Spinifex and Sand

David W. Carnegie

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Format: paperback
270 pages
ISBN: 9781920897796

Publication: 10 Mar 2005
Series: SUP Classics
Publisher: Sydney University Press

Spinifex and Sand is Carnegie's celebrated journal of exploration following several years' expeditions through the most inhospitable regions of the continent. David W. Carnegie (1871-1900), was the son of the Earl of Suffolk, and trained as an engineer. He travelled to Coolgardie when gold was discovered in Western Australia in 1892. He subsequently prospected and explored large areas of desert Western Australia.

David Wynford Carnegie (1871-1900) was an explorer who was awarded the Gill Medal of the Royal Geographical Society, publishing Spinifex and Sand in 1898.

Introduction

Part 1: early days in Coolgardie
1. Early days in the colony
2. ‘Hard up’
3. A miner on Bayley’s

Part 2: first prospecting expedition
1. The rush to Kurnalpi – we reach Queen Victoria Spring
2. The unknown country
3. From Mount Shenton to Mount Margaret

Part 3: second prospecting expedition
1. The joys of portable condensers
2. Granite rocks, ‘namma-holes,’ and ‘soaks’
3. A fresh start
4. A camel fight
5. Gold at Lake Darlôt
6. Alone in the bush
7. Sale of mine

Part 4: mining
1. Quartz reefing and dry-blowing

Part 5: the outward journey
1. Previous explorers in the interior of Western Australia
2. Members and equipment of expedition
3. The journey begins
4. We enter the desert
5. Water at last
6. Woodhouse Lagoon
7. The great undulating desert of gravel
8. A desert tribe
9. Dr Leichhardt’s lost expedition
10. The desert of parallel sand-ridges
11. From Family Well to Helena Spring
12. Helena Spring
13. From Helena Spring to the Southesk Tablelands
14. Death of Stansmore
15. Wells Exploring Expedition
16. Kimberley
17. Aboriginals at Hall’s Creek
18. Preparations for the return journey
Appendix to part 5: some native weapons and ceremonial implements

Part 6: the journey home
1. Return journey begins
2. Sturt Creek and ‘Gregory’s Salt Sea’
3. Our camp on the ‘Salt Sea’
4. Desert once more
5. Stansmore Range to Lake Macdonald
6. Lake Macdonald to the deep rock-holes
7. The last of the ridges of drift sand
8. Woodhouse Lagoon revisited
9. Across Lake Wells to Lake Darlôt
10. The end of the expedition

Appendix