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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5334.txt b/5334.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff21b3a --- /dev/null +++ b/5334.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9330 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Two Expeditions into the +Interior of New South Wales, by John Oxley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales + +Author: John Oxley + +Posting Date: June 4, 2012 [EBook #5334] +Release Date: March, 2004 +First Posted: July, 2, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat + + + + + + + + + + +JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES, +BY ORDER OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN THE YEARS 1817-18. +BY JOHN OXLEY, +SURVEYOR GENERAL OF THE TERRITORY AND LIEUTENANT OF THE ROYAL NAVY. +WITH MAPS AND VIEWS OF THE INTERIOR, OR NEWLY DISCOVERED COUNTRY. + + + +Production notes: +* 12 items of errata listed in the book have been corrected in this eBook. +* Illustrations, Maps and Charts have not been included in this eBook. +* Notes included within the text have been included in square + brackets [] in the text at the point referenced. +* Italics have been converted to upper case. + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PART I + +LIST OF PLATES +LIST OF CHARTS +INRODUCTION +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA PART I. + +PART II + +PREFACE +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA PART II. +APPENDIX PART I. +No. I. Instructions for conducting and leading first expedition. +No. II Report of tour over Blue Mountains in 1815 by the Governor. +No. III Letter from Oxley to Governor advising of his return from first + expedition. +APPENDIX PART II. +No. IV Diary of Mr. Evans, from 8th to 18th of July, 1818. +No. V. Governor's report on the return of Oxley from the second + expedition, together with a letter from Oxley on his arrival + at Port Stephens.. +No. VI. Governor's report on Oxley's discovery of Port Stephens together + with a letter from Oxley to the Governor on this subject. +A brief abstract of the population of N.S.W in 1815, 1816 and 1817. +A statement of land in cultivation, quantities of stock, etc. from + 1813 to 1817 inclusive. + + + + +LIST OF PLATES (NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EBOOK). + +Field Plains from Mount Aymot. +The Grave of a Native of Australia. +Arbuthnot's Range, from the West. +Liverpool Plains. West Prospect from View Hill. +Bathurst's Falls. +A Native Chief of Bathurst. + + +LIST OF CHARTS (NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EBOOK). + +Range of the Thermometer from April 9th to August 30th 1817 by John +Oxley. +A Chart of Part of the Interior of New South Wales, 1817. + First Expedition. +A Chart of Part of the Interior of New South Wales, 1818. + Second Expedition. +Reduced Sketch of the Two Expeditions. +A Plan of Port Macquarie Including a Sketch of Part of Hastings River, + on the East Coast of New South Wales. +A General Statement of the Inhabitants of New South Wales as per General + Muster commencing 28th September 1818, with an account of same + at Van Diemmens Land. +A General Statement of the Land in Cultivation etc., the quantities + of Stock etc., as accounted for at the General Muster, with an + account of same at Van Diemmens Land.. + + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA +Part I. + + +TO HIS EXCELLENCY LACHLAN MACQUARIE, ESQ. +MAJOR GENERAL IN THE ARMY, +AND CAPTAIN GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEF IN AND OVER THE TERRITORY +OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND ITS DEPENDENCIES, +THE FOLLOWING JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION, +PERFORMED UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION AND DIRECTION, +IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS VERY OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, +JOHN OXLEY. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The colony had been established many years before any successful attempt +had been made to penetrate into the interior of the country, by crossing +the range of hills, known to the colonists as the Blue Mountains: these +mountains were considered as the boundary of the settlements westward, +the country beyond them being deemed inaccessible. + +The year 1813 proving extremely dry, the grass was nearly all destroyed, +and the water failed; the horned cattle suffered severely from this +drought, and died in great numbers. It was at this period that three +gentlemen, Lieutenant Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, Messrs. +Blaxland, and William Wentworth, determined upon attempting a passage +across these mountains, in hopes of finding a country which would afford +support to their herds during this trying season. + +They crossed the Nepean River at Emu Plains, and ascending the first +range of mountains, were entangled among gullies and deep ravines for a +considerable time, insomuch that they began to despair of ultimate +success. At length they were fortunate enough to find a main dividing +range, along the ridge of which they travelled, observing that it led +them westward. After suffering many hardships, their distinguished +perseverance was at length rewarded by the view of a country, which at +first sight promised them all they could wish. + +Into this Land of Promise they descended by a steep mountain, which +Governor Macquarie has since named Mount York [Note: This mountain was +found to be 795 feet in perpendicular height above the vale of Clwydd.]. +The valley [Note: Named by Governor Macquarie the Vale of Clwydd.] to +which it gave them access was covered with grass, and well watered by a +small stream running easterly, and which was subsequently found to fall +into the Nepean River. From Mount York they proceeded westerly eight or +ten miles, passing during the latter part of the way through an open +country, but broken into steep hills. Seeing that the stream before +mentioned as watering the valley ran easterly, it was evident they had +not yet crossed the ranges which it was supposed would give source to +waters falling westerly; they had however proceeded sufficiently far for +their purpose, and ascertained that no serious obstacles existed to a +farther progress westward. + +Their provisions being nearly expended, they returned to Sydney, after +an absence of little more than a month; and the report of their +discoveries opened new prospects to the colonists, who had began to fear +that their narrow and confined limits would not long afford pasture and +subsistence for their greatly increasing flocks and herds. + +His Excellency Governor Macquarie, with that promptitude which +distinguishes his character, resolved not to let slip so favourable an +opportunity of obtaining a farther knowledge of the interior. Mr. Evans, +the deputy surveyor, was directed to proceed With a party, and follow up +the discoveries already made. He crossed the Nepean River on the 20th of +November, 1813, and on the 26th arrived at the termination of Messrs. +Lawson, Blaxland, and Wentworth's journey. Proceeding westward, he +crossed a mountainous [Note: Since named Clarence Hilly Range.] broken +country, the grass of which was good, and the valleys well-watered, until +the 30th, when he came to a small stream, running westerly; this stream, +called by him the Fish River, he continued to trace until the 7th of +December, passing through a very fine country, adapted to every purpose +either of agriculture or grazing; when he met another stream coming from +the southward: this latter stream he named Campbell River, and when +joined with the Fish River, the united streams received the name of the +Macquarie River, in honour of his excellency the present governor of +New South Wales. + +Mr. Evans continued to trace the Macquarie River until December the +18th, passing over rich tracts clear of timber, well-watered, and +offering every advantage which a country in its natural state can be +supposed to afford. During this excursion, Mr. Evans fell in with +abundance of kangaroos and emus, and the river abounded with fine +fish: he saw only six natives during the whole time of his absence, +viz. two women and four children, although on his return he observed many +fires in the neighbourhood of the mountains. On the 8th of January, 1814, +he returned to Emu Plains, having gone in the whole near one hundred +miles +in a direct line due west from the Nepean River. + +From the report of Mr. Evans, Governor Macquarie was induced to believe +that a road might be opened for the whole distance already surveyed, and +was most anxious that the colony should reap as soon as possible the +advantages, which the discovery of such extensive and fertile tracts +seemed to open. + +The ample means afforded for this purpose enabled Mr. Cox, to whose +superintendence this work was entrusted, to complete a road passable for +loaded carriages early in 1815. This road extended in length upwards of +one hundred miles, the first fifty of which passed along a narrow ridge +of the Blue Mountains, bounded on each side by deep ravines, and +precipitous rocks. The road which was cut down Mount York was a work of +considerable labour and magnitude, and reflected the highest credit +upon all employed in it. This important task being finished, the +governor resolved in person to visit a country of which so much had been +said, and to judge from actual observation how far the sanguine hopes +which had been entertained were likely to be realized; his excellency +therefore, accompanied by Mrs. Macquarie and his suite, set out from Emu +Plains on the 26th of April, 1815, and arrived on the 4th of May at a +small encampment (the site of which had been previously selected), on +Bathurst Plains, near the termination of Mr. Evans's journey. Governor +Macquarie having been pleased to publish for the information of the +colonists such observations on the country as he deemed necessary, I +shall not presume to add any thing to an account, which so clearly and +accurately describes all that could be interesting or beneficial to the +colonist and general inquirer. + +I have therefore inserted in the Appendix the account published by the +Governor in the Sydney Gazette, of the 10th of June, 1815, as affording +the best and most authentic information on the subject. During the +Governor's stay at Bathurst, he despatched Mr. Evans, and a party with a +month's provisions, to explore the country to the south-west, and it is +the result of that journey which led to the expedition, the direction of +which was entrusted to my command. + +The means which his excellency placed at my disposal were well +calculated to attain the object in view, and it is a matter of the most +sincere regret, that the nature and description of the country which we +passed through was for the most part such as to afford few interesting +objects of research or remark. + +The botanical productions of the country have however in a great measure +been ascertained by Mr. Allan Cunningham, the King's botanist, who +accompanied the expedition. + +With respect to the construction of the chart prefixed to this Journal, +it is thought proper to observe, that the situation of the principal +stations of Bathurst, and the depot on the Lachlan River, were +ascertained by celestial observations, and connected by a series of +triangles, commencing at the latter point, and closing at Bathurst. New +base lines were frequently measured, and any unavoidable errors which +might arise from the nature of the country were corrected at every proper +opportunity by observed latitudes; so that on the return of the +expedition to Bathurst, I had the satisfaction to find the connection of +the angles complete, the error in the whole survey not exceeding a mile +of longitude. + +The instruments chiefly used were a small theodolite by Ramsden, and +Kater's pocket compass [Note: A most valuable instrument, combining all +the advantages of the circumferentor, without being so liable to be +damaged and put out of order by carriage.], with the addition of an +excellent sextant, pocket chronometer, and artificial horizon. I have +to lament that our mountain barometers were broken at an early stage +of the expedition; the height however of some principal points had been +previously obtained, and is marked on the chart; these in two instances +were verified by geometrical measurement, and the difference was found +to be too trilling to be noticed. The conveyance of such delicate +instruments is always attended with great risk, and in our case +peculiarly so, our means being only those of horseback. I am afraid +that a method of constructing those instruments, so as to place them +beyond the reach of injury by carriage, will always remain among the +desiderata of science. I have given to our thermometrical observations +the form of a chart, as affording the readiest view of the atmospherical +changes which took place during our journey. The winds and weather are +also more particularly noticed on the same sheet than in the narrative. + +It may perhaps be not superfluous to mention, that it is the intention +of His Majesty's Government to follow the course of the Macquarie River, +and it is sanguinely expected that the result of the contemplated +expedition will be such as to leave no longer in doubt the true +character of the country comprising the interior of this vast island. It +would be as presumptuous as useless to speculate on the probable +termination of the Macquarie River, when a few months will (it is to be +hoped) decide the long disputed point, whether Australia, with a surface +nearly as extensive as Europe, is, from its geological formation, +destitute of rivers, either terminating in interior seas, or having +their estuaries on the coast. + +J. O. +Sydney, New South Wales, +Dec. 11, 1817. + + +ERRATA: 12 items of errata, listed in the book at this point, +have been corrected in this eBook. + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA--Part I + + + +On the twenty-fourth of March I received the instructions of his +excellency the Governor to take charge of the expedition which had been +fitted out for the purpose of ascertaining the course of the Lachlan +River, and generally to prosecute the examination of the western +interior of New South Wales. + +On the sixth of April I quitted Sydney, and after a pleasant journey +arrived at Bathurst on the fourteenth, and found that our provisions +and other necessary stores were in readiness at the depot on the +Lachlan River. We were detained at Bathurst by rainy unfavourable +weather until the nineteenth, when the morning proving fine, the BAT +horses, with the remainder of the provisions, baggage, and instruments, +were sent off, we intending to follow them the ensuing morning. + +Bathurst had assumed a very different appearance since I first visited +it in the suite of his excellency the Governor in 1815. The industrious +hand of man had been busy in improving the beautiful works of nature; a +good substantial house for the superintendant had been erected, the +government grounds fenced in, and the stack yards showed that the +abundant produce of the last harvest had amply repaid the labour +bestowed on its culture. The fine healthy appearance of the flocks and +herds was a convincing proof how admirably adapted these extensive downs +and thinly wooded hills are for grazing, more particularly of sheep. The +mind dwelt with pleasure on the idea that at no very distant period +these secluded plains would be covered with flocks bearing the richest +fleeces, and contribute in no small degree to the prosperity of the +eastern settlements. + +The soil, in the immediate neighbourhood of Bathurst, is for the first +six inches of a light, black, vegetable mould, lying on a stratum of +sand, about eighteen inches deep, but of a poor description, and mixed +with small stones, under which is a strong clay. The surface of the +hills is covered with small gravel, the soil light and sandy, with a +sub-soil of clay. The low flats on the immediate borders of the river +are evidently formed by washings from the hills and valleys deposited by +floods, and the overflowings of the watercourses. + +Sunday, April 20.--Proceeded on our journey towards the Lachlan River. +At two o'clock we arrived at the head of Queen Charlotte's Valley, +passing through a fine open grazing country; the soil on the hills and +in the vale a light clayey loam, occasionally intermixed with sand and +gravel: the late rains had rendered the ground soft and boggy. The trees +were small and stunted, and thinly scattered over the hills, which +frequently closed in stony points on the valley. The rocks a coarse +granite. + +Monday, April 21.--Our journey for the greater part of the way lay over +stony ridges, and for the last six miles over a country much wooded with +ill-grown gum and stringy bark trees (all of the eucalyptus genus); the +grass good, and in tolerable plenty, and much more so than the +appearance of the soil would seem to promise. At three o'clock, the +horses being very much fatigued, we stopped under the point of a rocky +hill for the evening. + +April 22.--A clear and frosty morning. Last night was the coldest we had +yet experienced, the thermometer being at six o'clock as low as 26. We +felt the cold most severely, being far beyond what we had been +accustomed to on the coast; the difference of temperature in twelve +hours being upwards of twenty degrees of cold. Our route lay through a +dull uninteresting country, thickly covered with dwarf timber, daviesia, +etc. Passed under Mount Lachlan, a hill of very considerable height; a +stream of water runs north-westerly under its base. Turned off a little +from our track to the right, and ascended Mount Molle, whence there is a +beautiful and extensive prospect from the south by the west to the +north. The country (except the dividing range between the Lachlan and +Macquarie Rivers, which is very lofty and irregular) rising into gentle +hills, thinly timbered, with rich intervening valleys, through which +flow small streams of water. I think from Mount Molle, between the +points above mentioned, a distance of forty miles round may he seen; the +view to the west being lost in the blue haze of the horizon, no hills +appearing in that quarter. The Mount itself is a fine rich hill, +favourably situated for a commanding prospect; the valleys which +surround it are excellent land, well watered with running streams. We +descended its west side, and stopped for the night in the valley +beneath, on the banks of a small rivulet. + +April 23.--A fine clear morning. At two o'clock we arrived at Limestone +Creek, passing through a beautiful picturesque country of low hills and +fine valleys well watered: the timber, as usual of diminutive growth, +and unfit for any useful purpose. The ridges of the higher eminences +were invariably stony, and about a mile and a half from the Creek, there +is a narrow slip of barren country covered with small slate stones: the +soil until then was on the sides of the hills of a fine vegetable mould, +the more level and lower grounds a hazel-coloured stiff loam, both +equally +covered with grass, particularly the anthistria. The timber standing +at wide intervals, without any brush or undergrowth, gave the country a +fine park-like appearance. I never saw a country better adapted for the +grazing of all kinds of stock than that we passed over this day. The +limestone, which is the first that has hitherto been discovered in +Australia, abounds in the valley where we halted; the sides and abrupt +projections of the hills being composed entirely of it, and worn by the +operation of time into a thousand whimsical shapes and forms. A small +stream runs through the valley, which in June 1815 was dry; the bottom +of this rivulet was covered with a variety of stones, but the bases of +the hills which projected into it, and from which the earth had been +washed, were of pure limestone of a bluish grey colour. + +April 24.--A fine mild morning. A small piece of limestone which had +been put in the fire last night was found perfectly calcined into the +purest white lime. At eight o'clock proceeded on our journey, through a +very uninteresting but good grazing country: nature here seemed to have +assumed her tamest and most unvarying hue. The soil of the country we +passed through was generally excellent, but the timber was still as +useless as we had hitherto found it. We arrived about one o'clock at a +small pond of water, where it was necessary to stop, as there was no +other water nearer than the Lachlan River, which was distant about +fourteen miles. + +April 25.--Our course for the first seven or eight miles was through a +level open country, the soil and grass indifferently good. We now +ascended a hill a little to the left of the road, for the purpose of +viewing the country through which the river ran: it appeared a perfect +plain encompassed by moderately high hills, except in the south-east +and west quarters, these being apparently the points whence and to which +the river flows. The whole country a forest of eucalypti, with +occasionally on the banks of the river a space clear of timber: there +was nothing either grand or interesting in the view from this hill, +neither did I see in any direction such high land as might be expected +to give source to a river of magnitude. When we quitted the hill, we +went west, to make the Lachlan River, passing for nearly six miles over +a perfect level, the land poor, and in places scrubby. At two o'clock +saw the river, which certainly did not disappoint me: it was evidently +much higher than usual, running a strong stream; the banks very steep, +but not so as to render the water inaccessible: the land on each side +quite flat, and thinly clothed with small trees; the soil a rich light +loam: higher points occasionally projected on the river, and on those +the soil was by no means so good. The largest trees were growing +immediately at the water's edge on both sides, and from their position +formed an arch over the river, obscuring it from observation, although +it was from thirty to forty yards across. At four o'clock we arrived at +the depot. + +We had scarcely alighted from our horses, when natives were seen in +considerable numbers on the other side of the river. I went down +opposite to them, and after some little persuasion about twenty of them +swam across, having their galengar or stone hatchet in one hand, which +on their landing they threw at our feet, to show us that they were as +much divested of arms as ourselves. After staying a short time they were +presented with some kangaroo flesh, with which they re-crossed the +river, and kindled their fires. They were very stout and manly, well +featured, with long beards: there were a few cloaks among them made of +the opossum skin, and it was evident that some of the party had been at +Bathurst, from their making use of several English words, and from their +readily comprehending many of our questions. + +April 26.--Fine clear warm weather. The natives were still on the +opposite bank, and five of them came over to us in the course of the +morning; but remained a very short time. During the last night a few +fine shrimps were caught; the soldiers stationed at the depot said they +had frequently taken them in considerable numbers. During the day +arranged the loads for the boats and horses, that they might be enabled +to set off early the next morning. + +April 27.--Loaded the boats with as much of the salt provisions as they +could safely carry, and despatched them to wait at the first creek about +seven or eight miles down the river until the loaded horses came, and +then to assist in taking their loads over the creek; intending myself to +follow with the remainder of the baggage early to-morrow morning. + +The observations which were made here placed the depot in lat. 33. 40. +S., +and in long. 148. 21. E., the variation of the needle being 7. 47. E. +The barometrical observations, which had been regularly taken from Sydney +to this place, did not give us an elevation of more than six hundred feet +above the level of the sea; a circumstance which, considering our +distance +from the west coast, surprised me much. + +The few words of which we were enabled to obtain the meaning from the +natives who occasionally visited its, being different from those used by +the natives on the east coast, it way perhaps be interesting to insert +them. + +AUSTRALIAN. ENGLISH. + +Nh-air, The eyebrows. +Whada, The ears. +Ulan-gar,) The head. +Nat-tang,) +Anany, The beard. +Morro, The nose. +Er-ra, The teeth. +Mill-a, The eyes. +Narra, The fingers. +Bulla-yega, The hair of the head. +Chu-ang, The mouth. +0-ro, The neck. +Bargar, The arms. +Ben-ing, The breast. +Bur-bing, The belly. +Mille-aar, The loins. +Dha-na, The thighs. +Wolm-ga, The knees. +Dhee-nany, The feet. +Dhu-a, The back. +Mor-aya, Bones worn in the cartilage of the nose. +Mada, Skins, with which they are clothed. +Wamb-aur, Scars, raised for ornament, or distinction, + on their bodies. +Gum-iil, Girdles worn round the body. +Un-elenar, One night. +Gow, Woman. +Mar-o-gu-la, Another tribe. +Mem-aa, A native man. +Wam-aa, A kind of hornet's-nest, which they eat. +Warenur, Fire. +Curr-eli, Timber, or trees. +Galu-nur, Thistles, the roots of which they eat. +Gulura, The moon. +Yandu, Sleep. +Galen-gar,) +Ori-al, ) Stone hatchets. +Ta-wi-uth,) + +The above were all the words the meaning of which we could clearly +comprehend: the words used by the natives on the coast to express the +same objects have not the remotest resemblance to the above. + +April 28.--Fine clear mild weather. Proceeded with the remainder of the +baggage to join the boats down the river; arrived at Lewis's Creek, +which, although nearly dry when crossed by Mr. Evans in 1815, is now a +considerable stream. The distance from the depot is about nine miles; +the country on both banks of the river low but good: the upper levels +would afford excellent grazing, but the soil is of inferior quality: the +points of the low hills end alternately on each side the river. The land +up both banks of Lewis's Creek is very rich, and covered with herbage. +The boats had come safely down the river, although the large boat +grounded +once; the river appears to me to be from three to five feet above its +usual level. + +Several specimens of crystallized quartz were found on the adjoining +hills, also some small pieces of good iron ore. + +April 29.--Proceeded on our journey down the river, directing the boats +to stop at the creek which terminated Mr. Evans's former journey. The +country through which we passed this day in every respect resembles the +tracts we have already gone over. The crowns and ridges of the hills are +uniformly stony and barren, ending as before alternately on each side of +the river; the greater proportion of good flat land lies on the south +side of the river; there are however very rich and fertile tracts on +this side. After riding about eight miles, we ascended a considerable +hill upon our right, from the top of which we could see to a considerable +distance; between the south-west and north-north-west, a very low level +tract lay west of us, and no hill whatever bounded the view in that +quarter. Three remarkable hummocks bore respectively S. 72. W., +S. 51 1/2 W. and S. 34 1/2 W., within which range of bearing the country +was uniformly level, or rising into such low hills, as not to be +distinguished from the general surface. The tops of distant ranges could +be discerned over low hills in the north-west, whilst, from north by the +east to south, the country was broken into hill and valley. The whole of +this extensive scene was covered with eucalypti, whilst on the rocky +summits of the hills in the immediate neighbourhood a species of +callitris was eminently distinguished. From this extensive view I named +the hill Mount Prospect. + +At five o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at the place where the +horses had been directed to wait for the boats, but they had not +arrived; the distance is at least doubled by following the immediate +course of the stream, but I had calculated that its rapidity would make +up for the distance, and enable the boats to keep pace with the horses. + +At six o'clock the boats arrived safe, the men having had a very +fatiguing row, and been obliged to clear the passage of fallen trees, +and other obstructions; so that we determined to give them some repose, +and halt here for the night. At half past eight o'clock proceeded down +the river, intending to stop at the termination of Mr. Evans's journey +in 1815, about five miles further, for the purpose of repairing the +small boat, which had sustained some slight damage in coming down the +river yesterday. I rode about three miles back into the country; the +callitris was here more frequent, though not of large growth; the soil +is not good. In returning to the river we came upon the creek which +terminated Mr. Evans's journey, down which we travelled until we came to +the river, about half a mile from which is a large shallow lagoon, full +of ducks, bustards, black swans and red-hills. At twelve o'clock the +horses arrived at the mouth of the creek, and the boats half an hour +afterwards. The banks of the creek were very steep, and it was three +o'clock before all the provisions were got over. The creek was named +Byrne's Creek, after one of the present party, who had accompanied Mr. +Evans in his former journey. + +May 1.--The creek fell upwards of a foot during the night, by which some +of the articles in the large boat received damage. Commenced the survey +of the river from this point. The flats on both sides the river were +very extensive, and in general good; the same timber and grass as usual; +the stream was from thirty to forty yards broad on an average. There was +not even a hillock on which to ascend during this day's route, so that +our view was bounded by less than a mile on each side of the river. +Traces of the natives were observed, but no natives were seen. The boats +were much impeded by fallen timber: it was half past two o'clock when +they arrived at the place where I intended to halt, although we had only +gone between nine and ten miles. + +The trees on the immediate banks of the river were very large and +ramified, but few of them were useful: another species of callitris was +seen to-day. + +May 2.--Our journey this day was very fatiguing, the grass being nearly +breast high, thick, and entangled. The soil is tolerably good within a +mile and a half of the banks: I rode five or six miles out, in hopes of +finding some eminence on which to ascend, but was disappointed, the +country continuing a dead level, with extensive swamps, and barren +brushes. The timber, dwarf box, and gum trees (all eucalypti), with a +few cypresses and casuarinas, scattered here and there: few traces of +the natives were seen, and none recent. Upon the swamps were numerous +swans and other wild fowl. In the evening we caught nearly a hundred +weight of fine fish. + +May 3.--Proceeded down the river. We passed over a very barren desolate +country, perfectly level, without even the slightest eminence, covered +with dwarf box-trees and scrubby bushes; towards the latter part of the +day a few small cypresses were seen. I think the other side of the river +is much the same. We have hitherto met with no water except at the +river, and a few shallow lagoons, which are evidently dry in summer. I +do not know how far this level extends north and south, but I cannot +estimate it at less than from ten to twelve miles on each side; but this +is mere conjecture, since for the last three days I have been unable to +see beyond a mile: I have, however, occasionally made excursions of +five or six miles, and never perceived any difference in the elevation +of the country. To-day the course of the river has been a little south +of west: its windings are very frequent and sudden, fully accounting for +the apparent heights of the floods, of which marks were observed about +thirty-six feet above the level of the stream. At six o'clock the boats +had not arrived; and as I had given directions on no account to attempt +to proceed after dark, I ceased to expect them this evening. + +May 4.--As soon as it was light I sent two men up the river to search +for the boat: at nine o'clock one of them returned, having found it +about four miles back. It appeared that the large boat had got stoved +against a tree under water, and that the people were obliged to unload +and haul her on shore to undergo some repairs, which they had effected; +but the rain prevented them from paying her bottom. They expected to be +able to proceed in an hour or two, as the weather had begun to clear up. +It was fortunate that no damage had befallen any part of the boat's +lading. At twelve proceeded about three quarters of a mile down the +river, and from a small eminence half a mile north of it, an extensive +tract of clear country was seen, bearing N. 50. W., about two or three +miles from us, having a low range of hills bounding them in the +direction of S. 65. W. and N. 65. E. The river wound immediately under +the hill, taking a westerly direction as far as I went, which was about +three miles; its windings were very sudden, and its width and depth much +the same as before. The country, as far as I could see, was precisely +similar to that already passed over: the hills were slaty and barren, +with a few small cypresses: in fact, I have seen them grow on no other +spots so frequently as on those stony hills. The boats arrived about two +o'clock. + +May 5.--Proceeded down the river, ascended the eminence mentioned +yesterday, and from the top of a cypress tree a very distant view of the +whole country was obtained: the opening through which the river +apparently runs bore S. 75 1/2 W.; the country to the south and +south-west extremely low. A range of hills, lying nearly east and west, +bounded the level tract on the other side of the river; these hills and +two or three detached hammocks excepted, there was nothing to break the +uniformity of the scene. + +The country was in general poor, with partial tracts of better ground; +the hills were slaty, and covered as well as the levels with small +eucalypti, cypresses, and casuarinas. About a mile from this place we +fell in with a small tribe of natives, consisting of eight men; their +women we did not see. They did not appear any way alarmed at the sight +of us, but came boldly up: they were covered with cloaks made of opossum +skins; their faces daubed with a red and yellow pigment, with neatly +worked nets bound round their hair: the front tooth in the upper row was +wanting in them all: they were unarmed, having nothing with them but +their stone hatchets. It appeared from their conduct that they had +either seen or heard of white people before, and were anxious to depart, +accompanying the motion of going with a wave of their hand. + +About three miles from our last night's halting-place we had to cross a +small creek, the banks of which were so steep that we were obliged to +unload the horses. I rode up the creek about three quarters of a mile, +and came upon those extensive plains before-mentioned; the soil of this +level appears a good loamy clay, but in some places very wet: it was far +too extensive to permit us to traverse much of it; we saw sufficient to +judge that the whole surface was similar to that we examined; it was +covered with a great variety of new plants, and its margin encircled by +a new species of acacia, which received the specific name of PENDULA, +from its resembling in habit the weeping willow. Low hills to the north +bounded this plain, whilst a slip of barren land, covered with small +trees and shrubs, lay between it and the river. + +It appeared to me that the whole of these flats are occasionally +overflowed by the river, the water of which is forced up the creek +before-mentioned, and which again acts as a drain on the fall of the +water. + +At four o'clock we halted for the evening, after a fatiguing day's +journey; the boats were obliged to cut their passage three or four +times, and the whole navigation was difficult and dangerous: the current +ran with much rapidity, and the channel seemed rather to contract than +widen. We were obliged to stop on a very barren desolate spot, with +little grass for the horses; but further on the country appeared even +worse. The south bank of the river (as far as I could judge) is +precisely similar to that which we are travelling down. The clear levels +examined to-day were named the Solway Flats. Many fish were caught here, +one of which weighed upwards of thirty pounds. + +May 6.--Proceeded down the river. It is impossible to fancy a worse +country than the one we were now travelling over, intersected by swamps +and small lagoons in every direction; the soil a poor clay, and covered +with stunted useless timber. It was excessively fatiguing to the horses +which travelled along the banks of the river, as the rubus and +anthistiria +were so thickly intermingled, that they could scarcely force a passage. +After proceeding about eight miles, a bold rocky mount terminated on the +river, and broke the sameness which had so long wearied us: we ascended +this hill, which I named Mount Amyot, and from the summit had one of the +most extensive views that can be imagined. On the opposite side of the +river was another hill precisely similar to Mount Amyot, leaving a +passage between them for the river, and the immense tract of level +country to the eastward; this hill was named Mount Stuart. Vast plains +clear of timber lay on the south side of the river, and which, from our +having travelled on a level with them, it was impossible for us to +distinguish before. These plains I named Hamilton's Plains, and they +were bounded by hills of considerable elevation to the southward; whilst +the whole level country thus bounded was honoured with the designation +of Princess Charlotte's Crescent. + +To the west of Mount Amyot the view was equally extensive, being bounded +only by the horizon; some high detached hills, rising like islands from +the ocean, broke, in some measure, the sameness of the prospect. I +estimated that in the west north-west I could see at least forty miles, +and in the south south-west as far; the view in other points being +slightly interrupted by low ranges of hills, rising occasionally to +points of considerable elevation: none of those elevated spots was +nearer than twenty-five or thirty miles, and considerable spaces of +clear ground could, by the assistance of the telescope, be distinguished, +interspersed amidst the ocean of trees whence those hills arise: a long +broken mountain, bearing W. 32 1/2. N., was named Mount Melville; +one W. 24. N. Mount Cunningham; and another, bearing S. 70. W. Mount +Maude. Smoke, arising from the fires of the wandering inhabitants of +these +desolate regions was seen in several quarters. At four o'clock we stopped +for the evening, about three miles west of Mount Amyot. + +I have reason to believe that the whole of the tract named Princess +Charlotte's Crescent is at times drowned by the overflowing of the +river; the marks of flood were observed in every direction, and the +waters in the marshes and lagoons were all traced as being derived from +the +river. During a course of upwards of seventy miles not a single running +stream emptied itself into the river on either side; and I am forced to +conclude that in common seasons this whole tract is extremely badly +watered, and that it derives its principal if not only supply from the +river within the bounding ranges Of Princess Charlotte's Crescent. There +are doubtless many small eminences which might afford a retreat from the +inundations, but those which were observed by us were too trifling and +distant from each other to stand out distinct from the vast level +surface which the crescent presents to the view. The soil of the country +we passed over was a poor and cold clay; but there are many rich levels +which, could they be drained and defended from the inundations of the +river, would amply repay the cultivation. These flats are certainly not +adapted for cattle; the grass is too swampy, and the bushes, swamps, and +lagoons, are too thickly intermingled with the better portions to render +it either a safe or desirable grazing country. The timber is universally +bad and small; a few large misshapen gum trees on the immediate banks of +the river may be considered as exceptions. If however the country itself +is poor, the river is rich in the most excellent fish, procurable in the +utmost abundance. One man in less than an hour caught eighteen large +fish, +one of which was a curiosity from its immense size, and the beauty of its +colours. In shape and general form it most resembled a cod, but was +speckled over with brown, blue, and yellow spots, like a leopard's skin; +its gills and belly a clear white, the tail and fins a dark brown. It +weighed entire seventy pounds, and without the entrails sixty-six pounds: +it is somewhat singular that in none of these fish is any thing found +in the stomach, except occasionally a shrimp or two. The dimensions of +this fish were as follow: + + Feet. Inches. + +Length from the nose to the tail 3 5 +Circumference round the shoulders 2 6 +Fin to fin over the back 1 5 +Circumference near the anus 1 9 +Breadth of the tail 1 1 1/2 +Circumference of the mouth opened 1 6 +Depth of the swallow 1 foot. + +Most of the other fish taken this evening weighed from fifteen to thirty +pounds each, and were of the same kind as the above. + +May 7.