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Richard F. Burton - "Supplemental Nights, Volume 4"

Unknown - "The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 19: Esther"

George Meredith - "Rhoda Fleming, Complete"

General Philip Henry Sheridan - "The Memoirs of General P. H. Sheridan, Complete"

The Overland Expedition of The Messrs. Jardine

F >> Frank Jardine and Alexander Jardine >> The Overland Expedition of The Messrs. Jardine




'February' 3.--This day was spent by the Brothers with their
black-boys in hunting for a good crossing place, or as they described
it, "doing a little water dogging." The river being two hundred
yards wide, and running rapidly, made it a difficult matter, and
after trying a number of places, it was found that as they were all
alike, deep and wide, they might as well cross opposite the camp.
This would not be without risk and danger, but the exigency of the
party made it necessary. Their flour was nearly exhausted, and they
had nothing else but the jerked meat of the beef they killed, and
what they could catch in the bush, to depend on. In this last,
however, as old hunters and bushmen, they were generally pretty
successful, supplementing and eking out their ordinary rations very
largely. The day previous their larder had been recruited by three
iguanas' eggs, a brush turkey ('Megapodius Tumulus'), and nine
turkeys' eggs. The rain came down as usual at intervals during the
day, which, added to the almost incessant rain of the four previous
days, brought the river down during the night, increasing its volume
and current so much as to make it dangerous to attempt crossing.

'February' 4.--The river being too high to cross, the start for the
Settlement was postponed, the fagged horses getting the benefit of
the delay. A beast was killed in the evening. The weather clearing,
Mr. Richardson was enabled to get correct observations for the
latitude, having succeeded in putting his sextant into tolerable
adjustment. The readings gave the latitude of camp 82 to be 11
degrees 11 minutes 39 seconds, or about 33 miles south from Cape
York. Part of the day was employed in constructing a raft to float
over the saddles, rations, etc. This was done by stretching a hide
over a frame of wood, but not without some trouble, as it was found
that the only wood light enough for the purpose, was dead nonda, and
this being scarce, had to be searched for. Before evening, however,
a raft was finished sufficiently light for the purpose.

'February' 5.--The river having sunk considerably during the night,
the crossing was commenced this morning, despite the downpour of
rain, which lasted all day without a break. The stream was one
hundred and thirty yards wide, the banks fringed with scrub and
vines, and the current still running rapidly. It required therefore
strong and expert swimmers to get the horses across, the method being
as follows:--One of the party went in first with a line made fast
to the bit of the horse's bridle, and another followed, holding on to
his tail by way of rudder. Now as a horse can swim faster than a
man, and is of course heavier in the water, the leader has no easy
task even if the horse swim honestly for the opposite bank, but
should he turn back or boggle at all, man and line are alike
powerless; the use of the rudder therefore will be seen. When the
leader reaches the opposite bank, he has to scramble up nimbly, or he
may have the horse on him, and arrived there, be in readiness with
the line to assist him should he get entangled in the saplings and
vines which fringe the banks. It will be remembered that in crossing
the Batavia on the 11th January, two horses were drowned, in spite of
every care and precaution. Here, however, they were fortunate enough
to cross their four horses without accident, Mr. Scrutton, old Eulah,
and the black-boys doing good service, being all excellent swimmers.
The saddles and rations were then floated over in the raft, also
without accident, and the advanced party (the Brothers and Eulah)
camped on the north side, leaving the remainder of the party and
cattle in charge of Mr. Scrutton. Even now, Frank Jardine was
uncertain as to what stream they were on, and still leaned to the
belief that it was the Escape, his faith in the result of the
observations, having been shaken by the accident to the sextant.
They failed to assist him in his opinion, which was sorely puzzled by
the river running westward. He considered it, therefore, absolutely
necessary to find the Settlement before moving the cattle forward,
his horses being so weak, as to make it useless to travel on in
uncertainty. The necessity for reaching their journey's end was
becoming urgent, for their tea and sugar were exhausted, their flour
nearly so, and some of the party were complaining of being unwell,
and getting very weak.

