DR. LEICHHARDT'S EXPEDITION.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 226, 4 July 1846, Page 71

DR. LEICHHARDT'S EXPEDITION.

We published a few weeks since an abridged account of the extraordinary journey of Dr. Leichhardt from Sydney to Port Essington. As many of our readers have expressed a desire to see the account of the journey in full, we this week commence printing it from the Australian, where it appeared in a corrected shape. We learn from the same source that the expedition received no support from the Government, but was fitted out at the expense of private individuals. The Doctor's friends strongly opposed his undertaking so arduous an enterprise, and it was only when they found him resolved on making the attempt that they gave him their assistance. The journey from the farthest station north-west of Sydney to Port Essington occupied thirteen months. The Doctor returned to Sydney by sea, and arrived there on the 25th of March last, after an absence of nineteen months and twelve days. The friends of the party had long mourned their loss, as it was supposed the whole had perished. I left Sydney the 13th of August, 1844, in the Sovereign, Captain Cape, the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company having given to me and to my party a free passage to Moreton Bay. After recruiting my horses at Moreton Bay, I went up to Darling Downs, and stayed for a month at Mr. Campbell's station, waiting for my provisions, which the kind people of Moreton Bay had volunteered to send up to the Downs with drays. Finding that my horses were not sufficient to move all the provisions, and considering that bullocks would give at the same time means to move our provisions and form a good stock of provisions themselves, I bought three bullocks from Major North, at Laidley Plains, and five from Mr. Hughes, at Darling Downs. My party consisted originally of six persons — Mr. Roper, Mr. James Calvert, John Murphy, Phillips, and the black fellow, Harry Brown, of Newcastle. In Moreton Bay, a negro, Caleb, and a black of Bathurst, Charley, joined me. At the Downs, Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Gilbert increased the number of my party to ten persons. The two latter added two bullocks to those I had, and Messrs. Stephens and Campbell made us a present of four young steers and a bullock. Mr. Isaacks gave a fat bullock. I started, therefore, from Jimba, the farthest station of Darling Downs to the westward, on the 13th October, 1844, with 16 head of cattle, 17 horses, and 4 kangaroo dogs. Mr. Hodgson and Caleb returned with 2 horses from Kent's Lagoon, about 70 miles from Jimba. We travelled at first through the system of waters of the Condamine, which goes much farther to the northward than is laid down in the map, as I left it about 26*44 of latitude. I passed several creeks which evidently joined the Condamine, in lat. 26*26, and 26*16, and 26*10, in a course north-west from Jimba; and I have soon to mention that I came on westerly waters again, in lat. 25*19, and 25*13, which in all probability go to the westward and southward to join the Condamine, or belong to the great basin of the Darling. After having passed the great plains of the Condamine, between Coxen's station, Jimba, and Russell's station, we entered into a country which was alternately covered with fine open forest land, well grassed and fit for cattle and horse breeding, and with long stretches of almost impassable bricklow scrub, so called from the bricklow (a species of acacia) being one of its principal components. Open myall scrub was frequent, particularly along the Condamine. Though the bricklow scrubs were frequently of great length and breadth, I do not think that they ever form uninterrupted lines of more than twenty or thirty miles, so that they always allow to be skirted. The frequency of these scrubs, however, renders the establishment of stations unadvisable, as they not only allow a secure retreat to hostile black fellows, but to wild cattle. Following a narrow passage through a very extensive bricklow scrub, over a flat country, I entered into a new system of waters, which at first turned to the north-north-west and northwest ; but about 70 miles lower down, in lat. 25*36, turned to the north-east. I came on it in lat. 26*4. I called the principal river " the Dawson." Fine fiats extend along its banks, and open ridges, with sound ground, are 6ome miles off the river. Lower down, however, ranges appear covered with scrub, and I suppose that the river, where it turns to the northeast, enters into a rather mountainous country, to work its way into the flats of the east coast. A large creek joins it in lat. 25*34, which comes from the north-west, and I called it Palm-tree Creek, as fine corypha palms grew along its banks. It is accompanied by rich flats and fine ridges, and has a plentiful supply of water, in detached holes, as the Upper Dawson had. But these rich flats, which would delight the eye of the cattle breeders, are limited towards the ranges by thick bricklow scrub. This scrub covers the hills to the southward, between the creek and a long range, and is interrupted by plains, almost entirely grown over with vervain, which made me call them " Vervain Plains " whenever I met with them, even should this plant be less abundant. In following up the creek, I came again on a flat table land, and on waters which turned to the south-west. Should the creek I met in lat. 25*29, and which I called " Robinson's Creek," belong to the Condamine, the shed of waters

here would be one of the most curious which ever have been observed. The shallow channels which form the heads of Palm-tree Creek (an easterly water) are scarcely a quarter of a mile distant from the broad, deep, sandy bed of Robinson's Creek, the latter turning to the southwest, the former collecting towards the east. Several sedgy swamps and lagoons, covered with water fowl, are found at the left bank of Robinson's Creek.

