To that man who is really earnest in the performance of his duty to the last, and who has set his heart on the accomplishment6 of a great object, the attainment7 of which would place his name high up in the roll of Fame; to him who had well nigh reached the topmost step of the ladder, and whose hand had all but grasped the pinnacle8, the necessity must be great, and the struggle of feeling severe, that forces him to bear back, and abandon his task.
Let any man lay the map of Australia before him, and regard the blank upon its surface, and then let me ask him if it would not be an honourable9 achievement to be the first to place foot in its centre.
Men of undoubted perseverance10 and energy in vain had tried to work their way to that distant and shrouded11 spot. A veil hung over Central Australia that could neither be pierced or raised. Girt round about by deserts, it almost appeared as if Nature had intentionally12 closed it upon civilized13 man, that she might have one domain14 on the earth’s wide field over which the savage15 might roam in freedom.
I had traced down almost every inland river of the continent, and had followed their courses for hundreds of miles, but, they had not led me to its central regions. I had run the Castlereagh, the Macquarie, the Lachlan, the Murrumbidgee, the Hume, the Darling, and the Murray down to their respective terminations, but beyond them I had not passed — yet — I looked upon Central Australia as a legitimate16 field, to explore which no man had a greater claim than myself, and the first wish of my heart was to close my services in the cause of Geography by dispelling17 the mists that hung over it.
True it is that my friend Eyre had penetrated18 high up to the north of Mount Arden, and there can be no doubt but that his ardent20 and chivalrous21 spirit would have carried him far beyond the point he attained22, if he had not met unconquerable difficulties. I thought that a cooler and more leisurely23 progress would enable me to feel my way into a country, whose inhospitable character developed itself more the more it was penetrated. I had adopted certain opinions, the correctness of which I was anxious to test, and I thought the investigations24 I desired to make, were not only worthy25 the pursuit of private ambition, but deserving the attention of Her Majesty’s Government. With these feelings I could not but be grateful to Lord Stanley, for having entertained my proposition, and given me an opportunity to distinguish myself. It is not because his Lordship is no longer at the head of the Colonial Office, that I should refrain from making my acknowledgments to him, and expressing the sense I entertain of the obligation under which he has laid me. It so happened that the course pointed26 out to me by Lord Stanley, and that in which I desired to go, were the same, and I had hoped that in following up my instructions, I should ultimately have gained the spot I so ardently27 desired to reach, and to have left the flag of my native country flying over it.
The feelings then with which I returned to the creek after the failure of our last attempt to penetrate19 to the north may well be imagined. I returned to it, as I have said, with perhaps a sullen28 determination to stand out the drought; but, on calm reflection, I found that I could not do so. I could not indeed hide from myself that in the course of a few days my retreat to the Depot would unavoidably be cut off if rain should not fall. Looking to the chance of our being delayed until our provisions should be consumed, and to the fact that we could not expect to get back to the Depot in less than three weeks, and that I could not hope for any amendment29 either in Mr. Browne or my men, so long as they were confined to the scanty30 diet we then had. I determined31 on my return to the Park, thence to take out fresh hands, and to make another attempt to penetrate across the Desert in some other direction; but, as this measure, like our detention32 at the Depot, would involve a great loss of time, I proposed to myself again to divide the party, and to send Mr. Browne home with all the men, except Mr. Stuart and two others. I saw no objection to such a course, and certainly did not anticipate any opposition33 to it on the part of my companion. I resolved then, with a due regard to his state, to retrace34 my steps with all possible expedition; and, accordingly, directed that everything should be prepared for our retreat on the morning of the 14th, for the sky had cleared, and all prospect35 of rain had again vanished. Although we were here so close to the Tropic, the climate was not oppressive. The general temperature after noon was 84 degrees, the morning 46 degrees. The prevailing36 wind was from S.S.E. to E.S.E. and it was invariably cold; at least we felt it so, and I regretted to observe, that in Mr. Browne’s case it caused a renewed attack of violent pains in the muscles and joints37, from which he had before been somewhat free. It is also remarkable38, that up to this distant point, no material change had taken place in the character of the vegetation; with the exception of the few trees and plants I have mentioned the herbage of these sterile39 regions, and of the Darling were essentially40 the same, only with this difference, that here they were all more or less stunted41, whereas, in the month of October, when we passed up the Darling, they were only just flowering, now in the month of September they had ripened42 their seed.
