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Kennedy traces the Victoria in its final course south Re-named the Barcoo First notice of the PITURI chewing natives Leichhardt's second Expedition Failure and Return Leichhardt's last Expedition His absolute disappearance Conjectures as to his fate Kennedy starts from Rockingham Bay to Cape York Scrubs and swamps Great exertions Hostile natives Insufficiency of supplies provided Dying horses Main party left in Weymouth Bay Another separation at Shelburne Bay Murder of Kennedy at the Escape River Rescue of Jacky the black boy His pathetic tale of suffering Failure to find the camp at Shelburne Bay Rescue of but two survivors at Weymouth Bay The remainder starved to death Von Mueller in the Australian Alps Western Australia Landor and Lefroy, in 1843 First expedition of the brothers Gregory, in 1846 Salt lakes and scrub Lieutenant Helpman sent to examine the coal seam discovered Roe, in 1848 His journey to the east and to the south A. C. Gregory attempts to reach the Gascoyne Foiled by the nature of the country Discovers silver ore on the Murchison Governor Fitzgerald visits the mine Wounded by the natives Rumour of Leichhardt having been murdered by the blacks Hely's expedition in quest of him Story unfounded Austin's explorations in Western Australia Terrible scrubs Poison camp Determined efforts to the north Heat and thirst Forced to return.
Richardson, that this river was not the Mitchell, for neither its latitude, direction, or description corresponded with Leichhardt's account. It was also perceived that the longitude of the starting point must have been incorrect, and very considerably to the westward, as their reckoning, carefully checked, brought them much too near the coast.
A military and penal settlement had been established at Port Essington by the Government of New South Wales, to which colony the whole territory then belonged. At this settlement the only point of relief after eighteen months' travel Leichhardt and his exhausted party arrived. "Of Leichhardt's sad fate, in the interior of Australia, no certain tidings have ever been heard.
This expedition, successful as it was in opening up such a large area of well watered country, attracted universal attention, and enthusiastic poets broke forth into song at Leichhardt's return, as they already had done at his reported death. He was heartily welcomed back to Sydney, and dubbed by journalists the "Prince of Explorers."
And thirdly, although he had travelled further to the west than Leichhardt's junction of the Lynd and Mitchell, he had not even been on Mitchell waters, the northern watershed he had been on, on the 10th, being that of a small creek, doubling on itself, and running into this river.
Major Mitchell has been accused of regarding Leichhardt's success with jealous eyes, but that can scarcely be the case; true, he was of a slightly imperious temper, but he must have felt far too secure of his own reputation to fear any man's rivalry.
We have already referred to the strong feeling prevailing at Sydney against the practicability of Dr Leichhardt's projected expedition, to the numerous efforts made to induce him to abandon it, and to the confident predictions of its failure, and of the destruction of all engaged in it.
From the map accompanying Dr Leichhardt's journal, it appears they did not take the most direct track from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, but inclined too much to the right, reaching the gulf on its eastern instead of its southern shore, and having consequently, as they were proceeding north-west, to strike off at right angles in a S.S.W. direction.
If the marked trees seen by Hely were Leichhardt's there was a great probability that they would thus be on his tracks to the west, and a sharp look-out was kept on both sides of river, which resulted in the discovery in about 241 deg. south latitude, and 145 deg. east longitude, of a tree marked L, on the eastern bank, and in the neighbourhood were stumps of trees, felled by an axe.
Retracing the creek to where the depot was situated, the party travelled across a stretch of unknown country for some two hundred miles, and striking Leichhardt's Port Essington track on Leichhardt's Roper River, his route was followed too closely for hundreds of miles until civilisation was reached.
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