This creek comes from a hilly country, which, more to the north-west, rises into ranges of considerable elevation, giving rise to a great number of water-courses, creeks, and gullies, all collecting into Robinson's Creek. The whole country is openly timbered, the ridges at the upper part of it in part covered with silver-leaved iron bark, well adapted for sheep. Fine flats extend along its banks where I first met it, in lat. 25*28. I passed the principal range of Robinson's Creek in lat. 25*19, and came again to waters which turned to the west and south-west. In pursuing a north-west course, I entered into a knot of mountains, from which the waters flowed in almost every direction ; to the east, north-east, north, west, and south. Only long and tedious reconnoitres enabled me to find a passage through this intricate country; and even these would have been perhaps unsuccessful if Providence had not thrown by an accident some light on our dark and difficult path. In following a north-easterly creek to its head, I found an easy mountain pass, and came on the heads of a creek going to the northward. These are in lat. 25*5. In lat. 24*54, the creek, which I called " Zamia Creek," from fine arborescent zamias (or cycas) growing on its flats, turns to the north- east. Its deep channel gets very shallow as it enters a flat country of very great extent, almost unbounded by any rise towards the north-east. The creek is accompanied by small flats and thick scrub ; but the flats extend more and more, and the scrub recedes as it approaches the large flat country, which appears openly timbered, and well grassed in the proper season. When we went along it, the 4th — 9th December, 1844, the grass was all burnt, and the country looked bleak, with some few exceptions of old burnings, which were covered with luxuriant grass. The creek has very little water in it.

I turned round a range at the left of Zamia Creek; its two most conspicuous mountains we had seen a long time ago; the one, a sharp peak covered with scrub, 1 called " Aldis' Peak;" the other, dome shaped, I called " Mount Nicholson." They are excellent landmarks, and must be seen for a great distance from the north-east. Their lat. is about 245230. The lange to which they belong I called " Expedition Range." Travelling along its east side, I crossed several creeks, the largest of which I called " Expedition Creek ;" palm trees were again frequent. Another creek, which, from abundance of erythrina trees, I called " Erythrina Creek," was amply supplied with fine reedy water-holes. The country is openly timbered and well grassed ; but I fear that all these creeks get very dry as they leave the mountains.

I crossed the range : the passage is very difficult. The stock of the range is basaltic; the spurs and subordinate ranges are sandstone. The basaltic part is openly timbered ; arborescent zamilas very frequent : the sandstone spurs are covered with scrub and underwood peculiar to this description of country. From the northwest side of this rancre, a view opens over a large valley, bounded to the west and north-west by distant ranges, which I called the " Christmas Ranges." It is almost entirely filled with scrub, the extent of which was well calculated to try a man's courage. Some few plains were visible, and isolated hills rose in different directions out of this sea of scrub. The water-courses very different from those of the other side of the range, but contained fine water-holes within the scrub [lat. 24*45— lat.' 24*26]. I followed a water-course through the scrub, in a north-north-east direction, and came to open box fiats and openly timbered basaltic ridges, which, however, soon changed again with scrub. The creek led me to a small river, lined with fine casuarinas and flooded gum. I called it " Comet River," as I saw the fine comet (of the 29th December, 1844) in travelling along its banks. It comes from downs and plains to the westward, and is accompanied by a narrow strip of open forest land, hemmed in by scrub, which lower down takes entire possession of its banks, until it joins a fine river (the Mackenzie) well supplied with water, its water-holes forming broad stretches of 2—2 — 3—lo3 — 10 miles, full of excellent and various fishes, and of fresh-water muscles, which appear to form the principal food of the natives. The Comet River is badly supplied with water. From lat. 242 5 to almost 23*41 its bed was entirely dry, small waterholes supplied by late thunder storms assisting us to pass over this thirsty country. As it approaches the Mackenzie the supply of water increases, and from lat. 2341 to 23"34 fine numerous water-holes are [found in the bed of the creek. The valley scrubs between Expedition and Christmas ranges and the Comet River are not available for any pastoral purpose. The sportsman alone would be remunerated by rich sport in the detached patches of scrub, surrounded by vervain and sowthistle plains, which teem with kangaroos.

