THE CREEPER TRACK IN A SEARCH FOR GOLD.
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Mr. Michael Terry's New Expedition Across Unexplored Territory in Northern Australia.
H" experiences in crossing the trackless wastes oi north-west Australia last year do not seem to have damped the ardour for exploration which pervades the being of Mr. Michael Terry ; rather his appetite (if we may change the metaphor) appears to have been whetted, and he is now preparing another expedition to cross from Pine Creek, a railhead 200 miles iffland from Port Darwin, on the north coast, to Newcastle Waters, Victoria River, Sturt's Creek, and thence to the railhead at Marble Bar, 100
inland nland from Part Headland, on the west coast, the distance being, roughly, 1,500 miles, not reckoning detours.
His first expedition was made on a strengthened Ford car; • he now -intends to employ three Guy roadless traction vehicles, each of one ton capacity, and he expects to spend about three or four months on the trip. It could be done in less, but the route crosses the Great Sandy Desert, which, whilst it has been penetrated by white men to some extent, has never been explored. No geological observations have been made, Col. Egerton Warburton's journey in 1872 on camels having produced no useful data. For instance, it is believed that the level of the land thereabouts is 1,500 ft. above the Sea, but the facts are really not known. The existence of one well on the route is recorded, but its exact location is anywhere within 20 miles of the place shown on the map. The justification for the supposition that there is gold to be found lies in the fact that just north is the place where the metal was first discovered in West Australia—now worked out—whilst south thereof are the great goldfields. If gold is there in quantity, a new gold rush will be witnessed, because the expedition .will only be able to secure mining rights over the limited area permitted by law to each prospector.
• Mr. Terry subscribes to the belief that there is subterranean water at shallow depth to be reached by sinking wells from 6 ft. to 10 ft. Should the gold and the water be there, all that would be needed for the development of the district would be transport, in the provision and running of which there is considerable money to be made.
The expedition starts early next summer, and -will enjoy sunny days and cool fresh nights, with even an expectation of frost, so that insect and other pests will be hibernating and travel conditions agreeable. There will be six or eight in the party. Mr. Terry will
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be leader, driver and diarist of the expedition ; it is expected that the makers will send a driver to watch vehicle performance ; there will be a third driver, a wireless operator, a surveyor, a mining engineer and a photographer, two of which posts must be combined in one person. There will then be room for two sportsmen keen on adventure and hunting (for much game will be met), who will be invited to take a financial interest in the controlling syndicate which is now being formed.
The intention is to fit to each vehicle the sparest possible body—a seat over the water tank and a plank platform. Arms, ammunition, food, motor spirit and water and a few spares will constitute the load, whilst in order to drive the dynamo for operating the wireless transmitter and to assist in exploration, a motorcycle will be carried. Wherever sufficient water is available the party will camp, and the motorcycle will then be used to explore large areas on each side of the route, whilst geological and other research work will be undertaken and the capacity of the land for rearing cattle and growing cotton and other crops will be noted.
By pack camels, fuel and a few spares will be sent from Port Wyndham, and two dumps will be laid down. . It is nof intended to take many Spares, because the leader has ample confidence in the ability of the vehicles to cover the 1,500 miles without giving trouble. The expedition should prove once and for all whether the chain-track machine is really good for long distances over trying country, standing up to the hard work to which they will be subjected. A difficulty to be met is the emission of sparks or exhaust gases from the open exhausts, because long, dry grass has to be traversed, and a fire once started might be fatal and do enormous damage. So it is probable that the exhaust outlets will be directed upwards 'as in some of the aero engines. An all-British venture with British capital' and vehicles in British territory, this is the most ambition motor expedition yet contemplated, because here is 500 miles of country which is practically unknown and coupled with uncertainty as to water supplies is the probability of trouble with the aborigines, who are thought to be somewhat dangerous. But the prospects of a very exciting and fascinating trip go hand in hand with the anticipation of fortune-finding in new gold-bearing lands.