Transcript of the field journal of Captain Charles Sturt, 10 August 1844-12 January 1846

MLMSS 8578/Box 1X

fonds

10 August 1844-12 January 1846

981208

0.16 metres of textual material (1 outsize box) - typescript

Charles Sturt (1795-1869), explorer, soldier and public servant, was born in India. On 7 April 1823 he was gazetted lieutenant and promoted captain on 15 December 1825. In December 1826 he embarked with a detachment of his regiment in the Mariner in charge of convicts for New South Wales and arrived at Sydney on 23 May 1827.
Soon after his arrival Sturt was appointed military secretary to the governor and major of brigade to the garrison. Sturt was deeply interested in exploration and longed for the honour of discovering the mythical inland sea in central Australia. On 10 August 1844, Sturt left Adelaide with 15 men, 6 drays, a boat and 200 sheep. By 27 January 1845 the party was trapped in inhospitable country; men and equipment suffered terribly from the heat and Sturt’s second-in-command, James Poole, died of scurvy. Sturt returned to Adelaide on 19 January 1846 ahead of his party, which followed a few days later.


Reference:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sturt-charles-2712 (accessed 22 June 2012)

Contains 426 typed pages transcribed from Sturt's field journal, 1844-1846, and includes handwritten annotations and corrections. Typed footnotes for select pages appear on separate sheets of yellow paper.

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales