Spinifex and Sand: A Narrative of Five Years’ Pioneering and Exploration in Western Australia

Carnegie came to fame by an inland crossing of Western Australia from south to north. Planning to establish the nature of the country between the 1874 route of (Sir) John Forrest and the 1872-73 route of Warburton, he was concerned particularly with gold and the possibility of a direct stockroute between the Kimberley district and Coolgardie. His four companions were Joseph Breaden of Central Australia and his Aboriginal servant Warri, Godfrey Massie of Sydney and Charles Stansmore of Perth. Eight pack-camels carried five months provisions and the necessary equipment; there was only one riding camel.They started from Coolgardie on 9 July 1896 and intersected Forrest’s route at Mount Worsnop 280 miles (451 km) away. At one point, after nearly a fortnight without finding water, Carnegie began to capture Aboriginals, and deprive them of water if necessary or even feed them salt beef as an inducement to reveal secret water supplies; he was subsequently criticized severely. From Mount Worsnop, Carnegie struck north into the Gibson Desert; they crossed 370 miles (595 km) of this country and on 16 September entered the Great Sandy Desert. For nearly a month the course led across a succession of regular spinifex-clad sand ridges fifty to sixty feet (15-18 m) high. Sandstone tablelands on 16 November led to better country but three camels died of poison plant and on 30 November Stansmore accidentally shot himself dead. The expedition reached Halls Creek on 4 December.The return trip began on 22 March 1897 and took them east of the outward course; they reached Coolgardie early in August after travelling 3000 miles (4828 km) in thirteen months. Though his results were disappointing, Carnegie was a thoroughly professional explorer. An experienced bushman said of him that ‘no explorer since 1862 has covered so much difficult and unknown territory in the time, or accomplished his task with so little loss or with such efficiency’.Returning to England late in 1897, Carnegie was awarded the Gill medal of the Royal Geographical Society and published his Spinifex and Sand in 1898.Reprint. pp.265 Illustrated Prev ownership #0217