View a "virtual book" version.

Alfred Giles records that John Ross, William Harvey and William Hearne climbed Central Mount Stuart to locate Stuart's cairn. Ross removed the small bottle with its message that John McDouall Stuart had buried there and indicated he would give it to Charles Todd in Adelaide. Giles writes that Ross had found the bottle wrapped in waterproof cloth and additionally wrapped in a copy of a newspaper dated 7 January 1861. This date must be incorrect as Stuart left Chambers Creek 2 March 1860 and reached the centre of the continent 22 April 1860. The newspaper is therefore likely to have been dated 7 January 1860. Ross did eventually give the relic of Stuart's expedition to Charles Todd, who subsequently presented it to the State Library of South Australia.

John Ross and his exploration party continued their survey work for the Overland Telegraph Line(OTL), dealing with floods and dry spells, short rations and lack of water. When the party's work was done Giles transferred to a work party under RC Patterson on the route to Newcastle Waters. He would be working with, among others Stephen King who had served with Stuart on his last expedition in 1861-62. His adventures on this section of the OTL would be just as eventful, although he had exchanged the central desert regions for the tropics and heavy rains and clouds of mosquitoes. The Overland Telegraph Line was completed 22 August 1872 when the sections were finally joined at Frew's Ponds in the Northern Territory.

Giles, Alfred, 1847?-1931

Ross, John, 1817-1903

Stuart, John McDouall, 1815-1866

Webster, M. S. John McDouall Stuart [Carlton]: Melbourne University Press, 1958

Taylor, Peter, An end to silence: the building of the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin Sydney: Methuen Australia, 1980

Giles, Alfred, Exploring in the 'seventies and the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line Adelaide: Friends of the State Library of South Australia, 1995

Mills, Elliott Whitfield W. Whitfield Mills: experiences with Darwin survey & overland telegraph parties and discovery of Alice Spring, from SA to WA by camel Adelaide: E.W. Mills, 1993

Symes, G. W. Exploring in the MacDonnell Ranges, 1870-72 Adelaide : Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, S.A.Branch, Historical Division, 1960

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. Taking it to the edge August 2004-