The Objects Of This Expedition Were Much The Same As Those Of My Own, Viz., To Ascertain The Nature Of

The country still unexplored in the central portions of West Australia, "hopes being entertained of the possibility of opening up

A valuable stock route from the Northern Territory to the West Australian Goldfields, and of discovering much auriferous country" (vide ADELAIDE OBSERVER, June 6, 1896). A collection of the flora and fauna was to be made, as well as a map of the country passed through. The expedition started from Cue, Murchison district, left civilisation at Lake Way, and travelled in a North-Easterly direction from there to Lake Augusta, thence in a Northerly direction past Joanna Springs to the Fitzroy River. Thus their course was almost parallel to our upgoing journey, and some 150 to 200 miles to the westward, nearer the coast. The class of country encountered was similar to that already described by me - that is sand, undulating and in ridges.

A well, since called "Separation Well," was found in long. 123 degrees 53 minutes, lat. 22 degrees 51 minutes. At this point the expedition split up: Charles Wells and G. L. Jones, with three camels, were to make a flying trip ninety miles to the Westward; then, turning North-East, were to cut the tracks of the main party, who were to travel nearly due North.

The rendezvous was fixed at or near Joanna Springs - which place, however, the leader failed to find (until some months afterwards, when he proved them to have been placed on the chart some eighteen miles too far West by Colonel Warburton in 1873, who in his diary doubts the accuracy of the position assigned to the spring by himself, and remarks, "What matter in such country as this?"). When the latitude of the spring was reached, about a day and a half was spent in searching to the east and west without result.

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