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Peter Egerton Warburton. Journey Across the Western Interior of Australia
Journey Across the Western Interior of Australia
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
JOURNAL
OF. COLONEL P. EGERTON WARBURTON
EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL
Footnote
NOTE ON THE VALUE OF CAMELS IN AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION
BY COLONEL P. E. WARBURTON
SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPEDITION,
AND. RETURN TO ADELAIDE
BY C. H. EDEN
THE END
Отрывок из книги
Peter Egerton Warburton
Published by Good Press, 2021
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The utmost caution was now necessary in ministering to the horses. They had been seven days deprived of any fluid, and though the poor beasts were suffering agonies, it was impossible to water them freely. Each animal therefore was given only four gallons then, and the same quantity later on. Gradually both men and beasts recovered from their trials, and by the 5th of April the overseer and one boy were ready to go back for the stores that had been abandoned forty-seven miles away. Mr. Eyre, thinking that they would have severe exercise, generously gave them almost all the food he had with him; consequently he and the two boys suffered severely from hunger, and were compelled to eke out their daily half-pound of flour with pounded roots. In addition to starvation, they were deprived of sleep at night by the cold, for they were visited by severe frosts, and their clothing was of the scantiest. At last the overseer returned, with the boy and a single horse. His dismal tale was soon told. They had reached their destination on the 7th, but in returning one of the three horses became blind, and, with his load, had to be abandoned. A second horse had become unable to proceed, and both he and his load were left behind; but this happening only a few miles from the camp, both were eventually recovered.
Their position was now terrible indeed. They were still 650 miles from King George's Sound, with barely enough provisions to last three weeks, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Their cattle were so jaded that they could literally scarcely crawl, and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without many days of rest. By remaining in inactivity they were only consuming their provisions, and the idea of abandoning the horses could not even be entertained, for it had become evident that they must eventually have recourse to killing the poor animals for food. Another journey of 150 miles without water lay before them, but an equally arid tract lay in their rear; and Mr. Eyre never once wavered in his opinion that to push on would be best. Baxter differed from him on this point. The last desperate march had produced a strong impression on his mind, and he could not divest himself of the idea that the farther they went to the westward the more arid the country would be found, and that eventually they should all perish from want of water. All arguments were useless, but with characteristic fidelity and obedience he readily acquiesced in any plan Mr. Eyre might decide upon adopting, and though he had just returned from a severe journey, volunteered for the important and pressing duty of recovering the stores which had been left behind. This, however, the leader determined to undertake himself; and, accompanied by a black boy, set out on foot; and in four days they returned, bringing on their backs such stores as were absolutely necessary. During their absence Baxter had examined the country ahead, and seemed quite discouraged at its appearance. Some fish that they had speared disagreed with the whole party, and a horse was killed for food, on which they fed until it became quite putrid, and both the Europeans were seized with violent dysentery. During their helplessness the two elder native boys stole the provisions and showed signs of disaffection, threatening to leave. In vain Mr. Eyre attempted to reason with them; they could not understand the food being economized; and at last, after breakfast on the 22nd April, they took up the spears they had been preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a westerly direction. The youngest boy would have followed, but as he was too young to know what he was doing, the leader detained him. In three days the runaways turned up again and begged to be received, as they found they could get nothing to eat for themselves. The King George's Sound native expressed sorrow, but the other one sat silently and sullenly at the fire.
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