And on Him we rely.
Their inborn philosophy of life is strictly fatalistic, holding that whatever comes to pass is according to a Divine and inscrutable Will. Their attitude to me, at first sullen and suspicious, changed with growing intimacy as the days passed, and they could be, with a few exceptions, cheerful and friendly companions. Under the stimulating effects of a juicy patch of camel pasture come upon unexpectedly, they would break forth into merry chanting, while around the night campfire they never tired of telling me stories from their entrancing folklore.
22 January brought the first of a series of sandstorms, and I passed many fitful nights. The hissing of the sand-laden wind, the rattling of pack-cordage, and icy cold feet – for the night temperature often fell to within five degrees of freezing point – made sleeping out of doors, without a roof over one’s head, intolerable.
Eagerly one waited for the dawn. The wind then dropped, and campfires were the scene of huddled, shivering Bedouin who now roused their camels that had been rounded up overnight for safety, and the wretched beasts shuffled off to graze and feel the warmth of the rising sun. For me the nights had tragic results, the sand-drifts having buried my instruments, making some of them of little further use.
But I was on the last lap. And though for many days sweeping, stinging, blinding winds enveloped us in a blanket of yellow mist, a fine morning came when, climbing the towering sandhill of Nakhala, I beheld before me a silver streak of sea along the faraway skyline. Success was in sight. Keeping the coast a day’s march, by report, on our right hand, our northerly course carried us through quarry-like country abounding in fossil shells, the aneroid recording below sea-level readings.
And here we came upon an interesting discovery – a lake in this wilderness. For several miles we marched along its western shore. The Bedouin, walking to the edge, brought away large chunks of rock salt that for a width of twenty feet lined its border. There along the water’s edge, too, was a line of dead white locusts, desiccated specimens of the large red variety which, collected and thrown alive on to the hot ash of the campfire, sizzles into one of the few delicacies of the Bedouin. Wretched creatures, these locusts, for they seem to delight in swarming out from the thirsty desert in springtime, only to take a suicidal plunge into the first water they come to.
Our lake behind us, we trekked on through bleak stony country, the haunt of owl and wolf, that proved to be the base of the Qatar peninsula. A Gulf sbamal was blowing, but its attendant cold and drizzling rain were powerless to damp the enthusiasm of my poor companions on the eve of a rare payday. They chanted the water-chants which, alas! I should be hearing for the last time, and our thirsty camels pricked up their ears with eager knowingness. And so, at last, we came to the fort of Qatar’s ruler standing bold and beckoning on the rim of the sea. The dim luxury of a bath and a square meal was at hand. I had lost a stone and a half in weight on my 650-mile camel journey, but the great south Arabian desert, hitherto a blank on our maps, had ceased to be an enigma and a reproach.
Wills was an English surveyor who emigrated to Australia, where he served as second in command to Robert O’Hara Burke, on the Victorian Exploration Expedition. After leaving Melbourne on 21 August 1860, the expedition made fast progress to Cooper’s Creek, where a depot was left, together with most of the men. Four members – Wills, Burke, Gray and King – continued to the Gulf of Carpentaria, which they reached on 4 February 1861, thus completing the first transcontinental crossing of Australia. On the return journey Gray died of privation, and when the others reached the Cooper’s Creek depot they found it deserted. On 23 April 1861, Wills, Burke and King started for Adelaide, via Mount Hopeless.
Tuesday, 23 April 1861 Having collected together all the odds and ends that seemed likely to be of use to us, in addition to provisions left in the plant, we started at 9.15 a.m., keeping down the southern bank of the creek; we only went about five miles, and camped at 11.30 on a billibong, where the feed was pretty good. We find the change of diet already making a great improvement in our spirits and strength. The weather is delightful, days agreeably warm, but the nights very chilly. The latter is more noticeable from our deficiency in clothing, the depot party having taken all the reserve things back with them to the Darling. – To Camp No. 1.
Wednesday, 24 April 1861 As we were about to start this morning, some blacks came by, from whom we were fortunate enough to get about twelve pounds of fish for a few pieces of straps and some matches, etc. This is a great treat for us, as well as a valuable addition to our rations. We started at 8.15 p.m. on our way down the creek, the blacks going in the opposite direction. – To Camp No. 2.