--A fine clear frosty morning. The horses having been much +fatigued by the two last days' journey, I determined to halt to-day +instead of Saturday, as the grass was good, which is more than could be +said of it for some days past. Observed the latitude to be 33. 22. 59. S. + +May 8.--Proceeded down the river. Our general course was westerly, and +the country, though equally level with any we had passed, improved in +the quality of the soil, which, during the greater part of to-day's +route, was a good vegetable mould, the land thickly covered with small +acacia and dwarf trees. On the south side of the river it was apparently +the same; and the whole we passed over bore evident marks of being +subject to inundations. + +The banks of the river were, I think, much lower, not exceeding fifteen +or twenty feet high, and they were rather clearer of timber than before. +The casuarina, which used to line the banks, was now seldom seen, the +acacia pendula seeming to take its place. We stopped for the night on a +plain of good land, flooded, but clear of timber: large flocks of emus +were feeding on it, and we were fortunate enough to kill a very large +one after a fine chase. At three o'clock, the boats not having arrived, +I sent a man back to look for them; at eight he returned, having found +them about six miles up the river, unable to proceed until morning, +having met with continual interruptions from fallen trees. These +impediments in the navigation of the river obstruct our progress very +materially, and its windings continue so great and frequent, that the +distance travelled by land is nearly trebled by water. + +May 9.--The boats not having arrived at ten o'clock, Mr. Evans proceeded +with the BAT horses another stage down the river. Mr. Cunningham and I +waited to bring up the boats, which shortly afterwards came in sight. We +proceeded to join the horses, which we did about five o'clock, the boats +having gone in that time nearly thirty-six miles, although the distance +from the last station did not exceed seven in a direct line. + +The country we had passed through during this day's route was extremely +low, consisting of extensive plains divided by lines of small trees: +the banks of the river, and the deep bights formed by the irregularity +of its course, were covered with acacia bushes and dwarf trees. The +river, at the spot where we stopped, wound along the edge of an +extensive low plain, being at least six miles long and three or four +broad; these I called Field's Plains, after the judge of the supreme +court of this territory; they are the same which we saw from the top of +Mount Amyot. The soil of these plains is a light clayey loam, very wet +in many places; they were fringed round with that beautiful tree, the +acacia pendula, which here seems to perform the part of the willow in +Europe; the cypresses were also more frequent, and the banks of the +river much lower than even those we passed yesterday. I cannot help +thinking that the whole of this extensive region has been at some time +or other under water, and that the present river is the drain by which +the waters have been conveyed to lower grounds. It is evident that even +now the plains (on those parts clear of trees) are frequently under +water, and that at very high floods the wooded lands are so too, for it +is almost impossible to distinguish any difference in their elevation; +but the wooded lands, from being actually higher, seem to have given +time for the growth of the diminutive timber with which they are +covered, whereas the lower plains are too frequently covered to give +time for such growth. + +May 10.--The horses having strayed in the night, and it being nearly +noon before they were found, I determined to make this a halting day. + +These plains are much more extensive than I supposed yesterday, and many +new plants were found on them. The river rose upwards of a foot during +the night, and still continues to rise; a circumstance which appears +very singular to me, there having been no rains of any magnitude for the +last five weeks, and none at all for the last ten days. We are also +certain that no waters fall into it or join it easterly for nearly one +hundred and fifty miles. This rise must therefore be occasioned by heavy +rains in the mountains, whence the river derives its source; but it is +not the less singular, that during its whole course, as far as it is +hitherto known, it does not receive a single tributary stream. Observed +the latitude 33. 16. 33. S. + +May 11.--The river rose about four feet during the night, and still +continues to rise. Set forward on our journey down the river. About four +miles and a half from this morning's station. the river began to wash +the immediate edge of the plain, and so continued to do all along. My +astonishment was extreme at finding the banks of the river not more than +six feet from the water: it at once confirmed my supposition that the +whole of this extensive country is frequently inundated; the river was +here about thirty yards broad. Mount Cunningham was at this time distant +about two miles, and Mount Melville four miles; the plains winding +immediately under the base of each. At twelve o'clock ascended the south +end of Mount Cunningham, a small branch of the river running close under +it. From this elevation our view was very extensive in every direction, +particularly in the west quarter. The whole country in that direction +was so low, that it might not improperly be termed a swamp, the spaces +which were bare of trees being more constantly under water than those +where they grew. A remarkable peaked hill bearing W. 27 1/4. N. was +named Hurd's Peak [Note: After Captain Hurd, Hydrographer to the +Admiralty.], and a lofty hummock S. 83 1/2. W, Mount Meyrick: these were +the only elevations of any consequence in the western direction. To the +north, low ranges of rocky hills bounded the swamps, which on the south +had a similar boundary, except that occasionally a bolder rocky +projection would obtrude itself on the flat. + +On descending from the hill, we proceeded to the point where the +north-west arm is separated from the main branch, but apparently to join +it in water, bearing from Mount Cunningham W. 40. N.: on arriving there +we found the boats and horses. The crew of the former reported, that an +equally considerable branch of the river, with that down which they had +come, had turned off to the south-west, about two miles below the place +where we stopped last night. After directing the horses and baggage to +be got over the north-west arm, I returned to examine the branch passed +by the boats, and found it at least as considerable as that which we +were pursuing. I am in hopes that when again joined, the width and depth +of the river will be considerably increased. At half past four returned +to the tents on the north-west arm. The river (from whatever cause) was +still rising, and no part of the banks was more than four feet above +the level of the water. I consider that the river may have from eight to +ten feet more water in it than usual: its present average depth is about +eighteen feet. + +The soil of these extensive plains, designated Field's Plains, is for +the most part extremely rich, as indeed might be expected, from the +deposition of the quantities of vegetable matter that must take place in +periods of flood. The plains are in some places even lower than the +ground forming the immediate bank of the river, very soft, and difficult +for loaded horses to pass over. If we had been so unfortunate as to have +had a rainy season, it would have been utterly impossible to have come +thus far by land. The ranges of hills are unconnected, and are rocky and +barren; the swamps for the most part surrounding them. Mount Cunningham +is a lofty rocky hill, about a mile and a half long, composed of granite +rock, but entirely surrounded by low swampy ground. + +Here we were so unfortunate as to find the barometer broken, the horse +which carried the instruments having thrown his load in passing the +swamps: every precaution had been taken in the packing to prevent such +an accident, which was the more to be regretted, as it interrupted a +chain of observations by which I hoped to ascertain the height of the +country with tolerable accuracy. The last observations that were made, +reduced to this place, gave us an elevation of not more than five +hundred feet above the sea, or about a hundred feet lower than the +country at the depot. + +Since the river has been swollen, the fish have eluded us, none having +been caught since yesterday morning. Two black swans were however shot +on the river. Our present situation is by no means enviable: in the +first place, there is every chance that the river may be lost in a +multitude of branches, among those marshy flats, and farther navigation +thus rendered impossible; and in the second, a rise of four feet in the +river would sweep us all away, since we have not the smallest eminence +to retreat to. Should the river lead through to the westward, and be +afterwards joined by the branches we have passed, it may become +something more interesting and encouraging: a wet or even a partially +rainy season will, in my judgment, preclude us from returning by our +present route, more especially if these low countries continue for any +distance. + +I am by no means surprised at the paucity of natives that have been +seen: it would be quite impossible in wet seasons to inhabit these +marshes, and equally so for them to retreat in times of flood. Their +fires are universally observed near the higher grounds, and no traces of +any thing like a permanent camp has hitherto been seen; but in many +places +on the banks quantities of pearl muscle-shells were found near the +remains +of fires. That large species of bittern, known on the east-coast by the +local name of Native Companions, I believe from the circumstance of their +being always seen in pairs, was observed, on the flats, of very large +size, exceeding six feet in height: they were so shy that we were unable +to shoot any. + +May 12.--The fine weather still continues to favour us. The river rose +in the course of the night upwards of a foot. It is a probable +supposition that the natives, warned by experience of these dangerous +flats, rather choose to seek a more precarious, but more safe +subsistence in the mountainous and rocky ridges which are occasionally +to be met with. The river and lagoons abound with fish and fowl, and it +is scarcely reasonable to suppose that the natives would not avail +themselves of such store of food, if the danger of procuring it did not +counterbalance the advantages they might otherwise derive from such +abundance. + +About three quarters of a mile farther westward we had to cross another +small arm of the river, running to the northward, which although now +full, is, I should think, dry when the river is at its usual level. It +is probable that this and the one which we first crossed join each other +a few miles farther to the westward, and then both united fall into the +stream which gave them existence. We had scarcely proceeded a mile from +the last branch, before it became evident that it would be impossible to +advance farther in the direction in which we were travelling. The stream +here overflowed both banks, and its course was lost among marshes: its +channel not being distinguishable from the surrounding waters. + +Observing an eminence about half a mile from the south side, we crossed +over the horses and baggage at a Place where the water was level with +the banks, and which when within its usual channel did not exceed thirty +or forty feet in width, its depth even now being only twelve feet. + +We ascended the hill, and had the mortification to perceive the +termination of our research, at least down this branch of the river: the +whole country from the west north-west round to north was either a +complete marsh or lay under water, and this for a distance of +twenty-five or thirty miles, in those directions; to the south and +south-west the country appeared more elevated, but low marshy grounds +lay between us and it, which rendered it impossible for us to proceed +thither from our present situation. I therefore determined to return +back to the place where the two branches of the principal river +separated, and follow the south-west branch as far as it should be +navigable; our fears were however stronger than our hopes, lest it +would end in a similar manner to the one we had already traced, until it +became no longer navigable for boats. + +In pursuance of this intention we descended the hill, which was named +Farewell Hill, from its being the termination of our journey in a +north-west direction at least for the present, and proceeded up the +south bank of the stream. We were able to reach only a short distance +from the spot where we stopped last night, having been obliged to unload +the horses no less than four times in the course of the day, added to +which, the travelling loaded through those dreadful marshes had +completely exhausted them: my own horse, in searching for a better +track, was nearly lost, and it consumed four hours to advance scarcely +half a mile. + +My disappointment at the interruption of our labours in this quarter was +extreme, and what was worse, no flattering prospect appeared of our +succeeding better in the examination of the south-west branch. I was +however determined to see the present end of the river in all its +branches, before I should finally quit it, in furtherance of the other +objects of the expedition. + +May 13.--Returned to the point whence the river separates into two +branches; intending first to descend the south-west branch for some +distance before the boats and baggage should move down, being unwilling +the horses should undergo an useless fatigue in traversing such marshy +ground, unless the branch should prove of sufficient magnitude to take +us a considerable distance; conceiving it an object of the first +importance that the horses should start fresh, if I should find it +necessary to quit the river at this point of the coast. + +May 14.--This branch of the river has fallen about a foot. Having +directed the casks in the boats to be prepared for slinging on the +horses, and the tools and arms to be put in order preparatory to leaving +the river, I proceeded to examine the branch. After going about four +miles down, it took a similar direction (north-westerly) to that which +we had previously traced. The banks on both sides were a mere marsh, and +about six miles down, a small arm from it supplied the marshes between +this and the north-west branch. The fall of the country from the +south-east to the north-west was very remarkable; the water in the +branch was here nearly level with the banks, and was narrowed to a +width of not more than twenty feet. Finding that it would be equally as +impracticable to follow this branch as the other, I returned and +commenced preparations for setting out for the coast, which I purpose +not to do until Sunday, in order that the horses may be refreshed, as +they will at first be most heavily laden. + +My present intention is to take a south-west direction for Cape +Northumberland, since should any river be formed from those marshes, +which is extremely probable, and fall into the sea between Spencer's +Gulf and Cape Otway, this course will intersect it, and no river or +stream can arise from these swamps without being discovered. The body of +water now running in both the principal branches is very considerable, +fully sufficient to have constituted a river of magnitude, if it had +constantly maintained such a supply of water, and had not become +separated into branches, and lost among the immense marshes of this +desolate and barren country, which seems here to form a vast concavity +to receive them. It is impossible to arrive at any certain opinion as to +what finally becomes of these waters, but I think it probable, from the +appearance of the country, and its being nearly on a level with the sea, +that they are partly absorbed by the soil, and the remainder lost by +evaporation. + +May 15.--Mr. Cunningham made an excursion under Mount Melville, and +found the country in that direction as full of stagnant water as to the +north-west. Some tracts rather more raised above the usual level were +barren, and covered with acacia scrubs. The natives had been recently +under Mount Melville, perhaps to the number of a dozen: abundance of +large pearl muscle-shells was found about their deserted fireplaces, but +these shells had been apparently some months out of water. + +May 16.--Felled a tree of the acacia pendula, the wood extremely hard +and beautiful; a black resinous juice exuded from the heart, which much +resembled the black part of the lignum vitae. Our observations placed +this spot in latitude 33. 15. 34. S.; longitude 147. 16. E. and the +variation of the compass 7. 0. 8. E. + +May 17.--After reducing our luggage as much as possible, we sent every +thing down the branch about two miles, and landed on the south shore; +got every thing in readiness for proceeding on our journey to-morrow; +hauled up the boats on the south bank, and secured them, together with +such heavy articles as we could not take with us. The provisions +occupied our whole fourteen horses, including my own, and each will +still be very heavily laden. + +May 18.--At nine o'clock we commenced our journey towards the coast; at +three stopped within four miles of Mount Maude, on a dry creek, with +occasional pools of very indifferent water. The country through which we +passed from the branch was for the first three miles very low and wet, +with large lagoons of water. During the latter part of the journey the +country was more elevated though still level, the soil light and rotten, +and overrun with the acacia pendula. The horses being very heavily laden +fell repeatedly during the early part of the day. Our course was nearly +south-west, and we performed about ten miles. + +May 19.--At two miles passed over a low rocky range connected with Mount +Maude: the remainder of our day's journey (nearly twelve miles) lay +chiefly through a barren level country, the ground rather studded than +covered with grass, and that only in patches, by far the greater part +producing no grass at all. The trees were chiefly cypresses, a new +species of staculia, together with scrubs of the acacia pendula. The +soil a light red sand, the lower levels being stronger and more clayey. +We did not meet with any water, and were obliged to stop in the middle +of an acacia brush, the horses being too much fatigued to proceed +farther, and as the country had been lately burnt, the grass was a +little better than usual. At four o'clock sent two men to search for +water, and in about half an hour they returned, having found several +small ponds of good water about three quarters of a mile to the +south-west: the swamp appeared to extend to the northward a considerable +distance. Several native huts were on the edge of one of the ponds, but +they had not been recently inhabited. + +May 20.--Proceeded forward south-west eleven miles through a most barren +desolate country, the soil a light red sand, literally parched up with +drought, there being no appearance of rain having fallen for several +months. The country through which we passed being a perfect plain +overrun with acacia scrubs, we could not see in any direction above a +quarter of a mile; I therefore halted at two o'clock on purpose to gain +time to find water before sunset, as we had seen no other signs of any +on our route than a few dry pits. It is impossible to imagine a more +desolate region; and the uncertainty we are in, whilst traversing it, of +finding water, adds to the melancholy feelings which the silence and +solitude of such wastes is calculated to inspire. + +The search for water was unsuccessful, about three gallons of muddy +liquid being all that could be procured: our horses and dogs, I am +afraid, were the greatest sufferers. + +May 21.--The water was so extremely bad that, pressed as we were by +thirst, we could scarcely even by twice boiling it render it drinkable. +After travelling ten or eleven miles through a country equally barren +and destitute with that of yesterday, without meeting with the least +appearance of water, and the horses being completely worn out, I +determined to halt on a small patch of burnt grass; two of the horses +had fallen several times under their loads, and nothing but the +evenness of the road enabled us to reach thus far. The same level plain +extended on all sides, and our view was confined to the scrubby brush +around us. A small hollow lying across our track, I sent a man on +horseback to trace it, in hopes it might lead to water: he returned +about four o'clock with the joyful news that he had found water in a +large swamp about five miles to the north-west: he also saw a native, +who however ran too swiftly to allow him to come up with him. This was +the first living creature of any kind we had seen since we quitted the +river. Both the kangaroo and emu seem to have deserted these plains for +other parts of the country better watered, and affording them more food. +The horses being utterly unable to proceed without rest, I determined to +remain here to-morrow to refresh them. + +May 22.--The nights cold and frosty, the days warm and clear: I think it +is very evident that the altitude of the country declines in a +remarkable manner to the north-west; from the south-east to the +south-west it appears nearly of the same elevation; and in travelling we +appear to be going along an inclined plane, the lowest edges being from +west to north. I went about five miles to the north-west to the place +whence the water was procured; the country poor, and as barren as can +well be imagined; the soil a light red sand, acacia scrubs, small +box-trees, and a few miserable cypresses. + +May 23.--Our route lay through a country equally bad, if not worse, than +any which we had passed the preceding days: in some places it was +difficult for the horses to force a passage through the brush; +occasionally low stony ridges intervened, which, when viewed from higher +eminences, were not to be detected from the plain out of which they +rose. The soil was alternately a sterile sand and a hardened clay, +without grass of any description: the country appeared to form the +bottom of a dry morass, and I am convinced if the weather had not been +dry for a considerable time, travelling would have been impossible. +After proceeding ten miles we were obliged to stop, the horses being +unable to go further. We had seen no signs of water during our route, +but stopping at a stony water-course we were in hopes of finding a +sufficiency to supply our wants, and on a hill at the end of it, about a +quarter of a mile to the westward, water was found. + +May 24.--A day of rest and preparation. The country seems to rise +hereabouts and to be more broken, the ridges stony: the dwarf timber and +brush very thick. In searching for the horses this morning several +kangaroos and emus were seen, also the huts of a tribe of natives +recently inhabited. + +May 25.--The horses much refreshed, except one which is unable to carry +any thing; his load was therefore obliged to be distributed among the +rest, already too heavily laden. At nine o'clock set forward on our +journey. At two we arrived at the base of a hill of considerable +magnitude, terminating westward in an abrupt perpendicular rock +from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet high. The country we +passed over was of the most miserable description; the last eight miles +without a blade of grass. The acacia brushes grow generally on a hard +and clayey soil evidently frequently covered with water, and I consider +that these plains or brushes are swamps or morasses in wet weather, +since they must receive all the water from the low ranges with which +they are generally circumscribed. It is a remarkable feature in the +hills of this country that their terminations are generally +perpendicular westward, rising from the lower grounds round from +south-west to north-west very gradually; their terminating rocky bluffs +are usually two or three hundred feet high. I include in these +observations not only the single detached hills, but the points of the +ranges. This hill was named Mount Aiton. The country having been +recently burnt, some good grass was found for the horses a little to the +south-west. We therefore stopped for the night, and ascended the face of +the mount for the purpose of looking around: a very large brown speckled +snake was killed about half way up, which, in the absence of fresh +provisions, was afterwards eaten by some of the party. On arriving at +the summit we had an extensive prospect in every direction; the country +was most generally level, but rose occasionally into gentle eminences +bounded by distant low ranges from the south south-west to the +north-west. The most considerable of these ranges were named PEEL'S +RANGE, and GOULBURN'S RANGE: a very lofty hill, distant at least seventy +miles, was named MOUNT GRANARD. Interspersed through the country, +bounded by those ranges, were several large tracts entirely devoid of +wood; these are however, I fear, only a repetition of the acacia plains +of which we had lately been but too abundantly favoured. From +south-west by south round to north-east were some low broken hills, with +some to the east-south-east of greater magnitude; but their distance was +so great as to appear but faintly in the horizon. Upon the whole the +country appeared more open and somewhat better, particularly in the +immediate vicinity of our station to the south-west. There were not the +smallest signs of any stream, neither is-ere there any fires in the +direction we had to take. Three or four fires were seen in the +north-west, and recent traces of the natives were discovered near our +tents. The inhabitants of these wilds must be very few, and I think it +impossible for more than a family to subsist together; a greater number +would only starve each other: indeed their deserted fires and camps +which we occasionally saw, never appeared to have been occupied by more +than six or eight persons. The scarcity of food must also prevent the +raising of many children, from the absolute impossibility of supporting +them until of an age to provide for themselves. We have seen so few +animals, either kangaroo or emu, and the country appears so little +capable of maintaining these animals, that the means of the natives in +procuring food must be precarious indeed. We found just a sufficiency of +water to answer our purpose in a drain from the Mount; our dogs are, +however, in a wretched condition for want of food. + +May 26.--The horses having strayed in the night, every man was employed +in searching for them. In passing through those barren brushes +yesterday, a great quantity of small iron-stones was picked up, from the +size of a large pea to a hen's-egg, all nearly round, being washed into +heaps by the waters, which in time of rain sweep over those flats. The +front of Mount Aiton was found to decline about fifteen degrees from the +perpendicular; the rocks were composed of a hard sandy free-stone. It +was eight o'clock in the evening before any of the people returned, and +then only two men came back with two horses, being all they were able to +find: the other three men are still absent, but they had found the track +of the other horses before these men left them. The two horses were +discovered in the midst of a thick brush, entangled among creeping +plants and unable to get further: they must have strayed in search of +water, the water at this place not being sufficient for them all. The +animals were all spencilled, but such is the scarcity of both water and +grass, that they will wander in search of each. + +The natives have been reconnoitring us: we have several times heard +them, but have been unable to see them. At sunset their fires were +seen about two miles to the south-west. + +May 27.--At day-light, despatched the other two men and horses to the +assistance of the rest, who remained out all night. + +A native was seen about half a mile from our fires: the dogs attacked +him, and when called off, he ran away shouting most lustily; he was a +very stout man, at least six feet high, entirely naked, with a long +bushy beard: he had no arms of any kind. At two o'clock, two of the men +who had been out all night returned, after an unsuccessful search, +leaving three more out to pursue it in every possible direction. Water +is evidently the reason of their straying, as several patches of burnt +grass have been passed by them, and they would naturally return to the +place where they last found it, if they could find none nearer. +At sunset the men returned with nine of the horses, five being still +missing: they were found ten miles on the road back, and near the place +where they fed on the 24th. + +May 28.--At daylight despatched four men on horseback to resume the +search for the missing horses, taking with them two days' provisions. + +May 29.--At four o'clock in the afternoon the men returned, still +unsuccessful. + +May 30.--At seven o'clock I proceeded to the north-east with two men, +whilst Mr. Evans went to the north-west. At ten I was fortunate enough to +fall in with the horses about eight miles from our camp; returned with +them, and prepared every thing for setting forward to-morrow morning. In +one of the brushes an emu's nest was found, containing ten eggs; our +dogs also killed two small birds. Mr. Evans returned about three +o'clock, having seen nothing remarkable: the country was very thick and +brushy, and he was much impeded by creeping vines. + +Mr. Cunningham here planted the seeds of quinces, and the stones of +peach and apricot trees. + +May 31.--Fine weather as usual, and at nine o'clock we set off with +renewed hopes and spirits. Our first nine miles afforded excellent +travelling through an open country of very indifferent soil. The trees +thin and chiefly cypress, with occasionally a large sterculia, but no +water whatever: at the ninth mile we entered a very thick eucalyptus +brush, overrun with creepers and prickly acacia bushes. We continued +forcing our way through this desert until sunset, when, finding no hopes +of getting through it before dark, we halted in the midst of it, having +travelled in the whole nearly twenty miles, and for the last mile been +obliged to cut our way with our tomahawks. + +Both men and horses were quite knocked up, and our embarrassment was +heightened by the want of water for ourselves and them, as this desert +did not hold out the slightest hope of finding any. No herbage of any +kind grew on this abandoned plain, being a fine red sand, which almost +blinded us with its dust. It was with some little hesitation that we +affixed a name to this brush; but at length nothing occurred to us more +expressive of its aspect than EURYALEAN. This was the first night which +we had passed absolutely without water. + +June 1.--A cold frosty morning. The weather during the might changed +from very mild and pleasant to extreme cold; the thermometer varying +24. At daylight we loaded the horses and set forward to get out of this +scrub, and endeavour to procure water and grass for the horses, which +we were obliged to tie to bushes, to prevent them from straying. After +going about two miles farther we cleared the thickest of it: but the +country was only more open, and not in any degree more fertile. We +proceeded on towards the south-east end of Peel's range until twelve +o'clock, when, having gone nearly eleven miles, the horses were unable +to proceed farther with their loads. There was nothing left for us but +to unload them, and separate in every direction in search of that most +precious of elements, without tasting a drop of which both men and +horses had now existed nearly thirty-six hours. + +Water was found in three holes in the side of Peel's range sufficient +for all our necessities, and a most grateful relief it proved, +particularly to the poor horses, who were nearly famished for the want +of it: one of the best of our animals was so exhausted that it was with +some difficulty he could be taken to the water. I wish the grass had +proved equally good, but there is nothing for them but dead wire-grass +(IRA). We saw no game, with the exception of three or four kangaroo +rats: many beautiful small parrots were observed; and, barren as the +scrub appeared to us, yet our botanists reaped an excellent harvest +here; nothing being more true than that the most beautiful plants and +shrubs flourish best where no grass or other herbage will grow. + +June 2.--Fine and clear as usual, the nights cold. One of our best +horses, mentioned yesterday as having fallen repeatedly under his load, +was this morning extremely ill, having entirely lost the use of his +hind quarters. Finding that he was quite unable to accompany us, and in +fact unfit to do any more work, it was with extreme reluctance that I +caused him to be shot, since it would have been no mercy to suffer him +to linger in his present miserable condition. Observations were taken to +ascertain our situation, and they placed us lat. 34. 8. 8. S., +long. 146.03. E., the variation of the compass being 7. 18. E. + +The hills to the southward of us are curiously composed of pudding-stone +in very large masses, the lower stratum being a coarse granite +intermingled with pieces of quartz, and a variety of other stones. + +June 3.--Set forward on our route, passing over a rugged, barren, and +rocky country for about four miles and a half, when we ascended a hill +upon our right which promised a view in all directions. To the +southward, south-west, and even west, the country was a perfect plain, +interspersed with more of those dreadful scrubs which we had passed +through. In coming from Mount Aiton to the south-east were some low +ranges, with a level barren country between us and them; this hill was +named Mount Caley, and the termination of Peel's range to the southward, +a lofty rocky hill, was called Mount Brogden. On descending the hill, I +had the mortification to find that one of the horses, who had hitherto +performed well, now sunk under his load, and was unable to proceed +farther: in short, all of them appeared so debilitated, that the utmost +we could promise ourselves was their proceeding three or four miles +farther in search of grass and water. Directing the man to stay by his +load, we proceeded towards some burnt grass which had been seen from +Mount Caley, and after going about four miles farther we stopped upon +it. As the ultimate success of the expedition so entirely depended upon +the capability of the horses to perform the journey, it was judged +advisable that they should have two or three days rest before we +attempted to penetrate farther; and as we were now on a spot that at +least afforded them a mouthful of fresh wire-grass, I determined, if +water should be found, to remain here until Friday morning. + +The country is so extremely impracticable, and so utterly destitute of +the means of affording subsistence to either man or beast; water is so +precarious, and when found is only the contents of small muddy holes, +which under different circumstances would be rejected equally by horses +and by men, that I much fear we shall not be able to proceed much +further; but my mind is made up to persevere until the last horse fails +us, keeping that course which, although inclining to the westward, will +bring us out upon the coast upon a nearer line than Cape Northumberland, +which I intended to steer for when we quitted the Lachlan River. + +Sent back assistance to the man and horse left under Mount Caley, and at +eight o'clock they returned. + +After searching in every direction, no water was found, except in a +small hole evidently dug by the natives under Mount Brogden, and +containing scarcely sufficient for the people. + +June 4.--Weather as usual fine and clear, which is the greatest comfort +we enjoy in these deserts, abandoned as they seem to be by every living +creature capable of getting out of them. I was obliged to send the +horses back to our former halting-place for water, a distance of near +eight miles: this is terrible for the horses, who are in general +extremely reduced; but two in particular cannot, I think, endure this +miserable existence much longer. + +At five o'clock, two men, whom I had sent to explore the country to the +south-west and see if any water could be found, returned, after +proceeding six or seven miles: they found it impossible to go any +farther in that direction or even south, from the thick brushes that +intersected their course on every side; and no water (nor in fact the +least sign of any) was discovered either by them, or by those who were +sent in search of it nearer to our little camp. + +No other trace of inhabitants (besides the well from which we derive our +supply of water) has hitherto been seen: no game of any kind, nor grass +to support any, have resulted from the various routes and observations +of the different persons who were employed for that purpose during the +day. I almost despair of finding any, for the country being perfectly +level (some few elevated stations excepted), and the soil a deep loose +red sand, the rain which falls must be immediately absorbed, and indeed +it is quite impossible that water should remain on the surface of the +land which we have travelled over since we have left the river. + +At the period we quitted the river I considered our height above the +level of the sea to be about five hundred feet, an elevation too +trifling to afford a hope that any streams could rise in these regions +and flow thence into the sea. In traversing these flats, the declivity, +when it could be observed, was always towards the west and north-west, +obliging me to believe that either the country continued a desert of +sand as at present, or that its westerly inclination would cause all +that part of it to consist of marshes and swamps. Since quitting the +river we have not enjoyed what under any other circumstances would be +called drinkable water; what was found being merely the contents of +shallow mud holes, in the bottom of acacia swamps, over which the +dryness of the season alone enabled us to travel. We have uniformly been +obliged to strain our water before we drank it, and its taste, from the +decayed vegetable matter it contained, was sour and unpleasant. + +June 5.