Stuart's third expedition acquires additional importance, from his having been accompanied by a naturalist, Mr. Waterhouse, whose observations upon the various regions passed through give us a very clear idea of Australia along its central line. Unfortunately the expedition was disappointed of its thermometers, so that we have no thermometric data of the peculiar and precarious
we reached the sea, but we could not obtain a view of the open ocean, although we made every endeavour to do so."—Expedition by Jackson, p. 223—Burkes' notes. "Proceeding on our course across the marsh, we came to a channel through which the sea-water enters. … We moved slowly down about three miles, and then camped for tho night. … Next morning we started at daybreak."—Ibid, p. 91—Wills' Diary. The Diary has no further allusion to the sea.
McKINLAY NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE LEICHHARDT.
"Sunday, May 18th. (Camp lix.) Crossed, the sea running in through mangrove creeks into the flats like a sluice. … We are now perfectly surrounded by salt water, the river on one side and the mangrove creeks and salt flats on the other. I question much whether we shall be able to get to the beach with the horses. …
"19th. Started out this morning, with the intention of going to the beach … but was quite unsuccessful, being hindered by deep and broad mangrove creeks and boggy flats, over which our horses could not travel. I consider we are now about four or five miles from the coast; there is a rise here in the river of ten and two- thirds feet to-day, but yesterday it was a foot higher."—Official Report, p. 40.
"19th. Mr. McKinlay, Middleton, Poole, Wylde, and Kirby, started very early to get to the sea-shore, but found it
