96 



25, 1841, lie reached Keer-Kumban-Kauwe* on March 2. 

 Setting off on the 7th, the journey across the Bun da Plateau 

 to the sand-hills at Eucla was accomplished on the 11th, " and 

 thus on the [fifth day of our sufferings we were again blessed 

 with an abundance of water." Thus a journey of about 140 

 miles was accomplished in five days, during which time no water 

 was obtained, and the distress endured by men and animals was 

 extreme. 



In 1860 Major "Warburton contrived to reach 85 miles 

 beyond the Head of the Bight, and made several journeys from 

 the coast in a north and north-west direction for a distance of 

 about 60 miles. He found the district to the north to be a 

 dreary waste, destitute of food and water. Bain seldom fell, 

 and when it did was immediately absorbed by the arid soil. 

 The above paragraph is quoted from " Forrest's Explorations," 

 p. 77, but I do not know the source of his information. 



Captain Delisser was employed in 1865-6 by this Govern- 

 ment to survey certain lines within the district. His observa- 

 tions are affixed to the " Plan showing Surveys and Explora- 

 tions by Mr. E. A. Delisser in the vicinity of the Great Bight 

 and Fowler's Bay," published by the Survey Office in August, 

 1867. One line of traverse was from the Head of the Bight to 

 100 miles north from Eucla. 



On the discovery of the roadstead off Eucla, Lieut. Douglas, 

 President of the Marine Board, was entrusted with the duty 

 of its survey. He, moreover, fixed the boundary line between 

 the two colonies, which resulted in placing Eucla some five 

 miles within "West Australian territory, and "Wilson's Bluff, 

 the western termination of the Bunda Cliffs, less than one 

 mile east of the 129th meridian — the boundary line. 



In 1870 Mr. John Forrest headed an exploring party, which 

 succeeded in traversing from Perth to Adelaide, around the 

 Head of the Great Bight, nearly retracing the route of Eyre. 

 From Eucla he made a flying trip northward, on the track of 

 Delisser, but was unable to penetrate more than 27 miles, 

 because of the absence of water. The country is described by 

 him as open plains of grass, and that from the camp only 

 plains were in sight ; not a tree visible. He thus reiterates 

 the observations of Delisser, which, however, extended many 

 miles further. On the 14th of July Forrest's expedition 

 started, carrying about thirty gallons of water. " After great 

 privation," he writes, " to our horses, and not meeting with a 

 drop of water for 135 miles, by travelling day and night we 

 reached the Head of the Bight on the evening of the 17th." 

 His route for the first 60 miles pretty nearly coincides with 

 the telegraph line ; thence he steered south of east and to the 



•Written Coymbra in modern maps. 



