Expeditions to South Australia, vol 2 | Page 5

MURRAY
RIVERS, IN 1829, 1830 AND 1831.
CHAPTER I.

Introductory
Remarks on the results of the former Expedition--The fitting out of
another determined on--Its objects--Provisions, accoutrements, and
retinue--Paper furnished by Mr. Kent--Causes that have prevented the
earlier appearance of the present work.

OBJECTS OF THE EXPEDITION.
The expedition of which we have just detailed the proceedings was so
far satisfactory in its results, that it not only set at rest the hypothesis of
the existence of an internal shoal sea in southern Australia, and
ascertained the actual termination of the rivers it had been directed to
trace, but also added very largely to our knowledge of the country
considerably to the westward of former discoveries. And although no
land had been traversed of a fertile description of sufficient extent to
invite the settler, the fact of a large river such as the Darling lying at the
back of our almost intertropical settlements, gave a fresh importance to
the distant interior. It was evident that this river was the chief drain for
carrying off the waters falling westerly from the eastern coast, and as
its course indicated a decline of country diametrically opposite to that
which had been calculated upon, it became an object of great
importance to ascertain its further direction. Had not the saline quality
of its waters been accounted for, by the known existence of brine
springs in its bed, it would have been natural to have supposed that it
communicated with some mediterranean sea; but, under existing
circumstances, it remained to be proved whether this river held on a
due south course, or whether it ultimately turned westerly, and ran into
the heart of the interior. In order fully to determine this point, it would
be necessary to regain it banks, so far below the parallel to which it had
been traced as to leave no doubt of its identity; but it was difficult to fix
upon a plan for approaching that central stream without suffering from
the want of water, since it could hardly be expected that the Lachlan
would afford such means, as it was reasonable to presume that its
termination was very similar to that of the Macquarie. The attention of
the government was, consequently, fixed upon the Morumbidgee, a
river stated to be of considerable size and of impetuous current.
Receiving its supplies from the lofty ranges behind Mount Dromedary,
it promised to hold a longer course than those rivers which, depending
on periodical rains alone for existence, had been found so soon to
exhaust themselves.
PREPARATIONS.

The fitting out of another expedition was accordingly determined upon;
and about the end of September 1829, I received the Governor's
instructions to make the necessary preparations for a second descent
into the interior, for the purpose of tracing the Morumbidgee, or such
rivers as it might prove to be connected with, as far as practicable. In
the event of failure in this object, it was hoped that an attempt to regain
the banks of the Darling on a N.W. course from the point at which the
expedition might be thwarted in its primary views, would not be
unattended with success. Under any circumstances, however, by
pursuing these measures, an important part of the colony would
necessarily be traversed, of which the features were as yet altogether
unknown.
It became my interest and my object to make the expedition as
complete as possible, and, as far as in me lay, to provide for every
contingency: and as it appeared to me that, in all likelihood, we should
in one stage or other of our journey have to trust entirely to water
conveyance, I determined on taking a whale-boat, whose dimensions
and strength should in some measure be proportioned to the service
required. I likewise constructed a small still for the distillation of water,
in the event of our finding the water of the Darling salt, when we
should reach its banks. The whale-boat, after being fitted, was taken to
pieces for more convenient carriage, as has been more particularly
detailed in the last chapter of the preceding volume.
So little danger had been apprehended from the natives in the former
journey, that three firelocks had been considered sufficient for our
defence. On the present occasion, however, I thought it adviseable to
provide arms for each individual.
Mr. Hume declined accompanying me, as the harvest was at hand. Mr.
George M'Leay therefore supplied his place, rather as a companion
than as an assistant; and of those who accompanied me down the banks
of the Macquarie, I again selected Harris (my body servant), Hopkinson,
and Fraser.
MR. KENT'S REPORT.

The concluding chapter of this volume, relative to the promontory of St.
Vincent, or Cape Jervis, has been furnished me by the kindness of Mr.
Kent, who accompanied the lamented officer