Back of Beyond The NT: Point Stuart / Part One

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On 1 July, Stuart thought he had reached a tributary of the Adelaide River. He named it the Mary River after one of Chambers' daughters. The country improved as they made their way down Strangways Creek to the Roper River, which they crossed. They followed a tributary, Chambers River, in a north-west direction. Two hundred miles was all that remained between the party and Adelaide River, which had been explored by Lieutenant Helpman in a boat.

Of those, 150 miles were along the River Chambers which brought new problems of swamps, mosquitos and rank grass which made the horses ill.

Auld was later to recall: …mosquitoes and flies were terrible. Our hands, wrists, necks and feet were all blistered with their bites, and many earnest inquiries were made as to who could explain their use in this world. One of the party thought they were sent to teach a man how to swear fluently.

On 24 July 1862, Thring and Stuart, scouting ahead of the party, received their ultimate reward‚ the northern coast of Australia. Stuart was first on to the beach.

Pike wrote: He struggled across its soft blue mud and washed his hands and face in the Indian Ocean.
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