Thursday, 25 April, 1861 Awoke at five o’clock after a most refreshing night’s rest – the sky was beautifully clear, and the air rather chilly. We had scarcely finished breakfast, when our friends the blacks, from whom we obtained the fish, made their appearance with a few more, and seemed inclined to go with us and keep up the supply. We gave them some sugar, with which they were greatly pleased – they are by far the most well-behaved blacks we have seen on Cooper’s Creek. We did not get away from the camp until 9.30 a.m., continuing our course down the most southern branch of the creek, which keeps a general south-west course. – To Camp No. 3. The waterhole at this camp is a very fine one, being several miles long. The waterfowl are numerous, but rather shy, not nearly so much so, however, as those on the creeks between here and Carpentaria.
Friday, 26 April 1861 We loaded the camels by moonlight this morning, and started at a quarter to six: striking off to the south of the creek, we soon got on a native path which leaves the creek just below the stony ground, and takes a course nearly west across a piece of open country. Leaving the path on our right at a distance of three miles, we turned up a small creek, which passes down between some sandhills, and, finding a nice patch of feed for the camels at a waterhole, we halted at 7.15 for breakfast. We started again at 9.50 a.m., continuing our westerly course along the path: we crossed to the south of the watercourse above the water, and proceeded over the most splendid salt-bush country that one could wish to see, bounded on the left by sandhills, whilst to the right the peculiar-looking flat-topped sandstone ranges form an extensive amphitheatre, through the far side of the arena of which may be traced the dark line of creek timber. At twelve o’clock we camped in the bed of the creek at Camp No. [3], our last camp on the road down from the Gulf, having taken four days to do what we then did in one. This comparative rest and the change in diet have also worked wonders, however, the leg-tied feeling is now entirely gone, and I believe that in less than a week we shall be fit to undergo any fatigue whatever. The camels are improving, and seem capable of doing all that we are likely to require of them. – To Camp No. 4.
Saturday, 27 April 1861 We started at six o’clock, and, following the native path, which at about a mile from our camp takes a southerly direction, we soon came to the high sandy alluvial deposit which separates the creek at this point from the stony rises. Here we struck off from the path, keeping well to the south of the creek, in order that we might mess in a branch of it that took a southerly direction. At 9.20 we came in on the creek again where it runs due south, and halted for breakfast at a fine waterhole with fine fresh feed for the camels. Here we remained until noon, when we moved on again, and camped at one o’clock on a general course, having been throughout the morning SW eight miles.
Sunday, 28 April 1861 Morning fine and calm, but rather chilly. Started at 4.45 a.m., following down the bed of a creek in a westerly direction by moonlight. Our stage was, however, very short for about a mile – one of the camels (Landa) got bogged by the side of a waterhole, and although we tried every means in our power, we found it impossible to get him out. All the ground beneath the surface was a bottomless quicksand, through which the beast sank too rapidly for us to get bushes of timber fairly beneath him; and being of a very sluggish stupid nature he could never be got to make sufficiently strenuous efforts towards extricating himself. In the e
vening, as a last chance, we let the water in from the creek, so as to buoy him up and at the same time soften the ground about his legs; but it was of no avail. The brute lay quietly in it, as if he quite enjoyed his position. – To Camp No. 6.
Monday, 29 April 1861 Finding Landa still in the hole, we made a few attempts at extricating him, and then shot him, and after breakfast commenced cutting off what flesh we could get at for jerking.
Tuesday, 30 April 1861 Remained here today for the purpose of drying the meat, for which process the weather is not very favourable.
Wednesday, 1 May 1861 Started at 8.40, having loaded our only camel, Rajah, with the most necessary and useful articles, and packed up a small swag each, of bedding and clothing for our own shoulders. We kept on the right bank of the creek for about a mile, and then crossed over at a native camp to the left, where we got on a path running due west, the creek having turned to the north. Following the path we crossed an open plain, and then some sand ridges, whence we saw the creek straight ahead of us running nearly south again: the path took us to the southernmost point of the bend in a distance of about two and a half miles from where we had crossed the creek, thereby saving us from three to four miles, as it cannot be less than six miles round by the creek. – To Camp No. 7.
