Explorer's Journey Along West Coast

Eyre left Port Lincoln on October 24, 1840, making for near White's Station, about 10 miles from Port Lincoln, Scott going to Brown's Station to buy sheep to replace those lost. That evening Messrs. White and Poole visited the camp from their station. Scott returned to the port on the next day to get any further correspondence as the doctor's boat was expected on that day.

On the 26th, the dray having been sent ahead, Eyre, with Scott, went to say goodbye to Mr. White, and also to see if he would sell the " noble mastiff," but he would only sell two kangaroo dogs at rather a high price. However, White was very conscientious ; one of these dogs got lost near Mount Wedge and returned to his old home ; subsequently the seller Mr. White returned the amount he received by its sale.

I understand White's Station was Tallala, on the White River, afterwards owned by the Tennants. It is possible he may have had another station, perhaps near White's Flat, but neither of these sites seems to agree with Eyre's plan of route.

On the morning of October 26 the party was near Mr. White's Station. For the first few miles they crossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating and covered with dwarf scrub, and after this they passed over barren ridges for about three miles, with quartz lying exposed, on the surface and timbered with bastard gum or forest casuarinae. They then descended to a level sandy region with small brush, having many salt lakes scattered over its surface; around the hollows, in which waters were collected, and basins that were then dry, they found large gum tree and a few casuarinae. Similar kind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward and north-west. Eyre states that the course was N25W and the distance for the day 25 miles.

They camped in the midst of many salt lakes. Near these lakes were innumerable small stone "biscuits." Eyre said they appeared to consist of lime, and were formed in to shape by the action of water. He added that similar biscuits are found in the volcanic region of the Mount Gambier district, but in this statement I think he erred, for they are found out on the flats right away from the scene of volcanoes in the South East.

To the north-west some low green looking ranges were seen, lightly timbered and promising better country. A few natives were seen, but they ran away.

On October 27. after travelling three miles, the hills were reached and found to be abundantly grassed, very rugged and rocky, of an oolitic limestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering the rock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and about a mile inland from the sea were rather high sand hills, having a few stunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills. Keeping under the eastern side of the ranges for a few miles, they then crossed the main ridge to the west ward, and after a stage of 13 miles camped under Mount Hope, which Eyre had named on the previous journey.

Camp was made in a gorge, where the granite outcrops appeared among the limestone, and a spring of crystal water existed. A number of pigeons were shot while drinking at the spring. From the hill, Point Drummond bore west-south-west, and was only a few miles from the camp. In that direction Eyre thought he saw a "considerable salt lagoon" on the eastern side of the coastal range ; actually there were a number a small lagoons. The surrounding country was, low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great dense scrub was visible, with one or two elevations. At the posi tion S60E was a salt lake, probably Lake Malata ; the latitude of the camp was 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds. It was not said whether Eyre travelled the same route as the previous year. Darke in 1844 said he crossed three dray tracks. Governor Grey said Eyre had two drays on the 1839 trip, and Eyre said he had one on the 1840 trip, therefore it is apparent that Eyre was following up his old track in 1840 at the place where Darke crossed them. His plan only shows one line, which is fairly straight from Port Lincoln to near Edillilie, and then a bend, making for Mount Hope. I cannot make his entries correspond with the plan.

On October 28, after travelling four miles, a fine spring was found in a swamp to the left, and in two more miles Lake Hamilton was reached. There was a high bank between it and the sea, and Eyre thought that in a few years the sea would force a way through and flood the adjacent low country. Good grass existed around the margin of the lake. Afterwards a succession of low grassy but stony hills were encountered. In the limestone country were found in numerable large wombat holes, but tenantless, and he considered that the animals appeared to have been cut off altogether or else migrated simultaneously to some other part. Neither were emus nor kangaroos seen.

On October 29 the low stony hills continued, but the valleys were rather better. The day was hot, the stage a long one, so the horses, sheep and dogs were nearly knocked up. It was here one of the dogs was missing, and it cost the party a day hunting for it. As previously remarked, it returned to its former owner. Many native fires were seen, especially towards a high bare-looking detached range to the north-east, named by Eyre 'Mount Wedg ' after its shape, but no natives were seen. They must have been close, for Eyre's party camped alongside one of their fires, which was still burning.

