McKinlays Journal of Exploration in the Interior of Australia | Page 5

some
bread and meat and tea; when they all took their leave. About the end
of the first watch (which was regularly kept) I was awake and heard the
person on watch, Middleton, speaking, evidently to a native who, to my
astonishment as well as to Middleton's, ventured up to the camp alone
at night; and what would the reader suppose his errand was? It was to
bring back our axe that one of his tribe had purloined unseen from the
camp during the afternoon. On delivery of said article he at once took
his leave, promising to come in the morning.
Wednesday, October 16.
In the morning a few of the natives approached the camp, but stood off
at a respectable distance, not sure how they were to be dealt with for
their dishonesty, till by and bye the old man with a few others came up;
and gradually they that stood aloof came up also. Amongst them were
women and children to whom I made various little presents of beads

and fishhooks, with which they seemed pleased. To the old man for his
honesty I gave a tomahawk with which he appeared highly pleased--his
name was Mootielina; the thief I could not find out, or would have
given him his deserts likewise. They did not muster very strong this
morning, only about 100; but numbers of others were visible all round
the lake at the different camps. They all appeared very civil, whether
from fear or naturally I could not guess. Started bearing 40 degrees,
passing north-west arm of lake three-quarters of a mile; then a bearing
of 100 degrees. At three-quarters of a mile cleared the timber that
surrounds the water-mark of lake; then began to ascend the sandhills
which were very soft, high and steep, for about half a mile or little
more, to the highest of them on same course. Changed course to 85
degrees, descending the various sandhills for about a mile; then
alternate flooded flats with timber (box) and polygonum, and sandhills,
till arrived at a water close by my course home yesterday, and within
three-quarters of a mile of where I intended to fix the camp as depot;
and which will suit the purpose very well, having sufficient water and
abundance of grass on a large flooded flat immediately east of, and
running north and south. Distance travelled on last course six and a half
miles, total distance eight and a half miles to Careri Creek, which
seems to flow from the west of north, or nearly north and south; but
name of waterhole is Wantula Depot.
Thursday, October 17.
At depot making arrangements for a start; out in search of the water the
whites are supposed to be at. I will take with me Mr. Hodgkinson,
Middleton, and a native of this country, Bulingani (who seems to say
he knows something of the whites) four camels, three horses, one
hundred and sixty pounds of flour, thirty-two pounds of sugar, four
pounds of tea, eleven pounds of bacon, and some little necessary, etc.,
for persons likely to be in a weak state. Leave Bell in charge of the
arrangements of the camp, Davies in charge of the stores. About twenty
natives are encamped within pistol shot; but have made a fold for the
sheep and put everything in such a shape that I may find things all right
on my return. Opened the sausages and found them all less or more
damaged, one tin in fact as nearly rotten as possible, which have to be
thrown away; the others are now drying in the sun in the hopes we may
be able to use them. We would have been in a sad fix without the

sheep.
Friday, October 18.
At 8 a.m. started; crossed well-grassed flooded polygonum flats or
plains for an hour, crossing Kiradinte in the Careri Creek; then left the
creek on the left and passed over a succession of sand ridges. At 9.15
arrived at Lake Cudye-cudyena at about nine miles. It was quite a treat,
abundance of good water, and any quantity of grass of various kinds,
and plenty of clover. It bears 345 degrees, is about six miles long, and
fully half a mile wide, well timbered. On a bearing from this southern
end of lake (now called Lake Buchanan after Mr. Buchanan of Anlaby,
from whom the whole party experienced the utmost kindness) Lake
Bulpaner, now all but dry (and what was mistaken by me the other day,
when in search of a good depot, for this lake--very dissimilar indeed)
bears 158 degrees, distant about two miles along almost a valley. Saw
some of the natives on the way here, and sent Mr. Hodgkinson and
Bulingani back for one of them to forward a letter to Camp Depot