISEASE AMONG THEM. DEPARTURE OF THE NATIVES. BRINE SPRINGS IN THE RIVER. DISTRESS FOR WANT OF FRESH WATER. OUR COURSE ARRESTED. EXTRAORDINARY SOUND. FURTHER ATTEMPT TO EXPLORE THE RIVER. CALLED IT THE "DARLING". ABANDON THE ATTEMPT.

CHAPTER III.

INTERCOURSE WITH NATIVES. DISTRESS FROM THIRST. REMARKS ON THE NATIVES. CUSTOMS OF THE NATIVES. REMARKS ON THE DARLING RIVER. REMARKS ON THE COUNTRY. REGAIN OUR OLD ROUTE. ALARM FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PROVISION PARTY. ENCAMP AT MOUNT HARRIS. FIRING OF THE GREAT MARSHES. SLAUGHTER OF TWO IRISH RUNAWAYS. ARBUTHNOT'S RANGE. CIRCUIT OF THE GREAT MARSHES. WALLIS'S PONDS. MORRISSET'S PONDS. REACH THE CASTLEREAGH RIVER. WANT OF WATER; CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. LAGOONS AND CREEKS OF THE CASTLEREAGH. JOURNEY DOWN THE RIVER. WRETCHED APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. A PARTY OF NATIVES. LARGE CREEK. NATIVE ARMOURY. EXAMINATION OF CREEKS NEAR THE CASTLEREAGH. DEPRESSION OF THE MEN. CAMP OF NATIVES. DRY CHANNEL OF THE RIVER. NATIVES PERISHING FROM FAMINE. JUNCTION OF THE CASTLEREAGH WITH THE DARLING.

CHAPTER IV.

HONESTY OF A NATIVE. REWARD THE MAN FOR HIS CONDUCT. EFFECT OF FIRING A GUN. EXCURSION ACROSS THE DARLING. DESOLATING EFFECTS OF THE DROUGHT. WILD MELON. RETURN UP THE CREEK. CONNECTION OF MACQUARIE AND DARLING. RETURN TO MOUNT HARRIS. DEPLORABLE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

CHAPTER V.

RESULT OF THE EXPEDITION. MR. OXLEY'S REMARKS. MR. CUNNINGHAM'S REMARKS. CHARACTER OF THE RIVERS. MR. OXLEY'S OPINIONS. CAPT. KING'S OPINIONS. COURSE OF THE DARLING. CHARACTER OF THE WESTERN INTERIOR. BARBER'S STATEMENT. MAJOR MITCHELL'S REPORT. PEEL'S RIVER. THE RIVER NAMMOY. THE RIVER KARAULA.

CHAPTER VI.

CONCLUDING REMARKS DIFFICULTIES OF EXPLORING AUSTRALIA. SELECTION OF SUBORDINATES. DANGER OF COLLISION WITH THE NATIVES. PACK-OXEN, HORSES, WHEEL-CARRIAGES. ISSUE OF PROVISIONS. LIVE STOCK. INTERCOURSE WITH THE NATIVES. WHALE BOAT EMPLOYED ON THE SECOND EXPEDITION.

APPENDIX No. I. APPENDIX No. II. APPENDIX No. III. APPENDIX No. IV. APPENDIX No. V.

GOVERNMENT ORDER WESTERN MARSHES, 25TH DECEMBER, 1828. GOVERNMENT ORDER.