Sea mouth of the Murray |
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| Title : | Sea mouth of the Murray |
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| Creator : | Angas, George French, 1822-1886 | ||
| Source : | South Australia illustrated, plate 43 | ||
| Place Of Creation : | London | ||
| Publisher : | Thomas M'Lean | ||
| Date of creation : | 1847 | ||
| Format : | Book | ||
| Catalogue record | |||
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| Description : |
Charles Sturt reached the mouth of the Murray on 12 February 1830 after the long journey by whaleboat down the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers. He completed the last few miles on foot as mud flats prevented the passage of the boat. A few days previously as the Murray flowed into Lake Alexandrina Sturt had written '... I immediately foresaw that, in all probability, we should be disappointed in finding any practicable communication between the the lake and the ocean, as it was evident that the former was not much influenced by tides.' When Sturt walked over the last sand-hill to reach the Murray Mouth some days later he saw the channel to the sea was only a quarter of a mile wide, but the water deep and the current was strong. However 'the mouth of the channel is defended by a double line of breakers, amidst which, it would be dangerous to venture... thus were our fears of the impracticability and inutility of the channel of communication between the lake and the ocean confirmed.' George French Angas, the artist painted the mouth of the River Murray in January1844 and in his published views South Australia illustrated wrote 'looking towards the ocean, one continuous wall of foam shuts out the horizon, the surf rollers meeting the current of the river with impetuous force. Around is a wilderness of sand, and as the repeated lines of rollers rise and break upon the shore with a hollow moaning noise ...' Later he summarised the general opinion of the time 'it is generally considered that the entrance to the Murray from the sea is impracticable, it being impossible for a vessel to make a passage against the united force of the current, and the immense sweep of rollers,... '. |
| Subjects | |
| Related names : | Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869 Angas, George French, 1822-1886 |
| Coverage year : | 1830 |
| Region : | Riverland and Murraylands |
| Further reading : | Sturt, Charles, Two expeditions into the interior of southern Australia, during the years 1828, 1829, 1830, and 1831 .... North Adelaide: Corkwood Press, 1999 Cumpston, J. H. L. Charles Sturt: his life and journeys of exploration Melbourne: Georgian House, 1951 Langley, Michael, Sturt of the Murray: father of Australian exploration London, Hale, 1969 Sturt centenary 1829-1929: souvenir of the discovery and exploration of the River Murray , [Adelaide: Dept. Lands and Survey], 1929 (Adelaide: Harrison Weir, Government Printer) Tregenza, John, George French Angas, artist, traveller and naturalist, 1822-1886 Adelaide: Art Gallery Board of South Australia, 1980 |
| Internet links : | |
| Exhibitions and events : | State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. Taking it to the edge August 2004- Treasures of the State LIbrary of South Australia: George French Angas |
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