Letter from Moolooloo [transcript]

John McDouall Stuart wrote to his sponsor and friend James Chambers from Moolooloo station on 19 September 1860, detailing his explorations. This was Stuart's fourth expedition and he was accompanied only by William Kekwick and Benjamin Head. In the letter Stuart writes of raising the flag on Central Mt Sturt, another reference as well as the note buried in the cairn on top of the hill, to it being named after Charles Sturt. He describes the various attempts he and his men made to reach the Victoria River on the north coast, continually repulsed by the conditions: stony ground and lack of water and grass for the horses. Failing in attempts to reach the Victoria, he followed a creek trending towards the Gulf of Carpentaria but it petered out in the plains and he retuned to his earlier camp. Confrontations with Aboriginal men, with whom the explorers were competing for scarce water supplies, eventually decided Stuart on the wisdom of returning. He weighed up the arguments: the condition of men and horses; the rapidly drying-up water supplies; the hostility of the tribesmen; and the smallness of their party of three men only. Stuart made his decision. He would return.

He makes a mention of the Telegraph Line, 'there is no obstacle but what can be overcome as far as I have gone', and also to William Finke, another friend and sponsor. He was delaying his return to Adelaide in hope of seeing Finke at Moolooloo.

He makes no mention in this letter however, of naming the Finke River or Chambers Pillar for his friends.

When first published, this item is reproduced courtesy of Ms Anne Bachelard.

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