[Errors in the original have been preserved
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NARRATIVE OF THE OVERLAND EXPEDITION OF THE MESSRS. JARDINE, FROM ROCKHAMPTON TO CAPE YORK, NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.
COMPILED FROM THE JOURNALS OF THE BROTHERS, AND EDITED BY FREDERICK J. BYERLEY,
(ENGINEER OF ROADS, NORTHERN DIVISION OF QUEENSLAND).
Angus and Robertson—1949
BRISBANE
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. W. BUXTON, BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER.
1867.
TO
SIR CHARLES NICHOLSON, BART.,
CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, etc., etc., etc.,
AS ONE OF
OUR OLDEST AND MOST DISTINGUISHED
COLONISTS.
THE NARRATIVE IS INSCRIBED
WITH GREAT RESPECT, BY
THE EDITOR.
List of Images
PREFACE.
The Settlement of Northern Australia has of late years been of suchrapid growth as to furnish matter for a collection of narratives,which in the aggregate would make a large and interesting volume.Prominent amongst these stands that of the Settlement of Cape York,under the superintendence of Mr. Jardine, with which the gallant tripof his two sons overland must ever be associated. It was a journeywhich, but for the character and qualities of the Leader, might haveterminated as disastrously as that of his unfortunate, but no lessgallant predecessor, Kennedy. A brilliant achievement inexploration, in a colony where exploring has become common and almostdevoid of interest, from the number of those yearly engaged in it,its very success has prevented its attracting that share of publicattention to which its results very fully entitled it. Had it beenattended with any signal disaster, involving loss of life, it wouldhave been otherwise. Geographically, it has solved the questionhitherto undecided of the course of the northern rivers emptying intothe Gulf of Carpentaria, of which nothing was previously known buttheir outlets, taken from the charts of the Dutch Navigators. It hasalso made known, with tolerable definiteness, how much, or rather,how little, of the "York Peninsula" is adapted for pastoraloccupation, whilst its success in taking the first stock overland,and forming a cattle station at Newcastle Bay, has insured to theSettlement at Somerset a necessary and welcome supply of fresh meat,and done away with its dependence for supplies on importations by seaof less nourishing salt provision.
Starting from the then farthest out-station of Northern Queenslandwith a small herd of cattle, these hardy young bushmen met with andsuccessfully combated, almost every "accident by flood and field"that could well occur in an expedition. First, an arid waterlesscountry forced them to follow down two streams at right angles withtheir course for upwards of 200 miles, causing a delay which betrayedthem into the depths of the rainy season; then the loss of half theirfood and equipment by a fire, occasioned by the carelessness of someof the party; next