Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia Volume I Part 1

Journals Of Two Expeditions Of Discovery In North-West And Western Australia.

by George Grey.

VOLUME 1.

PREFACE.

The following pages contain the results of the author's travels and residence in the western parts of Australia, between the years 1837 and 1840, during which period he traversed extensive regions unknown to the European traveller, and probably never before trodden by the foot of civilized man.

It is not alone with gratification of enlightened curiosity that the countries now first brought to notice are likely to be objects of interest. A knowledge of the districts lying between Swan River and Shark Bay cannot but be of importance to future colonists, whilst the intertropical provinces of the north-west coasts, distinguished as they are by important peculiarities both of character and position, are equally calculated to draw the attention of the literary and enterprising enquirer.

It only remains to state in a few words the circ.u.mstances under which this work is given to the public.

The author arrived in England in September, 1840, and was engaged in preparing his notes for publication when he was unexpectedly honoured with an appointment which re-called him to Australia in the month of December following.

Avocations both of a public and private nature arising out of that appointment prevented him from carrying his work through the press during the short period of his residence in this country, and consequently the final arrangement of the impression and the duties of typographical revision devolved on others.

Although no pains have been spared to render these volumes worthy of the public eye, the circ.u.mstances under which they appear will naturally occasion them to be marked by defects which, doubtless, would not have escaped the author's notice and correction had he been present.

It would be an act of injustice not to express here the obligations the author is under to Mr. J.E. Gray of the British Museum for his valuable a.s.sistance in whatever relates to natural history in the body of the work, as well as for the contributions in the same branch of science which will be found in the Appendix; nor are his thanks less due to Mr.

Adam White for an interesting paper on the Entomology of Australia; and to Mr. Gould, who has lately visited that country, for his list of the Birds of the Western Coast.

JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY.

CHAPTER 1. COMMENCEMENT OF THE EXPEDITION. TENERIFE.

GENERAL PLAN AND OBJECTS.

The Expeditions of which the results are narrated in the following pages took their origin from a proposition made to Government by myself, in conjunction with Lieutenant Lus.h.i.+ngton,* in the latter part of the year 1836.

(*Footnote. Now Captain Lus.h.i.+ngton of the 9th Foot.)

At that time a large portion of the western coast and interior of the great Australian continent had remained unvisited and unknown; whilst the opinions of the celebrated navigators Captains Dampier and King, connected with other circ.u.mstances, led to the inference, or at least the hope, that a great river, or water inlet, might be found to open out at some point on its western or north-western side; which had then been only partially surveyed from seaward.

DESIGN OF THE EXPEDITION.

Anxious to solve this interesting geographical problem, we addressed a letter to Lord Glenelg, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, wherein we offered our services to conduct an exploration from the Swan River to the northward, having regard to the direction of the coast, so as to intersect any considerable body of water connecting it with the interior; and, in the event of such being discovered, to extend our examination of it as far as circ.u.mstances might admit.

The letter containing this offer also enumerated several secondary objects, to which we proposed to direct our attention, and which were ultimately comprehended in our instructions.

The offer and suggestions were favourably entertained by Lord Glenelg, and further communications invited; and, the project having been favoured by the support of the Royal Geographical Society, our services were finally accepted by the Government.

INSTRUCTIONS.

More mature consideration however led to a material alteration in the first plan; for whilst our princ.i.p.al object, namely, the search for a great river or interior inlet, remained the same, it was considered, for several reasons, more advisable that the exploration should commence from the vicinity of Prince Regent's River, on the north-west coast, and be directed towards the Swan. I shall pa.s.s over the various points of detail which occupied our time and attention until the moment of departure, as they offer no matters of general interest. It will be sufficient to say that everything suggested as likely to be conducive to the success and utility of the expedition was most liberally granted and supplied; and, when all was prepared, a letter of instructions dated the 16th June 1837 was addressed by Lord Glenelg to myself and Lieutenant Lus.h.i.+ngton conjointly; which embraced the following points:

1. We were to embark in H.M. sloop of war the Beagle, then fitting out for a survey of the coasts and seas of Australia, under the command of Captain Wickham, R.N.; and to proceed in that vessel either to the Cape of Good Hope or to Swan River, as might ultimately appear best suited to forward the objects of the expedition.

2. On our arrival at either of the foregoing places, we were directed to procure a small vessel to convey the party and stores to the most convenient point in the vicinity of Prince Regent's River.

3. After due examination of the country about Prince Regent's River we were instructed to take such a course as would lead us in the direction of the great opening behind Dampier's Land. From the moment of our arrival at this point our subsequent proceedings were left more discretionary; but the instructions continued: "You will use the utmost exertions to penetrate from thence to the Swan River; as, by adopting this course, you will proceed in a direction parallel to the unknown coast, and must necessarily cross every large river that flows from the interior towards that side of the continent."

4. That we might have an opportunity, in the event of any unforeseen difficulties occurring, of falling back upon the vessel conveying the party, she was not to quit the place where she might have been left by it until such a time had elapsed, from the departure of the expedition for the interior, as should be agreed upon; and, to ensure the observance of this condition, we were instructed to act by the advice of the local authorities of the colony where she might be engaged in drawing up the agreement, as well as in procuring guarantees for its fulfilment.

