Journal of Landsboroughs Expedition from Carpentaria | Page 8

latitude, but I have not a chronometer,
as Mr. Gregory thought the jolting it would get should render it useless.
I hope, therefore, for the cause of science, etc., you will reconsider the
conversation I have had with you on the subject.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) W. LANDSBOROUGH,
Commander of the Victorian and Queensland Land Expedition.
...
(COPY.)
(NUMBER 1.)
Victoria, off the Albert River, October 19 1861.
Sir,
In reply to your letter of yesterday, containing an application for
Lieutenant Woods to be allowed to accompany you on the expedition
which you command, in order to fix your position in a correct and

proper manner:
I have the honour to inform you that it was the desire of the Exploration
Committee I should furnish that assistance to Mr. Walker, and, having
only one officer that I can spare for that duty, I must withhold my
consent until I see Mr. Walker and you are nearer your departure. And
further, as I understood from Mr. Gregory that Captain Alison was
engaged for the purpose of carrying out that important part of the duty,
you will be so good as to explain your reasons for want of confidence
in him.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) W.H. Norman, Commander.*
W. Landsborough, Esquire.
(*Footnote. I answered this letter; but, having sent a copy of it with
other papers from Carpentaria to Brisbane, I cannot at present present it
for publication.)
...
(COPY.)
(NUMBER 2.)
Norman's Group, Albert River, October 18 1861.
My dear Captain Norman,
I have much pleasure in informing you that we have landed safely
twenty-three horses, and have sent them to a waterhole which we have
called Frost's Ponds, where they had a great roll in the mud, which will,
I hope, protect their tender skins in some measure from the sun and
sandflies; two of the weak ones we have kept on board.

The wind and the time of high-water (at night) was very unfavourable
for going up the river, and, as we were short of water, I need not tell
you how glad I was to know of waterholes to which I could drive the
horses. Three parties went in search of water the day before yesterday,
and were all successful in finding it. Mr. Campbell went with one party
and found water on the west bank up the river. I went on the east bank,
and in an easterly direction got onto a finely grassed, openly timbered
country, within three miles, and at the edge of the timber, in less than
three miles further, found a fine waterhole, besides shallow ones, nearly
all along the last-mentioned distance. Mr. Frost found a fine waterhole
within five miles of here, to which we have driven the horses, as it was
on the route which we had previously determined upon as the best to
take if practicable.
I have not time at present to write you an official letter, except the one I
sent respecting Mr. Woods. The horses, from our having had from you
a liberal supply of water, are in much better condition than when they
left Hardy's Island.
I remain yours very truly,
(Signed) W. Landsborough.
...
(MEMO.)
(NUMBER 2.)
Being at the depot to start Landsborough on the South-West Expedition
from November 5th to 16th, and Walker not having arrived, I offered
the services of Lieutenant Woods, which Landsborough declined to
accept of, stating he considered they could do very well without any
assistance.
(Initialled) W.H.N.*
(*Footnote. At Brisbane, where I met Captain Norman before I had

started on the expedition, he led me to expect that Lieutenant Woods
would accompany me to make astronomical observations whilst on my
search for Burke, provided I made application for his assistance. At
Carpentaria, having ascertained that Lieutenant Woods was himself
anxious to accompany me, I wrote the foregoing letter (Number 1)
applying for that officer. Captain Norman's reply to this letter I
considered tantamount to a refusal, and accordingly arranged to take
Captain Alison. Having done so, I may have stated to Captain Norman
that I considered I could do very well on this occasion without any
assistance from him.)
...
(COPY.)
NUMBER 3.
Albert River, 15th November 1861.
Sir,
After the unexpected delay of this expedition, from circumstances and
accidents over which we had no control, on the 4th instant, in
consultation on board the Victoria, I informed you that my stock of
provisions for the crew of that vessel would only permit my remaining
in the Gulf for 115 days, and that in accordance with the spirit of my
instructions you ought to start so soon as possible for Central Mount
Stuart, or as near thereto as the nature of the country will admit of your