Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria Part 2

To Captain Norman, H.M.C.S. Victoria.

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that I have much pleasure, after the conversation that we had with regard to Lieutenant Woods, in applying to you for that gentleman to accompany me in the expedition, of which I have the command, in search of Mr. Burke and his companions; and I feel that for the unsurveyed western country in the route which I am instructed to take, I have much more necessity for the services of that officer in an astronomical point of view than Mr. Walker can have.

I have got a s.e.xtant for taking the lat.i.tude, but I have not a chronometer, as Mr. Gregory thought the jolting it would get should render it useless.

I hope, therefore, for the cause of science, etc., you will reconsider the conversation I have had with you on the subject.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,

Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.

(COPY.)

(NUMBER 1.)

Victoria, off the Albert River, October 19 1861.

Sir,

In reply to your letter of yesterday, containing an application for Lieutenant Woods to be allowed to accompany you on the expedition which you command, in order to fix your position in a correct and proper manner:

I have the honour to inform you that it was the desire of the Exploration Committee I should furnish that a.s.sistance to Mr. Walker, and, having only one officer that I can spare for that duty, I must withhold my consent until I see Mr. Walker and you are nearer your departure. And further, as I understood from Mr. Gregory that Captain Alison was engaged for the purpose of carrying out that important part of the duty, you will be so good as to explain your reasons for want of confidence in him.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) W.H. Norman, Commander.*

W. Landsborough, Esquire.

(*Footnote. I answered this letter; but, having sent a copy of it with other papers from Carpentaria to Brisbane, I cannot at present present it for publication.)

(COPY.)

(NUMBER 2.)

Norman's Group, Albert River, October 18 1861.

My dear Captain Norman,

I have much pleasure in informing you that we have landed safely twenty-three horses, and have sent them to a waterhole which we have called Frost's Ponds, where they had a great roll in the mud, which will, I hope, protect their tender skins in some measure from the sun and sandflies; two of the weak ones we have kept on board.

The wind and the time of high-water (at night) was very unfavourable for going up the river, and, as we were short of water, I need not tell you how glad I was to know of waterholes to which I could drive the horses.

Three parties went in search of water the day before yesterday, and were all successful in finding it. Mr. Campbell went with one party and found water on the west bank up the river. I went on the east bank, and in an easterly direction got onto a finely gra.s.sed, openly timbered country, within three miles, and at the edge of the timber, in less than three miles further, found a fine waterhole, besides shallow ones, nearly all along the last-mentioned distance. Mr. Frost found a fine waterhole within five miles of here, to which we have driven the horses, as it was on the route which we had previously determined upon as the best to take if practicable.

I have not time at present to write you an official letter, except the one I sent respecting Mr. Woods. The horses, from our having had from you a liberal supply of water, are in much better condition than when they left Hardy's Island.

I remain yours very truly,

(Signed) W. Landsborough.

(MEMO.)

(NUMBER 2.)

Being at the depot to start Landsborough on the South-West Expedition from November 5th to 16th, and Walker not having arrived, I offered the services of Lieutenant Woods, which Landsborough declined to accept of, stating he considered they could do very well without any a.s.sistance.

(Initialled) W.H.N.*

(*Footnote. At Brisbane, where I met Captain Norman before I had started on the expedition, he led me to expect that Lieutenant Woods would accompany me to make astronomical observations whilst on my search for Burke, provided I made application for his a.s.sistance. At Carpentaria, having ascertained that Lieutenant Woods was himself anxious to accompany me, I wrote the foregoing letter (Number 1) applying for that officer.

Captain Norman's reply to this letter I considered tantamount to a refusal, and accordingly arranged to take Captain Alison. Having done so, I may have stated to Captain Norman that I considered I could do very well on this occasion without any a.s.sistance from him.)

(COPY.)

NUMBER 3.

Albert River, 15th November 1861.

Sir,

After the unexpected delay of this expedition, from circ.u.mstances and accidents over which we had no control, on the 4th instant, in consultation on board the Victoria, I informed you that my stock of provisions for the crew of that vessel would only permit my remaining in the Gulf for 115 days, and that in accordance with the spirit of my instructions you ought to start so soon as possible for Central Mount Stuart, or as near thereto as the nature of the country will admit of your approaching it, and returning to this depot within ninety days from this date.

You having reported yourself ready for starting tomorrow, and that you have ninety days provisions at full allowance, with all the other stores complete for the same time, it therefore only remains for me to fulfil the wishes of the committee, and to inform you that they expect, on your return to Queensland, to be furnished with a copy of your journal and surveys; and that, as Mr. Walker has not arrived so as to enable me to make arrangements for meeting him at the Limmon Bight River, you are to consider that no such arrangement will be made, and that I shall look for your return to this depot within the time specified. And as you have full instructions for your guidance, the same as myself, I feel well a.s.sured you will do all in your power to fulfil them, and will make such deviations as the country will admit of in order to find any track of the missing explorers, as well as to meet the wishes of the Exploration Committee.

With reference to your suggestion of starting on a south-easterly exploration after you return to this depot, rest a.s.sured I will do all in my power to a.s.sist you in anything that may be likely to lead to the discovery of the tracks of the missing explorers.

In conclusion, if any unforeseen accident should delay your return here before my departure, I will bury one of the iron tanks and mark on the large tree at the smithy where you will find it.

I will also take other precautions to ensure your getting the same information by marking other trees, and sinking bottles with letters in the ground. In the tank I will secure all the best stores, and if necessary sink two to hold them.

With every good wish for your safe conduct, and speedy return before I am compelled to depart,

I have the honour to be, Sir,