Before we commenced our journey back to the Depot, I named this “Eyre’s Creek.” No doubt it is an important feature in the country where it exists. Like the other creeks43, however, it rises in plains, and either terminates in such or falls into the Stony Desert. There can be no doubt, however, that to any one desiring to cross the continent to the north, Eyre’s Creek would afford great facilities; and if the traveller happened fortunately to arrive on it at a favourable44 moment he would have every chance of success.
For twelve miles below the salt lagoon45 there is not a blade of grass either in the bed of the creek or on the neighbouring flats, the soil of both being a stiff cold clay. We passed this ungenial line, therefore, and encamped near a fine pool of water, where both our own wants and those of our horses, as far as feed and water went, were abundantly supplied.
In going along one of the flats, before we discovered the creek, Mr. Browne and I had chased a Dipus into a hollow log, and there secured it. This pretty animal we put into a box; but as it appeared to eat but little grass, we gave it some small birds, which it always devoured46 at night. Our dogs had killed one on the banks of the Darling, but had so mutilated it, that we could not preserve it. We hoped, however, to keep this animal alive, and up to the present time there was every chance of our doing so. It was an exceedingly pretty animal, of a light grey colour, having a long tail, feathered at the end, insectivorous, and not marsupial47. On the 16th we turned from the creek to the south, and passed down the long flat up which we had previously48 come. On the following day we passed several of the hollows scraped by the natives, and in one of them found a little water, that must have accumulated in it from the drizzly49 showers that fell on the night of the 8th, and which might have been heavier here than with us. On the 19th we arrived at the creek where Flood’s horse was lost, but could not make out any track to betray that he had been to water, and as there was not enough remaining in the pond for our use, we crossed the plain, over which we had had so much difficulty in travelling, and halted for a short time at the native well, out of which numbers of birds flew as we approached. From the Box-tree Forest we pushed on down the polygonum flat, where we had seen the native woman who had secreted50 herself in the bush. A whole family was now in the same place, but an old man only approached us. We were, indeed, passing, when he called to us, expressly for the purpose of telling us that the horse (Flood’s) had gone away to the eastward51. This native came out of his way, and evidently under considerable alarm, to tell us this, and to point out the direction in which he had gone, Our stock of presents being pretty nearly exhausted52, Mr. Browne, with his characteristic good nature, gave him a striped handkerchief, with which he was much pleased. As it was evident the poor horse had kept along the edge of the Desert, and as he was a wandering brute53, not caring for companions, it was uncertain to what distance he had rambled54, I did not, therefore, lose time by attempting to recover him. We were all of us sure that he would not face the Stony Desert, but he may still be alive, and wandering over that sterile country. We stopped for the night on the long channel near the sandy rise where we had before rested, about ten miles short of our camp, and the trees on the muddy plain; and having effected our passage across that plain and the Stony Desert, over which it was with extreme difficulty that we kept our track, found ourselves on the 22nd, in the little grassy55 valley, from which we had entered upon it; little water was remaining, however, at the place where we had then stopped, so that I sent over to the sequestered56 spot Lewis had discovered, but the water there had entirely57 disappeared. Flood managed to shoot a couple of ducks (Teal), of which there were four or five that flew away to the south-east. These two birds were, I may truly say, a God-send, and I beg to assure the reader they were uncommonly58 good.
From this valley we had to cross the heavy sand ridges which had so fatigued59 our horses before, and I hardly expected we should find water nearer than the Fish Pond. We therefore started early to get over the distance as soon as possible, and, as on the outward journey, had a most severe task of it. The ridges were certainly most formidable, although they were not of such size as those from which we had retreated. At six miles we crossed the salt lagoon, and late in the afternoon descended60 to the box-tree forest before mentioned, having the grassy plains now upon the left-hand side. The sandy ridges overlooked these plains, so that in riding along we noticed some natives, seven in number, collecting grass seeds upon them, on which alone, it appears to me, they subsist61 at this season of the year. However, as soon as they saw us, they all ran away in more than usual alarm, perhaps from the recollection of our misunderstanding with Mr. Popinjay. Their presence, however, assured us that there must be water somewhere about, and as on entering the plain, more to the west than before, we struck on a track, I directed Mr. Browne to run it down, who, at about half-a-mile, came to a large well similar to that in the creek on the other side of the Stony Desert, but not of the same dimensions. We had lost sight of him for some little time, when suddenly his horse made his appearance without a rider, and caused me great anxiety for the moment, for my mind immediately reverted62 to our sulky friend, and my fears were at once raised that my young companion had been speared; riding on, therefore, I came at length to the well, down which, to my inexpressible relief, I saw Mr. Browne, who was examining it, and who came out on my calling to him. There was not sufficient water to render it worth our while to stop; but the well being nine feet deep, shewed the succession of strata63 as follows: four feet of good alluvial64 soil; three feet of white clay; and two feet of sea sand.