--A clear cold frosty morning: sent the horses to the watering +place: if it be any way possible to get them on, it is my intention to +proceed to-morrow morning, as it is almost as much labour to them to go +for water as it would be to perform a short day's journey. + +From every thing I can see of the country to the south-west, it appears, +upon the most mature deliberation, highly imprudent to persevere longer +in that direction, as the consequences to the horses of want of water +and grass might be most serious; and we are well assured that within +forty miles on that point the country is the same as before passed over. +In adopting a north-westerly course, it is my intention to be entirely +guided by the possibility of procuring subsistence for the horses, that +being the main point on which all our ulterior proceedings must hinge. +It is however to be expected that as the country is certainly lower to +the west and north-west than from south-east to south-west, there is a +greater probability of finding water in this latter direction. In our +present perplexing situation, however, it is impossible to lay down any +fixed plan, as (be it what it may) circumstances after all must guide us. +Our horses are unable to go more than eight or ten miles a day, but even +then they must be assured of finding food, of which, in these deserts, +the chances are against the existence. + +Yesterday, being the King's birthday, Mr. Cunningham planted under Mount +Brogden acorns, peach and apricot-stones, and quince-seeds, with the +hope rather than the expectation that they would grow and serve to +commemorate the day and situation, should these desolate plains be ever +again visited by civilized man, of which, however, I think there is very +little probability. + +Our observation placed the situation of the tent in lat. 34. 13. 33. S., +long. 146. E.; the variation of the compass 8. 08. E. + +June 6.--A mild pleasant morning: set forward on our journey to the +westward and north-west, in hopes of finding a better country: at two +o'clock halted about two miles from Peel's range, after going about +eight miles through a very thick cypress scrub; the country equally bad +as on any of the foregoing days. We saw no signs of water during our +route: the whole country seems burnt up with long continued drought; no +traces of natives, or any game seen. + +After two hours' search a small hole of water was found at the foot of +the range, sufficient for the horses, and in a hole in the rocks a +little clearer was procured for ourselves. + +June 7.--Set forward to the north-west, the horses being a little +fresher than for some days past. Halted at four o'clock, having gone ten +miles through a country which, for barrenness and desolation, can I +think have no equal; it was a continued scrub, and where there was +timber it chiefly consisted of small cypress: we saw no water as usual, +but stopped on some burnt grass near the base of a low range of stony +hills west of Peel's range, from which we are distant eight or ten +miles. These ranges abound with native dogs; their howlings are +incessant, day as well as night: as we saw no game, their principal +prey must be rats, which have almost undermined this loose sandy +country. + +As we had brought a small keg of water with us, we did not on this +occasion suffer absolute want: we hope that the instinct of the horses +would lead them to water in the course of the night--but we were too +sanguine. + +Our spirits were not a little depressed by the desolation and want that +seemed to reign around us: the scene was never varied, except from bad +to worse. However, the scarcity of water and grass for the horses are +our greatest real privations, for the temperature is mild and equable +beyond what could be expected at this season, and it is this +circumstance alone that enables us to proceed: the horses are too much +reduced to endure rainy weather, even if the loose soil of the country +would permit us to travel over it. + +June 8.--During the night there was light rain. At daylight sent out in +search of water, but all our efforts proved unsuccessful. Peel's range +being the nearest high land, I determined to search the base of it, in +hopes of finding water, since it was impossible that either men or +horses could long endure this almost constant privation of the first +necessary of life. I accordingly set off towards the range, but was +prevented from making it by impenetrable scrubs: we then returned to the +range a little to the west of the tent, whence we could see a +considerable distance to the west and north-west; it is impossible to +imagine a prospect more desolate. The whole country in these directions, +as far as the eye could reach, was one continued thicket of eucalyptus +scrub: it was physically impossible to proceed that way, and our +situation was too critical to admit of delay; it was therefore resolved +to return back to our last station on the 6th under Peel's range, if for +no other purpose than that of giving the horses water. I felt that by +attempting to proceed westerly I should endanger the safety of every man +composing the expedition, without any practical good arising from such +perseverance: it was therefore deemed more prudent to keep along the +base of Peel's range to its termination, having some chance of finding +water in its rocky ravines, whilst there was none at all in attempting +to keep the level country. It was too late to pursue this resolution +this evening. + +June 9.--During the night heavy rain. At eight o'clock set off on our +return to our halting-place of the 6th, the horses having been now +forty-eight hours without water. We had scarcely proceeded a mile when +it began to rain hard, and continued to do so without intermission until +we stopped at the place where water had been previously found: it was by +this time two o'clock, the horses failed, and the people were in little +better condition, not having tasted any thing since the evening before. +All our clothes were wet through, a circumstance which added greatly to +the unpleasantness of our situation. + +The true nature of the soil was fully developed by this day's rain. +Being in dry weather a loose light sand without any apparent +consistency, it was now discovered to have a small portion of loam mixed +with it, which, without having the tenacity of clay, is sufficient to +render it slimy and boggy: I am quite satisfied that two days' rain will +at any time render this country impassable. The mortification and +distress of mind I felt at being obliged to take a retrograde direction +was heightened by seeing the horses struggling under loads far beyond +their present powers, their labour rendered still more trying by the +miserable country they were obliged to pass through. + +June 10.--Light rain during the night, the morning fair and pleasant: +upon mature deliberation it was resolved to remain here until the 13th, +for the purpose of refreshing the horses. I also determined to send a +detachment on before us, to endeavour to find an eligible station for us +to stop at, that we might proceed with more certainty. + +Mr. Cunningham named those thick brushes of eucalyptus that spread in +every direction around us EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, or the dwarf gum, as they +never exceed twenty feet in height, and are generally from twelve to +fifteen, spreading out into a bushy circle from their roots in such a +manner that it is impossible to see farther than from one bush to the +other; and these are very often united by a species of vine (cassytha), +and the intermediate space covered with prickly wire-grass, rendering a +passage through them equally painful and tedious + +The low ranges of hills which we quitted yesterday morning we named +Disappointment Hills, from our not being able to penetrate beyond them +to the north-west or west, and also from our not finding any water on +them; our hopes being thus disappointed of penetrating into the interior +in the direction that I intended when we quitted Mount Brogden. + +June 11.--A party set forward to the northward to explore our +to-morrow's route, and to endeavour to find water at some eligible +station. + +They returned about four o'clock, having proceeded eight or ten miles. +Small holes of water were found in almost every gully. They saw several +traces of the natives, but none recent: the dogs killed several +kangaroo-rats, and some new species of plants were discovered. + +June 12.--Fine and clear. At eight o'clock set forward on our journey +along the west side of Peel's range: we proceeded to the north, +inclining westerly for about ten miles; the travelling for the horses +very bad, the ground being extremely soft, the description of the +country the same. The trees resembled bushes more than timber, being +chiefly small cypresses, which is the prevailing wood. The grass where +we stopped was very bad, but the quantity and quality of the water +compensated for it. No recent marks of the natives having visited this +part of the range. + +June 13.--Fine mild pleasant weather. Proceeded along the foot of Peel's +range for about ten miles; we then inclined north-easterly, the range +taking that direction, and after going about four miles farther we +stopped for the evening: the country was wretchedly barren and scrubby, +and to the north-west and west a continued eucalyptus dumosa scrub, +extending as far as the eye could reach from the occasional small hills +which we passed in our route. + +Water was found about two miles off in the range, affording a bare +sufficiency for ourselves and horses. + +June 14.--Fine clear weather. Proceeded on our journey northwards: the +first four or five miles was over a rocky broken country, consisting of +low hills, rising westerly of Peel's range. After going about six miles +and a half the country became more open and less rocky; as the grass was +here better than at our last night's halting-place, and the water +convenient and tolerable, we resolved upon stopping, particularly as I +intended resting the horses to-morrow; and I was fearful if I proceeded +farther I might meet with neither, and thus be obliged to continue +travelling to-morrow; an exertion which the horses were not in a +condition to make. Nothing can be more irksome than the tedious days' +journeys we are obliged to make through a country in which there is not +the smallest variety, each day's occurrences and scenes being but a +recapitulation of the former: our patience would frequently be +exhausted, were we not daily reanimating ourselves with the hopes that +the morrow will bring us to a better country, and render a journey, the +labour of which has hitherto been ill repaid, of some service to the +colony, and of some satisfaction to the expectations which had been +formed of its result. + +June 15.--Observed in lat. 33. 49. 09. S., and long. 145. 54. E. +Mr. Cunningham went upon Peel's range in search of plants, and found a +few +new ones; the country to the north appeared hilly and broken, but no +scrubs, such as obstructed our progress westward, were seen. Goulburn's +range had a remarkable appearance, being broken into peaks and +singularly shaped hills. A solitary native was seen by one of our party, +but he ran off with great precipitation on friendly signs being made to +him to approach. + +June 16.--It blew extremely hard during the night, and rained +incessantly, as it still continues to do, with scarcely any +intermission. This morning we had the misfortune to find one horse dead, +the same that fell under his load on the 3d instant, and, as he had +carried little or nothing since, he appeared to be recovering his +strength. Independently of the continuance of heavy rain, which would +certainly have prevented me from attempting to set forward, the ground +has become so hollow and soft from the rain which fell during the night, +that it was the universal opinion that the horses could not travel under +their loads. It cleared up towards night, with the exception of +occasional heavy showers. + +June 17.--Towards morning the weather became fine, with fresh winds from +the north-east; at eight o'clock set forward on our journey, the ground +extremely wet and soft. + +We could not proceed above ten miles when we stopped, one of the horses +being completely disabled from going any farther. The line of country we +passed over was rocky, barren, and miserable, the level grounds being a +perfect bog; to the westward, low irregular rocky ranges, with blasted +and decayed cypresses on their summits, were the only objects which +presented themselves to our view. There was neither grass nor water +where we stopped; of course, nothing but the absolute necessity that +existed to spare the horses could induce us to halt. People were sent to +search the range for water, but all their endeavours proved fruitless, +after wandering in every probable direction until sunset. The coldness +of the air would have prevented us from feeling much inconvenience from +this privation, had it been in our power to have satisfied our hunger +but salt pork, would have proved an aggravating meal without water; we +therefore preferred an absolute fast to the certainty of increasing our +thirst. + +About sunset the wind increased to a perfect storm, accompanied by heavy +showers, which prevented the horses from suffering so severely as they +otherwise would. + +June 18.--The weather was very tempestuous during the night: towards +morning the wind somewhat abated, and left light drizzling showers. Our +search after water was renewed, and so far succeeded as to procure us +about a pint of rain-water each, which afforded us great relief. It did +not appear that the horses had been equally successful. + +Upon consultation, in our present critical situation it was resolved +that Mr. Evans should proceed forward to the north-north-west until he +found grass and water, and as it was evident to all that the horses were +utterly incapable of proceeding with their present loads to any +distance, I thought it expedient to leave half our provisions behind, +and proceed to the place selected by Mr Evans, and then to send back for +the remainder: in fact, there remained no alternative; reduced as the +horses were in their strength, it would have been in the highest degree +imprudent to have dared the almost certainty of killing them by +proceeding with their usual loads. + +After going about three miles we came upon a small valley which afforded +both good grass and water; the latter was rain-water collected in holes +at the base of the range, which was composed of a hard granite rock. In +this valley we found several holes dug by the natives, for the purpose +of receiving water; in some a few quarts of muddy water were found, +others were quite dry. It rained almost incessantly during the whole of +this day, rendering our situation extremely unpleasant. + +As if to add to our misfortunes, it was now first discovered that +three of the casks, which had all along been taken for flour casks, were +filled with pork; and upon a minute investigation it came out, that +when, on the 1st of May, the large boat had been reported to have filled +from the falling of the river without any other accident, that then, in +fact, three of the upper tier of casks had been washed out of her. It +was impossible, at this distance of time, to exactly ascertain how such +a serious loss could have happened and not have been discovered before, +for the boatmen persisted in declaring that their cargo was then all +safe; but, as so large a quantity could not possibly have been consumed +by the party clandestinely without certain discovery, it appeared quite +clear that the loss either happened on that day or on the 4th, when the +large boat sunk from having been stove. In counting our casks up to this +period, three, in every respect the same as the flour casks, with +similar marks, had been reckoned in their lieu by us all, whilst the +deficiency being then apparently in the pork was not suspected by any. + +In this distressing dilemma nothing remained for us but to reduce our +ration of flour in such a proportion as would leave us twelve weeks of +that article, and as we had still plenty of pork, to issue an extra +pound of it weekly. Since leaving the depot we had been so extremely +guarded in the issue of provisions, to prevent the possibility of our +suffering from any longer protraction of our journey than was expected, +that never more than six pounds of flour had been issued to each person +weekly, which now, from this accident coming to light, was reduced to +four pounds: it was, in truth, extremely fortunate that we had thus kept +within the calculated ration, as otherwise our situation would have been +highly alarming. + +Some of our party began even now to anticipate the resources of famine, +for a large native dog being killed, it was pronounced, like lord +Peter's loaf, in the Tale of a Tub, to be true, good, natural mutton as +any in Leadenhall-market, and eaten accordingly: for myself, I was not +yet brought to the conversion of Martin and Jack. + +The natives had been in this valley very recently, and I conjectured +that they were then not far from us. In the afternoon, the rain still +continuing, I sent back the strongest of the horses to bring up the +provisions left behind. Towards eight o'clock the wind increased to a +storm, so that the rain was forced through our tent in every part, and +we were fairly washed out: this abated about ten o'clock, and the +weather partially cleared up. Upon the whole this was the most +uncomfortable day and night we had experienced since we quitted the +depot. + +June 19.--Fresh winds from the north-west, with thick small rain. The +valley was now a complete bog, the hills closing on each side of it, and +its widest part not exceeding two hundred yards: the soil imbibes all +the water almost as fast as it falls. There was one comfort in all this +bad weather; we had plenty of water, and the horses tolerable grass. + +Taking advantage of a fair interval, I explored to the north-north-west +about a mile, whence I had a tolerable view of the country between the +showers: it was broken into very remarkable hills between the north-west +by north and north-east; to the west it was more level, and having been +burnt, the young grass gave it a more cheering aspect than any we had +seen for some time. Bearings were taken to several remarkable hills for +the purpose of connecting the survey. + +Two swans passed over the valley to the north-west, which we considered +as a sign that water lay in that direction. + +June 20.--The weather broke up during the night, and the morning was +fair and pleasant. However desirable it was that the horses should +remain another day in this valley to recruit, yet, in the present +unsettled state of the season, I was unwilling to lose an hour more than +was absolutely necessary. We here left all the spare horse-shoes, broken +axes, etc. in order to lighten the burden of the horses. This little +valley received the name of Peach Valley, from our having here planted +the last of our fruit-stones. + +At eight we proceeded to the north-north-west, our course taking us over +a broken barren country; the hills composed of rocks and small stones, +the valleys and flats of sand. To the westward of our route the country +was covered with scrubs of the eucalyptus dumosa; these scrubs we +avoided, by keeping close along the base of Peel's range, where the +country had been lately burnt. It is somewhat singular that those scrubs +and brushes seldom if ever extend to the immediate base of the hills: +the washings from them rendered the soil somewhat better for two or +three hundred yards. As to water, we did not see the least signs of any +during the whole day. After proceeding between nine and ten miles, we +stopped for the evening on some burnt grass, which existed in sufficient +quantity; but, although we procured a few gallons of water for +ourselves, not all our researches could find a sufficiency for the +horses. + +The dogs killed a pretty large emu, which was a most luxurious addition +to our salt pork, of which alone we were all well satiated. I ascended +the range behind the tent, and I never saw a more broken country, or one +more barren. It appeared more open to the north-north-west, to which +point our course will be directed to-morrow. + +June 21.--Fine mild weather: at eight o'clock set forward on our +journey. The farther we proceed north-westerly, the more convinced I am +that, for all the practical purposes of civilized man, the interior of +this country westward of a certain meridian is uninhabitable, deprived +as it is of wood, water, and grass. With respect to water, it is quite +impossible that any can be retained on such a soil as the country is +composed of, and no watercourses, for the same reason, can be formed; +for, like a sponge, it absorbs all the rain that falls, which, judging +from every appearance, cannot be much. The wandering native with his +little family may find a precarious subsistence in the ruts with which +the country abounds; but even he, with all the local knowledge which +such a life must give him, is obliged to dig with immense labour little +wells at the bottom of the hills to procure and preserve a necessary of +life which is evidently not to be obtained by any other method. + +We proceeded through a broken irregular country for nearly six miles, +when the evident weakness of the horses made it highly imprudent to +attempt to proceed farther. We therefore halted under a high rocky hill, +which was named Barrow's Hill; and sent round in all directions to +look for water. The goodness of Providence came to our succour when we +least expected it; an ample sufficiency for the people being found near +the top of the hill in the hollow of a rock. + +I ascended Barrow's Hill, and from its summit had a very extensive +prospect from the west north-west round to east-north-east. To the north +the country appeared perfectly level, though the horizon was skirted +with distant hammocks, which could be but faintly distinguished. +To the north-east were some native's fires; and a lofty detached +mountain was named Mount Flinders: a high range to the westward was +named Macquarie's Range, in honour of his excellency the Governor. + +The men returned late after an unsuccessful search for water, having +gone entirely round Mount Flinders. There was now nothing to be done but +to drive the horses to the base of the hill under which we were +encamped, and share with them the water whence we derived our own +supply: it was obliged to be handed from man to man in the cooking +kettle, out of which the poor animals drank; and I was happy to find +that a sufficiency would still remain to supply us until Monday morning, +when we intended again to set forward. + +June 22.--The morning mild, but a thick drizzling rain continued until +near noon, when it cleared up. The variation of the compass was 7. 45. E. + +About sunset Mr. Cunningham returned from a botanical excursion to +Mount Flinders; he had found many new plants on the west side of the +mount, but nothing was seen from its summit which had not been +previously observed from Barrow's Hill: Frazer, our botanical soldier, +also returned from Mount Bowen, in Goulburn's Range; but was not +fortunate enough to find any thing new in vegetation, as it had been +lately burnt: it was, however, remarkable that the paneratium Macquarie +should be found growing in great abundance at the very top; this plant +never being found except near moist Places, and in the vicinity of +water. At the foot of Mount Bowen, Frazer fell in with a native camp, +which had not been quitted more than a day or two: among the reliques +were three or four pearl muscles, such as we had observed on the river; +and it is probable that these may have been the property of natives who +live more immediately in that vicinity. These shells are used as knives, +being ground very sharp against the rocks, and certainly for a scraper +they may answer very well. + +It may here be remarked, that the composition of the lofty detached +hills, designated as mounts, is uniformly different from the rock +composing the bases and summits of the more connected and elevated +tracts, and what may more properly be termed ranges; the latter being of +hard dark coloured granite, whilst the former rather resembles hard +sandstone, studded with pebbles and quartz. The west side of Mount +Flinders was covered with quartz, whilst the larger pieces of rock, on +being broken, appeared to be an indurated sandstone. + +June 23.--The watering our horses took us up so much time, that it was +ten o'clock before we set forward to the northward. After proceeding +about four miles, the country became much more open, extending east and +west over a flat level plain, the botany of which, in every respect, +resembled Field's Plains; except that a new species of eucalyptus took +place of the acacia pendula. A flock of large kangaroos was seen for the +first time since we quitted the Lachlan; also many emus and bustards. +Our dogs killed three kangaroos and two emus. The soil of these plains +was a stiff tenacious clay, and had every appearance of being frequently +under water: as we were now in the parallel of the spot where the river +divided into branches, the altered appearance of the country induced us +to hope that we should shortly fall in with some permanent water, and be +relieved from the constant anxiety attendant on the precarious supply to +which we had lately been enured. + +After going eight miles and a quarter, we suddenly came upon the banks +of the river; I call it the river, for it could certainly be no other +than the Lachlan, which we had quitted nearly five weeks before. Our +astonishment was extreme, since it was an incident little expected by +any one. It was here extremely diminished in size, but was still nearly +equal in magnitude to the south-west branch which we last quitted. The +banks were about twelve or fourteen feet above the water, and it was +running with a tolerably brisk stream to the westward. The banks were so +thickly covered with large eucalypti, that we did not perceive it until +we were within a very few yards of it; it appeared about thirty feet +broad, running over a sandy bottom. I think it extremely probable that +the waters of both the main branches, after losing a very considerable +portion over the low grounds in the neighbourhood of Mount Cunningham +and Field's Plains, have again united and formed the present stream. + +Our future course did not admit of any hesitation, and it was resolved +to go down the stream as long as there was a chance of its becoming more +considerable, and until our provisions should be so far expended as +barely to enable us to return to Bathurst. + +It is a singular phenomenon in the history of this river, that, in a +course of upwards of two hundred and fifty miles, in a direct line from +where Mr. Evans first discovered it, not the smallest rivulet, or, in +fact, water of any description, falls into it from either the north or +south; with the exception of the two small occasional streams near the +depot, which flow from the north. + +The country to the southward, in its soil and productions, explains +pretty satisfactorily why no constant running streams can have sources +in that direction; and it may be esteemed, as to useful purposes, +a desert, uninhabitable country. A small strip along the sea-coast +may possibly be better, and derive water from the low hills which +are known to border on it: south of the parallel of 34. S. may +therefore be considered as falling under the above designation and +description of country. + +The plains south of the river, and lying from Goulburn's to Macquarie's +Range, were named Strangford Plains; and a remarkable peak south of +Barrow's Hill, Dryander's Head. + +We resolved to try if our old friends, the fish, still continued in the +streams; in the course of a short time five fine ones were caught: this +most seasonable refreshment had an excellent effect in raising our +hitherto depressed spirits; and eternal Hope again visited us in the +form of extensive lakes and a better country; and even when her +companion Fear obtruded herself on our minds, the certainty of plenty of +water, and the chance of a fresh meal, dispelled every remaining +anxiety. + +It was a matter of considerable curiosity and interest to us, in what +direction the Macquarie River had run; it was clear that it had not +joined the present stream, for in that case it would have been much more +considerable: we were within three or four miles of the latitude of +Bathurst, and it was scarcely probable that it should continue for so +long a course to run parallel to the Lachlan. The whole form, character, +and composition of this part of the country is so extremely singular, +that a conjecture on the subject is hardly hazarded before it is +overturned; every thing seems to run counter to the ordinary course of +nature in other countries. + +June 24.--The water is about three feet above the common level, and +although the banks on both sides are certainly occasionally overflowed, +there is no appearance of any fresh or flood having swollen the stream +for a considerable time. + +At nine o'clock we set forward down the river; our course lay westerly, +and by three o'clock we had gone nearly twelve miles in that direction; +when we stopped for the night on the banks of the river near the +termination of Macquarie's Range, the north point of which I named Mount +Porteous. + +Strangford's Plains lay along our course the whole way; the river being +hidden from our view by a thick border of trees. We observed several +hollows and gulleys, which being connected with the river in times of +flood, receive their waters from it; they were now dry; but the +singularity consisted in the water being conveyed by them over the low +lands instead of their being the channels by which the waters in rainy +seasons might be drained off to the river. During our whole journey, we +have never discovered in what manner any additional supply of water +could be conveyed to it, as the back lands (with the exception of the +ranges) were always lower than the immediate banks of the river itself; +where we stopped, it was about thirty feet wide, and nearly choked up +with fallen trees. + +Whilst the horses were coming up, I set off, accompanied by Mr. +Cunningham, for the purpose of ascending Mount Porteous: the view from +it by no means repaid us for our trouble; the same everlasting flats met +our eye in every direction westerly round nearly to north, in which +quarter the horizon was occasionally studded with hills, at too great a +distance to render them objects of interest to us. The immediate +vicinity of the river was free from timber or brush in various places; +and these tracts have hitherto received the particular denomination of +PLAINS, which might with equal propriety be extended to the whole +country. The bases of the hills and ranges were invariably a barren red +sand, affording nourishment to a few miserable cypresses and eucalypti +dumosa; between which, and filling up all the intermediate spaces, grows +a variety of acacia and dwarf shrubs, rendering those parts nearly a +thicket. Within one hundred yards of the bank of the river, and there +alone, were seen the only timber trees we had met with in the country; +if huge unshapen eucalypti, which would not afford a straight plank ten +feet long, may be so denominated. + +June 25,--Proceeded down the river, and at three o'clock halted for the +night, having performed about eleven miles; the country barren, even to +the very verge of the stream, which continues to run nearly west. We +were obliged to keep at a small distance from the river, owing to large +lagoons, partly full of water, which would have otherwise interrupted +our course, or rather our multitude of courses; for I never saw a stream +with such opposite windings, and no one reach was a quarter of a mile +long, so that it may be said to resemble a collar of SS. The opposite +plains were named Butterworth Plains. + +Several new plants were the result of to-day's research, among them a +new species of amaryllis, upon which the botanists prided themselves +much; for in this country few were supposed to be in existence. + +June 26--The morning cold and frosty. At nine o'clock we proceeded down +the river, which inclined to the south of west for ten miles; when at +three o'clock we stopped for the evening. We passed through a country to +the full as barren as any we had yet seen. There were occasional clear +spaces, but for the greater part thick cypress bushes, acacia, and other +low shrubs, rendered it difficult for the horses to pass. On the plain, +the acacia pendula again made a very fine appearance. + +The timber on the intermediate banks of the stream became scarcer and +smaller; and from the marks on the trees in the swamps, it sometimes +overflows them to the depth of two feet; but they have now apparently +been long dry, the little water remaining in the hollows or holes being +a milky white. + +The abundance of white cockatoos and crows, which is constantly about +the banks of the river, is astonishing; the other smaller birds appear +to be also common to the east coast. Since we have been on the river, no +recent traces of the natives have been seen; here, as higher up the +river, they rather seem to shun it, and frequent the higher grounds in +preference: perhaps their food is more easily procured on those grounds +than on the river, particularly as they appear unacquainted with the +method of taking the fish by hook and line. + +As the horses were by no means in a condition to be forced, I determined +to remain here to-morrow to refresh them, and set forward again on +Saturday morning. + +June 27.--After breakfast, I sent two men down the river to examine our +route for to-morrow: one of them crossed over to the north side, to +endeavour to reach some open spaces of plains which we saw from our +tent. In the course of the afternoon they both returned; one, who had +gone a little way inland on this side, could make no progress for +extensive swamps, covered with water of the depth of from two to four +feet, and abounding with black swans and wild fowl. The other man was +also unable to reach the plains on the other side for water supplied +from a creek of the river, and forming an extensive and deep morass. + +With these unfavourable reports before us, we determined to keep close +to this bank of the river during tomorrow's journey; and if we should he +prevented by its overflowing from proceeding, to return, and endeavour +to round the morasses to the southward. Latitude by observation +33. 22. S., long. 145. 24. 15. E.; and the variation of the compass +7. 30. E. + +June 28.--Upon farther consideration, it appeared more advisable that +the horses should proceed round the south edge of the morasses rather +than be obliged to return; after keeping by the river for three or four +miles, which to all appearance was as far as we should be enabled to +proceed in that direction. However, that there might remain no doubt as +to which was the preferable route, I adhered to my determination to go +down the banks of the river myself as far as I could, and return by the +route which the horses were to take. Our principal object being to keep +as close to the stream as possible, with reference to the ability of the +horses to travel over the ground. + +The horses set forward at nine o'clock$ and I proceeded down the stream +five or six miles, when I was obliged to return to the place from which +I set out, being unable to cross a small drain that led from the swamps +to the river. I could in no place deviate above fifty yards from the +river without being bogged, the water lying in some places eighteen +inches deep, and in holes, much deeper. I attempted several times to +proceed southerly, intending to cross the track which I presumed Mr. +Evans would be obliged to take, but I was unable to accomplish it. The +route taken by Mr. Evans and the horses led along the edge of extensive +morasses covered with water; we proceeded nine or ten miles, when the +morasses almost assumed the appearance of lakes; very extensive +portions of them being free from timber, and being apparently deep +water. South of the edge of the morass along which we travelled, the +country was a barren scrub, and in places very soft; the horses falling +repeatedly during the day. + +At the place where we stopped for the evening, I calculated that we were +about five miles south of the river; on the edge of a very large lagoon, +or lake. The country was so extremely low, that before I returned up the +river to rejoin the horses, wishing to see what the openings on the +other side were, I ascended a large gum tree, which enabled me to see +that the flats opposite were similar to those on the south side. Our +progress, upon the whole although we had travelled upwards of ten miles, +did not exceed in a direct line five miles. The lagoons abound with +water fowl, although we were not so fortunate as to obtain any; we were +however amply compensated by our dogs killing a fine large emu. Various +old marks of natives having visited these lakes, but none recent. + +June 29.--Our course in the first instance was directed in such a +manner as to compass the lagoons, which after travelling about three +miles and a half to the south-west, we accomplished, and again came upon +the stream; the country thence backward bore the marks of being at some +periods near three feet under water, and was covered with small +box-trees: the country from our rejoining the river, to the place at +which we stopped for the evening, consisted of barren plains, extending +on both sides of the stream to a considerable distance backward. The +points of the bends of the river were universally wet swamps with large +lagoons; the back land, though equally subject to flood, was now dry; +but the travelling was very heavy, the ground being a rotten, red, sandy +loam, on which nothing grew but the usual production of marshes. I never +saw a stream with so many sinuosities; in many places a quarter of a +mile would cut off at least three miles by the river. The stream was in +places much contracted, sand banks stretching nearly across; its medium +depth was about eight feet. + +There was not the smallest eminence whence a view might be obtained, the +country appearing a dead level; and although on these plains we could +see for some distance all round, yet there was not a rising ground in +any direction. The plains on the north side of the stream were named +Holdsworthy; and those on the south, Harrington. We were lucky enough to +procure two fine emus. + +June 30.--The first two or three miles were somewhat harder travelling +than the greater part of yesterday. Immense plains extended to the +westward, as far as the eye could reach. These plains were entirely +barren, being evidently in times of rain altogether under water, when +they doubtless form one vast lake: they extended in places from three to +six miles from the margin of the stream, which on its immediate borders +was a wet bog, full of small water holes, and the surface covered with +marsh plants, with a few straggling dwarf box-trees. It was only on the +very edge of the bank, and in the bottoms of the bights, that any +eucalypti grew; the plains were covered with nothing but gnaphalium: the +soil various, in some places red tenacious clay, in others a dark +hazel-coloured loam, so rotten and full of holes that it was with +difficulty the horses could travel over them. Although those plains were +bounded only by the horizon, not a semblance of a hill appeared in the +distance; we seemed indeed to have taken a long farewell of every thing +like an elevation, whence the surrounding country could be observed. To +the southward, bounding those plains in that direction, barren scrubs +and dwarf box-trees, with numberless holes of stagnant water, too +clearly proclaimed the nature of the country in that quarter. We could +see through the openings of the trees on the river that plains of +similar extent occupied the other side, which has all along appeared to +us to be (if any thing) the lower ground. We travelled in the centre of +the plains, our medium distance from the river being from one to two +miles; and although we did not go above thirteen miles, some of the +horses were excessively distressed from the nature of the ground. + +There was not the least appearance of natives; nor was bird or animal of +any description seen during the day, except a solitary native dog. +Nothing can be more melancholy and irksome than travelling over wilds, +which nature seems to have condemned to perpetual loneliness and +desolation. We seemed indeed the sole living creatures in those vast +deserts. + +The plains last travelled over were named Molle's Plains, after the late +lieutenant-governor of the territory; and those on the opposite side, +Baird's Plains, after the general to whom he once acted as aide-de-camp, +and whose glory he shared. The naming of places was often the only +pleasure within our reach; but it was some relief from the desolation of +these plains and hills to throw over them the associations of names dear +to friendship, or sacred to genius. In the evening three or four small +fish were caught. + +July 1.