AUSTRALIA TWICE TRAVERSED:
CHAPTER 1.
FROM 4TH TO 30TH AUGUST, 1872.
The party—Port Augusta-—The road—The Peake—Stony plateau = Telegraph station — Natives formerly hostile — A new member—Leave the Peake—Black boy deserts—Reach the Charlotte Waters Station—Natives’ account of other natives —leave fast outpost—Reach the Finke—A Government party—A ride westward—Lnd of the stony plateau—A sandhill regier —Chambers’ Pillar—The Moloch horridus— Thermometer 18°—The Finke—Johnstone’s range—A night alarm—Beautiful trees—Wild ducks—A tributary—High dark hill—Country rises in altitude—Very high sandhills— Quicksands—New ranges—A brush ford—New pigeon— Pointed hill—A clay pan—Christopher’s Pinnacle—Chandler's Range—Another new range—Sounds of running water — First natives seen —Name of the river— A Central Australian warrior—Natives burning the country—Name a new creek—Ascend a mountain—Vivid green—Discover a glen and more mountains—Hot winds, smoke and ashes,
THE personnel of my first expedition into the interior consisted in the first instance of myself, Mr, Carmichael, and a young black boy. I intended to engage the services of another white man at the furthest outpost that I could secure one. From Port Augusta I despatched the bulk of my stores by