'February' 6.--The second start was made this morning, the Brothers
intending to find either the Settlement or the mouth of the Escape.
Their course for the first 15 miles was N.N.East, over barren white
sandy country, covered with brushwood and scrub. At 7 miles a large
deep running creek was crossed, running westward. Its south bank was
so densely covered with vine scrub, that they had to walk and cut
their way through it with their tomahawks. After crossing it, the
country suddenly changed to thickly timbered sandy ridges, some being
rocky, of course sandstone, the more elevated ones having belts of
impenetrable scrub running along their crest. At 12 miles a fine
sheet of water was passed, surrounded by sandy coarsely-grassed
ridges. At 15 miles, from a line of high ridges forming a
saddle-range, they had a view of the ocean, and could distinguish a
few small islands out to sea. It might have been seen sooner but for
the drizzling rain which fell with little intermission. The range
was of red soil, timbered with bloodwood, and stringy-bark. Two
miles further on the country improved still more, continuing from
thence into their camp, 6 miles. The course was altered from the
range to N. by E., and at 20 miles a white hill was reached, from
which they looked down on the sea about half-a-mile distant beneath
them. This was Newcastle Bay. Turning westward and skirting the
coast, they travelled 3 miles further on, and camped on a palm creek,
with very steep banks. Large flocks of the Torres Strait pigeons
flew over in the evening. Distance travelled 23 miles.

'February' 7.--The good country traversed yesterday ceased at a
creek half-a-mile from the camp, on crossing which the party had to
cut their way as usual, after which the course skirting the coast lay
over a villainous country, boggy swamps, brushwood and scrub. After
travelling 7 or 8 miles their progress was arrested by a large stream
three-quarters-of-a-mile in width, running rapidly from the W.N.W.
Its banks were low and muddy, covered with a wide belt of dense
mangroves, its muddy and swollen waters carrying down quantities of
rubbish. This they correctly surmised to be the mouth of the
veritable "Escape" but Frank Jardine was again in error in supposing
it to be the same stream that they had left the cattle on. Seeing so
large a stream he naturally reverted to the idea that it had turned
on itself, and that their first exploration had stopped before
reaching the turning point. His case was dispiriting in the extreme.
The main camp was not more than 15 miles in latitude south of his
present position. The Settlement, the long-wished end of their
journey, could not be more than 20 to the North, yet his progress was
arrested by a broad and rapid river, to head the supposed bend of
which he had ineffectually travelled nearly 50 miles. His plan was
now to follow the Escape up in hopes of being able to cross at the
head of the tide, and so reach Somerset, but this, as will be seen,
was more easily planned than executed. Following up the course of
the river the way lay over a country which Alexander Jardine mentions
in his notes as "too bad to describe," pandanus swamps, vine scrubs,
and small creeks swollen by the rains to a swimmable depth,
succeeding one another along the whole stage. At the latter the
horses had always to be unpacked and their saddles taken over on the
heads of the party. Three hours were consumed in cutting their way
through the last of the vine scrubs, when they camped on the outside,
three of the horses being completely knocked up. The Brothers then
walked to the river in hopes of finding a crossing place. This
however, proved hopeless. A thick matted fringe of mangroves nearly
three miles wide intervened between them and its bank, through which
it was next to impossible to make any headway. Their supper to-night
was augmented by a lucky "find" during the day of thirteen scrub
turkeys' eggs, which, though they would scarcely have been
appreciated at an ordinary breakfast table, were very acceptable to
tired and hungry travellers existing principally on jerked beef.
Eating what yolk or white they contained, they plucked and roasted
the chicks as a "bonne-bouche." Fires had to be kept going day and
night to drive away, and protect the poor miserable horses from the
march and sand-flies by day, and mosquitoes by night. These were, in
fact, the principal cause of the poverty and debility of the poor
brutes, who could never get a moment's rest to feed or sleep.
Twenty-two miles were accomplished to-day, despite their difficulties.

'February' 8.--The journey was continued to-day up the Escape, the
course of which was very crooked, but generally N.W. by N. The
horses knocked up a few miles after starting. The party were
therefore obliged to walk and drive them before them. The country
traversed was similar to that of yesterday, so that they could not
get more than a-mile-and-a-half an hour out of the poor jaded beasts.
Three times they tried to make into the river bank, but without
success, from the great width and the density of the belt of
mangroves, and the soft mud. An old black's camp was passed in which
they found heaps of shells, turtle, and shark bones. In the evening
they caught a quantity of whelks and cockles, which, with an iguana,
and three turkeys' eggs, made a good supper.