--Dark cloudy morning, with showers of rain. However desirous I +was to proceed, I found that to do so would greatly injure the horses. +Towards noon it cleared up, permitting me to take a tolerable +observation, to ascertain our situation. I consider ourselves as +peculiarly fortunate in being blessed with so dry and favourable a +season; since all attempts to penetrate into the country during rain, or +after an inundation of the stream, must have failed. I am quite +convinced that at this place, when the banks are overflowed, the waters +must extend from thirty to forty miles on each side of the stream, as we +are that distance from any eminence. If there had been any nearer to the +north, west, or south, we must have seen it from those extensive plains +on which we have travelled for the last three days; for looking +eastward, we can distinctly perceive Macquarie's Range, from which we +estimate ourselves to be about thirty-five miles west. The stream was +sounded in various places during the day, and its greatest depth never +exceeded seven feet; the bottom and sides a stiff bluish clay. Latitude +observed 33. 32. 22. S., longitude 145. 5. 50. E.; variation of the +compass 6. 49. E. + +July 2.--At nine o'clock we again set forward down the stream; our +course, as it has hitherto done, lay over apparently interminable +plains, nothing relieving the eye but a few scattered bushes, and +occasionally some dwarf box-trees: the view was boundless as the ocean, +neither eminence nor hillock appearing. On the edges of the stream +alone, and the lagoons that occasionally branched from it, was any thing +like timber to be seen. The occasional openings on the stream enabled us +to perceive, that the north side was in every respect similar to the +south: I was so much deceived, by the semblance of the plains on the +other side to sheets of water, that I twice went down to the edge of the +stream to assure myself to the contrary. + +A strong current of water must frequently pass over these plains, as is +evident from the traces left by the washings of shrubs, leaves, etc. The +soil was a brown hazel-coloured sandy loam, very soft and boggy; in +places it was more tenacious, water still remaining in many holes. By +the marks on the trees it would seem that the stream occasionally +overflows its banks to the depth of three or four feet; and five miles +back from it small trees were seen, that had evidently stood from twelve +to eighteen inches in the water. As usual we saw no recent signs of +natives having visited these parts; here and there the remains of +burnt muscle-shells would denote that at certain seasons the stream is +visited by them for the purpose of procuring these shell-fish: I am +clearly of opinion that, in dry summers, there is no running water in +the bed of the present stream, and thus it is easy for them to procure +the muscles from the shallow stagnant pools which would naturally be +formed at every bend of the stream. To procure any such shell-fish +whilst a stream like the present is running in it, is totally +impossible. + +Although we did not travel above eleven miles, we were nearly seven +hours in performing it. Our halting place was within a few feet of the +river, and so wet and spongy, that the water sprung even from the +pressure of our feet; and this has been the case nearly ever since we +made the stream, though of course we chose the driest spots. Neither +hunting nor fishing were successful today, but as we had become from +experience not over sanguine, our expectations were not much +disappointed, and the aspect of the country promised nothing. + +It had been remarked by all, for some days past, that a putrid sour +smell seemed to proceed from the plains, and we were at first at some +loss to discover the cause of it, as there did not appear sufficient +vegetable matter in a decayed state to produce such an effect. Mr. +Cunningham discovered that it proceeded from decayed plants of the +salsolae, which produce the same effect as decayed sea-weed does in salt +marshes; in short, all the plants found in our journey over these plains +are the natural productions of low wet situations. + +July 3.--So thick a fog arose during the night, that in the morning we +could not see in any direction above one hundred yards; this delayed us +considerably, and it was the middle of the day before we could proceed. + +Our course lay over the same description of country as we had previously +passed. The soil in some parts a red loamy mould; in others, a dark +hazel-coloured sandy soil: this last appears to have its origin in the +depositions left by floods, the former being the original or prevailing +soil. The plants and shrubs the same as yesterday. + +Several flocks of a new description of pigeon were seen for the first +time; two were shot, and were beautiful and curious. Their heads were +crowned with a black plume, their wings streaked with black, the short +feathers of a golden colour edged with white; the back of their necks a +light flesh-colour, their breasts fawn-coloured, and their eyes red. A +new species of cockatoo or paroquet, being between both, was also seen, +with red necks and breasts, and grey backs. I mention these birds thus +particularly, as they are the only ones we have yet seen which at all +differ from those known on the east coast. [Note: See the Plates.] Our +visible horizon, in every direction, being merely studded with shrubs +and low bushes, gave the scene a singular marine appearance. We stopped +about two miles south of the river, not being able to reach it before +night-fall, the marshy ground having driven us a considerable distance +round. + +July 4.--During this day's course we repeatedly attempted to gain the +situation where we supposed the river to take its course, but were +always disappointed; immense swamps constantly barred our attempts to +travel northerly; these swamps were now covered with several feet of +water, which, from the marks of dwarf trees growing in them, is +sometimes three or four feet deeper. The same dead level of country +still prevailed; and the sandy deserts of Arabia could not boast a +clearer horizon, the low acacia bushes not in any degree interrupting +the view. It was remarkable that there was always water where the dwarf +box-trees grew; we might therefore be said to coast along from woody +point to point, since all attempts to pass through them were uniformly +defeated. The soil the same as yesterday, and most unpleasant to travel +over, from the circular pools or hollows, which covered the whole plain, +and which seem to be formed by whirlpools of water, having a deep hole +in the bottom, through which the water appeared to have gradually +drained off. It is clear that the entire country is at times inundated, +and that as every thing now bears the appearance of long-continued +drought, the swamps and stagnant waters are the residuum. + +In the whole we proceeded upwards of fourteen miles, and stopped for the +night upon the edge of one of the swamps, which are now the only places +that afford any timber for firing. Some traces of natives were seen +today, about three or four days old; they appeared to have been a single +family of four or five persons. If there are any natives in our +neighbourhood, they must have discovered us, and keep out of the way, +otherwise upon these clear flats we could not avoid seeing them. + +We were again fortunate enough to kill an emu, a most acceptable +supply, since continued exercise gives us appetites something beyond +what our ration can satisfy. + +July 5.--Independently of the nature of the country rendering it +altogether uninhabitable, the noxious vapours that must naturally arise +during the heats of summer from these marshes (should the present +surface of land on which we are now travelling be then free from water), +would render the whole tract peculiarly unhealthy. Even during the short +space of a fortnight, when it might be presumed that the winter's cold +had in a great degree rendered the effluvia innoxious, every person in +the expedition was more or less affected by dysenterical complaints; and +the putrid sour smell that constantly attended us was symptomatic of +what would be its effects when rendered active by the powerful heats of +summer. + +Although there was no grass out of the marshes for the horses to feed +upon, yet they appeared to live very tolerably upon a species of +atriplex which covered the plains, and being extremely succulent was +eaten with avidity by them; they certainly preferred it to the grasses +which the swamps produced. + +Our route lay over the same unvarying plain surface as on the preceding +days, and after travelling about five miles, we again saw the line of +trees growing on the banks of the stream; and having performed about ten +miles more, we halted on the immediate banks of it. These were +considerably lower, being about six feet above the water; the current +was almost imperceptible, and the depth did not exceed four feet, and +was extremely muddy; the trees growing on the banks were neither so +large nor so numerous as before, and a new species of eucalyptus +prevailed over the old blue gum. The north-east side was precisely of +the same description of country as the south-east. A very large sheet of +water or lake lay on the north-west side, opposite to the place where we +made the river. The horizon was clear and distinct round the whole +circle, the line of trees on the river alone excepted. From the marks on +these trees, the waters appear to rise about three feet above the level +of the bank; a height more than sufficient to inundate the whole +country. This stream is certainly in the summer season, or in the long +absence of rain, nothing more than a mere chain of ponds, serving as a +channel to convey the waters from the eastward over this low tract. It +is certain that no waters join this river from its source to this point; +and passing, as it does, for the most part, through a line of country so +low as to be frequently overflowed, and to an extent north and south +perfectly unknown. but certainly at this place exceeding forty miles, it +must cause the country to remain for ever uninhabitable, and useless for +all the purposes of civilized man. + +These considerations, added to the state of our provisions, of which, at +the reduced ration of three pounds of flour per man per week, we had but +ten weeks remaining, determined me to proceed no farther westward with +the main part of the expedition; but as the state of the greater part of +our horses was such as absolutely to require some days' rest and +refreshment, before we attempted to return eastward, I considered that +it would be acting best up to the spirit of my instructions to proceed +forward myself with three men and horses, and as we should carry nothing +with us but our provisions, we should be enabled to proceed with so much +expedition, as to go as far and see as much in three days as would take +the whole party at least seven to perform. + +My object in thus proceeding farther was to get so far to the westward +as to place beyond all question the impossibility of a river falling +into the sea between Cape Otway and Cape Bernouilli. In my opinion, the +very nature of the country altogether precludes such a possibility, but +I think my proceeding so far will be conclusive with those who have most +strongly imbibed the conviction that a river enters the sea between the +Capes in question, which was certainly an idea I also had entertained, +and which nothing but the survey of a country, without either hills or +permanent streams, could have destroyed. + +I must observe as a remarkable feature in this singular country, that +for the last fifty miles we have not seen a stone or pebble of any kind, +save two, and they were taken out of the maws of two emus. I am now +firmly persuaded that there are no eminent grounds in this part of the +country, until these low sandy hills [Note: From Encounter Bay to this +slight projection (Cape Bernouilli), the coast is little else than a +bank of sand, with a few hummocks on the top, partially covered with +small vegetation, nor could any thing in the interior country be +distinguished above the bank. Flinder's Voy. Vol. I. p. 197.] which +bound the south-western coast-line are reached; and these, in my +judgment, are the only barriers which prevent the ocean from extending +its empire over a country which was probably once under its dominion. + +July 6.--A fine and pleasant morning; one of the horses was found dead, +the greater part of the others in a very weakly state. + +July 7.--At eight o'clock, taking with me three men, I proceeded to +follow the course of the stream; I attempted in the first instance to +keep away from the banks, but was soon obliged to join them, as the +morasses extended outwards and intersected my proposed course in almost +every direction. About three miles and a half from the tent, a large arm +extended from the north bank to a considerable distance on that side; +the banks continually getting lower, and before we had gone six miles it +was evident that the channel of the stream was only the bed of a lagoon, +the current now being imperceptible, with small gum trees growing in the +middle. Three miles farther the morasses closed upon us, and rendered +all farther progress impossible. The water was here stagnant. The large +trees that used to be met with in such numbers up the stream were +entirely lost, a few diminutive gums being the only timber to be seen: +the height of the bank from the water-line was three feet six inches; +and the marks of floods on the trunks of the trees rose to the height of +four feet six inches, being about one foot above the level of the +surrounding marshes. It would appear that the water is frequently +stationary at that height for a considerable time, as long moss and +other marks of stagnant waters were remaining on the trunks and roots of +the trees, and on the long-leaved acacia, which was here a strong plant. +There could not be above three feet water in this part of the lagoon, as +small bushes and tufts of tea grass were perceptible. The water was +extremely muddy, and the odour arising from the banks and marshes was +offensive in the extreme. There were only four different kinds of plants +at this terminating point of our journey, viz. the small eucalyptus, the +long-leaved acacia, the large tea grass, and a new diaeceous plant which +covered the marshes, named polygonum junceum. It is possible that the +bed of the lagoon might extend eight or ten miles farther, but I do not +think it did, as the horizon was perfectly clear in all directions, a +few bushes and acacia trees, marking the course of the lagoon, excepted. + +Had there been any hill or even small eminence within thirty or forty +miles of me they must now have been discovered, but there was not the +least appearance of any such, and it was with infinite regret and pain +that I was forced to come to the conclusion, that the interior of this +vast country is a marsh and uninhabitable. How near these marshes may +approach the south-western coast, I know not; but I do not think that the +range of high and dry land in that quarter extends back north-easterly +for any great distance; it being known, that the coast from Cape +Bernouilli to the head of Spencer's Gulf is sandy and destitute of +water. [Note: The view from the top of Mount Brown (in lat. 32. 30. 15. +S. +and lon. 138. 0. 3/4. E. head of Spencer's Gulf) was very extensive, +its elevation not being less than three thousand feet; but neither +rivers nor lakes could be perceived, nor any thing of the sea to the +south-eastward. In almost every direction the eye traversed over an +uninterruptedly flat woody country, the sole exceptions being the ridge +of mountains, extending north and south; and the water of the gulf to +the south-westward. Flinder's Voy. Vol. I. p. 159.] + +Perhaps there is no river, the history of which is known, that presents +so remarkable a termination as the present: its course in a straight +line from its source to its termination exceeds five hundred miles, and +including its windings, it may fairly be calculated to run at least +twelve hundred miles; during all which passage, through such a vast +extent +of country, it does not receive a single stream in addition to what it +derives from its sources in the eastern mountains. + +I think it a probable conjecture that this river is the channel by which +all the waters rising in those ranges of hills to the westward of Port +Jackson, known by the name of the Blue Mountains, and which do not fall +into the sea on the east coast, are conveyed to these immense inland +marshes; its sinuous course causing it to overflow its banks on a much +higher level than the present, and in consequence, forming those low wet +levels which are in the very neighbourhood of the government depot. Its +length of course is, in my opinion, the principal cause of our finding +any thing like a stream for the last one hundred miles, as the immense +body of water which must undoubtedly be at times collected in such a +river must find a vent somewhere, but being spent during so long a +course without any accession, the only wonder is, that even those waters +should cause a current at so great a distance from their source; +everything however indicates, as before often observed, that in dry +seasons the channel of the river is empty, or forms only a chain of +ponds. It appears to have been a considerable length of time since the +banks were overflowed, certainly not for the last year; and I think it +probable they are not often so: the quantity of water must indeed be +immense, and of long accumulation, in the upper marshes, before the +whole of this vast country can be under water. + +My intention to penetrate farther westward being thus frustrated, I +returned to the tent about three o'clock, and determined, should the +horses appear sufficiently recovered and refreshed, finally to quit +this western part of the country on Thursday next; a few days rain +would prevent us from ever quitting it, but we have been bountifully +favoured by Providence with a season of continued fair and pleasant +weather, which could hardly have been expected, and which alone could +have enabled us to decide so satisfactorily, if it can be called +satisfaction to prove the negative of the existence of any navigable +rivers in this part of Australia. + +July 8.--Observed the sun's magnetic amplitude in rising from the clear +horizon of the plain, a circumstance that rarely can occur in any +country unless such a one as the present; it strongly marks the. +horizontal level which seems to run now from east to west. + + +Mean lat. of our tent 33 degrees 53 minutes 19 seconds S. +Comp. long. 144 33 50 E. +Mean variation 7 25 00 E. + + +Situation of the spot where the stream ceased to have a current. + +Lat 33 degrees 57 minutes 30 seconds S. +Long. comp. 144 23 00 E. +Do. do. 144 31 15 E. + + +No hill or eminence in a south-west direction terminating in +lat. 34. 22. 12. and in long. 143. 30. 00. E. which is the calculated +extent of our visible clear horizon. + +The afternoon proved cloudy, with occasional showers: prepared every +thing for our return eastward on the morrow. + +July 9.--The morning fair and pleasant, but cold, the ground being +covered with hoar-frost. At half-past eight we set out on our return +eastward, every one feeling no little pleasure at quitting a region +which had presented nothing to his exertions but disappointment and +desolation. Under a tree near the tent, inscribed with the words "Dig +under," we buried a bottle, containing a paper bearing the date of our +arrival and departure, with our purposed course, and the names of each +individual that composed the party. I cannot flatter myself with the +belief, however, that European eyes will ever trace the characters +either on the tree or the paper; but we deposited the scroll as a +memorial that the spot had been once in the tide of time visited by +civilized man, and that should Providence forbid our safe return to +Bathurst, the friends who might search for us should at least know the +course we had taken. + +About two o'clock we arrived at our halting-place of the 4th; and +there being no place convenient for pitching our tent within six or +seven miles farther on, we determined to remain here. + +July 10.--Observed the variation of the compass by amp., at sun-rising, +to be 7. 47. E., by Kater's compass. The horses having strayed, it was +nearly eleven o'clock before we could set out, and between four and five +o'clock we stopped at our halting-place of the 3d. On our way we passed +a raised mound of earth which had somewhat the appearance of a +burial-place; we opened it, but found nothing in it except a few ashes, +but whether from bones or wood could not be distinguished; a +semicircular trench was dug round one side of it, as if for seats for +persons in attendance. + +July 11.--At nine, again set forward on our return up the river, and it +was near four o'clock before we arrived at a convenient halting-place on +its banks, the river presented a most singular phenomenon to our +astonished view. That river which yesterday was so shallow that it could +be walked across, and whose stream was scarcely perceptible, was now +rolling along its agitated and muddy waters nearly on a level with the +banks: whence this sudden rise, we could not divine, any more than we +could account for the non-appearance of a fresh twenty miles lower down; +unless the marshes which we have traced for the two last days, at a +distance from the river, should have absorbed the waters in passing, or +unless the extremely winding course should so protract and retard the +current of them as to cause a considerable time to elapse before a flood +in the upper parts could reach the lower. We considered ourselves as +extremely fortunate in having quitted our station of the 8th a day or +two before it was originally intended, as we should otherwise have been +in considerable danger. + +The present height of the bank above the level of the stream is four +feet nine inches. + +A singular instance of affection in one of the brute creation was this +day witnessed. About a week ago we killed a native dog, and threw his +body on a small bush: in returning past the same spot to-day, we found +the body removed three or four yards from the bush, and the female in a +dying state lying close beside it; she had apparently been there from +the day the dog was killed, being so weakened and emaciated as to be +unable to move on our approach. It was deemed mercy to despatch her. + +A tomb similar in form to that which we observed yesterday being +discovered near our halting-place of this day, I caused it to be opened: +it is as a conical mound of earth about four feet high in the centre, +and nearly eight feet long in the longest part, exactly in the centre, +and deep in the ground: we at first thought we perceived the remains of +a human body, which had been originally placed upon sticks arranged +transversely, but now nearly decayed by time; nothing remained of what +we took for the body but a quantity of unctuous clayey matter. The whole +had the appearance of being not recent, the semicircular seats being now +nearly level with the rest of the ground, and the tomb itself overgrown +with weeds. The river fell about three inches in the course of the +night. + +July 12.--It is impossible that any weather can be finer than that which +we are favoured with. For days together the sky is unobscured by even a +single cloud, and although the air is cold and sharp, yet the dryness of +the atmosphere amply repays us for any little inconvenience we sustain +from the cold. At nine, we again set forward on our return up the river, +and at three arrived on its banks, having performed about twelve miles. +The river had fallen about one foot in the course of the day. The horses +being much fatigued by the heavy travelling over the flats, and many of +them being very sorely galled in the back, I propose halting to-morrow +to refresh them. We were this day once more cheered by the sight of +rising ground; Macquarie's Range just appearing above the horizon, +distance about forty miles; and we felt that we were again about to +tread on secure and healthy land, with a chance of procuring some sort +of game, which would now be very acceptable, our diet being entirely +confined to pork and our morsel of bread. The weather is far too cold for +us to have any hopes of procuring fish; all our attempts to catch them +for the last fortnight being unsuccessful. The odour from the river and +marshes was most fetid, and was, I think, even stronger than that which +we had before experienced. + +July 13.--In the course of the day the river fell upwards of a foot. + +July 14.--The river fell about eighteen inches. We found that the horses +had again strayed, and they were not found and brought home until past +sunset, having wandered about in search of food from eight to twelve +miles in various directions. As the people had of course separated in +the search, three men still remained out; and being fearful that the +darkness of the night might prevent them from finding the camp, fired +several musquets, and kindled a fire upon the plains. It was twelve +o'clock before they were fortunate enough to regain the tents. + +July 15.--At three, having travelled about twelve miles, halted on the +stream for the evening. The dogs killed an emu. + +July 16.--Cloudy, but mild and pleasant. We retraced this day much of +the same ground which we travelled on the 28th ult. The horses were +frequently up to their shoulders in deep holes, to the danger of +breaking their own limbs, or those of their leaders or riders. There is +a uniformity in the barren desolateness of this country, which wearies +one more than I am able to express. One tree, one soil, one water, and +one description of bird, fish, or animal, prevails alike for ten miles, +and for one hundred. A variety of wretchedness is at all times +preferable to one unvarying cause of pain or distress. + +We halted on the margin of one of the swamps, after travelling about +eleven miles, which it took eight hours to accomplish. + +July 17.--Part of the horses again strayed; these delays in such a +country try our patience to the very utmost, and their very rambling is +the sole means of their being kept alive. It was past eleven before we +could set out, and the rain that had fallen during the night rendered +our track so extremely soft that it was with difficulty the horses could +proceed. At three we halted for the evening on a large lagoon near the +river, having gone about nine miles and a quarter. + +July 18.--At nine proceeded onwards towards Macquarie's Range; and at +four, we halted at the place we rested at on the 24th ult. For the first +time since we left Cypress Hill we heard natives on the other side of +the river, but they kept out of our sight. + +July 19.--At nine we proceeded up the river, and at three arrived at the +spot where we first reached the river on the 23d ult. The fresh in the +river was still considerable, being from three to five feet above its +apparent usual level. + +July 20.--Rested the horses to-day, having had a hard week's work, and +the weather being unfavourable. Confirmed my intention of returning to +Bathurst instead of the depot on the Lachlan, for the following reasons. +The route up the Lachlan would be difficult and very tedious, not to say +impracticable, without the assistance of boats in crossing the two +principal creeks; and if it should have proved wet and rainy, it would +be nearly impossible to travel over the low-lands with loaded horses. +Again, our return by the route outward would not afford us any +additional knowledge of the country, and presuming this river to be the +Lachlan, the course and the country in the neighbourhood of the +Macquarie would still remain unknown. To return to Bathurst by a +northerly course would enable us to trace the Macquarie to a very +considerable distance; it would give us a knowledge of the country at +least two hundred miles below Bathurst; and although the difficulties we +may meet with in the attempt are of course unknown to us, yet I consider +it a far preferable route to returning by the Lachlan, the difficulties +of which are known, and I think we may reach one station as soon as the +other. + +To-morrow, therefore, I am resolved to set forward again up the stream, +and take the earliest opportunity to cross it; when, should the +inclination of its course be such as to give reason to believe it to be +the Macquarie, we shall continue on the north bank the whole way to +Bathurst: but, on the contrary, should its course leave it no longer in +doubt that it is the Lachlan again rising from the marshes under Mount +Cunningham, we shall quit its banks, and, taking a north-easterly +course, endeavour to fall in with the Macquarie, which having found, I +shall pursue my first intention of keeping along its banks until we +arrive at Bathurst. The river has risen in the course of the night and +morning about eighteen inches. We killed this day a red kangaroo, and +three emus. + +July 21.--The stream has risen nearly eighteen inches in the night. It +is extremely puzzling whence such a body of water can come thus +suddenly. There must have been a great deal of rain in the eastern +mountains, and the accumulated waters can be only now bending their way +to the lower grounds; should the winter have proved wet to the eastward, +it will undoubtedly solve the problem. + +At half past eight o'clock we proceeded up the river, which during our +day's journey trended nearly north. Both banks appeared equally low: +that on which we were travelling extended to the base of Goulburn's +Range, and was wet and barren. About two miles from our night's +encampment, we ascended a low stony hill, from which the country +northerly was broken into detached hills; to the east was Goulburn's +Range, and to the north-west the country was low without any rising +grounds as far as we could see. The sameness which had so wearied us +during the last month was somewhat relieved by the various rising +hills and low ranges which were scattered over the otherwise level +surface of the country. A hill bearing N. 15 E. received the name +of Mount Torrens; it stood quite detached. Two of the men, who were +about a mile ahead of the main party, fell in with a small native +family, consisting of a man, two women and three children, the +eldest about three years old. The man was very stout and tall; he +was armed with a jagged spear, and no friendly motions of the men (who +were totally unarmed) could induce him to lay it aside, or suffer them +to approach him: during the short time they were with him, he kept the +most watchful eye upon them; and when the men calling the dogs together +were about to depart, he threw down with apparent fierceness the little +bark guneah which had sheltered him and his family during the night, and +made towards the river, calling loudly and repeatedly, as if to bring +others to his assistance: he was quite naked, except the netted band +round the waist, in which were womerahs. The women were covered with +skins over their shoulders, and the two younger children were slung in +them on their backs. + +There was a very considerable fresh in the stream, and its windings +to-day were singularly remarkable, insomuch that it was frequently taken +for two different rivers; necks of land near a mile long, but not one +hundred yards wide, being the only separation between several of the +reaches. At three o'clock we halted on its banks, having travelled +eleven miles and a half. + +July 22.--The river had risen during the night upwards of a foot, and +was now about eight feet from the banks; its breadth from thirty to +fifty feet, whilst its apparent usual channel could not exceed from +fifteen to twenty. The calls of the natives were heard this morning on +the opposite side of the river. At nine o'clock we again proceeded up +the river, which to-day trended east by north. About four miles east +from our last station, we ascended a stony mount being near the +north-east extreme of Goulburn's Range: the country to the north-east +and round to east was without any eminences of magnitude, but several +rising chains of low hills were scattered over the general surface of +the country; they were mostly bare of trees, being stony and barren. It +is impossible to imagine a worse tract of country than that through +which our route lay this day; to the very edges of the stream, it was a +barren acacia scrub intermingled with cypresses and dwarf box-trees. The +flats were uniformly swampy, and covered with bushes (rhagodea); the +hills instead of grass were clothed with gnapthalium. We repeatedly saw +the river in our course, but I could find no eligible place to cross it, +as the trees which would have suited our purpose for bridges were now, +in consequence of the fresh or flood, in the very middle of the stream. +The banks where the rising grounds came immediately on the river were +high and of a red loamy clay, and when this was the case the opposite +banks were seen to be low in proportion: when we halted for the night, +they were not above five or six feet, and I think there must have been +from ten to twelve feet more water in the bed of the stream than usual. +Bad as the travelling was even close to the stream, it was still worse +about two miles back from it; several small scrubs of the eucalyptus +dumosa and prickly shrubs were passed through by the men who had taken +out the dogs in search of game; and from the hill we first ascended, we +observed several very extensive scrubs to the northward, of the same +description. At half past three we halted for the night, having gone +about eleven miles. + +July 23.--The river had fallen a little during the night. At nine +o'clock we again set forward: the country became extremely low and +marshy, far more so than any we had passed over east of Macquarie's +Range. These marshes extended so far southerly that to have gone round +them would have led us far from our purposed course without answering +any useful purpose, and although we judged that at first they might not +extend above three or four miles back, yet we soon had reason to change +that opinion. The river had led us upon a general course nearly east +about six miles, when about half a mile from the bank southerly, a very +extensive lake was formed, extending about east-south-east and +west-north-west from three to four miles, and being about a mile and a +half wide. Excepting the sheet of water on the north side near the +termination of the stream, this was the only one we had seen that could +justly be entitled to the denomination of lake. We crossed over a low +wet swamp, by which its overflowings are doubtless re-conveyed to the +river. This lake was joined to another more easterly, but much smaller. +We could not form any correct judgment how far the marshy ground +extended south-east of it; but the country was low and level as far as +Mount Byng, and a low range extended north-easterly from it. We now kept +the banks of the stream, till at the tenth mile we ascended a small hill +a mile south of it, from which Mount Byng bore N. 12. E. Close under the +hill ran a considerable branch of the river, which certainly supplied +the lakes and lower grounds with water; on the other side of this arm, +the country was low, and apparently marshy as far as we could see. On +examination I found it would be extremely difficult to cross this +branch, as the water was too shallow to swim the horses over, and the +ground so soft that they could not approach the banks within several +yards. I therefore determined to get upon the river nearly where this +branch separated from it, and endeavour to construct a bridge, by which +we might convey the provisions and baggage over: as to the horses, they +could easily swim across. + +The course of the river during the day had been nearly due east, but +from the separation of the branch it seemed to take a more northerly +direction; the banks were very low, and never exceeded five feet from +the water. Occasional points of land somewhat more elevated than the +general surface would of course make them in Places a little higher; but +we could not discover any marks which denoted a greater rise than six +feet, or six feet six inches, above the present level. When we halted in +the evening, the stream was running with great rapidity. The water did +not appear to have either risen or fallen during the day; but all the +trees which would have best answered our purposes were now several feet +in the water. We had however no alternative but to cross somewhere in +this neighbourhood, as we were fearful of entangling ourselves in marshy +ground by proceeding farther up this bank; and to attempt to penetrate, +or even to round, the marshes to the southward, (if it were +practicable,) would take up more time (without being of any service) +than we could spare. Experience had made us too well acquainted with the +nature of these marshes to run any needless risks; and we had besides +great hopes that we should find better travelling to the northward, +which as the river seemed inclined to come from that point would also be +a great convenience to us, as I did not purpose to quit its banks as +long as it continued to run any thing north of east. + +As to the soil and general description of country passed over this day, +the low-lands were all swamps covered with atriplex bushes, and where +the land was a little more elevated, the soil was sandy and barren, +covered with acacias, dodonaeae, small cypresses and dwarf box-trees. Our +course was E. 4. N. 6 3/4 miles; but by the windings of the river, we had +measured nearly 12 miles. The lake I named Campbell Lake, in honour of +Mrs. Macquarie's family name. + +July 24.--At day-light we attempted to construct our bridge near to the +place where we were encamped, but as fast as the trees were felled they +were swept away by the rapidity of the current; the breadth on an +average being now, by reason of the flood, nearly sixty feet, and the +trees on the immediate or proper banks being several feet in the water: +we were therefore obliged to fell trees farther inland, and these, as +before remarked, were swept away, falling short of the land on the +opposite side. + +All our attempts to construct a bridge during the day were fruitless, as +the flood was too violent to allow the trees to take firm hold: in +searching the banks of the stream for a proper place for our purpose, an +arm nearly as large as the main branch up which we had travelled was +discovered about a mile down the stream on the north side; it ran to the +north-north-west, and then apparently trended more westerly. Thus is this +vast body of water, all originating in the Eastern or Blue Mountains, +conveyed over these extensive marshes, rendering uninhabitable a tract +which they might reasonably be expected to fertilize. + +Finding that in the present high state of the water we could not succeed +in crossing the river, at least near our present station, and that if we +returned lower down we should experience a farther difficulty in +crossing the north-west arm recently seen, it was judged best to try if +we could get over the branch on the south side, and swim the horses over +in the main stream near the mouth of the branch. We could not, however, +find any tree on this side that would reach across; although it was +quite dark before we gave over the attempt for the night. + +July 25.