Mr. Campbell seems to be one of the most flourishing settlers on the river; and complains only of his inability to grow vegetables—though his garden has been made on the banks of a fine creek.
His station—the farthest extent of the Lady Augusta’s exploration—may be estimated at about 1,400 miles from the sea-mouth of the Murray. Leaving Gannewarra, we proceeded down the river—the return homewards having been at length resolved. Our pace, going with the current, was rapid, but some malign influence appeared this day to beset the Lady Augusta. We had gone but a few miles when we encountered a huge tree, blocking up nearly the entire stream; this we broke through, by sheer force of steam, but not without almost sweeping the deck of the passengers, who with difficulty avoided the branches as they passed over the vessel. The after bulkhead was also stove in. Arriving at Mr. Hogg’s station, one of the funnels was considerably damaged, and slight injury received by the upper deck. Leaving this station, we did not leave our ill luck behind us, for, rounding a moderately sharp turn, a few miles below this run, we managed, when about to “haul up” for the night, to run so violently in upon the land, that the steamer, instead of floating alongside, as intended, remained hard and fast, nor could all the efforts of the crew get her off. In the morning, the wood being taken out of her, she floated without any difficulty, much to the satisfaction of the crew, who, both officers and men, have had hard work in carrying in our wood, splitting it, &c. Now we are going down the stream, at the rate of ten or twelve knots an hour. This is very good steaming for a small vessel like the Lady Augusta; though Captain Cadell is not, I understand, as yet quite satisfied, and purposes, or expects, by means of a condenser and feather floats, to obtain three miles an hour greater speed. This would be a great advantage on a river so circuitous as the Murray; and, as a further improvement, if a disconnecting engine, by which one paddle would work forward and the other backward, were provided, boats of greater length, power, and tonnage, might be employed. Whilst upon this subject, I perhaps ought to mention, that our engineer (Mr. Napier) has declared that, for boats of shallow construction—such as the Lady Augusta—tubular boilers should be used, by which means a space of from six to eight feet only would be required, where, at present, thirty or more is entirely occupied.
On Monday (September 26), we left Tyn-Tyndyer,[22] the station of a Mr. Beveridge, who is the owner of 11,000 sheep, 2,000 or 3,000 head of cattle, and what he calls a “mob” of horses, or about 100. The only thing remarkable about his run, which was some fifty miles in extent, appeared to me to be his garden, the aspect of which, adorned with some willows, introduced on the river by himself, was particularly refreshing to our eyes, fatigued as they had been with the endless monotony of the sombre foliage of the gum tree. Shortly after leaving Tyn-Tyndyer, we rejoined the Eureka, which was lying very snugly in a pretty bend of the river, a few miles lower down, and adjacent to the run of a Mr. Coghill. The next morning, taking her in tow, the Lady Augusta proceeded down the stream for the purpose of ascending the Wakool, there to take in 220 bales of wool; a process, by effecting which, instead of waiting on the Murray, much time would be saved.
The navigation towards the junction was most intricate, and so continued throughout nearly the whole day. All the Eureka’s starboard rails were carried away, and continued stoppages, whether owing to the current, the sharpness of the bends, or defective steering, detained us for some hours. However, if the improvement of the navigation of the river be seriously taken up by the three Governments, many of the obstacles now experienced will be removed. During the last week we have passed several points where a little labour, concentrated in cutting fresh channels, would cause a saving of many miles’ distance, and, moreover, obviate the angles which at present it is so difficult to navigate, at least, with anything like speed.
The Wakool is a most navigable river,[23] not so broad, indeed, as the Murray, being scarcely ninety yards wide, but deep and without current, and singularly free from “snags,” or overhanging branches.
We passed Turora, Messrs. Grierson’s station, on the Tuesday evening, and the next morning the public house and ferry, kept by Mr. Talbot; the soundings gave four and a-half fathoms and “no bottom.” Very shortly afterwards, Poon Boon, or Westmeath, the station of the Royal Australian Bank, appeared in sight; and here, awaiting our arrival we found the wool, consisting of 220 bales, averaging 200 lbs. the bale. This, the first fruit of the river, and the first cargo of the Lady Augusta, was received with all due ceremony, the first bale being hoisted up with one of the crew to the mast-head of the Eureka, where “three times three” was given in its honour. Some bottles of champagne, and “Success to the commerce of the Murray,” followed in the cabin; and in the evening a dance, at the head station on shore, terminated the day.
The superintendent, or person in charge here, informs me that his drays, with the supplies for this year, have not yet returned; and that to transport his wool to Melbourne by that mode of conveyance would cost him £45 per ton. The arrival of the steamer has, however, to use his own expression, “quite set the settlers on their legs again;” and although the freight, £25 per ton, is as yet rather high, there is no doubt that it will soon fall, whilst the land-transport from the Goolwa to Port Elliot will be performed per tramway, at the moderate rate of sixpence per ton per mile.
The stock of sheep belonging to the stations of this Company,[24] recently amounting to 50,000, is now reduced by extensive sales to 12,000, but the number, so rapid is the increase, it is expected will again amount to that quantity in two or three years. The present value of sheep (for sale) is from fifteen to eighteen shillings; during the bad times of the colony it was as low as two shillings and sixpence.
After leaving Poon Boon, we regained the Murray without any difficulty, save the passage of one shallow bar, where extreme precautions were exercised successfully.
At Canally, one of the stations of Mr. Phelps, wool to the amount of forty-nine heavy bales was taken in; and leaving this on Friday, September 30th, we again steamed down the river, having left the two carpenters and the Chinaman near the mouth of the Wakool, there to prepare the frames of two more barges, as tenders, to be used for the further navigation of these rivers. This day, however, was doomed to be one of melancholy remembrance to all on board, for an accident, not less sad from its sudden occurrence than by its tragical issue, did then happen, in a manner most painful to all who witnessed it. About four o’clock, or rather later, whilst sitting in the cabin, I was disturbed by hearing an outcry, and tumults on the deck above; and running out, I discovered by the preparations for casting off the boat, then towing astern, that a man was overboard. Looking further astern, the steamer having now reversed her engines, I discovered what must have been the top of the unfortunate man’s head floating about forty or fifty yards behind us, and distinctly saw his hands upraised, and as it were waving in a convulsive manner for help. This position he maintained for a minute or two, but the boat was not easily cast loose, and the steamer had drifted with the current, which here runs perhaps two and a-half knots per hour. Shortly afterwards I again looked, but nothing was visible, for the wretched man had sunk never again to rise; though one of those in the boat declared that they were so close to him that from the bow he might have been touched with an oar. It was, however, too late, and after waiting vainly for the chance of his reappearance, we were at length obliged to continue our course without even the satisfaction of discovering his body. The man’s name, I afterwards learned, was William Crewse Teague, a native, it was supposed, of Cornwall, and he had been employed as a stoker on board. The cause of the accident, as far as I could ascertain, was the giving way of one of the gangway rails, against which the man must have leaned whilst drawing a bucket of water; the rail, which is usually fastened by a peg and chain, having fallen into the water with him.