



Produced by Sue Asscher and Col Choat





EXPLORATIONS IN AUSTRALIA.


THE JOURNALS

OF

JOHN McDOUALL STUART

DURING THE YEARS

1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, & 1862,

WHEN HE FIXED THE CENTRE OF THE CONTINENT AND
SUCCESSFULLY CROSSED IT FROM SEA TO SEA.


EDITED FROM MR. STUART'S MANUSCRIPT
BY WILLIAM HARDMAN, M.A., F.R.G.S., &c.

With Maps, a Photographic Portrait of Mr. Stuart, and twelve Engravings
drawn on wood by George French Angas, from Sketches taken during
the different expeditions.

(SANS CHANGER.
S.O. AND CO.)

SECOND EDITION.


1865.


ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

SECOND EDITION.

Since the first edition of this work was published Mr. Stuart has arrived
in England, and at a recent meeting of the Geographical Society he
announced that, taking advantage of his privilege as a discoverer, he had
christened the rich tract of country which he has opened up to the South
Australians Alexandra Land.

December 1st, 1864.


PREFACE BY THE EDITOR.

The explorations of Mr. John McDouall Stuart may truly be said, without
disparaging his brother explorers, to be amongst the most important in
the history of Australian discovery. In 1844 he gained his first
experiences under the guidance of that distinguished explorer, Captain
Sturt, whose expedition he accompanied in the capacity of draughtsman.
Leaving Lake Torrens on the left, Captain Sturt and his party passed up
the Murray and the Darling, until finding that the latter would carry him
too far from the northern course, which was the one he had marked out for
himself, he turned up a small tributary known to the natives as the
Williorara. The water of this stream failing him, he pushed on over a
barren tract, until he suddenly came upon a fruitful and well-watered
spot, which he named the Rocky Glen. In this picturesque glen they were
detained for six months, during which time no rain fell. The heat of the
sun was so intense that every screw in their boxes was drawn, and all
horn handles and combs split into fine laminae. The lead dropped from
their pencils, their finger-nails became as brittle as glass, and their
hair, and the wool on their sheep, ceased to grow. Scurvy attacked them
all, and Mr. Poole, the second in command, died. In order to avoid the
scorching rays of the sun, they had excavated an underground chamber, to
which they retired during the heat of the day.

When the long-expected rain fell, they pushed on for fifty miles to
another suitable halting-place, which was called Park Depot. From this
depot Captain Sturt made two attempts to reach the Centre of the