--Every means was again employed in constructing the bridge over +the south-west branch. The stream had fallen but a few inches, and +continues to fall too slowly to permit us to entertain any hopes of +crossing it in this vicinity. + +Our bridge was finished by one o'clock, but it being too late to cross +the horses and baggage this evening, I went in company with Byrne on +horseback to view the country to the southward. After going about two +miles and a quarter south of the tent, we were most agreeably surprised +with the sight of a very fine lake; we rode down to its shores, which on +this side were hard and sandy beaches. On the south side the shores were +bolder, being red clay cliffs. We now found that the creek or arm which +I had supposed to be the source whence Campbell Lake was supplied, had +not any communication with it, but supplied the lake we now saw: a low +ridge of hills, bare of trees except small cypresses in clumps, lying +between the two lakes, which were distant from each other two or three +miles. Finding I might obtain a better view by going to the point of +these bare hills about five miles westward, I rode thither along the +margin of the lake, but quitted it to ascend the hill, which was about +two miles and a half from it. The hill was but low in comparison with +Goulburn's Range and other hills in the vicinity, but was sufficiently +elevated to afford me the most varied and noble prospect I had seen in +New South Wales The expanse of water was too large and winding to be +seen in one point of view, but it broke in large sheets from east to +west for upwards of six miles; its medium breadth being from two and a +half to three miles: it was bounded six or seven miles from its eastern +extremity by a low range of hills connected with Mount Byng, and from +the dark broken woody appearance of the country in that direction, I +felt assured that the stream came from a more northerly quarter. To the +westward was Goulburn's Range, distant about five or six miles; its bold +rocky peaks of lofty elevation forming a striking contrast to the dead +level of the country southerly, in which however Mount Aiton appeared +like a blue speck on the horizon. To the northward was Mount Granard, +the highest of a very elevated range, it having been seen at a distance +of seventy-two miles from Mount Aiton; and to the north-north-east were +extensive open flats; in one place, bearing N. 17. E., I thought I could +distinguish water. Between the hill on which I stood and the stream, +Campbell Lake wound along the plain, but its width did not allow it to +be so conspicuously seen as the present one. To the south-east and round +to the north-east the country was covered with dark foliage of the +eucalyptus, intermixed with the cypress; whilst to the south-west, as +far as the base of Goulburn's Range, it was more open, with gentle hills +clothed with a few small cypresses. These hills were rocky and barren, +the lower grounds a red loamy clay; but the intermingled light and shade +formed by the different description of trees and shrubs, the hills, +but above all, the noble lake before me, gave a character to the scenery +highly picturesque and pleasing. + +From this eminence I took the following bearings to objects connected in +the survey, viz. + + +The highest point of Goulburn's Range N. 225 degrees distance 5 or 6 +miles. +Do. Do. Mount Aiton 143 +Table Hill 116 +Mount Byng 114 +West extreme of the lake N. 106. 30. distance 2 1/2 miles. +East Do. Do. N. 65. distance 5 or 6 miles +Highest point of Mount Granard N. 341 +Extremes of extensive flats from N. 346 1/2 to N. 10. distance + 12 or 14 miles, the last point being also the extreme of a low +range. +Appearance of water or a lake N. 17 degrees +Mount Torrens N. 294 1/2 +Mount Davidson N. 317 1/2 +Bluff point of the clear hill on which I stand, and to which bearings + had been previously taken to ascertain its situation, N. 186, + distance 3/4 Mile. +Low range of hills extending from Mount Byng to N. 55.; nearest part + of that range, N. 81, distance 8 or 9 miles. + +I came back to the tent at half-past four o'clock and it was extremely +satisfactory to us to find, on laying the different bearings down on the +chart, that the connection of the survey with Mount Aiton corresponded to +less than a mile of longitude, although it had extended on a most varied +course from that point between three and four hundred miles. + +The water in the stream has remained stationary throughout the day. + +July 26.--Mr. Evans set out to view the lake and take some sketches, +whilst I remained to forward the horses and baggage over the arm of the +river, by which time I expected he would return, so as to enable us to +proceed at least a few miles farther up. By half-past eleven we had got +the horses and every other thing safely over, and they proceeded up the +river. Mr. Evans did not return until half-past one to the bridge, +having been highly gratified with his excursion to the lake, of which he +had taken two views. + +After proceeding to the north-east about three miles, through a low, +wet, and barren country, which is at times from eighteen inches to two +feet under water, we came upon another fine lake about a mile distant +from the river. This lake was not so large as the last, but was +nevertheless a fine sheet of water, about three miles long and one and a +half or two miles wide; the opposite or south shore was much more +elevated +than that near the river, which had here extremely low banks, the water +in the stream not being above four feet below them; the marks of flood +upon the trees were also upwards of three feet higher. The cypress-tree +grew very thick and strong on the opposite side of the lake, casting a +dark shade over its transparent waters, which, though certainly +originating in the river, had not received any supply for apparently a +considerable time. The land from hence to the place where we stopped for +the night was very low and much flooded, with fine, deep, clear lagoons +winding round almost every bend of the stream; the soil was also much +better, having more the appearance of fertility than any we had seen for +some time. About one and a half or two miles from the river a thick +cypress brush bordered the low lands, and was of course free from +floods. The small dwarf box-tree still, however, continued to be the +prevailing wood, and covered, as usual, the more wet and boggy portions +of the low land. The north-west side appeared to be higher, and the +banks, as much at least as we could see of them, seemed of better soil. +A large native's canoe having been found hauled tip near to the spot on +which we stopped, appearing to me sufficiently strong to be capable of +transporting ourselves and baggage to the opposite side of the river, I +determined to make trial of it for that purpose, and if found +practicable to cross at once, rather than wait the chance of the waters +falling sufficiently to enable us to construct a bridge, where, in the +event of failing in that design, no friendly canoe might be at hand to +assist us. + +The waters in the stream had not fallen at all, and were about four or +five feet from the banks, continuing to run with great rapidity. The +first lake seen yesterday was named the Regent's Lake, in honour of His +Royal Highness the Prince Regent. + +A superb scarlet flower, named kennedia speciosa, was found on the shore +of the first named lake. The course of the river this day was +north-east, and our distance five miles and a half, although we had +travelled upwards of eight and three-quarters. + +July 27.--As soon as it was light, our little canoe was launched; but +our hopes and expectations had been too sanguine as to her capability: +sufficiently strong and buoyant to contain one person, more was too much +for her; I therefore of necessity abandoned the design, and at half-past +nine o'clock again proceeded up the strewn. The fresh did not in +the least diminish, but I thought rather rose than fell. A line which +had last night been thrown into the stream, with little hope or +expectation of catching any thing, was found, when taken up this +morning, to have hooked a very fine fish. Since the flood we had almost +ceased to think of fish, as we never had the least success in our trials. + +The river, as we had conjectured it would, trended this day again to the +north-east. The country passed over was low and nearly level. The points +and immediate banks were deeply flooded, forming extensive morasses, and +there were generally between them and the drier and more elevated land +deep serpentine lagoons, the water in which was clear and transparent, +it having been apparently a long time since that of the river had filled +them. The back land was a red sandy loam, very light, covered with +acacia bushes, spear-wood, and small cypresses; the only herbage, a +coarse tea-grass; and yet I do not think the kind of soil which appears +to be the universal one upon the drier lands, can be strictly called +barren: I have seen apparently much worse soils in a state of +cultivation. We crossed one or two large plains, clear of wood and even +bushes; the soil a stiff tenacious clay, which, though not flooded by +the river, retains all the water that falls upon it, there being no +descent or fall by which it can be conveyed to its natural drain, the +river. These plains were now dry and hard, and having been lately burnt, +the coarse natural herbage springing up fresh, gave them a pleasing +green appearance. One or two beautiful new shrubs in seed and flower +were found to-day, to the great satisfaction of the botanists, who had +not lately made many very splendid or valuable additions to their +collections. + +A party of natives was seen on the opposite side of the river, +consisting of one man, two lads, and two women; they disappeared as soon +as they observed us. + +The flood had swollen the stream to a considerable breadth; it was at +least sixty feet wide at the spot where we stopped, and was about six +feet below the banks. + +July 28.--The waters in the stream continue stationary. There must +have been heavy rains to the eastward, to maintain at this height such +a body of water. As to the rains that fall westward of the Blue +Mountains, I am clearly of opinion, that they are in no way auxiliary in +forming this stream. The soil, the general level surface, without a +single water-course north or south, prove that all the waters which fall +are quickly absorbed; and I think it very probable that rain falls here +extremely seldom, and never simultaneously with the rain of the eastern +coast and mountains. + +The day was full of cross accidents, and ended in the separation of the +expedition for the first time. The river turned suddenly north, whilst +extensive swamps ran out from it to the south-east, backed by thick +scrubby land, which we afterwards found, having taken another sudden +bend into the north-west, to be at a considerable distance, and which we +had some difficulty in finding at all, the smaller plains being +separated from the larger one by lagoons, edged with trees similar to +those on the banks of the river. + +Not having been able to find the rest of my companions this evening, I +halted with three men on the spot where we reached the river, firing +muskets, that if any of the missing party were near, they might be +enabled to join us in the morning. + +The bendings of the river were singularly remarkable, trending suddenly +from south-east by east to north-north-west, and then back to the north +and north-east; I mean the principal bending in the general course, for +the smaller ones were as usual innumerable. + +Of the swamps, which in places, extended from eight to ten miles from +the river south-east and south, some parts were dry and others under +water; and there were occasionally large lagoons covered with +innumerable wild fowl of various descriptions. Great numbers of +native companions, bustards, and emus, were seen on the plains, Which, at +the termination of our day's journey, were of a better and drier +description than usual. The north-east hills bounding them were low, +thinly studded with trees, and although rocky on the summits, were +covered with green tea-grass. The flood in the river was very high, but +from the appearance of the banks, which were about five feet from the +water, I did not think it had risen much in the course of the day. + +July 29.--At day-light sent a man on horseback to search for our missing +companions up the river, as we thought we had heard a musquet in that +direction in reply to one of ours. The man shortly returned, having met +with two men whom I had seen yesterday looking for their horses; they +had been joined by Mr. Cunningham, and had encamped about half a mile +higher up the stream than ourselves: of Mr. Evans's party, consisting +besides himself of five men, they had heard or seen nothing, nor had +they fallen in with any of their marks. At half-past eight o'clock I +proceeded with the horses up the river to join the two men, expecting +also that Mr. Evans would certainly return downwards when he found that +we did not join him. It was twelve o'clock before we found him, and we +then proceeded up the river, whilst one man and myself went to a clear +hill in the range of Mount Byng, and from which we expected a good +prospect. We passed over a large plain, washed by the river; the soil, a +stiff red clayey loam, long parched by drought; the sides of the hill +light red sandy loam. Small blue gum-trees, box, cypress, and a +multitude of acacia shrubs of various species, were the usual +productions of the drier and more elevated grounds. + +Our expectations of an extensive prospect from the top of the hill were +not disappointed: we had a distinct view round the compass. The river +wound close under the foot of the hill, and trending to the south-east +through low marshy grounds covered with atriplex bushes and the acacia +pendula, evidently and distinctly showed that it originated in the +separated branches of the Lachlan, which it is probable united fifteen +or twenty miles below Mount Cunningham, forming the present stream. The +north-east side of the river was equally low and marshy. All the points +which had been set at Mount Cunningham were distinctly recognised, and +bearings being now taken to them, served to correct and prove the +survey. The bearings taken from this hill, named Piper's Hill, were as +follows by the theodolite: + + +Mount Cunningham E. 9 deg. 20 min. S. +Mount Meyrick S. 67 10 E. +Mount Maude S. 62 0 E. +Table Hill S. 4 30 E. +Line of Mount Byng, + called Watson Taylor's range E. 7 0 W. +Mount Granard N. 79 0 W. +Mount Barrer N. 68 0 W. + about the same distance as Mount Granard. +Extreme of a high range from N. 59 1/2 W., to N. 24 1/2 W.; + nearest extreme distance about thirty miles, westward 45. +Extremes of another range from N. 10. W., to N. 2. W., + about twelve miles long; another range, N. 3. E. to N. 50 1/2 E +Hurd's Peak, N. 72. E.; a mount north of it (Mount Hawkins), + N. 71. 15. E.; a distant one, N. 86 1/2 E (Mount Riley). +Low ranges in N. 44. E., N. 35. E. and N. 26 1/2 E., + all the intermediate spaces being low level land. + + +On descending, we waited on the stream till the arrival of Mr. Evans, +about half-past three o'clock, when we halted. + +It was determined that as we had now ascertained the course of the +Lachlan, from the depot to its termination, any farther trace of it, +running as it did from the south-east, would take us materially out of +our +purposed course to Bathurst, without answering any good purpose, at the +same time that we should entangle ourselves in the mushy grounds which +had been seen both from Mount Cunningham, Farewell Hill, and our present +station; and that therefore we should immediately proceed to construct a +raft on which we might transport our provisions and baggage across the +river, afterwards taking such a course as we deemed most likely to bring +us to the Macquarie river, and so keep along its banks to Bathurst. +This work, and the task of getting the baggage over, will take two days +to +accomplish. + +The stream where we stopped was about four feet from the banks, running +with much rapidity; and I think the flood in it has rather increased +than abated. + +Almost directly under the hill near our halting-place, we saw a tumulus, +which was apparently of recent construction (within a year at most). It +would seem that some person of consideration among the natives had been +buried in it, from the exterior marks of a form which had certainly been +observed in the construction of the tomb and surrounding seats. The form +of the whole was semicircular. Three rows of seats occupied one half, +the grave and an outer row of seats the other; the seats formed segments +of circles of fifty, forty-five, and forty feet each, and were formed by +the soil being trenched up from between them. The centre part of the +grave was about five feet high, and about nine long, forming an oblong +pointed cone [Note: See the drawing]. + +I hope I shall not be considered as either wantonly disturbing the +remains of the dead, or needlessly violating the religious rites of an +harmless people, in having caused the tomb to be opened, that we might +examine its interior construction. The whole outward form and appearance +of the place was so totally different from that of any custom or +ceremony in use by the natives on the eastern coast, where the body is +merely covered with a piece of bark and buried in a grave about four +feet deep, that we were induced to think that the manner of interring +the body might also be different. On removing the soil from one end of +the tumulus, and about two feet beneath the solid surface of the ground, +we came to three or four layers of wood, lying across the grave, serving +as an arch to bear the weight of the earthy cone or tomb above. On +removing one end of those layers, sheet after sheet of dry bark was taken +out, then dry grass and leaves in a perfect state of preservation, the +wet or damp having apparently never penetrated even to the first +covering of wood. We were obliged to suspend our operation for the +night, as the corpse became extremely offensive to the smell, resolving +to remove on the morrow all the earth from the top of the grave, and +expose it for some time to the external air before we searched farther. + +July 30.--Employed in preparing dead cypress-trees for the timber of the +raft. The rain continued throughout the day without intermission. and +prevented us from making much progress with it. This morning we removed +all the earth from the tomb and grave, and found the body deposited +about four feet deep in an oval grave, four feet long and from eighteen +inches to two feet wide. The feet were bent quite up to the head, the +arms having been placed between the thighs. The face was downwards, the +body being placed east and west, the head to the east [Note: "Nay, +Cadwal, we must lay his head to the east; my father has a reason for +it."--CYMBELINE.]. + +It had been very carefully wrapped in a great number of oppossum skins, +the head bound round with the net usually worn by the natives, and also +the girdle: it appeared after being enclosed in those skins to have been +placed in a larger net, and then deposited in the manner before +mentioned. The bones and head showed that they were the remains of a +powerful tall man. The hair on the head was perfect, being long and +black; the under part of the body was not totally decayed, giving us +reason to think that he could not have been interred above six or eight +months. Judging from his hair and teeth, he might have been between +thirty and forty years of age: to the west and north of the grave were +two cypress-trees distant between fifty and sixty feet; the sides +towards the tomb were barked, and curious characters deeply cut upon +them, in a manner which, considering the tools they possess, must have +been a work of great labour and time. Having satisfied our curiosity, +the whole was carefully re-interred, and restored as near as possible to +the station in which it was found. The river fell in the course of the +day near two feet. + +July 31.--Again employed in the construction of our raft, which I hope +will be completed sufficiently early to-morrow to allow us time to get +every thing over, and encamp on the other side. The river fell about two +feet in the course of the day, and still continues to fall rapidly. The +dogs were very successful, killing three emus and a small kangaroo. + +August 1.--Still employed on the raft, which will be ready for use about +one o'clock. The river fell a foot during the night, but the trees that +would have been useful to us are still under water. The mean of the +different observations made here gave the following results. + +Mean lat. 33 deg. 04 min. 02 sec. S. +Comp. long. 146 31 50 E. +Variation 7 23 00 E. + +The series of triangles by which the longitude from our situation on the +17th of May has been computed, corresponds precisely with the bearings +taken from this station to the principal objects forming their bases, +and whose relative situation on the chart had been fixed on the 17th of +May; it was extremely satisfactory to find in so extensive a survey that +the angles should thus so completely verify our situation. + +Our raft was finished and launched by one o'clock; its capability of +carrying any burden we had to put upon it fully answered our +expectations; but here its utility ended, the violence of the current +caused by the high flood or the stream rendered all our labour abortive, +as no exertions we were capable of making could enable us to get it +across the stream. We had stretched a line across the river by which to +tow it over, but the men were not able to withstand the force of the +current acting on the body of the raft; they let go their line and were +carried about three quarters of a mile down, when they were brought up +by some trees and got safe on shore, making the raft fast. The flood had +been slowly subsiding all day, giving us hopes that we should still be +enabled to fell some trees for a bridge, which was now our only +resource, as it was considered most advisable to use our utmost efforts +to cross here rather than go farther up the stream. + +August 2.--Cloudy weather with heavy rain during the night, which still +continues. We commenced felling some trees, which we were in hopes would +answer our purpose, our anxiety to cross being very great; as it is +probable, from the long continued fine weather we have experienced until +lately, that the rainy season in this part of the country may shortly +set in, which would extremely embarrass and distress us. + +We were again disappointed in our hopes of crossing by means of trees, +as the flood which still continued swept them away as soon as felled. I +sent Byrne up the stream to endeavour to find a better Place; but he +returned in the afternoon without any success: he reported that about +three or four miles above the tent a branch joined the stream, that he +had travelled up it six or seven miles, but not far enough to say where +it quitted the main stream; the low plains were several inches under +water from the present rain; and the ground that appeared the driest was +the worst to travel on, being a wet, loose, sandy bog. As the flood +continued rapidly to subside, we resolved upon again trying the raft +to-morrow morning; all hands were accordingly sent to tow her up, which +was accomplished by night. + +August 3.--A bleak cold morning, with continued small rain. At day-light +we set to work with our raft: and after many trials had the +satisfaction to find that we should succeed in getting over our baggage. +Whilst Mr. Evans superintended this work, I rode up the river with Byrne +to see the branch: I found it but an inconsiderable one, being merely a +lagoon, except in times of flood like the present, when it appears +nearly as large as the parent stream; it forms an island ten or twelve +miles long, and from two to four broad. The impossibility of our +travelling up this side was demonstrated, as well as the nature of these +lower grounds or clear plains, which retain all the water that falls +upon them, the little inequalities forming shallow pools. It was much +better travelling over them, than on a low ridge of hills a couple of +miles from the river on which I returned; the soil of the latter being +so loose and boggy as to render it difficult for the horses to proceed. + +On my return I found considerable progress had been made in transporting +our luggage, and by four o'clock every thing was safely crossed; our +little bark was however completely water logged, and at last would +scarcely support a single man, though when first launched, three or four +might venture in her with safety. + +As I think the state of the seasons in New South Wales may serve to +explain, at least partially, why there are no running streams in +the western parts of it, it may be worth while to make some little +inquiry into that subject. It appears to me that it can never rain +simultaneously westward of the Blue Mountains and on the coast, +for these reasons: first, That the Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers, +being the sole channels by which the waters falling on the Blue Mountain +range are conveyed westward to the low-lands, are always flooded in +times of great rains in those mountains and on the coast; secondly, that +the winter, that is to say, the period between March and August, is the +time when the rains are most to be expected, and have most generally +fallen on the east coast, and which so falling would naturally cause a +flood in the streams above mentioned; thirdly, that in the summer +season, or from September to February, which is certainly the driest +period of the year, the rains fall westward of the Blue Mountains; but +falling upon flat sandy land without any watercourses, do not in the +smallest degree add to the waters of the Lachlan or Macquarie, which are +then consequently in a state nearly if not entirely stagnant. It is at +this season, therefore, that these streams are visited by the natives, +as they are then enabled to procure the shell and other fish which abound +in them. The tracks and impressions made by the feet of the natives were +certainly made when the ground was very soft and marshy, whilst their +guneahs were merely the branches of trees, and erected in places which we +found to be swamps, but which in summer would, in comparison with the +plains, be dry ground, the waters from them being drained off into +the river. + +The Blue Mountain range is by far the highest in New South Wales; the +ranges westerly, though high when viewed from the low grounds from which +they rise, cannot in any respect be compared with them. + +In the summer, the north-east and south-east winds coming from the sea +are forced over these mountains, and the vapours with which they are +charged are attracted by the lower ranges westerly, and converted into +rain. In the winter, the prevailing winds on the coast and inland, as is +evident from the trees on the tops of the hills, are from south-west to +north-west. In the winter, these westerly winds blowing over a vast +extent of country, and coming with great violence on the Blue Mountains, +confine those clouds and vapours which would occasion rain, to the +vicinity of the coast, and the eastern side of the mountains. A wet +summer on the east coast would occasion a flood in the Lachlan at that +season; and should the rains then be attended with easterly winds, +causing rain on the western side also, the whole low country must be +under water for a double reason. This is a circumstance which, I think, +could seldom happen, otherwise the consequence to the miserable natives +must be dreadful. + +It may be remembered that for nearly two years (viz. 1814 and 1815), +scarcely a drop of rain fell on the east coast of New South Wales; and +when the country about Bathurst was first visited, it bore marks of +being similarly affected by drought. The last summer was a very wet one +on the east coast; at the depot on the Lachlan, during that period when +the rains were heaviest (in February), the people enjoyed the finest +weather, at the same time the river was constantly flooded, sometimes +rising to a great height in the most sudden manner. + +Since the present expedition has been out it has generally enjoyed dry, +clear weather, otherwise we could not have travelled. Our meteorological +journal will, when compared with one kept at Sydney, throw farther light +upon this subject; and I merely hazard the above ideas as hints for a +more general and extended view of the natural causes which seem to +govern the seasons in this truly singular country. + +Another proof (if more were wanting) that the river is only periodically +full and flowing, I think may be derived from the numberless windings of +the stream, setting aside the general course. If the water was always +running, it would doubtless have forced a straighter channel through the +soft, loose, sandy, loamy country through which it flows; it being also +remembered that there is not a single stone or rock to be found along +the whole banks of the river: the few low rocky hills that terminate +upon it, either have a narrow slip of soft land between their base and +the river, or the country is flat to a considerable distance on the +opposite shore. Its windings and sudden bends are so remarkable, that I +am sure I under estimate it, when I consider that on a straight line of +ten miles from point to point, the water passes over twenty-five miles; +in many places, from thirty to thirty-five would be within the truth. + +The animals differing from those in the neighbourhood of Bathurst are +but few: the principal is a new species of red kangaroo; a smaller +species of the same, having a head delicately formed, called by us the +rabbit-kangaroo. Two other birds besides the pigeon and cockatoo +beforementioned may be noticed: we suppose them to be both birds of +night, being only heard at that time; neither of them was seen: one was +remarkable for exactly imitating the calls of the natives, the other the +short sharp bark of the native dog, insomuch that our dogs were +constantly deceived by the noise. + +August 4.--Proceeded to the north-east by east, intending to keep that +course for two or three days, to clear us of the low grounds north of +the Lachlan, before we bent more easterly for Bathurst; the above course +would also carry us so far northward, as to ensure our falling in with +the Macquarie at a considerable distance from the settlement, and also +enable us to discover if any similar streams had their source westerly +of the high range from whence the coal river derives its source, as we +shall then be some miles north of that port. + +Our route lay through a low wet country for the first eight or ten +miles, the flats covered with the acacia pendula; the last three miles +were rather more elevated: the soil in general a loose, red, sandy loam, +with small cypress, box, and acacia trees; a few acres in patches had +been burned, occasionally relieving the eye from the otherwise barren +scrubby appearance of the country. We passed through two or three small +eucalyptus scrubs, and upon getting out of one, having gone thirteen +miles and a quarter, we fortunately happened to fall in with a native +well, containing a few gallons of water sufficient for our own supply; +whilst the open level land which the scrub led to having been burnt, we +hoped would afford succulent herbage sufficient for the horses, and +prevent them from suffering from the want of water. Our course was +N. 69 E. thirteen miles. + +August 5.--The water for our breakfast drained our little well to the +dregs. Hoping that we should be more fortunate in this day's route, at +half past eight o'clock we again set forward, on the same point as +yesterday. + +The first four miles of our course led through one of those dreadful +scrubs of eucalyptus dumosa, and prickly grass, which we had often +before experienced; it was on rather an elevated plain, and, exclusive +of the difficulty of forcing a passage through it, was extremely boggy +and distressing to the horses. After passing through it, the country for +five or six miles farther was more open, the same elevated plain or +level still continuing, being thinly studded with box and cypress trees, +with abundance of acacia and other shrubs: the soil a loose, red, sandy +loam. At the tenth mile we providentially found a small muddy hole of +water which, bad as it was, refreshed both men and horses extremely; +fearing, from the appearance of the country, that we should not find any +water farther on, we filled our small keg, containing nearly three +gallons, which would at all events free us from absolute want. We went +four miles farther through the same desert country, when evening drawing +on, and the small trees and shrubs becoming thicker, we thought it best +to stop before we again encountered an eucalyptus brush; which not +affording the smallest fodder for the horses, would, added to the want +of water, render them in all probability unable to take either us or +themselves out of the desert in which we were. + +The spot we halted on afforded some dry tea-grass and a few syngeneceous +shrubs; and praying for a heavy dew to moisten them, we hoped the +animals would not on the whole fare much worse than ourselves. + +The rain which had fallen while we were on the river was not perceptible +here; indeed I think sufficient to deluge any other country must fall, +before it is seen on the surface of such a soil as prevails in this part +of New South Wales. A little rain renders it however so soft and slimy +as to make it difficult to travel over; and I should conjecture, from +the milky whiteness of the water in the holes we have seen, that it +rests on a substratum of white clay three or four feet below the +surface; the water holes at least had that bottom, although their +margins were of the red, sandy loam before mentioned. + +An accident happened to the vessel containing the mercury of the +artificial horizon, by which the greater part was lost, leaving scarcely +sufficient for use. It had been a matter of surprise to me that such a +misfortune had not occurred sooner, the box containing the instruments, +etc., being so shaken by the horse forcing his way through the scrubs, +that I considered myself extremely fortunate not to have been deprived +of the use of them long before. To carry barometers, and other +delicately constructed mathematical instruments, safely through such a +journey as the present is impossible. Our course made good was N. 68 E., +distance thirteen miles and a half. The evening fine and clear. + +August 6.--Proceeded on our course, which led us for nine or ten miles +through what might be termed an open forest country, with respect to the +timber growing on it, but it was overrun with mimosa and acacia bushes, +many of which were coming into flower, relieving in some measure the +sombre foliage of the cypress and box trees which were scattered among +them: it was rather an elevated tract that we travelled through, with +such gentle rises and descents as to be almost imperceptible from a +level surface. I ascended a hill about three miles north of the road, +but could see nothing remarkable in any direction, the whole appearing +irregularly broken into low hills and valleys, thickly clothed with +small trees and bushes. At the eighth mile we came upon a small +waterhole, which our poor horses soon emptied; again at the tenth mile, +just at the commencement of a very broken stony range, we also found a +few gallons of water, which the horses also enjoyed, it being much too +muddy for our use; and besides, we had hopes that after passing the +range of hills in which we were about to enter, we should find water on +the other side. The range continued in short broken hills for upwards of +three miles and a half, and led through such a country as distressed +both men and horses exceedingly: the surface was covered with small +quartz stones, without herbage of any kind. The box and cypress trees +disappeared, and their place was supplied by a numerous species of iron +bark, between which the acacia, mimosa, and a new prickly acacia +rendered it almost impossible to force a passage: after enduring this for +upwards of three miles and a half, we began to descend, by keeping a +more easterly course; but before we could come into a better country, +either for grass or water, we were obliged to halt for the night, being +too much fatigued to proceed farther. + +Our search after water was not attended with success, but the ground +being extremely boggy, we were in hopes of procuring a little by +digging. Our spade, which had so unfortunately been left at Bathurst, +would now have been of the most essential service, but the carpenter's +adze proved a useful substitute. Choosing a place which seemed most +likely to have received the drainings of the hills, and on which a +little rain-water still remained, we dug a tolerably good well, and in a +few hours were rewarded by obtaining near a quart of thick muddy water +per man, which by boiling, skimming, and straining, was rendered +palatable to persons who must otherwise have gone without their dinner +or breakfast the next morning, it being impossible to eat either our +bread or pork without something to quench our thirst. + +The soil of the country passed over was of the same red, sandy +description as on former days; the hills were covered with small pieces +of broken white quartz, and occasionally a large granite rock showed +itself from beneath the surface. The botanical productions of the hills +seemed also to undergo a considerable change, indicating, as we would +fain hope, that a better country is not far off. Several new plants were +acquired today, some of which were very beautiful. Our course made good +was N. 71. E., distance thirteen miles and a half. + +August 7.--The horses suffered much from want of food and water; but it +is absolutely necessary to proceed and get into a better country with +all the expedition which we are capable of using, and which the nature +of this country will allow. It is some consolation to us that the horses +are but lightly loaded, by reason of our not being now encumbered with +much provisions, and are consequently enabled to travel farther and +better. At half past eight o'clock we again set forward, and for four +miles and a quarter continued to pass through the same thick, barren +country as yesterday, the ground being absolutely covered with acacia +of various species, some extremely beautiful; after which the country +became more open; the grass had been burnt, and the marks of the mogo or +stone hatchet on the trees, made by the wandering natives of these +deserts in search of food, gave us renewed hopes of soon coming to +water. A rose-hill parrot was seen for the first time for many months, +and we were farther fortunate in killing a fine kangaroo. The country +seemed to improve as we advanced, and at the ninth mile, as we had been +gradually ascending, we were gratified by an open prospect to the +eastward, which showed low gentle hills and valleys thinly studded with +trees. The broom-grass, now dead, gave them a white appearance, and, +contrasted with the acacia in full flower, and the darker foliage of the +trees, gave the whole the most pleasing and varied aspect. To the +north-west round to the north, the country was nearly the same; but from +north to north-east by east, it was more broken into low barren hills; +the tops and sides covered with iron bark, and cypress growing among the +interstices of the granite rocks. We had however seen no water, but +there was something in the aspect of the whole country that flattered +our hopes of finding it in some of the valleys that lay in our course; +nor were we disappointed: after going rather more than four miles +farther, through a very open country, thickly covered with broom-grass +(killed by the frost), we ascended a rocky hill of moderate elevation, +connected with others lying east and west: opposite to us was a low +rocky range, the summits of which were clothed with iron bark and +casuarina trees. We saw from this hill Mount Melville bearing N. 175., +Mount Cunningham N. 189 1/2., Mount Maude N. 192., a round mount +N. 218., named Mount Riley, a gap in a range N. 283., distance about +thirty miles: descending into the valley we found plenty of water, to our +great relief, as the horses were quite exhausted, and without this +seasonable supply would have been altogether unable to proceed farther. +The grass in the valley, although perished by the winter's frost, was +very +tolerable, and the worn out state of the horses made me determine to +remain here to-morrow, to recruit them a little before we proceeded +farther. + +The country we have passed through this day afforded some of the most +beautiful specimens of acacia which we had yet seen, at the same time +that they were quite new in the species. The soil however was still of +the same description, red and sandy, but for the last five or six miles +more firm and compact; many of the plants were recognized as having been +originally seen in the neighbourhood of the Macquarie River, and not +since: this, with the more generally open appearance of the country, +gave us hopes that in a few days we should be fortunate enough to fall +in with that stream, which would free us from any farther apprehensions +of suffering from want of water; for in that event it is my intention to +keep in its immediate vicinity until our arrival at Bathurst. Our course +made good was N. 71. E., distance thirteen miles and a quarter. + +August 8.