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Friday, 29th April, Chambers Creek.

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Category: John McDouall Stuart - Second Expedition

Written by John McDouall Stuart

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Friday, 29th April, Chambers Creek. Started at sunrise for about a mile to that part of the north shore of the lake opposite to where the Yarra Wirta empties itself into it. The country close to the lake is very stony and scanty of feed; there is some water in it, but it is very salt; a few salt creeks run into it, but no great body of water. I ascended a hill for which I had been steering, and obtained an observation of the sun and bearings. Latitude, 30 degrees 8 minutes 11 seconds. There is no appearance of any lake between this point and Mount Deception; it appears to be a stony plain with some ridges of sand hills. This hill, which I have named Mount Polly, for distinction, is the easternmost of the flat-topped hills on the north side of the lake, and is a spur from the Stuart range. It is very stony, and there is grass nearly to the top; it is very level, and extends for six miles in a north-westerly direction. I saw that there was little prospect of my obtaining water to-night; and knowing that the natives had been seen within a few miles of the camp, I felt anxious about the safety of my party. I determined to proceed towards the camp on a north-westerly course. Arrived at the creek at 11.30 p.m. and found all right; the natives had paid them a visit, as I anticipated, but my people could get no information from them. They were six in number; one was very forward, wishing to examine everything. I had left orders that, if they came, they were not to be allowed to come near the camp, but were to be met a little distance from it. They remained for some time, and then stole off one by one without being perceived, and were out of sight in a moment. The one that remained to the last in his flight did not forget to carry along with him a piece of blanket that had been a saddle-cloth, and which happened to be lying outside the camp.

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