'February' 9.--The course of the river to-day was even more crooked
than yesterday, the nature of the country continuing the same, save
that the swampy ground was occasionally broken by ridges of
bloodwood, and stringy-bark. From a tree on one of these they had a
fine view of Newcastle Bay, and what was supposed to be Mount
Adolphus Island, the latter about 25 miles away, and could trace the
course of the river to where it debouched, by the stretch of
mangroves. Here, therefore, they were within 20 miles of their
destination, which they were tantalised by seeing, without being able
to reach. With difficulty they drove their horses before them for 7
miles, when they turned out and camped, as well to hunt, as again to
try and reach the river. In the first they were pretty successful,
getting some turkeys' eggs and shell-fish, but the last they were
unable to do, mud and mangroves barring their way, whilst the salt
water proved to them that they were still within the influence of the
tide, and the stream was still between three and four hundred yards
wide. Despairing of being able to find a crossing to which they
could fetch the cattle, their horses being unable to cross the river,
to continue the search for Somerset in advance, and their scanty
provision of flour being nearly exhausted, Frank Jardine, reluctantly
abandoning the idea of getting into the Settlement, determined to
return to the cattle, and with them, head the supposed bend of the
Escape. Disheartening as this was, there was nothing else to be done
in the present state of the country. Distance travelled, 7 miles
westerly.

'February' 10.--Turning their backs on the mangroves and swamps of
the Escape River, the little party faced for the camp, steering
S.S.E. The first four miles was through boggy, swampy country,
through which they walked, driving their horses before them. The
remainder was over the usual iron-bark and bloodwood ridges, fairly
grassed with coarse grasses, intersected with swamps and belts of scrub,
through one of which they were three hours in forcing their way two
miles. After 11 miles of this kind of travelling they camped, the
horses completely knocked up, the men in not much better condition,
having had to drag the horses out of bogs several times, besides
cutting through the hanging vines of the scrubs. Distance 12 miles.

'February' 11.--The main camp was reached to-day, after another
fatiguing journey of 11 or 12 miles, the first 6 miles similar to
that of yesterday, the remainder through heath and brushwood. It was
sundown before they reached the river, which they found much swollen.
A heavy thunder-shower of two hours' duration, put up all the creeks
bank high, one of which, at about two miles from the river, they had
to swim across. Having struck it immediately opposite the camp, they
left their jaded horses with their saddles on the north side, and
swam across themselves to the party. During their absence another of
the horses, "Pussey," had died from exhaustion.

'February' 12.--The meat at the camp being all consumed, it became
necessary to halt for a couple of days, in order to kill and jerk a
beast. The flour too was now exhausted, save 10 lbs., which was
judiciously put by and reserved for an emergency. The day was spent
in crossing back the four horses, with saddles and swags. The cattle
were counted and some found missing; the Black-boys were therefore
sent in search of them. A beast was killed, cut up, and jerked, a
tedious task, from the absence of the sun. Although there were only
a few light showers towards evening, the air was damp; the meat,
therefore, had to be smoked under a covering.

'February' 13.--The lost cattle were found to-day, the jerking of
the meat finished, and preparations for a final start on the morrow
completed. The unfortunate horses were in such wretched condition,
that it was found necessary to lighten the loads to the Settlement.
Four pack-saddles, two police saddles, and the two belonging to the
Brothers were therefore abandoned, with the remainder of the odds and
ends. The prospect before them was not very bright. With no
provision save jerked meat, and with knocked-up horses, they were
starting on a journey of at least 100 miles, when their destination
was not more than 30 miles away from them. they hoped to head the
bend of the river they were on (having reverted to the opinion that
it was the Escape), without knowing how far beyond the lowest point
of their first exploration this turning-point might be, or what
obstructions might be a-head of them. On the other hand, the whole
of the party were without sickness, and they had plenty of cattle to
eat.

'February' 14.--A final start was made this morning from camp 82,
of dreary memory, after a good deal of trouble in packing, choosing
and rejecting what was too heavy or useless, and the other delays
attendant on the breaking up of an established camp. The river was
followed for 11 miles with the usual amount of bogging and
difficulty, in crossing the small trench-like creeks already
mentioned. In one of these they were compelled to abandon another
horse (Tabinga). The poor brute fell in trying to cross, and when
pulled out and set on his legs was too weak to stand. He had to be
left, therefore, saddle and all. Another (Pussy) having died at the
last camp, their number was now reduced to thirteen. Their loads
were reduced to the slightest possible, and consisted merely of the
jerked meat, the ammunition, and swags of the party. Distance 11
miles. (Camp LXXXIII.)