--Made the usual observations to ascertain our situation, the +result of which placed us in lat. 32. 47. 58. S., long. 147. 23. E., and +the variation of the needle 5. 20. E. The valley in which we encamped is +enclosed by forest hills on all sides but the east, affording us plenty +of water from what is, even at this dry season, a perceptible stream. +The grass however was quite killed by the frost, and, although abundant, +did not afford such nourishment to the horses as their condition +required, insomuch that if we fall in with a part of the country that +has been burnt in the course of to-morrow's route, I shall give them a +day's rest. + +Kangaroos of a very large size abound in every direction around us: our +dogs killed one weighing seventy or eighty pounds, which proved a great +and refreshing acquisition to us. + +To the valley I gave the name of Emmeline's Valley, and the hill from +which we corrected our survey with Mount Melville and Mount Cunningham, +Macnamara's Hill. The day was clear and mild, and in the course of it +some new and fine plants were procured. + +August 9.--The morning fine and pleasant. At half past eight we left the +valley, intending still to keep our course north of east, as the most +likely point on which to make the Macquarie River, from which, judging +by the botanical productions of that stream, we cannot be very far. + +For three or four miles the country was tolerably open and good, being +clothed with luxuriant broom-grass. The cypress trees of good +dimensions; but no signs of water. For the remainder of our day's +journey, we passed over tracts of low barren ridges covered with brush, +and iron bark trees, and open valleys; the country was of moderate +elevation, but still we were not so fortunate as to find any water, +although every slope was searched. After having travelled fourteen +miles, during the latter part of which it rained hard, I thought it most +advisable to stop, as we had just passed through a thick brush into a +more open country, which would afford the horses something to eat; the +rain, which still continued, relieving us from apprehension of their +suffering much from want of water. As to ourselves, we had taken our now +usual precaution to fill our keg, which gave us a pint each for our +evening consumption, and the same quantity for breakfast the next +morning. + +In the course of the day the stirculia heterophylla was very abundant, +and we remarked that the cypresses were those originally known as the +callitris australis, and not of either of the other two species, which +were common in the neighbourhood of the Lachlan. The brushes and scrubs +were the only places that afforded any thing to the researches of the +botanists; the open lands being covered with grass, and the shrubs being +of acacias whose species had been already often seen on this side of the +Blue Mountain range. + +August 10.--The morning proved clear and mild, and at nine we again +proceeded; as it was impossible to remain in a place that did not afford +us any water, and not good grass. + +The country continued open forest land for about three miles, the +cypress and the bastard box being the prevailing timber; of the former +many were useful trees. We seemed neither ascending nor descending, but +travelling on somewhat of an elevated plain. The broom-grass was very +luxuriant, being four or five feet high; the soil, as before, a light, +red, sandy loam. To this open tract succeeded three miles of barren +brush land, covered with clumps of small cypresses, iron barks, and +acacias; the slightest elevation or ascent was always stony, and in one +or two places large masses of granite rock were observed. We have +hitherto seen no other signs of this being an inhabited country than the +marks usually made by the natives in ascending the trees, and none of +these were very recent. It is probable that they may see us without +discovering themselves, as it is much more likely for us to pass +unobserved the little family of the wandering native, than that our +party, consisting of so many men and horses, not travelling together, +but sometimes separated a mile or two, should escape their sight, +quickened as it is by constant exercise in procuring their daily food. + +At the end of the brush we came upon a large chain of ponds, the fall of +water in which being north, induced us to believe that the Macquarie +could not be far distant: we proceeded down them about a mile, when the +situation offering us all we could wish for, we halted for the night, it +being past two o'clock, determining to remain here to-morrow for the +sake of the horses. + +The country on the east side of this chain of ponds was again an open +forest as far as we could see in that direction; which however was not +very far, as we were nearly on a level. I rode down the ponds Six or +seven miles, hoping to fall in with their junction with the river. Two +or three miles from our halting-place the ground became very scrubby, +and was much over-run with brush and small pines; there were marks of +flood in the watercourse of the ponds, from eight to ten feet high. I +saw several shags, ducks, herons, cranes, and other birds that frequent +low or watery situations, but the night coming on obliged me to return. + +August 11.--Along the banks of these ponds, several transitory +encampments of the natives were found, but none that had been inhabited +within these four or six months; by all of them were found abundance of +the pearl muscle-shell so common on the Lachlan. The soil, as far as we +examined round our tents, east of the ponds, was a good sandy loam. The +timber very open, and if the country had been divested of the numerous +acacia bushes with which the face of it was covered, it would be +impossible to wish for land more lightly timbered: the grass anthistiria +was very luxuriant. The ponds appear to have not been flooded for a very +considerable time, the water in many being of a milky whiteness, and the +dry channels are overrun with reeds and grass. These ponds were called +Coysgaine's Ponds, and by our observations the tent was in +lat. 32. 44. 29. S., long. 147. 46. 30. E., mean variation 7. 18. E. + +August 12.--Proceeded on our course, which, as I hoped and expected we +were not far from the Macquarie River, was altered to north-east, for +the purpose of joining it lower down than our former course would have +done; being anxious to know as much of the country in the vicinity of +the river as our time and circumstances would permit. An open forest +country with tolerably good soil continued for nearly five miles, when +we suddenly came upon a large swampy plain surrounded by the acacia +pendula. Water was still remaining on several parts of it, and we had no +doubt from its whole appearance that it would lead immediately to the +river; from the south-west edge of this plain (which was six or seven +miles round), we had a distant prospect of a very lofty mountainous +range to the eastward, named Harvey's Range; the north extreme of which +bore north, and the highest part N. 94. This range was by far the +highest we had seen westward of the Blue Mountains. and its elevation +could be very little if at all inferior. Crossing this plain and +pursuing our north-easterly course, we entered a poor barren country +covered with box trees, and low acacia shrubs; our hope of meeting the +river was however disappointed. We travelled upwards of six miles +through this box scrub, when coming to two or three holes of good water +I thought it advisable to halt, rather than proceed a mile or two +farther, which was the utmost we could have done; and then in all +probability, be obliged to halt at a spot that would not afford us that +necessary article. + +The inclination of the loftier trees, particularly the cypress trees, +for these two or three days past, denoted the strength and prevalence of +the south-west and westerly winds: this is more easily discernible from +the tops of low ranges; the western side of the tree being generally +deprived of its branches, and the trunk bent in a remark-able manner to +the north-east. This inclination and prevalence of the winds was not +observed in any particular degree westward of Mount Cunningham, and was +most remarkable in that elevated range of country lying between the +depot on the Lachlan and Bathurst; and which elevated tract continues +with little interruption to the western base of the Blue Mountain range, +on which there is not a single tree that does not denote prevalence of +the westerly wind. + +August 13.--Again set forward, intending to keep a north-easterly course +through the day, when if we do not fall in with the river, our future +course will be directed more easterly; as we shall be then full seventy +miles north of Bathurst, and north of the parallel of Port Stephens. The +country through which our course led us to-day was of various +description, the first three miles and a half being indifferent forest +land, open with respect to timber, but much overrun with small acacia +bushes; at the end of this tract was a small stream of water in ponds, +having its course in the lofty range east-south-east of us, and which +was not very distant from us; this stream was named Allan Water, and its +stream was northerly. The next four miles north-east of this burn was +through a barren scrubby country, full of dry water-holes, and thickly +covered with the casuarina filifolia, box trees, and acacia bushes. The +cypress seemed to shun this kind of barren clayey soil, and was more +prevalent and flourishing on the open forest land where the soil was +light and loamy, and covered with luxuriant broom-grass; this was the +case for the last few miles, which consisted of a very good tract of +land. The cypresses here grew into very handsome timber, and indeed were +the only useful wood, as the box tree was usually stunted and crooked. +At the end of twelve miles we found a small spring of water that +supplied some ponds, which also run northerly. The grass being pretty +good, although old, we determined to halt for the evening, as the horses +were not all arrived having had a considerable detour to make in +crossing Allan Water. On the banks of that burn many heaps of the pearl +muscle-shells were found, and marks of flood about eight feet. We have +for several days past seen no signs of any natives being recently in +this part of the country; the marks on the trees, which were the only +marks we saw, being several months old, and never seen except in the +vicinity of water. Marks of the natives' tomahawks were to us certain +signs of approaching water. + +August 14.--We had now come from the river Lachlan upwards of an hundred +miles in a north-east direction, without being so fortunate as to fall +in with the Macquarie; we were also near seventy miles north of +Bathurst, and much about the same distance west of it: it was therefore +evident that the Macquarie must have taken at least a north. north-west +course from the place where it was last seen; how much farther north it +had gone, of course we were ignorant: it is however probable, from the +watercourses we have lately passed leading northerly, that the above +point would be nearly the course which it has taken. To travel farther +to the north-east would lead us very far from our proper route to +Bathurst; farther indeed than we had provisions to enable us to travel, +having only from Saturday next enough for fourteen days at a reduced +allowance; and that time I calculated would be barely sufficient to take +us to Bathurst on a direct course, presuming no local obstacles to +arise. These considerations induced me to alter our course to east, +which however would be nearly at right angles with that which we imagined +the river to have taken, and would therefore enable us to reach it +perhaps as soon as on any other course, as we could only infer its +probable situation from the nature of the country over which we +travelled. At half past eight o'clock, we again set forward on the above +course (east): it led us generally through a good open grazing country +for about eight miles, when it became more broken and hilly; these hills +were all covered with grass, their summits and sides rocky, with small +stones: the colour of the soil had been apparently getting darker for +some miles, and was now a light, hazel-coloured, sandy loam. The small +blue eucalyptus, so common in the neighbourhood of Bathurst, again made +its appearance, taking the place of the box tree; iron and stringy barks +of small size were also common on the tops and sides of the hills: two +Sydney or coast plants were also seen. Between the eighth and ninth mile +we ascended a small hill, whence we had a distant view from the south +round by the west to north, taking in that tract of country over which +we had passed. Not a hill or eminence of any kind broke the dead level +surface of the country in those quarters; and the day was so clear, that +had any been within sixty or seventy miles they must have been seen. +From the east to the south was the lofty range before mentioned, and now +distant five or six miles: it was broken and rocky; iron bark trees were +however growing on the very summit. To the north-east and north our view +was not more than ten or eleven miles, being broken into low grassy +hills of pretty much the same elevation with that on which we stood. The +smoke of several natives' fires were seen in the range to the eastward, +and some to the north-west. Proceeding about four miles farther to the +eastward among those hills, we halted in a pretty valley, having a small +run of water in it falling northerly. We had just pitched our tent when +hearing the noise of the stone-hatchet made by a native in climbing a +tree, we stole silently upon him, and surprised him just as he was about +to descend: he did not perceive us until we were immediately under the +tree; his terror and astonishment were extreme. We used every friendly +motion in our power to induce him to descend, but in vain: he kept +calling loudly, as we supposed for some of his companions to come to his +assistance; in the mean time he threw down to us the game he had +procured (a ring-tailed opossum), making signs for us to take it up: in +a short time another native came towards us, when the other descended +from the tree. They trembled excessively, and, if the expression may be +used, were absolutely INTOXICATED with fear, displayed in a thousand +antic motions, convulsive laughing, and singular motions of the head. +They were both youths not exceeding twenty years of age, of good +countenance and figure, but most horribly marked by the skin and flesh +being raised in long stripes all over the back and body; some of those +stripes were full three-quarters of an inch deep, and were so close +together that scarcely any of the original skin was to be seen between +them. The man who had joined us, had three or four small opossums and a +snake, which he laid upon the ground, and offered us. We led them to our +tent, where their surprise at every thing they saw clearly showed that +we were the first white men they had met with; they had however either +heard of or seen tomahawks for upon giving one to one of them, he +clasped it to his breast and demonstrated the greatest pleasure. After +admiring it for some time they discovered the broad arrow, with which +it was marked on both sides, the impression of which exactly resembles +that made by the foot of the emu; it amused them extremely, and they +frequently pointed to it and the emu skins which we had with us. All +this time they were paying great attention to the roasting of their +opossums, and when they were scarcely warm through, they opened them, +and, taking out the fat of the entrails, presented it to us as the +choicest morsel; on our declining to receive it they ate it themselves, +and again covered up the opossums in the hot ashes. When they were +apparently well done, they laid them, the snake, and the things we had +presented them with, on the ground, making signs that they wished to go; +which of course we allowed them to do, together with their little store +of provisions and such things as we were able to spare them. The +collection of words which we had made at the depot on the Lachlan, we +found of no use, as they did not understand a single one. They had +neither of them lost the upper front tooth, though apparently men grown. + +August 15.--We were somewhat disappointed in not seeing anything more of +our native acquaintances, as we hoped the treatment and presents they +had received would have induced them to return to us with their +companions, as they had endeavoured to make us understand by signs they +would. At eight we proceeded on an easterly course, when a mile of +gently rising ground brought us to the edge of a fine valley, in which +was a chain of ponds connected by a small stream; alternate hills and +valleys of the best description of pasture land: the soil, a rich, +light, sandy loam, continued until we halted, at the end of eleven +miles, in a spacious, well-watered valley; where to our great surprise +we found distinct marks of cattle tracks: they were old, and made when +the ground was soft from rain, as appeared from the deep impression of +their feet. These cattle must have strayed from Bathurst, from which +place we were now distant in a direct line between eighty and ninety +miles. From several of the hills over which our route led us, we had the +most extensive and beautiful prospects; from thirty to forty miles +round, from the north to south, the country was broken in irregular low +hills thinly studded with small timber, and covered with grass: the +whole landscape within the compass of our view was clear and open, +resembling diversified pleasure grounds irregularly laid out and +planted. The animation of the whole scenery was greatly increased by the +smoke of the natives' fires arising in every quarter, distinctly marking +that we were in a country which afforded them ample means of +subsistence; far different from the low deserts and morasses to the +south-west. + +The tops of the hills were generally stony (granite of different degrees +and qualities), but the broom-grass grew strongly and abundantly in the +interstices. We never descended a valley without finding it well +watered, and although the soil and character of the country rendered it +fit for all agricultural purposes, yet I think from its general +clearness from brush, or underwood of any kind, that such tracts must be +peculiarly adapted for sheep-grazing; there being no shelter for native +dogs, which are so destructive and annoying in other more thickly wooded +parts of the country. In the fine valley where we pitched our tents, our +dogs had some excellent runs, and killed two large kangaroos; the +clearness of the country affording us a view of the chace from the +beginning to the end. + +Some of the baggage horses, which were a mile or two behind the others, +came up to the tents, with nine natives, who had joined them on the +road: they were entirely unarmed, and there was but one mogo, or +stone hatchet, among them; we had reason to suppose that their women and +children were at no great distance, as they were observed to hide +themselves when the men were first seen. The greater part of them had +either seen or heard of white men, as they were neither alarmed nor +astonished at what they saw. I should think that the loss of the front +upper tooth is not common to every tribe, as several of these men +retained it, although others were without it; the wearing a stick, or +bone, through the cartilage of the nose, appeared common to all of them. +They remained about an hour with us: we gave them the fore-quarter of a +kangaroo, and putting our remaining pork into a bag, we distributed the +iron hoops of the keg in small pieces among them; these were received +with as much pleasure as an European would have felt at being presented +with the like quantity of gold. It was impossible distinctly to make out +anything that they wished to express, by reason of the variety of their +gestures; but their frequent pointing to the south-east (the direction +of Bathurst), induced us to believe that they thought we were going +there, a conjecture which we did all in our power to confirm. Wishing, +if possible, to learn if they knew anything of the river, a fishing hook +was given to one of them, but he did not seem to understand the use of +it until Mr. Evans drew the resemblance of a fish, and made signs that +the hook was to take it, when they immediately understood him, and +pointing to the east made signs that the fish were there; but our +endeavours to learn the distance of the river were wholly fruitless. +They appeared a harmless, inoffensive race of people, extremely cautious +of giving offence, and never touching anything until they had first by +signs obtained permission. Many of the words collected at the depot were +known to them, others were not; but ignorant as we of course were of +each other's meaning, we found it a vain task to endeavour to learn +their names of things. To collect a vocabulary of words in a strange +language, it is in some measure necessary that the party who is to +afford the knowledge should understand for what purpose he is +questioned, which it was impossible to make these simple creatures +comprehend. They left us about an hour before sunset, highly gratified +with their adventure. + +August 16.--Quitted the valley (which was named Mary's Valley) on our +eastern course, anxiously hoping that we should reach the river in the +course of the day. We had heard last night and this morning the screams +of the white cockatoo, which we have always looked upon as a certain +sign of approaching water. + +The same fine grazing tract of country continued over irregular hills +and valleys for about four miles, when ascending a high hill (named +Mount Johnston), a little upon our left, we had a very extensive view to +the north-east and east. In the former quarter, a beautiful range of +hills +stretching north and south, bounded at a distance of about eight miles +the fine extensive valley before us; under those hills we would fain +have found the Macquarie, fancying that we could distinguish the haze +arising from water. To the northward, two hills skirted the valley at a +distance of six or seven miles, which might be about the medium width of +it from north to south, in which quarter a rocky range, clothed with +pines and iron-bark, prevented us from seeing to any great distance; to +the east and south-east, the same low irregular country appeared, thinly +covered with trees and grass. + +Desirous of ascertaining if our conjectures were well founded in respect +to the river, we altered our course, which was east, to north-east, +keeping down the south side of the valley or plain, which we had seen +from Mount Johnston. A finer or more fertile country than that we passed +through for about four miles and a half cannot be imagined: the soil, a +light brown, sandy loam, covered with broom-grass from four to five feet +high. After travelling the above distance, we most unexpectedly came +upon a stream, which from its high grassy banks and rocky bottom we were +obliged to conclude must be the river we were in search of; but so +diminished in magnitude that the motion of the water connecting the long +chains of reedy ponds, was so slow as scarcely to entitle it to the +appellation of a living stream. The whole country from where we quitted +the Lachlan to this spot had borne evident marks of long continued +drought, and in no part was it more apparent than in the present stream +which was so much smaller than it was at Bathurst, even after the great +drought in 1815, that after going up it three or four miles, I began to +entertain great doubts of its being the same, hoping that it might be +one of the channels which must convey the waters from the high ranges of +hills, lying nearly midway between the Lachlan and the Macquarie Rivers. + +Observing a fine and extensive flat on the opposite side of the stream, +which having been formerly burnt, was now covered with good grass, we +crossed over at a place not ankle deep, and about six or eight feet wide, +over a bottom of sand and stone, and halted for the evening; intending +also to remain the ensuing day, to refresh the horses, as they had +performed an excellent and continued week's work, and much required it. + +On reaching the present stream numerous cattle tracks were observed, and +although not very recent, I do not think they were more than four or six +months old, since the marks of young cattle were among them; it is +probable they were those that have been missing for a length of time +from the government herds at Cox's River, and are now straying wild +through this beautiful country, abounding in every thing that can tempt +them to remain here. + +The plants on the banks and in the stream were precisely similar to +those on the Macquarie in the vicinity of Bathurst; but I have observed +that no certain conclusions can be drawn from a similarity between the +botanical productions of two places, a truth which has been exemplified +more than once in the course of this Journal. + +August 17.--During the whole day the weather did not permit me to make +the usual observations; it was not however uselessly passed, as the +country was examined several miles to the north-east and east of our +tents, and every report concurred as to the general beauty and goodness +of the tracts passed over. Mr. Evans and myself ascended a high grassy +hill about a mile and a half north of the tent, and the prospect round +was highly pleasing. The general appearance of the country southerly +made me still adhere to the opinion I entertained that the stream along +which we were travelling would prove to derive its source from a very +lofty range in that direction; whilst the Macquarie would be found still +farther to the eastward, in which quarter I must have deceived myself +greatly, if we do not find a stream superior to the present; and my +hopes in that respect are much strengthened when I consider that we are +not above fifty miles in a straight line from the spot where Mr. Evans +left the Macquarie, a strong and powerful stream, and that too in a +season as long and even longer dry than the present one. In these hopes +and expectations I shall continue an easterly course until nearly on the +meridian of Bathurst, when they must either be realized, or the negative +indisputably established, that there are no considerable rivers rising +in the interior of New South Wales. From the hill on which we stood, +bearings were taken to the most remarkable objects, which were but few; +for the country, as far as the eye could reach, was a continued series +of low grassy hills and valleys; the whole thinly covered with wood, and +in many places entirely bare of it. The hills to the southward and +south-west on the west side of the stream, and immediately bordering on +it, were rocky and irregular; a few cypresses were growing on their +sides and summits. We named the hill on which we stood Mount Elizabeth, +and the extensive flats or plains north of it, and on the east side of +the stream, McArthur's Plains. + +The tracks of cattle were observed in various places on these plains, +some very recent, perhaps not a month old. A fish was also caught, of +the species common both to the Lachlan and the Macquarie. The soil of +the country round, is far as we had time to examine it, was a rich, +light, sandy loam, most abundantly covered with long broom-grass: the +rocks and stones on the hills were granite of various qualities. Nothing +was found new to the botanists; in truth, this is not a country adapted +to their pursuits. + +August 18.--In pursuance of the intention formed yesterday of still +continuing an easterly course, we again set forward at half past eight +o'clock. + +The general description of country was nearly the same as that which we +passed over on preceding days; several pieces of limestone were found, +which proved of good quality. On going between three and four miles, +ascending a range of hills which lay directly across our course, we had +a prospect of a fine and spacious valley, bounded to the east by low +grassy hills; there was every appearance of a watercourse being in it, +but it was distant five or six miles, and our access to it was rendered +difficult by lofty rocky hills forming deep and irregular glens, so +narrow that I feared we should not be able to follow their windings, the +rocks rising in such vast perpendicular shapes as seemingly to debar +our passage. After some little hesitation, we found a place down which +the horses might descend in safety. This being accomplished, we +traversed the bottom of the glen along all its windings for nearly three +miles and a half: a fine stream of pure water was running through it. +Here, doubtful of being able before dark to gain the valley we were in +search of we halted for the night. It is impossible to imagine a more +beautifully romantic glen than that in which we lay. There was just +level space on either side of the stream for the horses to travel along, +the rocks rising almost perpendicularly from it to a towering height, +covered with flowering acacia of various species, whose bright yellow +flowers were contrasted and mingled with the more sombre foliage of the +blue gum and cypress trees: several new plants were also found, of +beautiful descriptions. + +The stream in the glen running north-easterly encouraged us to hope that +we should ultimately be rewarded by finding a considerable stream in the +valley, which was the cause of our deviation from our more direct course +to Bathurst. The glen which was to afford us access to it, we named +Glenfinlass: it might, perhaps, be properly termed the glen of many +windings, as it was formed of several detached lofty hills; between each +of which deep ravines were formed, communicating in times of rain their +waters to this main one. + +August 19.--Full of the hopes entertained yesterday, at half past eight +o'clock we pursued our course down Glenfinlass. A mile and a half +brought us into the valley which we had seen on our first descending +into the glen: imagination cannot fancy anything more beautifully +picturesque than the scene which burst upon us. The breadth of the +valley to the base of the opposite gently rising hills was, between +three and four miles, studded with fine trees, upon a soil which for +richness can nowhere he excelled; its extent north and south we could +not see: to the west it was bounded by the lofty rocky ranges by which +we had entered it; this was covered to the summit with cypresses and +acacia in full bloom: a few trees of the sterculia heterophylla, with +their bright green foliage, gave additional beauty to the scene. In the +centre of this charming valley ran a strong and beautiful stream, its +bright transparent waters dashing over a gravelly bottom, intermingled +with large stones, forming at short intervals considerable pools, in +which the rays of the sun were reflected With a brilliancy equal to that +of the most polished mirror. I should have been well contented to have +found this to be the Macquarie River, and at first conceived it to be +so. Under this impression, I intended stopping upon its banks for the +remainder of the day, and then proceeding up the stream southerly. +Whilst we were waiting for the horses to come up we crossed the stream, +and wishing to see as much of the country on its banks northerly, as +possible, I proceeded down the stream, and had scarcely rode a mile when +I was no less astonished than delighted to find that it joined a very +fine river, coming from the east-south-east from among the chain of low +grassy hills, bounding the east side of the valley in which we were. +This then was certainly the long sought Macquarie, the sight of which +amply repaid us for all our former disappointments. Different in every +respect from the Lachlan, it here formed a river equal to the Hawkesbury +at Windsor, and in many parts as wide as the Nepean at Emu Plains. These +noble streams were connected by rapids running over a rocky and pebbly +bottom, but not fordable, much resembling the reaches and falls at the +crossing place at Emuford, only deeper: the water was bright, and +transparent, and we were fortunate enough to see it at a period when it +was neither swelled beyond its proper dimensions by mountain floods, nor +contracted by summer droughts. From its being at least four times larger +than it is at Bathurst, even in a favourable season, it must have +received great accessions of water from the mountains north-easterly; +for from the course it has run from Bathurst, and the number of streams +we have crossed all running to form it from the south and south-west, I +do not think it can receive many more from that quarter between us and +Bathurst, at least of sufficient strength to have formed the +present river. + +Reduced as our provisions were, we could not resist the temptation of +halting in this beautiful country for a couple of days, to allow us time +to ascertain its precise situation, and to ride down the banks of the +river northerly as far as we could go and return in one day. The banks +of the river in our neighbourhood were low and grassy, with a margin of +gravel and pebble stones; there were marks of flood to the height of +about twelve feet, when the river would still be confined within its +secondary banks, and not overflow the rich lands that border it. Its +proper width in times of flood would be from six to eight hundred feet, +its present and usual width is about two hundred feet. The blue gum +trees in the neighbourhood were extremely fine, whilst that species of +eucalyptus, which is vulgarly called the apple tree, and which we had +not seen since we quitted the eastern coast, again made its appearance +on the flats, and of large size; as was the casuarina filifolia, growing +here and there on its immediate banks. + +The day throughout was as fine as could be imagined, and it was spent +with a more cheerful feeling than we had experienced since we quitted +the depot on the Lachlan. The river running through the valley was named +Bell's River, in compliment to Brevet Major Bell, of the 48th Regiment; +the valley Wellington Valley; and the stream on which we halted on +Sunday, Molle's Rivulet. + +August 20.--The day proved as favourable as could be wished, and the +observations placed our situation in lat. 32. 32. 45. S., and our +compared long. 148. 51. 30. E., the variation of the needle being +8. 38. 38. E. A valuable discovery was made in the course of the day by +the men who were out with the dogs, the hills bounding the east side of +Wellington Vale being found of the purest limestone, of precisely +similar quality with that found at Limestone Creek. We were never due +north of that place, and it is more than probable that the same stratum +extends on the same meridian through the country. + +August 21--At eight o'clock, accompanied by Mr. Evans and +Mr. Cunningham, set out on our intended excursion down the Macquarie +River. Crossing Bell's River in the valley, we came in a mile to where +the steep rocky hills forming the west side of the vale advance their +perpendicular cliffs directly over the river. These hills we soon +rounded, and entered the vale north of them: I shall not in this place +attempt to describe the rich and beautiful country that opened to our +view in every direction. Alternate fine grazing hills, fertile flats and +valleys, formed its general outline; whilst the river, an object to us +of peculiar interest, was sometimes contracted to a width of from sixty +to eighty feet between rocky cliffs of vast perpendicular height, and +again expanded into noble and magnificent reaches of the width of at +least two hundred feet, washing some of the richest tracts of land that +can be found in any country; the banks were in those reaches low and +shelving, and covered with pebbles, whilst even at the highest floods +secondary banks restrained the river from doing the smallest damage: +these secondary banks might be from six to eight hundred feet in width, +and I think the highest marks of flood did not exceed twenty feet +perpendicular. The rapids were usually formed by small stony islands, +which. dividing the stream rendered it shoaler in those places than in +others, but they never extended above one hundred yards, and were none +of them fordable. Limestone of the best quality and of various species +abounded; and it appeared to me to be as common as the other stone +forming the hills, which was a fine and hard granite. We passed through +this charming country for upwards of twelve miles, the course of the +river during that time being nearly north, and from appearances we +thought it must continue in that direction for a considerable distance +farther. A perpendicular limestone rock overhanging the river terminated +our excursion; adjoining to this rock (which was called Hove's Rock, +from its being covered with a beautiful new species of hovia), a +stratum of fine blue-slate was found. A little lower down, the bank on +the east side was formed of perpendicular red earth cliffs at least +sixty feet high, extending along the reach nearly three quarters of a +mile; this bank was named Red Bank: a fine grassy hill thinly covered +with wood rose eastward of it. + +The timber was unusually fine, consisting chiefly of very large and +straight blue guns; beautiful large casuarina trees were occasionally +growing at the very edge of the water. The tops and sides of the rocky +precipices on the west side of Wellington Vale were clothed with cypress +trees, which had all the appearance of the pinus silvestris, that adorns +the mountains and glens of Scotland. It was nearly five o'clock before +we returned to our tent, highly gratified with our day's excursion. + +Nothing can afford a stronger contrast than the two rivers, Lachlan and +Macquarie; different in their habit, their appearance, and the sources +from which they derive their waters, but above all differing in the +country bordering on them; the one constantly receiving great accession +of water from four streams, and as liberally rendering fertile a great +extent of country; whilst the other, from its source to its termination, +is constantly diffusing and extenuating the waters it originally +receives over low and barren deserts, creating only wet flats and +uninhabitable morasses, and during its protracted and sinuous course is +never indebted to a single tributary stream. The contrast indeed +presents a most remarkable phenomenon in the natural history of the +country, and will furnish matter in other parts of this Journal, for +such conclusions as my observations have enabled me to form. + +August 22--Among the other agreeable consequences that have resulted +from discovering the river in this second Vale of Tempe, may be +enumerated, as not the least, the abundance of fish and emus with which, +we have been supplied; swans, and ducks, were also within our reach, but +we had no shot. Very large muscles were found growing among the reeds +along some of the reaches; many exceeded six inches in length, and +three and a half in breadth. Traces of cattle were found in various +places as low as Hove's Rock, which are now doubtless straying through +the country. + +Our horses have recruited themselves exceedingly within the last ten +days, and being lightly laden, I have great hopes of being enabled to +reach Bathurst before our provisions are altogether expended; we have +now left but four pounds and a half of flour, and the same quantity of +pork per man; our chief dependence must be on the success of our dogs +for any additional supplies, and in such a country as the present, we +have no fear of being in want of food. + +We had scarcely laden our horses and began to proceed up the river, when +the rain recommenced, and continuing without intermission, obliged us to +halt after we had gone about six miles; which we did upon a reach of the +river, that for magnitude and extent equals if not surpasses any in the +Hawkesbury, and exceeds that much admired one on the Nepean River, +winding round Emu Plains. The country on both sides was of the greatest +possible fertility, and beautifully diversified by hills and open +valleys. Timber is good, and in two places where the hills on this side +nearly closed on the river, immense quantities of fine limestone were +again found, the rocks being entirely composed of it. The rapids were +few and unimportant, and occasioned as usual by the river dividing into +two channels forming small islets. They did not appear to me to impede +in any manner the navigation of the river; the open reaches had +apparently depth to float the largest vessels, and there was certainly +breadth sufficient for that purpose. Nothing in fact can be imagined +grander or more beautiful than we have hitherto found the river, and +that too so near Bathurst that no reasonable expectation could have been +formed of finding it such as we did. Many good specimens of agate +forming on granite were found on the hills, chiefly where the limestone +appeared in the largest and most continued stratum. We indulged +ourselves in the probable speculation, that where limestone was found in +such abundance as in this country, quarries of marble would also be +discovered not far beneath the surface, as is usual in other countries +most abounding in this useful stone. Fish and emus were procured in +great quantities in the course of the afternoon. + +August 23--The last allowance of our provisions was now distributed, and +at half past eight o'clock we proceeded up the river, which this day +might be said to come through a mountainous country. Rocky points of +hills frequently terminated on the river and occasionally opened into +fine valleys and flats: in every valley a watercourse conveyed the +waters from the back country to the river. I think the north bank was +most frequently the lower: several small runs of water also fell in on +that side. The hills, uniformly stony and rocky as they were, were +covered with good grass to their summits. The scenery on the river was +beautifully picturesque, and more magnificent reaches cannot be found in +any river; these were interrupted in their uniform course by rapids, +which having a much greater fall than any we had seen lower down, would +materially impede the navigation of the river by boats farther than this +station, up to which point I conceive it navigable. No falls had yet +been seen that boats could not easily pass over; but in seasons of +greater drought than the present, some difficulty might be experienced. + +The travelling was excessively bad along the sides and points of the +hills; and as we had every reason to believe the country was much lower +back from the river, I determined to quit its immediate banks, and +endeavour to make a more direct course than we found it possible to do +in following its windings, which, even if it were practicable, our +provisions will not permit. + +August 24.