Thursday, 2 May 1861 Breakfasted by moonlight and started at 6.30. Following down the left bank of the creek in a westerly direction, we came at a distance of six miles on a lot of natives who were camped on the bed of a creek. They seemed to have just breakfasted, and were most liberal in their presentations of fish and cake. We could only return the compliment by some fishhooks and sugar. About a mile farther on we came to a separation of the creek, where what looked like the main branch turned towards the south. This channel we followed, not however without some misgivings as to its character, which were soon increased by the small and unfavourable appearance that the creek assumed. On our continuing along it a little farther it began to improve and widened out with fine waterholes of considerable depth. The banks were very steep, and a belt of scrub lined it on either side. This made it very inconvenient for travelling, especially as the bed of the creek was full of water for a considerable distance. At 11 a.m. we halted, until 1.30 p.m., and then moved on again, taking a SSW course for about two miles, when at the end of a very long waterhole it breaks into billibongs, which continue splitting into sandy channels until they are all lost in the earthy soil of a box forest. Seeing little chance of water ahead, we turned back to the end of the long waterhole and camped for the night. On our way back Rajah showed signs of being done up. He had been trembling greatly all the morning. On this account his load was further lightened to the amount of a few pounds by the doing away with the sugar, ginger, tea, cocoa, and two or three tin plates. – To Camp No. 8.
Friday, 3 May 1861 Started at seven a.m., striking off in a northerly direction for the main creek.
Saturday, 4 May 1861 Rajah was so stiff this morning as to be scarcely able to get up with his load. Started to return down the creek at 6.45, and halted for breakfast at 9 a.m., at the same spot as we breakfasted at yesterday. Proceeding from there down the creek we soon found a repetition of the features that were exhibited by the creek examined on Thursday. At a mile and a half we came to the last waterhole, and below that the channel became more sandy and shallow, and continued to send off billibongs to the south and west, slightly changing its course each time until it disappeared altogether in a north-westerly direction. Leaving King with the camel, we went on a mile or two to see if we could find water, and being unsuccessful we were obliged to return to where we had breakfasted as being the best place for feed and water.
Sunday, 5 May 1861 Started by myself to reconnoitre the country in a southerly direction, leaving Mr Burke and King with the camel at Camp No. 10. Travelled SW by S for two hours, following the course of the most southerly billibongs; found the earthy soil becoming more loose and cracked up, and the box track gradually disappearing. Changed course to west for a high sand ridge, which I reached in one hour and a half, and continuing in the same direction to one still higher, obtained from it a good view of the surrounding country. To the north were the extensive box forests bounding the creek on either side. To the east earthy plains intersected by watercourses and lines of timber, and bounded in the distance by sand ridges. To the south the projection of the sand ridge partially intercepted the view; the rest was composed of earthy plains, apparently clothed with chrysanthemums. To the westward another but smaller plain was bounded also by high sand ridges running nearly parallel with the one on which I was standing.
This dreary prospect offering no encouragement to proceed, I returned to Camp 10 by a more direct and better route than I had come.
Monday, 6 May 1861 Moved up the creek again to Camp No. 9, at the junction, to breakfast, and remained the day there. The present state of things is not calculated to raise our spirits much; the rations are rapidly diminishing; our clothing, especially the boots, are all going to pieces, and we have not the materials for repairing them properly; the camel is completely done up and can scarcely get along, although he has the best of feed and is resting half his time. I suppose this will end in our having to live like the blacks for a few months.
Tuesday, 7 May 1861 Breakfasted at daylight; but when about to start found that the camel would not rise even without any load on his back. After making every attempt to get him up, we were obliged to leave him to himself.