I should perhaps have been more particular in the description of our interview with the old man and his family on the northern side of the earthy plain. As I have stated, he called out to us, and in order to discover what he wanted, I held Mr. Browne’s horse, while he dismounted and went to him. The old native would not, however, sit down, but pointed to the S.E. as the direction in which, as far as we could understand, the horse, “cadli” (dog), as he called him, the only large four-legged brute of which he knew any thing, had gone. The poor fellow cried, and the tears rolled down his cheeks when he first met Mr. Browne, and the women chanted a most melancholy65 air during the time we remained, to keep the evil spirits off, I suppose; but they had nothing to fear from us, if they could only have known it. This confusion of tongues is a sad difficulty in travelling the wilds of Australia. Both the old man and the women wanted the two front teeth of the upper jaw66, and as the former had worn his down almost to a level with his gums like an old horse, he looked sadly disfigured.
We halted about three miles short of the place at which we had before stopped, but as Joseph followed some pigeons to a clump67 of trees across the plain at about a mile distance, and there found a small pond of water, we moved over to it, and remained stationary68 on the following day to rest our wearied animals.
The 24th again saw us at the Fish Pond, where Mr. Browne again exhibited his skill in the gentle craft, and caught a good dish of the finny tribe. The mystery as to how these fish could have got into so isolated69 a spot, was not yet cleared up, and I was really puzzled on the subject.
On the 27th, as we were crossing the country between the creeks, some natives came in from the north and called out to us, in consequence of which Mr. Browne and I rode up to them. They were in a sad state of suffering from the want of water; their lips cracked, and their tongues swelled70. They had evidently lingered at some place or other, until all the water, intermediate between them and the creeks had dried up. The little water we had was not sufficient to allay71 their thirst, so they left us, and at a sharp trot72 disappeared over the sand hill.
On the 29th our journey over the sandy ridges was very distressing73. They appeared to me to be much more numerous, and the valleys between them much more sandy than when we first passed over them, and were thickly covered with spinifex, although grass was also tolerably abundant in the flats. At this stage of our journey, I was the only one of the party who was not ill; Mr. Browne and all the men were suffering, added to which, the men were fairly knocked up. Their labours were now, however, drawing to a close, and I was only too thankful, that I retained my strength.
We had crossed the first or Strzelecki’s Creek on the 29th, and had halted that night without water. During it some of the horses broke loose and wandered back; but Flood and Joseph soon overtook and brought them back. We should have had a distance of 85 miles to travel without water, but fortunately the precaution we had taken of digging wells in going out, insured us a supply in one of them, so that our return over this last long and dry tract74 of country was comparatively light, and we gained the Park and joined Mr. Stuart at the stockade75 on the evening of the 2nd of October, after an absence of seven weeks, during which we had ridden more than 800 miles. Had it not been for the precaution of digging these wells, I do not think that two or three of the horses would have reached their journey’s end. We only found water in one, it is true, but that one was of the most essential service, inasmuch as it saved several of our animals; and this is a point, I hope future travellers in such a country will bear in mind. Mr. Browne found it necessary to put all the men on the sick list, and their comrades made them as comfortable as they could, after their late fatigues76.
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1
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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recurrence
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| n.复发，反复，重现 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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attainment
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| n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣 | |
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pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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intentionally
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| ad.故意地，有意地 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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16
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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dispelling
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的现在分词 ) | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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amendment
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| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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sterile
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| adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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ripened
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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creeks
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| n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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marsupial
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| adj.有袋的，袋状的 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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drizzly
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| a.毛毛雨的(a drizzly day) | |
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secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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51
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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rambled
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的过去式和过去分词 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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subsist
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| vi.生存，存在，供养 | |
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reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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strata
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| n.地层（复数）；社会阶层 | |
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alluvial
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| adj.冲积的；淤积的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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72
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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73
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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74
tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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75
stockade
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| n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护 | |
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76
fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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