--A very thick fog arising from the river prevented us from +setting forward until nearly ten o'clock, till when we could not see +fifty yards in any direction. Taking the earliest opportunity to quit +the river, we passed through a mountainous tract of country extremely +irregular and stony, but full of springs of water, and good grass. We +found it impossible to accomplish more than eight or nine miles, the +tops of the hills standing quite detached and unconnected into regular +ranges. We seemed ascending the ranges, which in some measure separate +the country farther westward from the river; as it was much lower in a +direction from south-south-west to north-west, and appeared to be fine +open grazing land. At four o'clock, we halted in a small valley for the +evening. Our course made good on a variety of bearings was 8. 6. W., +seven miles. + +August 25.--We again set forward, hoping soon to clear these lofty +hills, among which we seemed to be entangled: four or five miles, on +various courses, through a very rugged, but grassy country, freed us +from the dividing range, as we found by the streams all running +westerly, and apparently joining the river in Wellington Vale. Just +before we descended what we considered the principal range, we saw Mount +Lachlan bearing south from this point; and we were enabled for the +remainder of the day to make a direct course towards Bathurst, through a +good open grazing country of gentle hills and dales, abounding in +beautiful rivulets, having their rise in the mountains east of us, which +bending round to the west and north-west, and watering the finest +districts in their course, contribute their waters to the Macquarie. + +The country now passed over was generally good, and although the hills +were stony, yet the soil upon them was equal to the flats or valleys, +and covered with grass. We saw no good timber, it consisting chiefly of +small box trees, thinly scattered over the sides and tops of the hills. +There was plenty of kangaroos and our valuable dogs killed two fine +ones. + +Coarse gravel and small slate were the most common stones, but the +bottoms of the rivulets were composed of a species of black jade. Quartz +was very frequent. + +Few traces of natives have been observed, either on the river, or since +we quitted it. The population of this country must be extremely small: +as the natives derive their chief support from opossums, squirrels, and +rats, which are known to frequent barren scrubs and hollow trees, such +neighbourhoods are unquestionably frequented by them in preference to +the open country and river banks. It must be a mere accident that +enables the natives to kill either a kangaroo or emu: as to fish, they +certainly are ignorant of the manner of taking them by hook and line. + +August 26.--At eight o'clock we proceeded on our course towards +Bathurst. The country throughout the day's journey was extremely hilly, +with steep descents into fine valleys, in every one of which was a +running stream. It appeared to me, that we were pursuing a course which, +intersecting the streams near their sources, rendered our road much more +irregular and difficult than it would have been either a few miles +farther westward, or even on the immediate banks of the river, the line +of which we several times saw during the day. The country north-east of +the river was very elevated and broken. The tops and sides of even the +most mountainous parts were covered with grass, and thinly clothed with +wood. + +Many of the valleys were composed of extremely rich soil: the hills were +also generally good land and covered with grass; though there were +occasionally barren stony summits, and ridges producing nothing but iron +and stringy bark trees of diminutive growth. These tracts were however +too inconsiderable in extent, to be considered other than what ought +naturally to be expected in such an irregular tract as that which we +travelled over. + +Had not the appearance of the country round the Macquarie, where we +first reached it, fully accounted for its magnitude, the course we have +pursued since would satisfactorily have explained the cause; it is in +point of fact a country of running waters: on every hill we found a +spring, and in every valley a rivulet, either flowing directly +north-east to the river, or taking a course westerly to join the river +in Wellington Vale. Of the waters that may fall into it from the +north-east we were of course ignorant, but the appearances of the +country indicated that they were at least as numerous as from the +south-west. + +After proceeding a few miles, we halted for the night in an extensive +valley, watered by a rivulet running through it directly to the river, +from which I think we were distant six or seven miles. + +August 27.--Nothing could be more delightful than the climate and the +temperature of the season. + +At eight o'clock we took our road through a very rugged and broken +country. The glens were enclosed on either side by almost perpendicular +rocks, mostly slate of fine quality, mixed with coarse granite. In these +glens or defiles were fine running streams. The declivity and steepness +of the road delayed our progress, in seeking for better paths for the +horses; and after riding a few miles we came to the edge of a very steep +glen or valley, at the point of junction of two large streams, the +largest coming from the south-west, the other from the north-west. Both +united formed a very powerful stream, rushing with great impetuosity +over a rocky bottom, with frequent falls or rapids. The hills being on +both sides too steep even for the men to descend in safety, we were +obliged to pursue the ridge of them up the north-west river, until we +found a place where we could descend and cross, which we did about five +o'clock in the afternoon with considerable difficulty. So steep indeed +was the side on which we now were, that we could not find a level space +sufficient to pitch our tent upon. The rocks consisted chiefly of slate +and coarse granite intermixed. There appeared in each river to be more +water than usual; and marks of flood were visible at a height exceeding +eighteen feet. + +Finding that we were entangled among the streams of the Macquarie, I +determined on the morrow to proceed by the mountains dividing the +north-west and south-west rivers; and if they should lead me +considerably westward before their junction, to cross the south-west +river, which, from its apparent direction and vicinity to Bathurst, I +considered to be the only stream of consequence which we should find +between our present station and that place. + +Rugged and uneven as the country generally was during this day's +journey, there was considerable intermixture of the good with the +barren; many portions consisting of excellent pasture land, and even the +rocky hills were divested of the appearance of being so barren as they +actually are, by being covered with shrubs and grass intermingled among +the box and small gum trees, that find support between the interstices +of the stones. + +August 28.--At eight o'clock we proceeded on our journey, and pursuing +the ridge which separated the two streams, we found that their general +direction was from the southward, opening, as we advanced, into fine +valleys, rounding gentle rising hills, thinly wooded and covered with +grass. The ridge itself was chiefly of slate-rock, intermixed with +masses of coarse siliceous granite. We followed the ridge for about six +miles, when we descended into the valley through which the south-west +rivulet ran, and after travelling about four miles farther, we crossed +it when it was running a strong stream. Waiting for the horses at this +spot, I took the opportunity of ascending a very lofty conical hill, +forming part of the range bounding the north-east side of the valley. +From this hill our hopes and expectations were gratified by a view of +Bathurst Plains, which I estimated to be distant about twenty-two +miles, bearing on the course we were pursuing. A Journal is but ill +calculated to be the record of the various hopes and fears, which +doubtless in some degree pervaded every mind upon this intelligence: +these feelings, whatever they might be, were soon to be realized, and +in an absence from our friends and connections of nineteen weeks how +much might have occurred in which we were all deeply interested! + +After travelling about three miles farther, we stopped for the evening, +under expectations that we might possibly reach Bathurst on the morrow. + +From the hill whence I saw Bathurst the view in every direction (except +north-east, where it was bounded by a range of equal height between me +and the river) was very extensive; the country to the southward and +south-west was broken into low grassy hills with four intervening +valleys. The rivulets derive their main supply from those hills, and +from the range upon which we had travelled the greater part of the day: +almost every hollow contained a running stream, having its source in +springs near the summit of the hills. + +Stringy bark trees were seen most generally on barren ridges, the larger +sized blue gums in the valleys. In the evening the weather was unsettled +with flying showers. + +August 29.--At eight o'clock we proceeded towards Bathurst, hoping to +reach it by the evening; this we effected between eight and nine +o'clock, passing over a very hilly country with numerous running +streams, joining the river near Pine Hill, and afterwards keeping +along its banks. + +The hospitable reception which we met with from Mr. Cox went far to +banish all present care from our minds: relieved, as they were, by the +knowledge that our friends were well, we almost forgot in the hilarity +of the moment, that nineteen harassing weeks had elapsed since we last +quitted it. + +Although the winter at Bathurst, we learnt, had been cold and severe, +there had not been much rain; little or none had fallen in the depot on +the Lachlan, although the people there had observed some very high +floods in the river; one particularly that would nearly correspond with +the time when an unexpected fresh surprised us on our return down the +Lachlan on the 11th of July. + + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA + + + +PART II + + + +--qua nulla pedum vestigia ducunt, + Nulla rotae currus testantur signa priores. GROTIUS. + + + +TO THE RIGHT HON. ROBERT PEEL, M. P. +ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL, +etc. etc. etc. + +THIS JOURNAL +IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, +BY HIS VERY FAITHFUL AND OBLIGED +HUMBLE SERVANT, +THE AUTHOR. + +Sydney, New South Wales, +July 21, 1819. + + + + +PREFACE. + +The general appearance of the country of New South Wales and the +magnitude of the Macquarie River, as seen on the return of the +expedition in 1817, had caused the most sanguine expectation to be +entertained, that either a communication with the ocean, or interior +navigable waters, would be discovered by following its course. The +important benefits that would result to the colony in the event of such +an expectation being realized, determined his Excellency Governor +Macquarie to lose no time in fitting out a second expedition, which +should have the elucidation of this point for its principal object. This +expedition was also entrusted to my direction. I had scarcely a doubt of +ultimate success, and set out with a confidence which nothing short of +ocular demonstration could destroy. The result of our voyage down the +Macquarie River, and the conjectures which naturally arose in my mind +founded upon observations of its apparent termination, together with +our subsequent journey to the east coast, will be found in the following +pages. + +In the map which accompanies the present Journal, every bounding range +to the westward is laid down, from which it will appear that the +north-west interior is nearly a perfect plain; the lower parts of which +are certainly in most seasons under water. The highest land we crossed +lies in lat. 31. S., and long. 151. 10. E. From this apparently dividing +or principal range, the country gradually declines to the north-west; +when, the hills terminating abruptly, the level land commences, over +which is discharged all the waters that have their rise in this dividing +range; and also those waters which rising in the hills (for they cannot +with propriety be termed mountains) to the south-west, have the Lachlan +River for their channel. + +The nature of the country will be best explained by a reference to the +Journal; generally speaking, it is fine and open. The bounding high +lands to the north-west seem to take a direction nearly parallel with +the coast line, and the evident declension of the country northerly +affords strong ground for belief, that if those interior waters have any +outlet to the sea [See Note at end of this paragraph.], it will be found +in that direction; and I think the probability is that the waters falling +westerly, will there approach the high tracts of country, much nearer +than they do to the south-west. The whole country to the north of our +track appeared so extremely open and practicable, that it offers in my +opinion but few obstructions to a series of triangles being carried over +it; the longest sides of which, being traced along the bounding high +lands to the north-west, and carried as far northerly as the isthmus, +which separates the gulf of Carpentaria from the sea to the eastward, +would effectually set at rest all questions as to the existence of an +interior sea. Farther north than this point, there can be no reasonable +expectation of finding either waters or an outlet. + +[Note: The observations made in the recent voyage of Lieutenant King +along the west and north coasts preclude every reasonable hope of any +opening being found on those coasts. The voyage which he is at present +prosecuting will doubtless determine that point beyond all future +question.] + +So few natives were seen in the interior, that those extensive regions +can scarcely be described as inhabited; some scattered families comprise +the entire population, and the scanty remarks we were enabled to make +satisfied us of the strict identity of this race of human beings with +those of the coast. The same method of procuring their food, the same +arms and utensils, are common to both. This remarkable similarity in the +natives of different tribes extends also to the animal and vegetable +productions of the country: the eucalyptus and casuarina; the kangaroo +and the emu, with their various species, alike inhabit the cold regions +of Van Diemen's land, and the warmer latitudes within the tropics. + +A short description of the most remarkable plants collected during the +expedition by Mr. Charles Frazier, the government collector, is added to +this Journal; and although the result as to the principal object of the +expedition has not been answerable to the expectation which was +entertained when it set out, yet when the general knowledge obtained of +so considerable a portion of this extensive country is considered, it is +hoped that it has not been undertaken and performed in vain; and that +the field which it has opened to the colonists will be attended with +ultimate benefit both to them and to the parent country. + +Sydney, July 17, 1819. + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA--PART II. + + + +May 20, 1818. Having received his Excellency the Governor's instructions +for the conduct of the expedition intended to examine the course of the +Macquarie River, and every preparation having been made at the depot in +Wellington Valley for that purpose, I quitted Sydney in company with Dr. +Harris (late of the 102nd foot), and after a pleasant journey, arrived at +Bathurst on the 25th. Our little arrangements having been completed by +the 28th, we again set forward with the baggage horses and men that were +to compose the expedition. + +We at first kept nearly upon the track pursued by us on our return from +the first expedition in August last; but on approaching Wellington +Valley, keeping a little more to the westward, we avoided much of that +steep and rugged road which we then complained of; the country being +quite +open, the valleys and flats good, the hills limestone rock. We did not +meet with the slightest interruption, and arrived at the depot on the +2nd of June, where we found the boats, etc. in perfect readiness for our +immediate reception. + +June 4.--Got all the horses and provisions over to the north side of the +river, and made every preparation to pursue our journey on the morrow. +The river rose about a foot during the day. The accident which had +befallen our barometer during the former expedition not being repaired, +we are of course deprived of means to make any observations on the +height of the country above the sea, otherwise than by careful +observation of the several falls or rapids: I do not think that our +station here is much above four hundred feet below the level of +Bathurst. + +June 5.--About one o'clock the weather cleared up a little, when Lewis +with the boat-builder's party set out on their return to Bathurst, +taking with them three of the worst of the horses, and leaving with us +nineteen. The river rose but little during the day: it is quite high +enough for our purpose. A new species of fish was caught, having four +smellers above and four under the mouth; the hind part of it resembled +an eel; it had one dorsal fin, and four other fins, with a white belly; +it measured twenty-one inches and a half, and weighed about two pounds +three quarters. + +June 6.--Proceeded down the river about four miles, when the boats were +finally laden. The river in Wellington Valley had been swelled by the +late rains, insomuch that the water below its junction with the +Macquarie was quite discoloured. From the fineness of the soil, the rain +had made the ground very soft, rendering it difficult for the horses to +travel. + +June 7.--Proceeded on our journey, both boats and horses being very +heavily laden with our stores and provisions. The river rose but +little. Our day's journey lay generally over an open forest country, +with rich flats on either side of the river: high rocky limestone hills +ended occasionally in abrupt points, obliging the horses to make +considerable detours. The hills were very stony, and so light was the +soil upon them, that the rain rendered the ground very soft. The river +had many fine reaches, extending in straight lines from one to three +miles, and of a corresponding breadth. The rapids, although frequent, +offered no material obstruction to the boats. The current in the long +reaches was scarcely perceptible, and it appears to me that the +difference of elevation between this station and the last is not +considerable. + +June 8.--The river expanded into beautiful reaches, having great depth +of water, and from two to three hundred feet broad, literally covered +with water-fowl of different kinds: the richest flats bordered the +river, apparently more extensive on the south side. The vast body of +water which this river must contain in times of flood is confined within +exterior banks, and its inundations are thus deprived of mischief. About +six miles down the river, a freestone hill ended on the north side of +the river: I mention this, as the only stone of that description I had +yet seen. The trees were of the eucalyptus (apple tree), and on the hills +a few of the callitris macrocarpa [Note: Callitr. Vent decad.] were seen: +the trees would furnish large and useful timber. Between eight and nine +miles lower, passed the mouth of Molle's rivulet, now a fine stream. At +four o'clock halted for the evening on rather an elevated spot, +overlooking the rivulet, and a most luxuriant country, on the south side +of the river, well clothed with wood. The boats, during this day's work, +met with no obstructions that were not easily avoided; the rapids were +not so numerous, neither were they so shoal as in the vicinity of the +depot. Our sportsmen provided us with plenty of kangaroos, and a swan. + +June 9.--This day the river ran to the north-west by north; about six +miles below our halting-place it received Mary's River, a pretty little +stream. The country on the north side which we passed over was of +various description; the hills barren and stony, with dwarf eucalypti, +or gums, casuarinae, and a few of the sterculia heterophylla; the +country hilly and open: some of the flats on the banks of the river were +extensive and rich, and apparently not subject to floods. On the south +side of the river, the country was more generally a rich flat, backed by +distant hills; to the south-west, stony eminences occasionally ended on +the river. On the hills many specimens of agate, iron-stone, and jasper +were procured, also some flint; the low stones of the river produced the +same: abundance of fine freestone was every where seen. The general +elevation of the country still continues high; the river pours along a +vast body of water; there is no fresh in it, and it is not in any +respect above its usual level. The rapids are caused by the river +dividing into two channels, forming small islands; the water here runs +with great rapidity on a rocky and stony bottom, but of considerable +depth; the obstructions solely arising from trees which have been washed +by the floods from the banks, and which on the subsidence of the water +have remained in the narrows. The character of this river is in every +respect different from the Lachlan; its waters are pure and transparent, +with no marks of flood; it derives its source and continuance from +springs and additional streams, and is in no way dependent upon rains +for its permanent existence. + +June 10.--Remained at this station for the purpose of refreshing the +people and horses. Examined the country to the north-east for a few +miles; it differed but little from that already passed over, in point of +quality of soil, but was broken into irregular hills and valleys, +without rising into any one distinguishing or remarkable hill: the +surface of the country seemed elevated, and rising to the eastward. The +soil for the most part a reddish light mould, the hills covered with +small stones, the trees dwarf gum, box, a few cypresses and casuarinae; +the soil well covered with grass. Kangaroos, fish, and swans, were the +produce of this day's sport, so that we enjoyed all the necessaries, and +many of the luxuries of life. + +June 11.--Proceeded down the river about eight miles, meeting with no +obstructions of any consequence: the water had risen about a foot in the +last night, and now ran with considerable rapidity, particularly in the +narrows. It is by no means desirable that the river should rise any +higher; there is abundance of water for our purposes, any addition would +only partially cover the stumps of trees and increase our danger; at +present we see and avoid them. After travelling six miles we came to a +small river running from the eastward; there was at this time a fresh in +it, so that we had to unload the horses and use the boats to transport +our baggage over. It was three o'clock before we had got every thing +across, we therefore halted for the evening. The country passed through +was of the finest description, and apparently equally good on the +opposite side; rich flats bounded by gentle hills were on each side of +the small river, which received the name of Erskine River, after the +present lieutenant governor of the colony. These flats were covered with +the species of eucalyptus called apple tree, but (like the other +trees) of small size. While we were employed in crossing the river, I +rode up it about three miles through a similar country. I went to the +north-east; the country gently rose, and was generally of an excellent +soil, well watered and fit for all purposes of cultivation, with partial +exceptions of stony and brushy ridges. Many hills and elevated flats +were entirely clear of timber, and the whole had a very picturesque +and park-like appearance. I hailed Erskine River as a good omen of +ultimate success: it was the first stream we had met with falling from +the eastward, and was a proof to me that the Macquarie was the natural +reservoir or channel for the waters from the north-east, as I knew it to +be from the south. We had as yet seen no inhabitants, and very few signs +that the country is inhabited at all. Fish, flesh, and fowl are +abundant, but there are no human beings to enjoy them but ourselves: +native dogs are in considerable numbers, and keep up during the night a +continual howling. + +June 12.--We this day passed over a very beautiful country, thinly +wooded, and apparently safe from the highest floods; the river had +considerable windings, but was of noble width and appearance; the +rapids were few, and offered no obstruction; its medium width from one +hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty feet, and in many reaches +much more. On one of the higher back ridges there are some good iron +bark trees, with abundance of cypress; the apple, blue gum, and box, +were the principal trees growing on the flats. Kangaroos were in very +great numbers: our dogs took four; they were of that species called by +Dr. Smith macropus elegans, and are very rare on the east coast. The +stones and rocks were generally hard whinstone, or freestone, the former +in large masses; the beach, of pebbles of all colours and kinds, from +quartz to sandstone. About a mile from our resting-place, we passed the +mouth of the small rivulet named in the former journey Elizabeth's Burn; +the stream now in it was inconsiderable. + +June 13.--Our route during this day's journey was generally over a very +level country, the land three or four miles back from the river very +inferior to that on the borders of it, being covered with small trees +and brush; the soil a light, red loam. The rich flats on the banks on +either side were not flooded, and were of the best quality: these flats +seemed more extensive on the south than the north side of the river, and +were bounded by the fine hills, which were passed over on the return of +the expedition last year. About five miles from our last night's +resting-place, we fell in with a small rivulet from the north-east, +which I named after Major Taylor, of the 48th regiment. On the west side +of it, we came suddenly upon a couple of native families; they, however, +with the exception of an old man, and a boy who was up a tree, made +their escape. No entreaties could bring the boy down; he seemed, in +fact, as well as the old man, petrified with terror. The man was +possessed of the remains of an iron tomahawk, which he had fitted as a +mogo, or native axe. I think it probable he became possessed of this +treasure through others of his countrymen who had visited the party in +Wellington Vale, as it was clear he had never seen white people before. +The man made repeated attempts to induce us to depart, which to his +great joy we shortly did. The left side of this man's body was one +continued ulcer, occasioned most likely by a burn. The river wound upon +every point of the compass, and its breadth was much contracted by +shoals and rapids running over a rocky bottom: the stream ran with +great velocity, and the boat experienced no interruptions. The banks +were very high and wide, and although the marks of flood were observed +to upwards of thirty feet, the waters were confined to the actual bed of +the river, without flooding the lands on either side. Large masses of +coarse granite were in the river where we stopped for the evening; it +was of a different species from any we had hitherto seen, and the bases +of the hills ending on the river seemed to be composed of it. + +June 14.-I had determined to halt this day, for the purpose of verifying +our situation by survey, but was prevented by rain of great violence +throughout the day, accompanied by strong winds from the north-west; +this confined us to our tents. + +June 15.--Our journey lay over alternate rich flats and barren stony +scrubs; the country irregular, and the banks much elevated: the land to +the north-west and north, as far as we could see, (ten or twelve miles) +broken into bare, irregular hills and valleys. On the south side of the +river the flats were more extended; thick coppices, and tracts of +barren land, were also observed on that side. About four miles down the +river large blocks of granite were scattered in its bed, and formed the +base of the surrounding hills, the tops of which were covered with +different kinds of stone, cemented or fused together by the action of +fire: many of those stones were beautifully crystallised, and the +appearance of some kind of mineral was evident. The river sometimes +swept along in fine reaches, then, becoming contracted into narrow rocky +channels, rushed through those straits with extreme violence, rendering +it difficult to steer the boats clear of the obstructions that presented +themselves on every side: the large boat struck twice in those narrows. +The water has fallen considerably, and it does not appear to be even now +at its usual level; its quality is very hard. The granite we fell in +with four miles below our last encampment was of a totally different +species, being much finer and closer grained, with small black specks +thickly intermingled in the mass; some freestone was also seen. The +botany of the country was in all respects the same as observed on our +journey homewards last year; the grassy nature of the herbage preventing +any material addition to our collection. Kangaroos were in great +numbers, and continued to furnish us with a welcome addition to our +rations. + +June 16.--Our day's route was as usual over a very flat though rich +country, thickly wooded with good timber of the eucalyptus and angophora +species, with some fine cypresses in the looser soils, and back from the +river. The country, although flat, appears considerably elevated, and is +neither flooded nor swampy; the opposite side apparently of the same +kind. We fell in with another small camp of natives; the women and +children withdrew before we came up with them: among the men (seven in +number) we recognised four whom we had seen on the last expedition at +Mary's Rivulet; the recognition was mutual, and they seemed highly +pleased with it: they accompanied us about eight miles farther to our +evening's encampment, where being gratified with some kangaroo, and +undergoing the operation of shaving, (at their earnest request, after +seeing one of their number disencumbered of an immense beard) they left +us +at sunset to join their families, which were probably at no great +distance. About four miles above our encampment, on the immediate banks +of +the river, we discovered a large mass of saponaceous earth; I at first +took it to be a fine pipeclay, but on examination, it appears to possess +all the valuable qualities of fuller's earth; and a piece of woollen +cloth +being partially greased, and then rubbed over with the earth, the grease +was perfectly extracted and the cloth left entirely clean. Among this +earth, small white pieces of a hard marly substance were found, and +appeared either to be pure lime, or to contain a very considerable +portion of it. On one of the beaches a small shell was found, which was +unanimously adjudged to be a marine production; at least, we had never +before seen any fresh-water shell resembling it. The river fell during +the +last night and the course of this day very considerably, and is, I think, +below its proper level; there is however an ample sufficiency of water +for our boats: the chief dangers are from stumps and branches of trees +in the narrows; and what previously to the great fall in the water we +could have passed over without difficulty, now occasions us some anxiety +and trouble. The course the river took to-day was considerably to +the north. + +June 17.--A very severe frost, the ice a quarter of an inch thick. About +a mile down the river, we saw a native burial-place or tomb, not more +than a month old; the characters carved on the trees were quite fresh: +the tomb had no semicircular seats, but in other respects was similar to +those seen on our last journey. The country still continued perfectly +level, the greater part extremely good and rich; back from the river it +was occasionally marshy, with barren rocky scrubs; the timber large, and +generally good: we could not see beyond a mile on the opposite side, but +the country there appeared much the same. One of the men, who was some +distance ahead of the horses, saw a large party of the natives, who fled +at his approach, and swam the river; there were upwards of twenty men, +besides women and children: the moment they were safely across, they +brandished their waddies and spears in token of defiance: this was the +first time any of the natives were seen armed, or in any way hostilely +inclined. The river ran to the north-west by north over a bottom of rock +and sand: in point of depth, it was amply sufficient for much larger +boats than ours; but it was impossible always to avoid concealed +dangers, over which the waters did not cause the slightest ripple. The +large boat struck on a sharp rock, and with such violence as to stave +her bottom; she was immediately unladen, and temporarily repaired +without injury to the cargo. Although the river is extremely low, there +is a very large body of water in it; the outer banks are nearly a +quarter of a mile wide, and far out of the reach of flood, the marks of +which were, to our extreme astonishment, observed nearly fifty feet +high. We have not seen during these last two days any hill or other +eminence; the country within our sight and observation being perfectly +level. + +June. 18.--As we were on the point of setting forward, a large party of +natives made their appearance on the opposite side of the river: they +set up a most hideous and discordant noise, making signs, as well as we +could understand them, for us to depart and go down the river. After +beating their spears and waddies together for about a quarter of an +hour, accompanied by no friendly gestures, they went away up the river, +while we pursued our course in an opposite direction. We had hitherto +met with no obstructions in the navigation, except such as arose from +the wrecks of successive floods lodging in the narrows; these were +easily overcome: the course of the river to-day for nearly six miles +was a fine and even stream, from forty to fifty yards wide, and from +eight to sixteen feet deep, over a bottom of rock and sandy gravel; when +a reef of rocks at once interrupted our progress in the laden boats, the +water breaking with such violence over them, that I was afraid they +would be greatly endangered even when light. The horses had stopped at a +cataract about three quarters of a mile lower down, and it appeared that +the rocky shoal extended to that distance, when a fall of five feet over +a bed of rocks would have stopped the boats altogether. The horses were +immediately unladen and sent to bring the cargos of the two boats, which +being accomplished, we got them safely over the shoals by the cataracts; +when hauling them over land about two hundred yards, they were again +launched into deep water. The country on either side during this days +journey was by no means so good as it had hitherto generally been, being +very brushy, and thickly timbered, chiefly with the species of +eucalyptus called box, and another kind appearing to be different from +those frequently observed. The banks of the river were very high; and, +notwithstanding the country was perfectly level, it was far above the +reach of any flood. The body of water falling over the cataract was +surprising, the low state of the river being considered, and this +incident instead of discouraging us increased our already sanguine +hopes, that its termination would not deceive the expectations we could +not avoid indulging. + +June 19.