Mr Burke and I started down the creek to reconnoitre; at about eleven miles we came to some blacks fishing; they gave us some half a dozen fish each, for luncheon, and intimated that if we would go to their camp we should have some more and some bread. I tore in two a piece of macintosh stuff that I had, and Mr Burke gave one piece and I the other. We then went on to their camp about three miles farther. On our arrival they led us to a spot to camp on, and soon afterwards brought a lot of fish, and a kind of bread which they call nardoo. The lighting a fire with matches delights them, but they do not care about having them. In the evening various members of the tribe came down with lumps of nardoo and handfuls of fish, until we were positively unable to eat any more. They also gave us some stuff they call bedgery or pedgery; it has a highly intoxicating effect when chewed even in small quantities. It appears to be the dried stems and leaves of some shrub.
Wednesday, 8 May 1861 Left the blacks’ camp at 7.30, Mr Burke returning to the junction, whilst I proceeded to trace down the creek. This I found a shorter task than I had expected, for it soon showed signs of running out, and at the same time kept considerably to the north of west. There were several fine waterholes within about four miles of the camp I had left, but not a drop all the way beyond that, a distance of seven miles. Finding that the creek turned greatly towards the north, I returned to the blacks’ encampment, and as I was about to pass they invited me to stay; I did so, and was even more hospitably entertained than before.
Thursday, 9 May 1861 Parted from my friends, the blacks, at 7.30, and started for Camp No. 9.
Friday, 10 May 1861 Mr Burke and King employed in jerking the camel’s flesh, whilst I went to look for the nardoo seed for making bread: in this I was unsuccessful, not being able to find a single tree of it in the neighborhood of the camp. I, however, tried boiling the large kind of bean which the blacks call padlu; they boil easily, and when shelled are very sweet, much resembling in taste the French chestnut; they are to be found in large quantities nearly everywhere.
Saturday, 11 May 1861 Today Mr Burke and King started down the creek to the blacks’ camp, determined to ascertain all particulars about the nardoo. I have now my turn at the meat jerking, and must devise some means for trapping the birds and rats, which is a pleasant prospect after our dashing trip to Carpentaria, having to hang about Cooper’s Creek, living like the blacks.
Sunday, 12 May 1861 Mr Burke and King returned this morning having been unsuccessful in their search for the blacks, who it seems have moved over to the other branch of the creek.
This evening Mr Burke and King returned, having been some considerable distance up the creek and found no blacks. It is now settled that we plant the things, and all start together the day after tomorrow.
Wednesday, 15 May 1861 Planting the things and preparing to leave the creek for Mount Hopeless.
Thursday, 16th May 1861 Having completed our planting, etc., started up the creek for the second blacks’ camp, a distance of about eight miles: finding our loads rather too heavy we made a small plant here of such articles as could best be spared.
Nardoo, Friday, 17 May 1861 Started this morning on a blacks’ path, leaving the creek on our left, our intention being to keep a south-easterly direction until we should cut some likely looking creek, and then to follow it down. On approaching the foot of the first sandhill, King caught sight in the flat of some nardoo seeds, and we soon found that the flat was covered with them. This discovery caused somewhat of a revolution in our feelings, for we considered that with the knowledge of this plant we were in a position to support ourselves, even if we were destined to remain on the creek and wait for assistance from town.
Friday, 24 May 1861 Started with King to celebrate the Queen’s birthday by fetching from Nardoo Creek what is now to us the staff of life; returned at a little after two p.m. with a fair supply, but find the collecting of the seed a slower and more troublesome process than could be desired.
Monday, 27 May 1861 Started up the creek this morning for the depot, in order to deposit journals and a record of the state of affairs here. On reaching the sandhills below where Landa was bogged, I passed some blacks on a flat collecting nardoo seed. Never saw such an abundance of the seed before. The ground in some parts was quite black with it. There were only two or three gins13 and children, and they directed me on, as if to their camp, in the direction I was before going; but I had not gone far over the first sandhill when I was overtaken by about twenty blacks, bent on taking me back to their camp, and promising any quantity of nardoo and fish. On my going with them, one carried the shovel, and another insisted on taking my swag in such a friendly manner that I could not refuse them. They were greatly amused with the various little things I had with me. In the evening they supplied me with abundance of nardoo and fish, and one of the old men, Poko Tinnamira, shared his gunyah with me.
Survivor: The Autobiography Page 38