Search for Missing Overlanders

Towards the end of October 1842, fears were entertained in Adelaide for the safety of the volunteer party, so a body of police went out in search. Fortunately by that time, the volunteers were in Port Lincoln. James Hawker returned in the boat Resource almost immediately on arrival at Port Lincoln. While the balance of the volunteers were on the whale boat trip, Eyre reached Port Lincoln.

We have read of Tolmer's return and the Governor's vindication of the action taken. His Excellency decided forthwith to send out another police party, increasing the strength to 10, under the command of E. J. Eyre. The following shows the promptness with which work was done in those early days.

Tolmer returned on Monday, September 26 and the volunteer party left Mount Arden on September 28, the same day on which Eyre arrived in Adelaide (having been granted a few days' leave from his district). By Sunday, October 2, Eyre was on his way in search of Dutton. When Mr. Pitt, the archivist, was asked for any papers in reference to Dutton's death, he produced a small bundle, containing scraps of papers and letters from E. J. Eyre. Intensely human, intensely personal, written hurriedly, well-cherished by the recipient even if not well cared for, they, after a lapse of 90 years, throw much light on the despatch of the second police party.

Eyre after his return from Western Australia, was given the appointment of resident magistrate at Moorundie, on the River Murray. He and Osmond Gilles had taken up a special survey from the Elbow to about 25 miles further south, and presumably he (Eyre) was working on their property at the same time as carrying out his official work. Also, I think, E. B. Scott was working on the same property. Both of these latter statements have not been checked, not having any bearing on the history of Eyre Peninsula. Accepting them as facts, it will help us to understand some of Eyre's remarks in the letters he wrote to Scott at this time.

INTERESTING LETTERS

It is extremely doubtful whether the information contained in these letters has previously been made public. Our thanks are due to the Public Library Board, through Mr. Pitt the archivist, for permission to incorporate them in this history : —

Adelaide, 30th September, 1842. Dear Scott, Having arrived in town a little too soon I have been let in for a pretty piece of employment and at a few hours notice. Am packed off to Port Lincoln to search for Dutton's party, Tolmer having quarrelled with the volunteers and returned. The Major (O'Halloran, J.D.S.) was all ready to go, but as soon as they found I was in town I was pressed into the service and could not with decency get out of it. How I shall arrange all my business here and for the farm during my absence I know not, as what with fencing, buildings etc, I should have had occupation enough if I remained, as it is I have only one day to prepare for a journey of four hundred miles and transact affairs beside. My party consists of Tolmer and a large instalment of police, but as soon as I get to the head of the Gulf, I shall send half of them back, and go on with very few. I cannot be back in less than eight weeks, if as I expect, I shall have to go all the way to Port Lincoln, so you must do the best you can to keep things going. (Then follows numerous instructions about the farm. — J.DS.). Sgd. E. J. Eyre.

There is portion of another letter with no date, so it cannot be said whether it was written prior to or after the above, but by the context it would appear to have been written after :—

(Unless ? J.D.S.) indeed we find traces of them sooner. Adelaide is in a bad state, and nothing stirring in any way. I only arrived in Adelaide on Wednesday evening, and I leave it again on Sunday at daybreak, during which time I have had to prepare for the Port Lincoln cruise and get things for the Murray station, together with many other arrangements, I done all I ought to have done and required, you must excuse it on this account. I shall be in a sad state of disgust until I get back to the Murray, for I have no relish for the trip, imposed upon me and moreover anticipate no a little trouble and hard work, and all for no purpose, as I am satisfied Dutton and party are gone long ago. Pray take care of yourself and don't destroy all the duck and fish before I return, for I expect to be "tarnation" sharp set after a cruise through the scrub. I will have an eye for a route for sheep if White should think of bringing his by land. Goodbye and believe me, etc., E. B. Scott,. Esq. (Sgd.) E. Eyre.

ANOTHER VERSION

These two letters make many things clear that were difficult to understand before. It has been a puzzle how Eyre happened to be chosen, and how he was on the spot ready to take command. Regarding the last paragraph, Messrs. White lifted their sheep by boat. There appears to be in the history of Eyre Peninsula, usually two or three or even more versions of the many events. In the above two letters we get what Eyre would like us to believe.

