They appeared to feel great compassion for me when they understood that I was alone on the creek, and gave me plenty to eat. After being four days with them, I saw that they were becoming tired of me, and they made signs that they were going up the creek, and that I had better go downwards; but I pretended not to understand them. The same day they shifted camp, and I followed them; and on reaching their camp, I shot some crows, which pleased them so much that they made me a breakwind in the centre of their camp, and came and sat round me until such time as the crows were cooked, when they assisted me to eat them. The same day one of the women to whom I had given part of a crow, came and gave me a ball of nardoo, saying that she would give me more only she had such a sore arm that she was unable to pound. She showed me a sore on her arm, and the thought struck me that I would boil some water in the billy and wash her arm with a sponge. During the operation the whole tribe sat round and were muttering one to another. Her husband sat down by her side and she was crying all the time. After I had washed it, I touched it with some nitrate of silver, when she began to yell and ran off, crying out, "Mokow! Mokow!" ("Fire! fire!"). From this time, she and her husband used to give me a small quantity of nardoo both night and morning, and whenever the tribe were about going on a fishing excursion, he used to give me notice to go with them. They also used to assist me in making a wurley, or breakwind, whenever they shifted camp. I generally shot a crow or a hawk, and gave it to them in return for these little services.
From this time to when the relief party arrived—a period of about a month—they treated me with uniform kindness, and looked upon me as one of themselves. The day on which I was released, one of the tribe who had been fishing came and told me that the white fellows were coming, and the whole of the tribe who were then in camp sallied out in every direction to meet the party, while the man who had brought the news took me over the creek, where I shortly saw the party coming down.
ACROSS THE CONTINENT. SOUTH TO NORTH. II
Source.—Explorations in Australia (J.M. Stuart. Hardman, 1865). pp. 164-165, 406-411
Stuart accompanied Sturt in 1844-5, and subsequently became an enthusiastic explorer. Three times he set out to travel from Adelaide to the Indian Ocean; the first time passing through the centre, and finally attaining his object in 1862. The Overland Telegraph line is laid along his track.
THE CENTRE
Sunday, 22nd April. Small Gum Creek, under Mount Stuart, Centre of Australia. To-day I find from my observations of the sun, 111° 00' 30", that I am now camped in the centre of Australia. I have marked a tree and planted the British Flag there. There is a high mount about two miles and a half to the N.N.E. I wish it had been in the centre; but on it to-morrow, I will raise a cone of stones, and plant the flag there, and name it "Central Mount Stuart." We have been in search of permanent water to-day, but cannot find any. I hope from the top of Central Mount Stuart to find something good to the N.W. Examined a large creek; can find no surface water, but got some by scratching in the sand. It is a large creek divided into many channels, but they are all filled with sand; splendid grass all round this camp.
Monday, 23rd April. Centre. Took Kekwick and the flag, and went to the top of the Mount, but found it to be much higher and more difficult of ascent than I anticipated. After a deal of labour, slips and knocks, we at last arrived on the top. The view to the north is over a large plain of gums, mulga, and spinifex, with watercourses running through it. The large gum creek that we crossed winds round this hill in a N.E. direction; at about ten miles it is joined by another. After joining they take a course more north, and I lost sight of them in the far distant plain. To the N.N.E. is the termination of the hills; to the N.E., E. and S.E. are broken ranges, and to the N.N.W. the ranges on the west side of the plain terminate. To the N.W. are broken ranges; and to the W. is a very high peak, between which, and this place to the S.W. are a number of isolated hills. Built a large cone of stones, in the centre of which I placed a pole with the British flag nailed to it. Near the top of the cone I placed a small bottle, in which there is a slip of paper, with our signatures to it, stating by whom it was raised. We then gave three hearty cheers for the flag, the emblem of civil and religious liberty, and may it be a sign to the natives that the dawn of liberty, civilization, and Christianity is about to break upon them. We can see no water from the top. Descended, but did not reach the camp till after dark. This water still continues which makes me think there must certainly be more higher up. I have named the range "John Range," after my friend and well-wisher, John Chambers, Esq., brother to James Chambers, Esq., one of the promoters of this expedition.
ACROSS AT LAST