No forward movement was made on October 30, but a stage of 16 miles on October 31 brought them to Lake Newland (named after his friend, R. F. Newland). The country had improved wonderfully. After passing the ridge under which they had been encamped, they entered very pretty grassy and park like country, not stony on the surface. Wombat holes, but tenanted this time, were numerous in places. The whole aspect was encouraging and cheerful, but the extent of good country was very limited. Salt lakes were seen towards the sea, in scrubby-looking country, and towards the east was dense brush beyond which were extensive plains of barren and scrubby appearance. In these plains were large fields of a wiry kind of grass growing in enormous tufts 5 to 6 ft. high (suggestive of cutting grass), indicating swamps in a wet season. This description of country, it was said, seemed to extend to Wedge Hill To the north and north-east the country was equally low and unpromising. Two peaks were seen at a consider able distance apart (Mounts Hall and Cooper ?) Lake Newland was a large salt water lake with a strong spring of excellent water bubbling up almost in the midst of the salt. The lake was suggested, by Eyre, as a fair station site for either sheep or cattle. It was this country that the runaway whalers, Cummings and Harris, extolled to the skies to the public in Adelaide about three years later.

The route on November 1 was for 12 miles from Lake Newland to the "lagoon seen from the masthead" (now Venus Bay). Traces of natives and their water pathways were numerous. A native well about eight feet deep sunk in limestone was found. It was blocked up with stones and mud, but when cleaned out an abundant supply of water was obtained. Eyre gives a description of the lagoon which agrees fairly well with that of Capt. F. R. Lees.

On November 2 they followed the shore, meeting more native wells, but not so substantial as the one at the previous night's camp. Huts of natives were numerous, and were of a large and substantial description, but no natives were seen.

The party, after leaving the lagoon, pushed through scrub to a high bluff of granite formation, N35W, and named it Mount Hall, after G. Hall, the Governor's private secretary. The camp at the hill provided good grass, but only a little water in the rock-holes. Eyre had an extensive view from the top of the hill. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, densely covered with scrub among which to the north-west were seen many salt lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen, apparently similar to the one on which Eyre was standing ; one or two very distant were seen a little north of east, and a nearer one E16N. The latter Eyre named Mount Cooper, after Charles Cooper, the judge of the Colony. On a bearing of S35W, another salt water inlet was seen apparently connecting with the sea at Beard's Bay. (Since writing the article wherein the naming of Beard's ? Bay was referred to, I have found the record of the murder of Baird by the natives in 1850. The Surveyor General's records show that the murder was responsible for the name.)

Several native fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. On November 3 Eyre left Scott to bring on the dray and party, while he rode on to the depot at Streaky Bay, arriving there in the afternoon. He found all well. The Waterwitch had arrived on October 29, but did not communicate with the party for a few days. Naturally Baxter and the men with him were rendered uneasy through the long-delayed arrival of Eyre, and were glad of his arrival.

Eyre describes the rockhole where the depot was formed, as "situated in the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is a solid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture; in the centre of this rock is a small oblong opening a foot deep and only just large enough to allow a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little hole contained water from 5 ins. to 7 ins. in depth, the level of which was maintained as rapidly as a person could bail it out ; it was our sole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never failing one."

Eyre said the water was not of a pleasant flavor, but when water was scarce, it was valuable. The taste was not as good as a year previously, which Eyre put down to the heavy draw made on the spring by his party, while waiting for him. Stephen Hack's comment about the taste of the water has been previously referred to. The spring was situated in Lat 32 degrees 49 minutes and about three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay. If this hole can be located, possibly the District Council of Streaky Bay may consider erecting some cairn or memorial in commemoration of Eyre's stay there. There was another waterhole, with better water, but not such an abundant supply.

Baxter's party had lived luxuriously on oysters, there being an immense pile of empty shells around the camp. Eyre noticed that the natives did not appear to eat the oyster at Streaky Bay. Although at Sydney, and at King George's Sound, they did.

At 3 p.m. Scott arrived with the dray after a long and harassing stage, of 20 miles, in a low, stony and scrub-by tract of country, and which extended from their track to the coastal hummocks to the west. These hummocks appeared to be high, and under them were salt water lakes seen from the summit of Mount Hall. A survey of the party and equipment convinced Eyre that they were ample furnished with conveniences of every kind, and both men and horses were in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them.

Before Eyre despatched Baxter from Baxter's Range, he had given him definite instructions for leading his section of the party across the Peninsula, and Eyre now wrote: — " I confided the task to him with confidence," because rain had fallen and the former dray tracks of 1839 were distinctly visible and "would be sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route." Eyre refers to the " skill, judgment and success with which the overseer conducted the task assigned to him." The men, animals and equipment were none the worse for their passage through the dense scrub.