RETURN OF H.M.C.S. VICTORIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 119, 3 April 1862, Page 3

RETURN OF H.M.C.S. VICTORIA.

(From the Hookhampton Bulletin. H.M.C.S. Viotori'i, seven guns, Captain Norman, from Gulf of Carpentaria (Suneer's Island), on the 12th ult., is now in Keppel Bay for fuel, on her way to Moretoii Bay. , Tracks of camels were seen on the banks of the' Flinders, by Walker, who arrived at the Albert River on the 7th December, and left again to follow up Burkes tracks on the 20th December. Walker has determined, if possible, to follow up Burkes track throughout. He lias now been seventy-eight days from the Albert, and he may therefore be shortly expected in Melbourne. His provisions were replenished by Captain Nonrian, his supplies being ample for four months, and with a little economy capable of serving the parly for five months, Hoizfelt, one of Walker's party, has returned to Rockhampton. and his place has lieeu supplied by a volunteer from the Victoria, Mr. Arthur Moore.

The journey from the Rockhampton to the Albert River occupied 104 days. The country fi-om the Victoria, or Barcoo 'River, to the Albert is generally not inferior to the Mitchell district, anl well suited for depasturing stock.

Walker's party had several encounters with natives, the first of which took place on the Barclay (?) River. This river crossed their track, and they ibllowed its course for some distance, supposing that it emptied itself into the Gulf; but its course was in a south-westerly direction, and at length the bed of the river was found to have dried up. "Walker camped by a w'atcrhole in the bed of the river, a short distance from 11 c:»mp of natives, and sent his black boys out to look for water, and to communicate'with the natives. ■ They retnvned with a report that the natives would not allow tlie party to camp there, as it-was their onjy supply jjfe w-at.e-ii, and shortly iifianvards a strong party .of natives came up to. at tack'them. They would not be conciliated, and on a blackfollow taking aim with his spear,' Walker's party fired into them. A stout resistance was made, and the struggle ended in the destruction of the. greater portion of the natives. They'also were attackod by the natives on the Flinders River, and again, on reaching the Albert. 'The last attack took place under the following circumstances :—The party heard Captain Norman's signal guns, hut could not distinguish the precise direction from which' the sound proceeded. Walker therefore sent his party up the river to a convenient camping ground, and went off in search-of Captain Norman's camp, taking with him only one trooper. 'In this ill-protected condition they were surrounded by about sixty armed natives, and escaped with difficulty, by making a free use of their rifles. In their flight one of" the horses knocked up, and was abandoned: and after that Walker and the trooper had to ride the one horse by turns, and so they eventually elndecLtho natives.. ' The Albert. and Hinders are said to he both, very fine rivers. The country near the Gulf, in the vicinity of these rivers,is swampy—to a great extent covered at high water, an-1 at low water presenting the appearance of extensive mud fiats, with patches of mangrove. The country through which the Albert flows is, for the most part, inferior ; hut the banks of the Flinders arc excellent either for pasture or for cultivation, there being some five feet depth of black mould, and the land is sufficiently high, at a few miles distance from the sea, to be beyond the reach of tides or floods. The Leichardt is also a fine river. In addition to the three rivers'mentioned,.there are other livers and creeks running into the Gulf, but tliere is an extehsive bar stretching along the shore, 'and extending two or three miles out into the Gulf, obstructing thei entrances to -these wyer-s. 4'n'the channels of the 'Albert'and Flinders, navigated by Captain Norman, there were not more than five feet of water on the bar at high tide. A singular feature about the tides there is (hat there is only one tide in the twenty-four hours, and that always during the night. The tides never rise to the full before about ten p.m., and they are later every night, until they reach the hour of three a.m., or about that time, when they suddenly chop back to ten p.m. Lnndsborough's party has also started off in Burkes track, with four months' provisions, but he'will probably make for Brisbane. The remains of a wreck, containing the carcases of twenty, horses, -which the captain of the