The Mackenzie comes from the westward. I should have followed it up to its head, if the scrub which lined its banks had not made it advisable to follow it down, in order to come to a more open country. The heads of the Mackenzie are, however, a very interesting point, as they will lead to a water-shed between eastern and western waters. It is the only easterly water I passed, with the exception of Comet River, the heads of which remain unknown. The Mackenzie winds through a peculiar

country. Its valley is deep and narrow : on its left side a high level country extends ; near the river, with belts of scrub; farther off, with plains and open forest, generally box forest, but these plains and open forest are again lined with scrub. From time to time sandstone crops out in the deep-cut creeks which join the river, or in the banks of the river itself. In one of these sections several layers of fine coal were found, identical with the formation of the Newcastle coal. Rounded pieces of coal had been found in the bed of the river, where we first came to it, evidently showing that the coal formation extends high up the river. The windings of the Mackenzie are numerous and large : it was difficult to make out its present course : lower down, however, it becomes more regular ; it seems to enter the flats of the east, similar to those I mentioned at Zamia Creek ; its course is north-east, according to the black fellows, who are very numerous, and behaved very friendly to us.

I do not think that that part of the Mackenzie we passed is well adapted for the establishment of cattle or sheep stations. The scrub is too frequent and too thick ; but the water, the variety and richness of the grasses, the fine plains and open box forest, are very inviting. I have reason to believe that the scrub is less frequent down the river.

At lat. 23*21*30, I left the Mackenzie, and travelled again in a north-west direction. In an extent of 25 miles we passed long stretches of thick scrub of fine opened narrow-leaved ironbark forest, of box flats and plains ; the latter of a rich black soil, strewed over with pieces of fossil wood, changed into ironstone and silex. Some of the finest country, with rich grass and herbs, and plenty of water; open forest and plain, with honey, sweet as that of Hymettus, with plenty of game; the air fragrant with wild thyme and marjoram — lined with dense bricklow scrub, extending more than 25 miles, interrupted only by creeks, which appear all to belong to the system of the Mackenzie. A fine range of peaks was seen from almost the only hill of this country, in a north-west direction. As I approached it, other lower ranges appeared, and two fine creeks, lined with casuarini, with reedy water-holes, running to the south-west, lay in our course. These creeks are accompanied by fine open box and narrow-leaved iron-bark flats, the latter, however, generally with rotten ground. I followed one of the creeks up to its head, and going up a sandstone spur, I came to a fine table land, where plains with rich black soil, covered with luxuriant grass and herbs, were separated by narrow strips of sandy iron-bark forest. The plains enlarged as I advanced, and a series of magnificent cones and ranges Tose from this level; I called this range " Peak Range," and gave the most prominent peaks separate names. They are composed of domite, whilst the ridges to the east and south-east were of sandstone ; and the ridges, varying the plains to the westward, of basaltse. The latitude of Peak Range is 22*56*54, its longitude about 148*19. The Plains and Downs extend far to the westward, where another range of peaks was observed. There was good water in a sandstone creek running to the south-west, with rocky waterholes ; but the plains were badly watered. The young grass, late burnings, and smoke rising to the eastward of the range, showed evidently that this fine country was well inhabited : black fellows were even seen by some of the party. A closer examination would detect more water, and this procured, no country would be better adapted for pastoral purposes than the plains and downs of Peak Range, and the whole country to the eastward, which I have seen.

Numerous creeks go down to the eastward, either coming from basaltic ridges, and winding through small plains of black soil, or from sandstone ridges passing along between them, until they enter a flat country to the east and north-east, which I had twice occasion to mention. Many of these creeks are well provided with water-holes, though not near the range,

but farther down. The water-holes are generally rocky basins.

I travelled through this country during January and February, 1845; there was no continuous rain, but only occasional thunder showers, which frequently filled the empty water-holes, to give us a stepping-stone over a dry country.

I travelled from lat. 22*43 to lat. 2223 in a northerly course, over sandstone ranges (spurs of the table land), between which creeks came down, frequently accompanied by grassy plains, or a well-grassed open forest. The ranges were so rocky, and their slopes so steep, that I determined to follow one of the easterly creeks down : I called this creek " Hugh's Creek." Between the ranges it was well provided with fine water-holes; in the flat country which it entered, after leaving the sandstone ranges, it was almost entirely waterless. At the upper part of this creek the drooping tea-tree was first observed. We found it afterwards at every creek and every river; it was generally the companion of water, and its drooping foliage gave a rich shade.

The flat country which we had entered was covered with narrow-leaved iron-bark with box, and a new species of gum, which we called poplar gutn, as its leaf and foliage resembles very much in form and verdure the trembling poplar of Europe. The ground of the iron-bark forest is generally rotten ; that of the box is scund, as the box grows on a stiff soil, which is also the case with the poplar gum. Patches of scrub appeared as we came lower down the creek — some puddled water-hole of the scrub gave us the necessary supply of water. The flat country continued, the scrub increased, and formed belts of various breadths along the creek ; fine open undulating country,

interrupted, however, by bands of scrub, extends to the north and north-west. This creek brought us to a river with a broad sandy bed and high banks, lined by fine flooded gum-trees aud casuarinas. It was entirely dry ; but in a rushy swamp, parallel to its banks, fine water was found. I named this river the "Isaacks." From lat. 22-20 to lat. 21*35 we travelled along the leaacks in a north-north-westerly course, following it up to its head. The bed of the river was dry, with some few exceptions, until we came to the Sandstone Range near its head ; black fellows' wells were frequent, and the presence of fine water-holes in a more favourable season was indicated by a wreath of reeds surrounding dry basins. The water-holes which supplied us with water were parallel to the river, or in little creeks adjoining it — the rain water being collected in puddled basins ; these water-holes were generally at the outside of scrubs.