Fortunately there is a letter from the Colonial Secretary to Eyre, which puts a vastly different complexion on what would appear to be a half-hearted acceptance of the request by the request by the Government. It turns out to be a very generous offer by Eyre, instead. The Colonial Secretary's letter of September 30, 1842, states that "His Excellency had accepted your offer of taking command of the party of police whom the Government is about to despatch in search of Dutton."

In doing so the Governor gave Eyre a free hand, thinking it "better not to fetter you with any particular instruction," owing to "your peculiar qualification for a service of this nature." The Governor agreed to the division of the party if Eyre found it necessary.

Inspector Tolmer left before Eyre and joined the police party that had been detained at Gawler, and then the party proceeded northward. Eyre got away on Sunday, October 2, as anticipated, and overtook the party at Gleeson's station on the Hutt River on October 3, when he assumed command. James McLean gives a composition of the police, supposed to represent the first trip. I am more inclined to think it was the composition of this second trip. Assuming this to be correct, E. J. Eyre had under him, Inspector Tolmer, Corporal Rose, McMahon, Spencer, Brooks, Look, Barber (driving ration cart) and McLean. Mr. Burr, the deputy surveyor-General, accompanied Eyre from Adelaide to Mount Arden. No mention is made in the above list of M. C. Culloch, who according to McLean formed portion of the party that went from Mount Arden with Eyre. So the list is very unsatisfactory and is given for what it is worth. Originally the second party was to consist of 10, including the Commissioner of Police. As Eyre replaced that officer, if we add McCulloch to McLean's list, we then get the 10 of whom the party was to consist.

It is not proposed to follow the party on the trip to Mount Arden, suffice to say that Eyre and Tolmer did not agree very well as to the route. The following particulars, except where otherwise mentioned, are taken from Eyre's report, which was printed in the Government Gazette, November 10, 1842.

The party arrived at Mount Arden depot on the morning of October 9, and then Eyre carried out his preconceived arrangement of splitting the party. Eyre took with him, three policemen and one native, with three pack horses to carry provisions. McLean gives the names of the policemen as Rose, McCulloch and McLean and the native Nandora. The balance of the party were placed under Tolmer, who after a little examination of the country, returned to Adelaide. He ascended Mount Arden and saw hills to the northwest, on which he subsequently based his theory of good land and the possibility of exploring northward following those ranges. Tolmer was responsible for the rumor of the loss of the volunteers on the eastern side of the Gulf. It appears that on his homeward journey he went up a gully, some 60 miles south of Mount Arden. and there discovered "the tracks of horses which must have belonged to the volunteers and showed that they were on their return but nothing further has been heard of them."

HORSES BREAK AWAY

Leaving the depot on October 10 and heading for Baxter's Range, Eyre accomplished the journey in two days. On arrival at the ranges he found the volunteers' record on the tree. From the dried-up state of the country, Eyre did not anticipate finding much water ahead. Here Eyre did not tether any of the horses, so as to enable them to feed as much as possible. This was almost the undoing of the whole party, as during the night of October 11 the horses strayed, and, not finding grass, made rapidly towards Point Lowly.

Next morning Eyre followed them, he does not say how, until he overtook them at the coast. With great difficulty he got all except one on the homeward journey. That one had got down a rocky cliff into deep water, and could not be recovered without endangering the whole mob. By driving all night he got them back on the third day after they had left the range. In one way this breakaway of the horses was a blessing in disguise, for Eyre said, "Not far from Point Lowly, I had seen the tracks of cattle which I conjecture to have been those of Mr. Dutton's, but I saw there no traces of either dray or man. From this I inferred that Point Lowly was the most northern point reached by any of the cattle, but neither Mr. Dutton nor his dray had been able to advance quite so far, and that, in all probability, his unfortunate party had been overtaken by calamity within a very few miles of the point I had reached."

Through the condition of the country and the scarcity of water, Eyre was unable to follow up the tracks. It is doubtful whether Eyre would have gone so far east had he not been compelled to do when following the horses. How errors will creep in ! J. C. Hawker seemed a reliable historian, but he relates that "Mr. Eyre, as an experienced bushman, had been careful to adopt the usual custom of keeping one horse tethered in case of any casualty occurring, so that when his horses stampeded, he was enabled to follow them up. Had he omitted to secure the one horse nothing could have been done to save himself and party from a terrible calamity." Even though Eyre failed to tether a horse for the reason stated, his indomitable courage enabled him to rescue his party from a most serious situation.

(Another instalment next week.)