'February' 15.--A gloomy morning with light showers, 10 miles were
accomplished to-day. Three hours were consumed in crossing one of
the boggy gullies. Every horse had to be unpacked, and half of them
had to be pulled across with ropes. The pack of another horse (Lady
Scott) had to be abandoned. She was too weak to carry even the empty
saddle. The camp was pitched in the angle formed by the large creek
running into the river just below the gunyah camp of their first
trip, mentioned January 30th. (Camp LXXXIV.)

'February' 16.--The Eliot was reached to-day 8 miles from the camp.
It had fallen considerably, but was still too high to allow of
crossing without taking off the packs. It was about thirty yards
wide, and running clear, about five feet deep, where the party
crossed. The camp was pitched on the main stream two miles further,
making a total of 10 miles for the day's journey. (Camp LXXXV.
Nonda.)

'February' 17.--The lowest camp of the Brothers on their first trip
was passed to-day at about 6 miles. The total distance they
estimated they had travelled down the river on that occasion was 40
to 45 miles, as it will be remembered that they went 6 or 7 miles
beyond this camp on the 1st of February. The true distance to the
turning point by Mr. Richardson's reckoning, was estimated at 35
miles, which is probably correct. Mr. Richardson in his journal of
to-day's date says, "they told me they had travelled 20 miles North
and 30 miles West." A glance at sheet No. 14 will shew this to have
been an error; and in a foot-note at February 2nd, he states, "I
afterwards found that these distances were incorrect. The true
distances West and North respectively from the 82nd camp to the point
in our track where the Leader turned back, are about 24 miles W. and
7 N." Now, considering the tortuous course of the river, the nature
of the country, the weather, and obstacles of the creeks, 6 miles is
not a great error in westing. Mr. Richardson's own reckoning,
generally, despite his advantage over the Brothers, in having nothing
to do but follow the cattle, was not more to be depended upon, whilst
the results of his observations by the sextant were not so much so,
as he naively informs us he did not think he error in Latitude was
more than 15 miles! It appears evident therefore that the dead
reckoning of the explorers was of equal, if not greater value, as far
as the journey was concerned, than the surveyor's, the chief result
and use of whose presence in the party is, that we have been
furnished with a very excellent and interesting map of the route; but
it by no means assisted the Leader in the piloting of the Expedition,
or resolved his doubts when at fault, either at this point or on
leaving the Einasleih in search of the Lynd. The party camped at the
end of about two miles on the right bank of a broad deep creek
running in from S.W., when after turning out, some of them went
fishing, but only one small cat-fish was caught.

'February' 18.--A slight rain fell during last night, but cleared
off before morning. The creek was crossed at about a mile from the
camp, cattle, horses, and men having to swim. The former took it
like water-dogs, and the latter had as usual to carry their saddles,
packs, and "traps" over on their heads. After ten miles of
travelling over poorly-grassed stringy-bark ridges, the country
resumed its old character of swamp, brushwood, and low scrubby banks,
flooded for four or five feet, the overflow filling swamps running
parallel, and about two or three hundred yards distant from the
river. This was followed during the day's march, and they were
elated with the hope that they had at length reached the much wished
for bend, the course being slightly to the eastward of north. It was
Mr. Jardine's intention to have again halted the party when they
reached this point, and once more pushed forward in search of
Somerset, but they were out of meat, and the party had started
without breakfast, there being nothing to eat. He therefore camped
at the end of 10 miles to kill a beast. there were a good many
delays during the march, chiefly to pull the exhausted horses out of
the constantly recurring bogs. Poor "Lady Scott" especially was with
great difficulty got into camp. Distance 10 miles, N. 1/2 E. (Camp
LXXXVII. Bloodwood)

'February' 19.--To-day was chiefly devoted to rest, and the cutting
up, jerking, and smoking of the beef by the whites, the black-boys,
after the manner of their race, dividing it pretty equally between
sleeping and stuffing. The meat curing was as usual a slow process,
there being no salt, and a gunyah having to be made to smoke it in.
The river was here first observed to have a rise and fall in it of
about six inches. Its width was about a quarter of a mile.

The latitude of this camp (87) is 11 degrees 11 minutes 13 seconds
The latitude of camp (82) is 10 degrees 58 minutes 2 seconds
The Northing therefore equals 13 minutes 11 seconds

'February' 20.--It commenced to rain at two o'clock this morning,
and continued heavily as the party started. The river again turned
to the Westward, to their great disappointment. The course was
continued along it for 9 miles, when they were brought to a
stand-still by a deep creek with boggy banks, twenty yards wide,
flowing from the South. It was evidently affected by the tide, as
the water was slightly brackish and the edge fringed by a species of
mangrove. A crossing-place was looked for without success, and the
camp was finally pitched, as the rain was pouring heavily. (Camp
LXXXVIII.)

