EXPLORATION IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

New Zealander, Volume XX, Issue 2080, 2 April 1864, Page 6

EXPLORATION IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Mb. Thomas M’Farlane. recently returned from ex-j ploring the country to the north and west of the Western district has supplied us with the following items of news respecting his expedition. Towards the end of August last he started from Adelaide, with a party of two men and six horses, and proceeded to Streaky Bay. Thence he went north for about forty miles, and then continued his course to the north-west, making frequent excursions northwards imo the desert, which he found to be a mass of sandhills and scrub throughout, and otvine to the lack of water he was obliged in every instance to turn back. On reaching Fowler’s Bay, his party left him, and he was occupied for a week in endeavouring to get others to supply their place. In this search, however, he failed ; and on the 24ih November he set out alone for the head of the Great Australian Bight taking with him three horses, and provisions for three months. He was in hopes of obtaining a native to join him on the way. but in this he was disappointed, for although he saw one near the head of the Bight the fellew ran away before he could approach. During the journey from Fowler’s Bay the horses were three and a half days without water, and he himself two and a halfdays ; but near the head of the bight he, by dint of diguing, contrived to procure some brackish water. Here he gave the horses four days’spell, and had an opportunity of observing the extreme paucity in the numbers of the natives. They appeared to be confined fo a few-families, and although he saw the traces of several, he was only successful in seeing one. They appeared to subsist on wallabies and snakes, nearly the only forms of animal life (the ■wombats, which abounded within ten miles of the coast along the distance he had travelled, being excepted). He could discover no trace of a harbour between Fowler’s Bay and the head of the Bight; nor was there any at the head of the Bight. After-a period of four days he set out in a northerly direction, traversing a level well-grassed plain for a distance of fifty miles. This plain appeared to be totally destitute of surface water nor not a tree nor stone (with the exception of a few limestone rocks) were to be seen upon it. Salt and blue hush were inters pc- sed with the other herbage on the plain, but of animal life there was none, with the exception of a few small birds and native turkeys. Having reached a spot fifty miles north of his starting point and seeing nothing before him but a continuation otthe same undulating country, he halted, and started to return, and during the journey met with an adventure which almost deprived him of the very limited stock of water he had at his command. It appeared that during the night he left the camp (his fire, owing to the absence of suitable materials for keeping it up, being very low), and went out to short-hooble the horses, but was unable to find his way |hack, it being very dark, and was compelled to sleep out all night. The next morning after reaching his camp, which was only about 200 yards away, he found that the horses had turned his things topsyturvy, hut had been prevented from making away with the water through his having taken the precaution to fasten the lid of his canteen securely. After arriving at the head of the Bight he set out on his return journey to Fowler’s Bay; but was much delayed by the exhaustion of one of his horses, owing to which delay the poor animals were kept without water for three days and a half, and one had to be left behind. After traversing a distance of sixty miles he came upon some friendly natives, by whom be was show-n the water, and was enabled, with their assistance, to procure an abundant supply by digging. Without such aid, he believed all the horses would have been lost, and probably his own life sacrificed, for he felt quite exhausted, and was still thirty miles from Fowler’s Bay, and although he had food he would have been unable to eat it. After obtaining water he sent some natives with canteens containing a limited quantity to the horse which had been abandoned on account of it being too weak to follow its mates, and the poor animal was brought within a mile of the water. The next morning, however, it was unable to drink or move, and, leaving it, he procured the' assistance of a native, and succeeded in reaching Fowler’s Bay with the two horses on the I3th December. During the journey Mr. M’Farlane had suffered considerably from a sore foot, and symptoms of scurvy made their appearance which, however, vanished as soon as he was able to obtain fresh victuals. At Fowler’s Bay he remained four days, and having obtained the services of a native, then travelled slowly on to Streaky Bay, a distance of about 200 mi'es, where he arrived ou the 27th December, having with him five horses, including the three he had left at Fowler’s Bay when he set out for the headof the Bight. Having spelled them for eight days at Mr. Crawford’s station. Streaky Bay, he procured the assistance of a sailor in the place of the native, who hj id left him, and started for the Gawler Ranges, having been unable to secure the services of a native guide. During (his journey the horses were four days and ahalf with only three gallons of water, and in consequence of this one of them had to be abandoned at the ranges and one on the return trip. Mr,. „ ‘-"i want of water that they were scarcely able to eat anything, and Mr.' Mc’Farlane asserts that had his horse not born up while he was searching for water in the ranges he believed he would have perished. A small supply of the precious fluid was obtained by scratching up the sand in a creek ; but after remaining a day and a-half at the ranges they set out to return, leaving all their provisions behind. The weather was extremely hot, and very little rain fell until they had returned to Streaky Bay, whence Mr. M’Farlane proceeded to Adelaide.— South Australian Register.