In latitude 22*11 a range extends at the left side of the river parallel to it. I named it " Coxen's Peak and Range." It forms an excellent land- mark. The river breaks through two ranges, striking from north-west to southeast, and its heads are at the north side of the most northern one, in an undulating country. Flats one and two miles broad accompany the river; a belt of scrub, sometimes very narrow, separates them from a more undulating or hilly openly timbered country farther off the river. Silver-leaved iron-bark is the prevailing timber of the hills and ridges. Between the two ranges of its upper course plains extend, which, well provided with water, belong to the finest country we have met, and are highly adapted for any pastoral purposes, particularly for the breeding of cattle and horses. At the end of February, and at the commencement of March we had for several days a drizzling rain.

[To be continued.]

The Secret of Success. — There are some men who appear born to good fortune, and others whose destiny appears to subject them to eternal failure and disaster. The ancients represented Fortune as a blind goddess, because she distributed her gifts without discrimination ; and in more modern times, the belief has been prevalent that the fortunes of a man were ruled chiefly by the influences of the planet under which he was born. These superstitions, however ridiculous, show at least that the connexion between merit and success is not very conspicuous, yet it is not therefore the less perpetual. To succeed iv the world, is of itself a proof of merit ; of a vulgar kind indeed it may be, but a useful kind notwithstanding. We grant, indeed, that those qualities of mind which make a man succeed in life, are to a great extent subversive of genius. Nevertheless, numerous illustrious examples might be given of men of the highest genius being as worldy-wise as duller mortals. It is the pretenders to genius, rather than the possessors of it, who claim the large exemption from those rules of prudence which regulate the conduct of ordinary mortals, and array themselves in the deformities of genius, in the idea that they constitute its beauties. There are some indiscretions, we believe, to which men of a vigorous fancy and keen sensibility are naturally heirs, and for which it would be as unjust to condemn them with rigour, as it would be to blame one of the cold-blooded sons of discretion for being destitute of poetic fire. Yet every deviation from prudence is a fault, and is not to be imitated, though it may sometimes be excused. The most important element of success is economy ; economy of money and economy of time. By economy we do not mean penuriousness, but merely such wholesome thrift as will discipline us not to spend our time or money without an adequate return either in gain or enjoyment. An economical application of time brings leisure and method, and enables us to drive our business, instead of our business driving us. There is nothing attended with results so disastrous, as such a miscalculation of our time and means as will involve us in perpetual hurry and difficulty. The brightest talents must be ineffective under such a pressure, and a life of expedients has no end but penury. Our recipe for succeeding in the world, then, is this : work much and spend little. If this advice be followed, success must come, unless, indeed, some unwise adventure, or some accident against which no human foresight could provide, such as sickness, conflagration, or other visitation of Providence, should arrest the progress onwards ; but in the ordinary course of human affairs, success will ever wait upon economy, which is the condition by which prosperity must be earned. Worldly success, however, though universally coveted, can be only desirable in so far as it contributes to happiness, and it will contribute to happiness very little unless there be cultivated a lively benevolence towards every animated being. " Happiness," it has been finely observed, " is in the proportion of the number of things we love, and the number of things that love us." To this sentence we most cordially subscribe, and we should wish to see it written on the tablet of every heart, and producing its fruits of charity. The man, whatever be his fame, or fortune, or intelligence, who can treat lightly another's wo — who is not bound to his fellow-men by the magic tie of sympathy, deserves, ay, and will obtain, the contempt of human kind. Upon him all the gifts of fortune are thrown away. Happiness he has none ; his life is a dream, a mere lethargy, without a throb of human emotion, and he will descend to the grave " unwept, unhonoured, and unsung." Such a fate is not to be envied, and let those who are intent upon success, remember that success is nothing without happiness. — The Apprentice.

Anciknt Lunatic Asylum. — One of the earliest notices of the establishment of au asylum for the insane is in the life of St. Theodosius, who was born in the year 423 and died in 529. He established, near Bethlehem, a monastery, to which were annexed three infirmaries — one for the sick, one for the aged and feeble, and the other for such as had lost their senses — in which all succours, spiritual and temporal, were afforded with admirable order, care, and affection. — Butler's Lives of the Saints.

Patienck. — Though patience be a tired mare she will plod — there must be conclusions.