5. The main objects of the expedition were then specified to be: To gain information as to the real state of North-Western Australia, its resources, and the course and direction of its rivers and mountain ranges; to familiarize the natives with the British name and character; to search for and record all information regarding the natural productions of the country, and all details that might bear upon its capabilities for colonization or the reverse; and to collect specimens of its natural history.

6. It was directed that strict discipline should be observed, and the regulations by which our intercourse with the natives was to be governed were laid down; after which the instructions concluded with the following paragraphs:

No further detail has been given you in these instructions, for, as you have been made aware of the motives which have induced his Majesty's Government to send out the expedition, it is supposed each individual will do his utmost in his situation to carry these objects out, either by obtaining all possible information or by such other means as may be in his power.

Although the instructions regarding the expedition are addressed to you conjointly as conductors of it, it is necessary that the princ.i.p.al authority and direction should be vested in one individual, on whom the chief responsibility would rest.

It is to be understood that Lieutenant Grey, the senior military officer, is considered as commanding the party and the person by whose orders and instructions all individuals composing the party will be guided and conform.

1837.

All our preparations being completed, there embarked in the Beagle, besides myself and Mr. Lus.h.i.+ngton, Mr. Walker, a surgeon and naturalist, and Corporals Coles and Auger, Royal Sappers and Miners, who had volunteered their services; and we sailed from Plymouth on the 5th July 1837.

TENERIFE. AQUEDUCT AT SANTA CRUZ.

The usual incidents of a sea voyage brought us to Santa Cruz in Tenerife, where I landed on Wednesday 19th July 1837, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. There was a sort of table d'hote at 3 o'clock at an hotel kept by an Englishman, at which I dined, and was fortunate in so doing as I met there a German and several English merchants who were princ.i.p.ally engaged in the trade of the country. There was also a gentleman who had been from his earliest years in the African trade for gums, etc.; and he gave me many interesting particulars of the wild life the individuals so occupied are compelled to lead. In the afternoon I made a set of magnetic observations and then walked out to see the aqueduct; which at about three-quarters of a mile to the north-east of the town approaches it by a pa.s.sage cut through a mountain. The execution of this work must have been attended with immense labour, for, although the design is grand and n.o.ble, the actual plan upon which it has been completed was by no means well conceived. The average depth of this cut is at least one hundred and twenty feet, its length is about one hundred and eighty, whilst its breadth in many parts is not more than four.

Previously to the construction of this aqueduct the town of Santa Cruz was very badly supplied with water, indeed so much so that the inhabitants were, at some periods of the year, compelled to send upwards of three miles for it; but no want of this nature has ever been experienced since its completion. The expenses of its construction as also of keeping it in repair are princ.i.p.ally defrayed by a tax upon all wine and spirits actually consumed in the town.

The scenery of the country I walked through was bold and romantic but by no means rich; fig-trees grew wild about the mountains, and it seemed singular that, whenever I approached one, the peasants on the adjacent hills shouted out in loud tones. As far as I could understand the guide, this was done to deter us from eating the fruits now just ripe, and, upon my return to the town and making further enquiries, I found that such was their custom.

EXCURSION TO ORATAVA.

July 20th.

I started at six o'clock with Mr. Lus.h.i.+ngton for Oratava, distant about 30 miles from Santa Cruz. We were mounted on small ponies, admirably adapted to the wretched roads of the country, and accompanied by two guides who carried our carpet bags.

CAMELS, MATANZAS, THE GUANCHES.

The first town we came to was Laguna, which appeared to be of some importance; it is distant about four miles from Santa Cruz. On this road we pa.s.sed many camels laden with heavy burdens; a circ.u.mstance which rather surprised me for I had always imagined that, owing to the peculiar formation of its foot, the camel was only fitted for travelling over sandy ground, whilst the way from Santa Cruz to Laguna is one continued ma.s.s of sharp rocks, utterly unworthy of the name of a road; yet these animals appeared to move over it without the least inconvenience.

After leaving Laguna the country for some miles bore a very uninteresting appearance; for, although apparently fertile, it was quite parched up by the extreme heat of the sun; our guides, who were on foot carrying our carpet bags, kept up with us by running, and, occasionally when tired, catching hold of the horses' tails to a.s.sist themselves along.

We halted for breakfast at Matanzas (or the place of slaughter) so called from a dreadful slaughter of the Spaniards which was here made by the Guanches, the aborigines of the island. I examined the spot where this occurred; it is a narrow defile, formed by a precipice on one hand, and perpendicular rocks on the other, and lies on the only route by which you can pa.s.s across the island from east to west; it was therefore well adapted for the purposes of savage warfare, and the Guanches here made the Spaniards pay dearly for the cruelties practised on themselves.

All traces of this interesting people, who were eventually extirpated by the Spaniards, have long since vanished, and, although I spared no pains, I could glean but little information about them, but to this subject I will advert again.