100 COUNTRY OTHER THAN
From Mount Bannerman DESERT, including open
to Hall's Creek 150 scrubs with grass, open
From
Hall's Creek grass plains, belts of
to end of Sturt Creek 160 grass fringing river
From edge of desert banks, small oases,
to Lake Darlot 50 and hilly country.
Oases (Helena Spring,
Woodhouse Lagoon,
Lake Wells, &c.) 10
- - 470
- - -
2,450 *
550 By roads and tracks.
- - -
3,000 **
- - -
* Of which 2,210 were through country unmapped except where routes of
previous explorers were crossed.
** Total mileage in round numbers, taking into account all deviations.
From the above table it will be seen that the greater part of the
interior of the Colony seen by us is absolutely useless to man or beast.
It is possible that between the Lake Darlot goldfield and the 25th
parallel of latitude isolated areas of auriferous country may be found,
though nothing that we saw proves this to be likely; and I base my
opinion only on the facts that quartz and ironstone are known to occur in
the vicinity of Lake Augusta and the Warburton Range. It is also possible
(and this I have already discussed) that a travelling route for stock may
be formed from South Australia along the 26th parallel as far as Mounts
Allott and Worsnop, and thence VIA Lake Wells and the Bonython Creek. to
the Erlistoun Creek and Lake Darlot.
Failing either the finding of gold, or the formation of a stock route
from oasis to oasis, I can see no use whatever to which this part of the
interior can be put.
North of the 25th parallel the country is absolutely useless until the
confines of the Kimberley district (about lat. 19 degrees) are reached.
That a stock route through the desert is quite impracticable we have
clearly demonstrated. Even supposing that there was any water supply,
there is no feed; nothing but spinifex grows in more than wee patches at
very long intervals. As any one who has followed me through this book can
see, our water supply was most precarious, depending as we did upon
rock-holes and native wells (which at any time may be found dry), and
these yielded an only just sufficient quantity to keep no more than nine
camels from dying for want of a drink - every well that we found, with the
exception of one or two, was drained and left empty. Indeed on our two
journeys there are only two watering-places on which I should care to
depend, viz., the Empress Spring and Helena Spring. Throughout our journey
we never once found water by chance - though chance took us to more than
one dry hole - but found it only by systematic and patient work, involving
many scores of miles of tracking, the capture of the wild aboriginals, and
endless hours of manual labour. Without having resorted to these
expedients I have no hesitation in saying that neither we nor the camels
would be living today, for though without having done so, other parties
have crossed as great an extent of arid country, it must be remembered
that our journey was accomplished through infinitely worse country, and
with a party exactly half as large as the smallest of the previous
expeditions across the interior. Where, with a large number of camels, it
would be possible to carry a great quantity of water and do long stages,
using the water for camels as well as men, with a small number such
tactics as going straight ahead, and trusting to luck, could only end in
disaster.
It has been my fate, in all my exploration work, to find none but useless
country, though when merely prospecting on the goldfields I have been
more fortunate. So far, therefore, as being of benefit to mankind, my
work has had no better result than to demonstrate to others, that part of
the interior that may best be avoided. No mountain ranges, no rivers, no
lakes, no pastoral lands, nor mineral districts has it brought to light;
where the country was previously unknown it has proved only its
nakedness; nevertheless I do not regret one penny of the cost or one
minute of the troubles and labours entailed by it. Nor, I am confident,
do my companions repine because they wasted so many months of their lives
in such a howling wilderness. May good fortune attend them wherever they
go; for they were brave and true men, and to them I once more express my
feelings of thanks and gratitude for their untiring energy and help
through all our journeyings. I verily believe that so large an extent of
country, good or bad, has never been travelled through by a more cheerful
party, or by one, the members of which were more in accord; and to the
unanimity, and ready co-operation that prevailed throughout the camp, the
successful issue of the expedition must in a large degree be ascribed.
Before leaving Coolgardie I had to perform the melancholy task of selling
off my camels and all belongings. I have seldom felt anything so deeply
as the breaking up of our little band, and the sale of my faithful
animals. However, it was a matter of necessity, for much as I wished to
pension off my favourites I was not in a position to do so, and
eventually made my exit from the Colony in much the same state as that in
which I arrived.
Before leaving for home I spent some time in Perth, where the
Surveyor-General, Mr. Johnston, did all in his power to assist me in the
preparation of plans and maps. These, together with all information I had
gathered, I placed at the disposal of the Government, for which they were
pleased to express many thanks. At a gathering in the Perth Town Hall, at
which I was present on the day of my departure, Sir John Forrest, the
Premier, proposed the toast of the guest and said many kind things, to
which I replied:
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