'February' 21.--This morning the Brothers, taking old Eulah with
them, swam across the creek, alligators notwithstanding, and walked
to the top of a high stringy-bark ridge on the south side. Selecting
the highest tree he could find (a bloodwood) Alexander Jardine
ascended it with Eulah, and from its top branches got a view that
finally dispelled the doubts as to their position, and the identity
of the stream they had traced down. Before him, at about 3 miles
distant lay the mouth of the river, about 2 miles wide. Its course
could without difficulty be traced from where they were till it
debouched into the Gulf waters opposite a small island, which was
easily recognized as Barn Island, whilst to the North, Endeavour
Straits, and Prince of Wales Island could be distinctly seen. It was
now perfectly plain that the river they had followed was not the
Escape. They had therefore, been deceived a second time. It
received the very appropriate name of Deception, but has since, by
the direction of his Excellency Sir George Bowen, been charted, and
is now known by the name of the Jardine. Descending from his perch,
after half-an-hour spent in taking bearings by the compass to the
different points of interest, Mr. Jardine joined his brother, who at
once determined to return to camp 87, it being impossible to cross
where they were. Re-crossing the creek, they rejoined the party,
reaching the camp at sun-set, under a heavy downpour of rain.

'February' 22.--Although it was raining heavily with every
appearance of a continuance, the party started to return up the river
in excellent spirits. The Brothers were now certain that they should
have no difficulty in finding the Settlement on their next trip.
They were, however, very much puzzled as to where such a large stream
as the Escape was found to be, should rise. They now re-traced their
steps, and camped close to their last camp LXXXVII. Six miles.

'February' 23.--To-day was spent in killing and jerking a beast,
and preparing for the Leader's third start in search of the
Settlement. The rain poured down heavily, causing the river to rise
very fast. Another raft similar to that made at camp 83, had to be
constructed, a work of some time, for the only wood fit for making
the frame was dry nonda, which was scarce. The rain too, very much
impeded the drying of the beef, for which, as usual, a bark gunyah
had to be erected. Everything, however, was got well forward for the
important business of crossing the next morning.

'February' 24.--The horses, saddles, and rations were all crossed
in safety to-day, though not without difficulty. In swimming the
horses particular care had to be taken, for there was only one small
spot on the other side at which they could be landed. As explained
on the 5th, on the occasion of the second start, it requires a strong
swift swimmer to lead a horse across a stream, and in this the white
men, or at least, three of them, were much superior to the
black-boys, who, although all good swimmers, were much more efficient
in the service of the raft. This only illustrates the rule that most
white men can beat the aboriginal in swimming fast, whilst the latter
has superior endurance; but there is no doubt, that under the same
conditions of education and practice, the civilized white man is
superior to the savage in any physical function or exercise. The
rain poured down consistently during the whole of the day, and a cold
cutting wind drove the swimming party at intervals to the fires,
where, whilst toasting the outward, they solaced the inner man with a
decoction of Scrutton's, by courtesy called, soup, being an 'olla
podrida', or more properly "bouillon," of the bones, gristle, head,
and oddments of the lately-killed beast. This was always a stock
repast after each kill-day, and there is but little doubt but that
its "osmazome" contributed not a little, to the good health and heart
of the party. Almost every exploring party on short commons, records
some favourite cookery, some dish that their souls loved. In
McKinlay's journey, the dish most in vogue was a kind of "amorphous"
black-pudding, made of the carefully-saved blood of the bullock,
horse, or sheep, as the case might be, boiled with some fat, and
seasoned with a little condiment, which being of light carriage, can
always be saved for such high occasions. In the present instance,
the fat was always devoted to the greasing of the saddles,
pack-straps, etc., during the latter part of the journey, when
clothing was at a premium; of the explorers themselves, "more
aboriginum," who found that the protection it afforded them against
cold, wet, and mosquitoes, far outweighed any slight redolence,
which, after all, could only be offensive to anyone not equally
anointed. At night the Brothers camped on the north side of the
Deception, or Jardine, leaving the party again to await their report
and return, the cattle being in charge of Scrutton.