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Champion Bay, or rather Geraldton, is the thriving centre of what is, for Western Australia, a large agricultural and pastoral district. It is the most busy and bustling place I have seen on this side of the continent.
It is at the head of a rocky gully; it is very rough to reach, and no feed within a mile and a half of it. There was plenty of water in the hole, which is about six feet deep. A white gum-tree close to the pool is marked GOS, 19, and I marked under it, on same tree, F 90, being 90th camp from Geraldton.
It is but 30 miles south of the port of Geraldton, the wettest place in Australia, as well as the centre of the chief sugar-producing district of the State of Queensland. There the rainfall averages about 140 inches per annum. Again, 20 miles to the south lies Hinchinbrook Island, 28 miles long, 12 miles broad, and mountainous from end to end: there also the rain-clouds revel.
Intend resting here to-morrow, as one of our horses is very lame, and there is everything we want. 8th. Rested at camp. Rained lightly last night, and very stormy. Blew a hurricane towards morning. Rained lightly until noon; more rain than we have had on the whole trip. We have not had a drop of rain since the light shower on the 4th August. Marked a tree F 86, being the 86th camp from Geraldton.
Found the barometer had got broken, which I was very sorry for. Worked out several lunars taken on the 11th at Giles's camp. 25th. Worked out the remainder of the lunars. Marked a large white gum-tree close to camp, on left bank of Elder Springs, F 78, being the 78th camp from Geraldton.
To the south, nothing but sand-hills and spinifex; to the North-East the Tomkinson Ranges showed up and looked very remarkable and promising. Marked a tree F 76, being 76th camp from Geraldton. Camp is in latitude 26 degrees 23 minutes 28 seconds, longitude about 128 degrees 32 minutes East. 21st. Left camp at Skirmish Hill in company with Windich, instructing my brother to follow to-morrow.
The telegraph line is most substantially put up, and well wired, and is very creditable at this spot; large poles of bush timber, often rather crooked, and iron ones here and there. I now gave up keeping watch, having kept it regularly for the last six months. Marked a tree F 104, being 104th camp from Geraldton.
The expedition will start from Champion Bay, to which you will at once despatch by sea the stores to be obtained here; and the men and horses should proceed overland without delay. You will be probably able to charter carts or drays to take most of your impedimenta from Geraldton to Mr.
In the afternoon Windich found a fine spring in a gully about half a mile north of camp, at which he shot an emu. I named these springs the Crowther Springs, after my friend Mr. Charles Crowther, of Geraldton. Emus and kangaroos very numerous in these ranges. 31st. Got an early start and took the horses to the water found by Windich yesterday, where they could help themselves.
Barometer 28.34; thermometer 46 degrees at 11 p.m. Marked a large white gum-tree F 41 on west side close to right bank of river, being our 41st camp from Geraldton. Latitude 25 degrees 22 minutes 26 seconds South, longitude about 120 degrees 42 minutes East. 28th.
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