He’d been away, presumed missing before. This was going to be the big one – Dr Leichhardt would cross the continent, to arrive in Western Australia in early 1850. As that year dawned, people began to prepare for his arrival in Western Australia. And waited, hopefully. Perhaps he had been delayed.
Months became years. Expeditions set out to find traces. A name-plate was authenticated, but it was difficult to say whether it was taken to the place it was found by the explorer, or had been traded far and wide amongst the indigenous peoples. Some even claimed to have seen a white-haired European man who might have been Leichhardt in remote North Queensland at the end of the 19th century.
On 14 February 1848, Dr Ludwig Leichhardt arrived in Brisbane to begin his journey:
DR. LEICHHARDT and party arrived here on Sunday last, and left the settlement on Wednesday on their return to the Darling Downs. The principal object of his visit to Brisbane was to obtain delivery of thirty fat bullocks from the Government herds at Redbank, which had been presented to him by His Excellency Sir Charles Fitz Roy.
We understand that the following individuals form the expedition party to Swan River, viz.-Mr. Hentig, formerly of the Hunter River: Mr. Classen, a relative of Dr. Leichhardt, lately arrived from Hamburg; Donald Stuart, formerly in the service of Messrs. Leslie, at Canning Downs; a man named Kelly; and two aboriginal natives, Wommai and Billy.
The Doctor takes with him fifty fat bullocks, twenty mules, and six horses, with a very complete equipment for his adventurous journey. He purposes to follow the Cogoon to the Victoria River, pursuing Sir Thomas Mitchell’s outward track to a certain distance, where he will bear off in order to ascertain the northern waters; having accomplished this he will then take the most practicable direct route to Swan River.
The whole party appear to be in excellent health and spirits, though we regret to learn that the worthy leader suffers occasionally from palpitation of the heart.
The following extracts are from a letter written by our distinguished traveller, dated Canning Downs, 28th February: —
” Since I left you, I have been almost constantly on the move, and after nearly three months riding and preparing, I am now on the eve of my final start. My party consists of seven persons, myself included; two of them are Mr. Classen and Mr. Hentig, two are working people (Donald Stewart with me, because I wished to form an entirely new party.” My herd consists of fifty bullocks, twenty of which I received from Mr. J. P. Robinson, and thirty from Government. They are very quiet and will give us very little trouble after the first month. I have twenty mules and six or seven horses. The mules, though skittish, are by far more quiet than they were a year ago, and we know now better how to manage them. My principal provisions, besides the bullocks, are 800 lbs. of flour, 120 lbs. of tea, 100 lbs. of salt: —250 lbs. of shot, 40 lbs. of powder. I have taken no sugar, which is difficult and inconvenient to carry and would always be only for the commencement of the journey. ”
it was owned by the Leslie family.
The final news directly from Leichhardt was a lengthy missive from Mount Abundance, dated 04 April 1848. The explorer wrote at length of the botanical species observed on the way, and described the countryside he saw. He ended on what would be in retrospect, a plaintive note:
We were most kindly received and treated wherever we came, and had even to refuse kind offers of cattle, fearing that strange cattle added to our own, which are remarkably quiet and steady, might unsettle the latter. I cannot speak in too high terms of my present party, who seem to me well qualified for the long and tedious journey which is before us. We have killed our first bullock at this station to obtain the necessary provisions to carry us to the Victoria. We have been extremely favoured by the weather; our mules and bullocks are very quiet, and we have travelled from Canning Downs to Fitz Roy Downs without any accident and without interruption, (with the exception of four days stopping at Mr. Russell’s) from the 3rd of March to the 3rd of April.
Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 – 1861), Saturday 19 February 1848, page 2
Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 – 1861), Saturday 25 March 1848, page 2
Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 – 1861), Saturday 1 April 1848, page 1
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), Thursday 1 June 1848, page 3
Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 – 1861), Saturday 22 July 1848, page 3
Moreton Bay and More 