Читать книгу Memoir and Journal of an Expedition Organized by the Colonial - Henry Maxwell Lefroy - Страница 4

York, August 1, 1863.

Sir.—I have the honor to report to you for His Excellency's information that the Eastern exploring expedition, under my charge, reached this town yesterday after noon, all, with the exception of colonial prisoner F. Hall, in excellent health, and having suffered no great privations or fatigue.

The party reached Narimbeen, a part of Mr Smith's station, and I believe the Mount Welcome of the chart, on the 23rd ultimo, and having rested there to refresh the horses, which much required rest, until 27th ultimo, on that evening I despatched the party in the charge of Mr Robinson to follow Mr Smith's cart track into York, by easy stages, whilst Kowitch and myself rode round by Minilyeen (Mount Stirling,) the fine rocks of which locality I was anxious to examine. Having made this detour I joined the party at Bunmull yesterday morning.

In the progress of the expedition it has been necessary to abandon three of the horses, they having become so weak as to be unable to follow, although carrying no loads but an empty riding saddle each. I trust however that all three of these will gradually recover their strength, and at length find their way back to the settled districts. Several of the other horses have also during the middle and latter portion of the expedition been reduced to a very weak state, but have been brought in by easy stages, and little or no loads to carry.

I have much pleasure In reporting that the whole country traversed by the expedition, eastward of Mount Welcome, gradually improves as to both pastoral and agricultural purposes, until at distance of about 100 miles E.N.E. of that point we reached a country of an exceedingly promising character, as to both agricultural and pastoral purposes, but more especially the former, and perhaps in this respect not surpassed by any district of equal extent in Australia, as I estimate the rich alluvial soils to cover more than half the entire surface of the further portion of this county.

The track of the expedition from Mount Welcome, outwards and homewards, amounts to about 900 miles, the position of the furthermost point readied is lat. 30degs. 30mins. S, long. 122degs. 40mins. E, and our whole track is contained within the parallels of lat. 30degs. 20mins. S and lat. 32degs. S.

It is my intention to pack up and leave in the charge of Mr S. Parker, the remainder of the equipment of the expedition supplied by the Colonial Government, to await your directions as to its disposal, and I hope to be able to leave this on the 4th or 5th, which will enable me to wait on you in Perth on the 7th inst.

I have the satisfaction to be able to report most favourably as to the conduct of all the members of the expedition since leaving York, but as to Mr Robinson, his conduct throughout has in every respect been such as to have merited my approval, and gained my esteem in no ordinary measure.

I would most respectfully request, as a well-merited reward for his services and good conduct throughout the expedition, that His Excellency will permit me to present to the native Kowitch the double barrelled carbine which, he has carried during the expedition, with a written permission to him to hold and retain the same, as a reward of his good services in it, together with a portion of the surplus cartridges supplied for our use, and his clothing and bedding, which may now be considered as worn out.

Perhaps, also His Excellency may approve that Mr Robinson and Mr P. Edwards retain, for their personal use, the clothing and bedding provided for them by the Colonial Government. I have kept a journal of the incidents of each days travel, and of my observations on the geology, the fauna, and the meteorology of the country traversed, a copy of which I shall be able to present for His Excellency's information, I trust, within a few weeks.

On the whole I indulge a strong hope that His Excellency, and the public generally, will, on perusal of my journal, conclude that the expedition has been successful as to its great object—the discovery of extensive tracts of land suitable to agricultural and pastoral purposes, and that the experience of the next few years will amply justify such a favourable opinion.

I have ventured to prepare the subjoined approximate estimate of the distribution of the surface of the soil of the entire counter traversed eastward of Smith's station, taken as one whole, but I should mention that in the western moiety of this district the inferior descriptions of soil will largely preponderate, and vice versâ in the eastern moiety.

I have, the honor to be. Sir,

Your very obedient Servant,

H. M. LEFROY.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

Approximate estimate of the distribution of the surface soils of the country traversed by the expedition eastward to Mr Smith's station. Tenacious alluvial soil in plains of very gentle slope, and in wide flat bottoms of valleys, and lake chains, of a rich red colour, and apparently admirably adapted to the growth of wheat, and abounding in salt-bush.. 20 percent. Tenacious alluvial soils, on hill sides and tops, of good quality.. 2 per cent. Sterile alluvials, generally forest covered, of a hard dry texture, and of small thickness, covering sandstone sedimentary rock.. 10 per cent. Free light but rich alluvial soils, of a rich red colour, and well adapted to grain, and modern agricultural products generally.. 16 per cent. Hill tops covered with hard schists containing a small quantity of iron.. 1 per cent. Hill sides covered with pebbles of the above, generally water-worn, but sometimes angular, but unfit for either pastoral or agricultural purposes.. 3 per cent. Thickets of all sorts.. 2 per cent Poor quartzose sand-plains.. 10 per cent Sand-plains of yellow coloured soil derived from feld-spar, covered with much coarse grass and other herbage on which, horses and sheep will do well, and consequently such as will be taken up in pastoral leases.. 28 per cent. Bare lake bottoms, generally of red clay.. 2 percent. Samphire in lake bottoms and their margins, and on plains adjacent to, but elevated slightly above the existing lake bottoms.. 6 per cent. Projections and exposed intumescencies of bare primitive and unbroken granite, whether exhibited on hill sides, or projecting from their to summits.. 1 per cent.

MEMOIR AND JOURNAL

OF

AN EXPEDITION

ORGANIZED BY THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AT THE REQUEST AND WITH THE AID OF THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF THE YORK DISTRICT OF THAT COLONY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPLORING THE INTERIOR OF THE COLONY EASTWARD OF THAT DISTRICT, AND PLACED UNDER MY COMMAND BY ORDER OF HIS EXCELLENCY J. S. HAMPTON, ESQ., GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

HENRY MAXWELL LEFROY,

SUPERINTENDENT OF CONVICTS,

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.