You
Are Accordingly To Be Obeyed And Respected As Chief Of This Expedition,
And To Be Governed Generally During The Continuance Of It, By The
Following Instructions.
First. - With the view of facilitating the objects of the present
expedition, and in justice to his former zealous
And successful exertions
in making the original discoveries in the interior, to the westward of the
Blue Mountains; the Right Honourable the Secretary of State has directed,
that in the farther prosecution of these discoveries, Mr. George William
Evans, deputy surveyor of lands, should be associated with the person
appointed to head and direct the expedition; and to be considered the
second in command of it. You are therefore to consider Mr. Evans as next
in command to yourself during the progress of the expedition, and to
consult with him on all operations and points connected therewith; it
being presumed from his local experience in the interior, he will be able
to afford you very useful information and assistance.
Second. - Exclusive of yourself and Mr. Evans, I have deemed it advisable
to permit Mr. Allan Cunningham, one of the King's botanists, (lately sent
out to this country, for the purpose of collecting plants and seeds for
His Majesty's gardens at Kew), to accompany the expedition. I have also
ordered ten other persons to accompany you on the expedition in the
various capacities of assistants, or servants; and herewith you will
receive a schedule of their names, and respective designations, or
employments.
Third. - In order to give every facility to the objects of the expedition
now fitting out, and to afford you the means of prolonging your absence
from headquarters, and consequently extending the range of your
discoveries, I have deemed it advisable to furnish yourself and party
with a sufficient supply of good wholesome provisions for five months; in
which space of time, it is concluded, you will be able to ascertain all
the important objects of the expedition. And in order that this five
months supply of provisions may remain untouched, until you shall have
taken your final departure from the last discovered point on the Lachlan
River, I have had a depot lately established there for the purpose of
lodging the five months provisions, till your arrival at that point; the
necessary number of BAT horses having been provided for conveying the
provisions thither; and it has been lately reported to me, that almost
the whole of the five months provisions have already been conveyed to the
depot on the Lachlan River, and that the remaining part thereof will he
deposited there in the course of seven days from this date. You will
herewith receive a schedule, or account of the provisions, together
with a list of the BAT horses, and other various equipments furnished
and sent to the depot on the banks of the Lachlan River, for the use
of the expedition. I hope it is unnecessary for me to point out or
recommend to a person of your experience, the absolute necessity of
observing every possible economy in the expenditure of your provisions,
and preventing every possible waste thereof, so as to make them hold
out for the full space of time they are intended to last. There is
an ample and liberal daily ration of provisions allowed and sent for
each person sufficient for five months; and you must make it your
particular business to see that there shall be no waste or loss in
the issuing, or carriage of your stock of provisions.
Fourth. - Having been informed, first from the reports of Mr. Evans, the
original discoverer of the Lachlan River, and subsequently from those of
William Cox, Esq., who went thither lately at my particular request, that
there was every reason from its appearance to conclude that that river
would be found to be navigable for small boats; I some time since sent a
boat builder for the purpose of constructing two light boats for
navigating this river, and conveying the provisions and stores for the
expedition along it, to its junction with the sea, in case it should be
found to fall into it, which there is every reason to hope it does. In
the event of this hope being realized, it will greatly facilitate the
objects of the expedition to be able thus to transport all your
provisions, and other equipments, by water, instead of the tedious
process of carrying them by land on the backs of horses, through a woody
and intricate country.
Fifth. - The three grand and principal objects of the present expedition
are: - First, to ascertain the real course or general direction of the
Lachlan River, and its final termination, and whether it falls into the
sea, or into some inland lake. Secondly, if the river falls into the sea,
to ascertain the exact place of its embouchure, and whether such place
would answer as a safe and good port for shipping: and thirdly, the
general face of the country, nature of the soil, woods, and animal and
natural productions of the country through which this river passes;
carefully examining and noting down each of these particulars, and adding
thereto the nature of the climate, and description of such natives or
aborigines of the country as you may happen to see, or fall in with in
your progress through it.
For your farther information and guidance, you will receive herewith a
paper marked A, which is a copy of one lately received by me from Earl
Bathurst, His Majesty's principal Secretary of State for the colonies,
and which I am directed by his lordship to make the groundwork of my
instructions to the officer whom I might think proper to select for, and
entrust with the due execution of the services therein required. And I
therefore refer you for all farther instructions to the paper thus
alluded to; persuaded you will do every thing in your power to comply
with and execute, as far as your means will allow, the several orders and
directions therein contained; communicating these instructions to the
several persons employed with you on the expedition, in as far as they
are severally concerned in making the observations and collections
pointed out in the said instructions from the Secretary of State.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 82 of 94
Words from 82616 to 83657
of 95539