Jcannic Oswald reported having seen on Sir Charles Hardy's Island, was not the firefly", bat the Lady Kinnuird, bound for India. It is true that the Firefly was wrecked on a sunken rock north of the same island, us will be seen below. We have succeeded in gathering the following additional particulars of the voyage, and the movements of the Kxplorinjj Expeditions, which may be relied on :is coitcc; : - Ii.M.C.S. Victoria kit Moreton Bay on the 24th August, 1801, with the firefly in company, having on board the Brisbane party and horses. Arrived off the Harrier on the Ist September, and in v heavy ynle from the S.E. the two ships ware separated. Victoria entered the Barrier on the stli ; arrived at Sir Charles Hardy's Island on the 7 th—found tho Firefly a complete wreck on north Sir Charles Hardy's Island—twenty-seven of the hor.-es had been "got out and were on shore, the ship full of water, the three dead ones flouting about in the hold amongst stores of all kinds. On the 11th the ship was abandoned by her master, l>ui:iLV pas=t all repair for sea service. The Victoria's crew then lightened her of everything, and succeeded after great labour in getting her off and taking her round to the side, where she was cleansed, ballasted, and horses re-shipped, and the vessel made tiie best of, by patching her up, to tow, her on to tiie head of the gulf by tho 22nd. Arrived at Booby Island on the 23rd. After examining stores there for the shipwrecked seamen, and adding to them, proceeded, and arrived in Investigator Roads on the 29th. The hulk was towed the whole way, and in a fresh S.E. gale labored so much as to roll away her jury masts, choked both pumps, with three and a half feet of water in her hold. It was feared at this time she must be abandoned. The gale, fortunately, after blowing fur thirty-six hours, decreased as fa?t as it rose—the sea and wind going down 'suddenly, when, the pumps being.cleared, the water was got out of her and the leaks kept under, which enabled her to arrive in Investigator Konds in safety, where tho Gratia and Native Lass, colliers, were awaiting the Victoria's arrival. .On the 10th October, the hulk was toived over to the mouth of the river. On the I:2th entered the liver, after grounding on the bar twice. She was then towed by boats, and kedgud up as far as it was fuiind necessary, for landing the horses safehv which was nearly twenty miles from the entrance. On tho 17th, all the horses but two, which were too weak, were safely landed. The hulk was then taken, up by the same means, about two miles above Island" Reach, where she was j secured to form a depot. Much labor and care were required in getting the hulk up, as there , wns only one tidu in the twenty four hours, j audit was always high water at night; independent of the hulk requiring almost continual pumping. The colliers named, having completed discharging their cargoes, left for B.itavia on the 31st. On the 16th November, the horses belonging to tht Brisbane party being in thorough condition, they were started on a soiUh-westem.exploration, and returned on the 19th January after going about 200 miles.

Walker arrived at the depot on December 7th, for a supply of provisions, having found 'Burkes tracks on the Flinders River, leading S.S X., but was nnablc to follow the trail until he received supplies. He returned to. do so on the 20th. His party was in good order arid in. excellent spirits. . . • Landsborongh and party, after receiving supplies were to leave the Albert "River for the purpose of assisting .to following up the trail, on the 10th February.

Landsborough's party, on the first exploration, consisting of W. Landsborough, leader; H. N. Campbell, Second in command; Captain Allison, assistant; and two native troopers—Fisherman and Jemmy. . On the present expedition—tlw leader, Mr. Bourne, W. Leeson, and three native troopers—Fisherman, Jemmy and. Jackie, with twenty-two horses. The remainder of the party are brought round by the Victoria, which left Investigator Roads on the 12th "February, Booby Island on the 15th, and Port Denison oa the 28th February. , '' >' '

Strong S.E. gales, with squally weather and much rain, have been experienced the whole way from Cape York to the South Cumberland Islands. ..

(From the Guardian, March 15.)

Commander Norman arrived in Brisbane by the Clarence last evening. We were glad to find him look so well, and to learn that his officers and crew had enjoyed good health. One sad event occurred during the trip—'namely, tho accidental shooting of Gunner James Frost. It appears that he was in charge of the depot party at Suaaei''s Island, and, whilst lying in his tent, he attempted to reach a fowliug-piece, but something coming in con tact with the trigger, the gun went off, the contents being lodged~in the-right side of the poor fellow. lie .lingered four days^ and was, buried by his comrades. He was universally es-" teemed, and an excellent officer.

With reference to the above report, abridged from the Rockhampton paper, Captain-Gorman states that the country on the Albert is really good, the banks of the Fliniers being still more undulating, and with better vegetation. In tho channels of the Albert and Flimiers-there is no less than four feet of water at low tide, with from eight to■ twelve feet-rise and fall. We shall look forward to Captain Norman's reports with great interest. Much good will result from the visit of the Victoria to the north. The fact of finding out that Burke misstook the Flinders for the Albert, — being seventy miles away from tho latter, —is a proof of the importance of the trip—the track having been found. The Victoria arrived at Rockhampton on Friday, the 7th inst., and Jeft that port on Wednesday, the 12th ; sighted the Clarence off Wide Bay. She will take in coals and provisions, arid leave for Melbourne during next week.