--The boats during their progress this day did not experience +any obstruction, the river winding in fine though narrow reaches, over a +bottom of sand and occasionally rock; the depth from eight to sixteen +feet. The country still continued perfectly level, but generally of +excellent soil: two or three miles back from the river north-east, there +were several extensive plains, without any timber on them, and in many +places water was on the surface, probably occasioned by the heavy rain +on the 14th instant; since these flats, and indeed all the country we +had hitherto travelled over, were quite clear of any floods from the +river. The banks of the river are, I think, ten or twelve feet lower +than they are fifteen or twenty miles higher up; the floods evidently do +not rise to so great a height, not exceeding, as far as we can judge, +sixteen feet. I do not think the timber is either so large or so good as +we had hitherto found it; but there is a great quantity of it, chiefly +box, and a species of blue gum. Although at such a distance from the +Lachlan, we have recognised most of the plants found in its vicinity: in +all other respects the neighbourhood of the two rivers is totally +dissimilar; and in nothing more observable than in the rivers +themselves. The water in the river continues so extremely hard as to +render it difficult to raise a lather from soap; it is also very pure +and transparent. + +June 20.--The night cold, a sharp frost congealing some standing water +by the river's side. The river rose upwards of a foot during the night, +and still continues gradually to rise. Having gone upwards of one +hundred and twenty-five miles from Wellington Valley, I thought it +advisable that the two men who accompanied us for that purpose should +return to Sydney with an account of our proceedings, agreeably to the +governor's instructions. Despatched two other men on horseback to the +north-east, with directions to go as far as possible in that direction, +and to return by sunset; which they did, and reported that they had been +from fourteen to sixteen miles, through a very fine though level +country: the brushes were of small extent, and communicated with the +finest tracts, chiefly of forest land thinly wooded: no marks were seen +of any floods either from the river or land side, and these flats were +watered by chains of ponds or watercourses, which doubtless when +overflowed communicate with the river. Abundance of kangaroos and emus. + +June 21.--The result of the observation this day gave for our situation +lat. 31. 49. 60. S., long. 147. 52. 15. E., and the variation 8. 22. E. + +June 22.--Completed the necessary papers for the governor's information, +and made all ready to proceed on our journey tomorrow. The river in +these last two days has risen between two and three feet. + +June 23.--Having despatched Thomas Thatcher and John Hall to Bathurst, +with an account of our progress, the expedition set forward down the +river. For four or five miles there was no material change in the +general appearance of the country from what it had been on the preceding +days, but for the last six miles the land was very considerably lower, +interspersed with plains clear of timber, and dry. On the banks it was +still lower, and in many parts it was evident that the river floods +swept over them, though this did not appear to be universally the case. +The far greater part of the last six miles was covered with shrubs, and +the acacia pendula. These unfavourable appearances threw a damp upon our +hopes, and we feared that our anticipations had been too sanguine. The +river continued nearly as before, but much narrower, and more winding, +in some measure accounting for the great height of the floods which we +observed fifty or sixty miles back, where the river was probably four +times as wide: we missed with regret the striking characteristics which +had hitherto distinguished it, the sandy and gravelly beaches, and rocky +points; though there was certainly the same volume of water which had +originally given me such strong hopes that it could never be dissipated +over marshes. The banks are no more than twenty feet high in their most +elevated places, and the probability is, that all our doubts, +speculations, and hopes, will be clearly decided within the week; the +soil is of the richest quality, but the flatness of the land, and want +of any eminence, are great drawbacks upon the bounties of nature: not +but there are numerous spaces above the reach of either land or river +flood, which would offer secure retreats to the inhabitants of these +singular regions. Several new birds were seen to-day of very beautiful +plumage; none however were procured, so as to enable me to describe them. +We also saw the crested pigeon, and grey and red parrot of the Lachlan; +some fine and singular plants also enriched our collection: it would seem +as if nature here delighted in wasting her most beautiful productions +upon the "desert air," rather than placing them in situations where +they would become more easily accessible to the researches of science +and taste. + +June 24.--The country was still extremely flat, and perfectly overrun +with acacias, dwarf box (eucalyptus), some species of suffruticore +atriplex [See Note at end of this paragraph.], and other shrubs; and +intersected by nunumerous extensive lagoons now quite dry, but which when +the river is about one-third full, convey the water back over vast plains +and levels for the most part clear of every kind of brush, and on the +fall +of the waters these lagoons act as drains to the lands. The brushes were +most numerous and perplexing in the neighbourhood of the river, a course +we were obliged to keep, in order not to part company with the boats. The +country two or three miles along the banks of the river was only +partially flooded, the land being much lower at a greater distance from +it; the most part of the soil was a rich, alluvial deposition from +floods. Except on those clear plains which occasionally occurred on the +sides of the river, we could seldom see beyond a quarter of a mile. +Byrne, who was at the head of the hunting party, surprised an old native +man and woman, the former digging for rats, or roots, the other lighting +a fire: they did not perceive him till he was within a few yards of +them, when the man threw his wooden spade at Byrne, which struck his +horse; then taking his old woman by the hand, they set off with the +utmost celerity, particularly when they saw the dogs, of which they seem +to entertain great fears. In the evening, natives were heard on the +opposite side of the river, but none came within view. There was no +alteration in the appearance or size of the river during this day's +course; the banks were in no respect lower: it ran with great rapidity +over a sandy bottom, and was from six to thirty feet deep; the water +still clear, and remarkably hard. + +[Note: Other genera of chenopodeae likewise exist on these plains, +of which some salsolae, and that curious lanigerous shrub sclerolaena +paradoxa of Mr. Brown, with spinous fruit, are most remarkable.] + +June 25.--The weather cold, but fine: the thermometer is about 28 +degrees, and I think from this extraordinary degree of cold so far to +the north, that notwithstanding the lowness of the surrounding country +(as compared to its relative situation with the river), that we are +still at a considerable elevation above the sea. In our last journey, +three degrees farther south, we experienced at the same season no such +cold, the weather being equally fine and clear as at present. The +appearance of the country was much the same as yesterday; the whole +ground we passed over being liable to flood, and covered with eucalyptus +or gum tree, acacia pendula, and various other species of that extensive +genus, one of which appeared quite new but not in flower. Four or five +miles back from the river (east), the country rises and is not flooded, +the soil being there much inferior, but covered with fine cypresses: +notwithstanding this tract was much higher than that more immediately on +the river, there was no eminence from which we could look around. The +banks of the river are much lower than yesterday, scarcely exceeding +twelve feet high; the floods are low in proportion, and I did not see +any mark showing that the rise of water ever exceeded a foot above the +banks. The river did not offer the slightest obstruction, and was from +twenty to twenty-four feet deep. There is probably from two to three +feet more in it than usual; the breadth varies considerably, in some +places not more than sixty feet, in others two hundred. All the lagoons +(though very deep), in the neighbourhood of the river are quite dry, and +appearances indicate that the country has not been flooded for years. +Emus and kangaroos are in abundance; but we have lately caught no fish, +owing most likely to the coldness of the weather: various birds +altogether unknown to us were seen; and although the leading plants were +the same as those found through nearly the whole of Australia, new ones +were daily met with. The river has continued inclining to the northward: +its course to-day was north-north-west. + +June 26.--The country this day was as various as can be imagined; low +but not level; in some places covered with the acacia pendula, +chenopodeae, and polygonum juncium; in others, with good gum and box +trees. The whole, with few exceptions, appeared liable to flood. Four or +five miles back the country imperceptibly rises, and is free from river +floods; but the hollows, proceeding from the inequalities of its +surface, are in rainy seasons the reservoirs of the land floods. The +whole country was now perfectly dry, and must have been so for a long +period: it would indeed have been impossible, had the season been wet, +to have kept company with the boats. The river itself continues +undiminished, and is a fine stream, with nothing to impede the +navigation; its windings, however, are very considerable. The banks +appear lower by nearly three feet than yesterday: there are still no +marks of flood rising upon the land above a foot on either side: the +depth of the stream is from twenty to twenty-four feet, breadth from +sixty to one hundred and sixty, and its current is about a mile and a +half per hour. The river has fallen yesterday and to-day nearly eighteen +inches. + +June 27.--The river continues to fall. We had gone about five miles +through a country as low and brushy as usual, when we were agreeably +surprised with the view of a small hill about a mile to the eastward: we +hastened to it, in hopes that we should find that the country rose to +the north-east; we however saw nothing but another hill still higher, +about three miles to the north-north-west, in the direction of the +river. The hill, or rather rock, we had just quitted, was about a +quarter of a mile long by half a quarter broad, and about seventy feet +high; it was nothing but granite, having the sides and summit covered +with broken pieces of a fine and very compact species of the same +mineral. We named it Welcome Rock; for any thing like an eminence was +grateful to our sight. From the summit of the hill seen to the +north-north-west our view was very extensive; but nothing indicated +either +a speedy change of country or a termination of the river. To the +westward, +the land was a perfect level, with clear spaces or marshes interspersed +amidst the boundless desert of wood. To the east, a most stupendous +range of mountains, lifting their blue heads above the horizon, bounded +the view in that direction, and were distant at least seventy miles, the +country appearing a perfect plain between us and them. From north-west +to north-east nothing interrupted the horizontal view, except a hill +similar to the one we were on, about five miles distant to the +north-north-west. Extended as was our prospect, it did not afford much +room for satisfactory anticipation; and there was nothing that gave us +reason to believe that any stream, either from the east or west, joined +the river for the next forty miles at least. The hill from which this +view was taken was named Mount Harris, after my friend, who accompanied +the expedition as a volunteer; that to the north-north-west, Mount +Forster, after Lieutenant Forster, of the Navy; and the lofty range +before mentioned to the eastward was distinguished by the name of +Arbuthnot's Range, after the Right Hon. C. Arbuthnot, of His Majesty's +Treasury. The two first mentioned hills are entirely of granite, from +one and a half to two miles long, by half a mile to one mile wide: their +formation must be considered a most singular geological phenomenon, +detached as they are by an immense space from all mountainous ranges, +and rising from the midst of a soft alluvial soil. Small pieces of +granite were in several places thrown into heaps, as if by human means; +and their whole surfaces were covered with similar pieces, detached from +the solid mass to which they had once belonged. If I might hazard a +conjecture, I should attribute to them a volcanic origin: I think, on +examination, their constituent parts will be found to have undergone the +action of fire, by which they have been fused together. To those +conversant in the structure of the earth, and with the means used by +nature to accomplish her purposes, these singular hills may offer a +subject for curious inquiry. The natives appear numerous in these +regions of apparent desolation: we fell in with several parties in the +course of the day, in the whole probably not less than forty, and many +fires were seen to the north. Being a mile or two ahead of our party in +a thick brush, I came suddenly upon three men; two ran off with the +greatest speed; the third, who was older and a little lame, first threw +his firestick at me, and next (seeing me still advance) a waddie, but +with such agitation, that though not more than a dozen paces distant, he +missed both me and my horse. I returned to my party, and in company with +them surprised the native camp; we found there eight women and twelve +children, just on the point of departing with their infants in their +cloaks on their backs: on seeing us, they seized each other by the hand, +formed a circle, and threw themselves on the ground, with their heads +and faces covered. Unwilling to add to their evident terror, we only +remained a few minutes, during which time the children frequently peeped +at us from beneath their clothes; indeed, they seemed more surprised +than alarmed: the mothers kept uttering a low and mournful cry, as if +entreating mercy. In the camp were several spears, or rather lances, as +they were much too ponderous to be thrown by the arm; these were jagged: +there were also some elamongs (shields), clubs, chisels, and several +workbags filled with every thing necessary for the toilet of a native +belle; namely, paint and feathers, necklaces of teeth, and nets for the +head, with thread formed of the sinews of the opossum's tail for making +their cloaks. The men belonging to the camp were heard shouting at no +great distance: their affection for their families was not, however, +sufficiently powerful to induce them to attempt their rescue from the +hands of such unfabulous centaurs, as we doubtless appeared to them. The +boats met with no interruption, the river continuing a fine and even +stream, running at the rate of a mile and a half per hour: it was in +places very narrow, and our astonishment would have been excited that +such a channel should contain the powerful body of water falling into +it, if we had not found its medium depth to be from twenty to thirty +feet. The height of the banks is not more than seven feet above the +water, and they appeared to have been flooded to that height. It did not +seem that back from the river, beyond three or four miles, the country +was ever flooded, except by the waters which would fall on its surface +in rainy seasons; it was, however, now quite dry, and the hollows of the +surface bore evidence of a long continued drought. The course of the +river still continued to the north-north-west. The rocks composing Mount +Harris are apparently basaltic, the whole seeming to have been shot up +in points. the angles of which are complete. The stones are very heavy +and compact, and when dashed against each other were extremely sonorous. + +June 28.--Remained here this day for the purpose of rest and +refreshment: the grass and country poor, and covered with acacia trees +and small eucalypti in our immediate vicinity. Despatched two men to +view the country to the north-east. The botanical collector crossed the +river and ascended Mount Forster, on which he was fortunate enough to +procure many plants seemingly new: he thought he saw a branch of the +river separating from it and running to the north-west, whilst the river +itself continued to go northerly. The account brought by the men in the +evening was far from flattering; they had been out ten or twelve miles +to the north and east, and found the country as bad as can be imagined; +in fact, a dry morass, with higher land, free from floods, but overrun +with brushes, among which a few pines were scattered: they saw no water, +and but little game of any kind. + +June 29.--As we proceeded down the river, the country gradually became +much lower in its immediate vicinity; and between four and five miles +from our resting-place it was even with the banks, and in some places +overflowed them. All travelling near the river with horses was at once +interrupted, and this was the more perplexing as it rendered the +communication with the boats uncertain, and liable to be cut off +altogether. Finding that those marshes were only impassable for a mile +or little more from the river, and that occasionally we could approach +within one hundred yards of it, the horses were directed to keep round +the edge of them, making for the river whenever practicable, and firing +guns to let the boats know our situation. At two o'clock in the after. +noon we stopped, after going about ten miles and a half, about one +hundred and fifty yards from the river. which we could not approach +nearer by reason of wet and boggy marshes; in fact, the place where we +stopped is of the same description, but now (fortunately for us) dry. +The country north-east of us, along the dry edge of which we were +obliged to keep, is as bad as possible, being in wet seasons full of +water-holes, and consequently impassable. The river still continues +undiminished, as we find that the branches and small streams that +frequently run from it join it again at short distances, and that they +owe their existence at this time to the full state of the river, which +is certainly some feet above its usual level. The breadth and depth of +the river were various throughout the day: in the places where it +overflowed its banks, there was not more than from ten to twelve feet; in +others, where it ran very broad, but was confined within them, fifteen +feet; and in narrower places, under the same circumstances, upwards of +twenty feet. Thus it seemed to vary with the capacity of the channel to +contain its waters, which were very muddy, the current running at a +medium rate of a mile per hour. The boats arrived at about half past +four o'clock, meeting nothing to interrupt them. + +June 30.--After making every arrangement that we could devise to ensure +our keeping company with the boats, we proceeded down the river. Our +progress was, however, interrupted much sooner than I anticipated; for +we had scarcely gone six miles, and never nearer to the river than from +one to two miles, when we perceived that the waters which had overflowed +the banks were spreading over the plains on which we were travelling, +and that with a rapidity which precluded any hope of making the river +again to the north-west by north, in which direction we imagined it to +run for some distance, when its course appeared to take a more northerly +direction. Our situation did not admit of hesitation as to the steps we +were to pursue. Our journey had, in fact, been continued longer than +strict prudence would have warranted, and the safety of the whole party +was now at stake: no retreat presented itself except the station we left +in the morning, and even there it was impossible that we could, with any +regard to prudence, remain longer than to carry the arrangements which I +had in contemplation into effect. The horses were therefore ordered +back, and two men succeeded, after wading through the water to the +middle, in making the river about three miles below the place they set +out from. Fortunately the boats had not proceeded so far, and on their +coming up were directed to return. The boats arrived at sunset, having +had to pull against a strong current. The river itself continued, as +usual, from fifteen to twenty-five feet deep, the waters which were +overflowing the plains being carried thither by a multitude of +little streams, which had their origin in the present increased +height of the waters above their usual level. The river continued +undiminished, and presented too important a body of water to allow +me to believe that those marshes and low grounds had any material +effect in diffusing and absorbing it: its ultimate termination, +therefore, must be more consonant to its magnitude. These reflections +on the present undiminished state of the river would of themselves +have caused me to pause before I hastily quitted a pursuit from +the issue of which so much had naturally been expected. For all +practical purposes, the nature of the country precluded me from +indulging the hope, that even if the river should terminate in an +inland sea, it could be of the smallest use to the colony. The +knowledge of its actual termination, if at all attainable, was, +however, a matter of deep importance, and would tend to throw some +light on the obscurity in which the interior of this vast country is +still involved. My ardent desire to investigate as far as possible this +interesting question, determined me to take the large boat, and with +four volunteers to proceed down the river as long as it continued +navigable; a due regard being had to the difficulties we should have to +contend with in returning against the stream. I calculated that this +would take me a month; at all events, I determined to be provided for +that period, which indeed was the very utmost that could be spared from +the ulterior object of the expedition. + +July 1.--The water not rising. Employed in making every preparation to +proceed on the voyage down the river to-morrow morning. On mature +deliberation, it was resolved that on my departure, the horses with the +provisions should return back to Mount Harris, a distance of about +fifteen miles, as the safety of the whole would be endangered by a +longer stay at this station, and to that point I fixed to return with +the large boat. It was determined, that during my absence Mr. Evans +should proceed to the north-east from fifty to sixty miles, and return +upon a more northerly course, in order that we might be prepared against +any difficulties that might occur in the first stages of a journey to +the north-east coast. The only one which I contemplated in a serious +point of view, was the probable want of water until we came in contact +with high land, and I hoped this might be partially provided against by +Mr. Evans's expedition. The horses were all in good condition, and, from +the length of time I expected to be absent, the baggage would be reduced +to the smallest possible compass, and the cooper would have time to +diminish the pork casks, which were far too heavy for the horses, being +intended for boats only; for it had not been contemplated that the +nature of the country would so soon deprive us of water carriage. + +July 2.--I proceeded down the river, during one of the wettest and most +stormy days we had yet experienced. About twenty miles from where I set +out, there was, properly speaking, no country; the river overflowing its +banks, and dividing into streams which I found had no permanent +separation from the main branch, but united themselves to it on a +multitude of points. We went seven or eight miles farther, when we +stopped for the night upon a space of ground scarcely large enough to +enable us to kindle a fire. The principal stream ran with great +rapidity, and its banks and neighbourhood, as far as we could see, were +covered with wood, encreasing us within a margin or bank. Vast spaces of +country clear of timber were under water, and covered with the common +reed [Note: Arundo phragmites. Linn.], which grew to the height of six +or seven feet above the surface. The course and distance by the +river was estimated to be from twenty-seven to thirty miles, on a +north-north-west line. + +July 3.--Towards the morning the storm abated, and at daylight we +proceeded on our voyage. The main bed of the river was much contracted, +but very deep, the waters spreading to the depth of a foot or eighteen +inches over the banks, but all running on the same point of bearing. We +met with considerable interruption from fallen timber, which in places +nearly choked up the channel. After going about twenty miles, we lost +the land and trees: the channel of the river, which lay through reeds, +and was from one to three feet deep, ran northerly. This continued for +three or four miles farther, when although there had been no previous +change in the breadth, depth, and rapidity of the stream for several +miles, and I was sanguine in my expectations of soon entering the long +sought for Australian sea, it all at once eluded our farther pursuit by +spreading on every point from north-west to north-east, among the ocean +of reeds which surrounded us, still running with the same rapidity as +before. There, was no channel whatever among those reeds, and the depth +varied from three to five feet. This astonishing change (for I cannot +call it a termination of the river), of course left me no alternative +but to endeavour to return to some spot, on which we could effect a +landing before dark. I estimated that during this day we had gone about +twenty-four miles, on nearly the same point of bearing as yesterday. To +assert positively that we were on the margin of the lake or sea into +which this great body of water is discharged, might reasonably be deemed +a conclusion which has nothing but conjecture for its basis; but if an +opinion may be permitted to be hazarded from actual appearances, mine is +decidedly in favour of our being in the immediate vicinity of an inland +sea, or lake, most probably a shoal one, and gradually filling up by +immense depositions from the higher lands, left by the waters which flow +into it. It is most singular, that the high-lands on this continent seem +to be confined to the sea-coast, or not to extend to any great distance +from it. + +July 7.--I returned with the boat late last night, and was glad to find +that every thing had been removed to Mount Harris. Mr. Evans had not yet +set out on his journey, but intends to do so to-morrow. + +July 8.--Mr. Evans set forward to the north-east, taking with him eight +or ten days' provisions, which I hoped would be sufficient to enable him +to form a competent idea of the country we should now have to travel +over. In the mean time we employed ourselves in diminishing our baggage, +and setting aside eighteen weeks' provisions on a reduced ration, which +was the utmost the horses could take; the remainder serving us for +consumption during our stay here. + +July 18.--During the last week the weather was very variable and +unsettled, with constant gales from the north-west round to the +south-west, and occasional heavy rain. We had reason to congratulate +ourselves on the change of our situation: a delay of a few days would +have swept us from the face of the earth. On the 10th, the river began +to rise rapidly, and on the 15th, in the evening it was at its height, +laying the whole of the low country under water, and insulating us on +the spot on which we were; the water approaching within a few yards of +the tent. Nothing could be more melancholy and dreary than the scene +around us; and although personally safe, we could not contemplate +without anxiety the difficulties we might expect to meet with, in +passing over a country which the waters would leave wet and marshy, if +not impracticable. By this morning the waters had retired as rapidly as +they had risen, leaving us an outlet to the eastward, though I feared +that to the north-east the waters would still remain. In the evening +Mr. Evans returned, after an interesting though disagreeable journey. His +horses were completely worn out by the difficulties of the country they +had travelled over. His report, which I shall give at length, decided +me as to the steps that were now to be pursued; and I determined on +making nearly an easterly course to the river which he had discovered, +and which was now honoured with the name of Lord Castlereagh. This route +would take us over a drier country, and the river being within a short +distance of Arbuthnot's range, would enable me to examine from those +elevated points the country to the north-east and east; and to decide +how far it might be advisable to trace the river, which it is my present +inclination to do as long as its course continues to the eastward of +north. From Mr. Evans's Journal, it will be perceived that the waters of +the Macquarie have flowed to the north-east, and still continued flowing +among the reeds, which forced him to alter his course. The circumstance +of the river and other large bodies of water crossed by Mr. Evans all +flowing to the north, seems to bear out the conclusion that these waters +have but one common reservoir. + +July 19.--A tempestuous night, with thunder, lightning, and rain. +Impressed with the important use we should be able to make of our boats, +it was determined to construct a carriage for the small one, which we +did by the afternoon. Our labour was wasted; for we were altogether +unable to contrive any harness by which the horses could draw it: we +were therefore reluctantly obliged to relinquish our intention. + +July 20.--The morning was fine; and after much contrivance, we succeeded +in taking with us whatever was essential to our future security, and the +whole of the provisions except two casks or flour. The horses were, +however, very heavily laden, carrying at least three hundred and fifty +pounds each; a weight which I was fearful the description of country we +had to pass over would render still more burthensome. We had, however, +relinquished every thing that was not indispensable, and the saddle +horses were equally laden with the others. Mount Harris, under +which we had remained for the last fortnight, is in lat. 31. 18. S., +long. 147. 31. E. and variation 7. 48. On the summit of the hill we +buried +a bottle, containing a written scheme of our purposed route and +intentions, with some silver coin. Our course during the day was east by +north, by compass, over a level country intersected with marshes, over +which the horses travelled with the utmost difficulty, and not without +repeated falls. Considering how heavily they were laden, I was unwilling +to press them at this early period of our journey, and halted after +going seven miles on the above course. From Mount Harris, bearings were +taken to the most remarkable elevations in Arbuthnot's Range, as +follows: + +Mount Exmouth, (northern extreme of the range) N. 79. E. +Mount Harrison, (centre) N. 85. E. +Vernon's Peake N. 88. E. + +July 21--Proceeded on the same course, through a country of alternate +brush and marsh: whatever obstacles the former opposed to the progress +of the horses, were nothing to the distress occasioned by the latter, in +which they sank up to their knees at every step; I could not suffer them +to proceed farther than seven miles, which, indeed, was not accomplished +without severe labour. It is a singular feature in this remarkable +country, that the botany and soil are in all respects the same as two +hundred and fifty miles farther to the south-west, presenting nothing +new to our researches. Passed a very large chain of ponds now running to +the north-east, and named them Wallis's Ponds, after my friend, Captain +Wallis, of the 46th regiment. + +July 22.--We passed over much the same country as yesterday, but having +a large proportion of cypress forest. After travelling nearly ten miles, +we halted on the edge of a very extensive flat, from three to four miles +in diameter, covered with water. From this plain we had an excellent +view of Arbuthnot's Range, which, from so low and level a country, +appears of vast height. The horses failed much during the day, and +several of them were severely wrung with their burthens. + +July 23.--The weather continues remarkably fine and favourable to our +progress over these plains. Our course to-day was chiefly through a +thick brush of acacia and cypresses; a few trees of the eucalyptus and +casuarina were intermixed. The marshy ground was not so frequent, and we +effected between eight and nine miles, when we stopped on a small chain +of ponds but now a running strean, doubtless having its rise in the +marshy grounds a few miles south of us: its course was to the north. We +saw and shot several unknown birds within these few days, but the +botanical sameness continues. These ponds were named Morrissett's Ponds, +after Capt. Morrissett, of the 48th regiment. + +July 24.--About a mile and a half from last night's station, we crossed +another small stream similar in all respects to Morrissett's Ponds. Our +course was alternately over wet flats and dry brushes; but in the latter +we met with difficulties which we did not anticipate, namely, dry bogs +of a most dangerous description; they are from thirty to forty yards +broad, and the apparent firmness of their surface treacherously conceals +the danger beneath. One was discovered before the horses were too far +advanced to retreat, and by unlading them, we passed safely over. + +The horses were upon the other before we discovered the extent of our +danger, and it was only by instantly cutting away their loads and +harness, and by the exertion of all hands, that they were dragged out; +but they were so exhausted by the struggles they had themselves made, +that I found it would be highly imprudent to proceed farther, though we +had only gone five miles and a half. Such of the horses as had not come +up, their loads being carried over, crossed the bog half a mile higher, +where the ground was somewhat firmer. We had this day the misfortune to +find two of our horses much strained in their hind quarters. The soil of +the brushes is in general a light, sandy loam; on the plains it is an +alluvial mould, on a substratum of clay: the water on these plains is +seldom deeper than the ankles, but travelling over them is very +wearisome. Arbuthnot's Range was in sight during the whole day. The +country was so generally level, that it was impossible to discern any +inequality in it. The waters however, ran with a pretty brisk stream +northerly. + +July 25.--At nine o'clock we set forward with anxious hopes of reaching +Castlereagh River in the course of the day; we struggled for nine miles +through a line of country that baffles all description: we were +literally up to the middle in water the whole way, and two of the horses +were obliged to be unladen to get them over quicksand bogs. Finding a +place sufficiently dry to pitch our tent on, though surrounded by water, +we halted, both men and horses being too much exhausted to proceed +farther. Mr. Evans thinking we could not be very far from the river, +went forwards a couple of miles, when he came upon its banks. This same +river, which last Wednesday week had been crossed without any +difficulty, was now nearly on a level with its first or inner bank: and +its width and rapidity precluded all hope of our being able to cross it +until its subsidence. This was most perplexing intelligence, our +situation being such that we could neither retreat nor advance beyond +the bank of the river, which Mr. Evans represented as being both higher +and drier ground, and to all appearance sufficiently elevated to protect +us from the flood should it increase: thither I determined to remove in +the morning, and to take such further measures as might be deemed +advisable in our present hazardous situation. Since Mr. Evans re-crossed +the river, we have had no rain in our immediate neighbourhood +sufficient to cause the sudden rise, which therefore must be attributed +to heavy falls among the mountains to the east-south-east, from whence I +have no doubt it derives its source. It was most providential that +Mr. Evans and his companions crossed the river when they did; a single +day might have proved fatal to them. We would fain lessen to our own +imagination the dangers which surround us, and eagerly grasp at every +circumstance that tends in any way to enliven our future prospects. That +Providence, whose protection has hitherto been so beneficently extended +to us, will, we confidently hope, continue that protection, and lead us +in safety to our journey's end. + +Owing most probably to the violent motion it experienced, my chronometer +stopped: this accident was the more to be lamented, as the watch with +which I was furnished by the crown had also stopped, and we had now +nothing to regulate our time by. + +July 26.--We passed a dreadful night; the elements seemed to be bursting +asunder, and we were almost deluged with rain. Towards noon the weather +partially cleared tip. Our design of moving was however rendered +abortive: we found it impossible to bring the horses near the tents to +lade them, and the rain recommencing with great violence, continued +throughout the day. An inmate of an alarming description took up its +lodging in our tent during the last night, probably washed out of its +hole +by the rain: a large diamond snake was discovered coiled up among the +flour bags, four or five feet from the doctor's bed. + +July 27.--This morning the weather cleared up just in time to enable us +to retreat to the river banks in safety, for we were washed out of the +tent. The provisions and heavy baggage were carried by the people to a +firmer spot of ground, at which place the horses being lightly laden, we +got every thing transported to the river by one o'clock. Castlereagh +River is certainly a stream of great magnitude; its channel is divided +by numerous islands covered with trees: it measured in its narrowest +part one hundred and eighty yards, and the flood that had now risen in +it was such as to preclude any attempt to cross it. The outer banks were +good firm land, apparently free from floods, and extending not more on +this side than a quarter of a mile, when it became wet and marshy: the +banks were from twelve to seventeen feet high, and gradually sloped to +the water. The trees on this firm margin of land were a species of +eucalyptus, cypresses, and the sterculia heterophylla, with a few +casuarinae. This river doubtless discharges itself into that interior +gulf, in which the waters of the Macquarie are merged: to that river it +is in no respect inferior, and when the banks are full, the body of +water in it must be even still more considerable. Towards evening I +thought the waters were falling, which was an event we anxiously looked +for, to enable us to proceed to Arbuthnot's Range, from the heights of +which we hoped for an interesting view. Natives appear to be numerous; +their guniahs (or bark-huts) are in every direction, and by their +fire-places several muscle-shells of the same kind as those found on the +Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers were seen. Game (kangaroos and emus), +frequenting the dry banks of the river, were procured in abundance. + +July 28.--The river during the night had risen upwards of eight feet; +and still continued rising with surprising rapidity, running at the rate +of from five to six miles per hour, bringing down with it great +quantities of driftwood and other wreck. The islands were all deeply +covered, and the whole scene was peculiarly grand and interesting. The +sudden rise probably was caused by the heavy rains of the preceding +days; but great must be the sources from whence so stupendous a body of +water is supplied, and equally grand must be that reservoir, which is +capable of containing such an accumulation of water as is derived from +this and the Macquarie Rivers; not to mention the supplies from the +occasional streams which had their sources in the marshes which we have +crossed. The water was so extremely thick and turbid, that we could not +use it; but were forced to send back to the marshes for what we wanted. +At night, the river seemed at its greatest height. + +July 29.--The waters this day subsided rapidly. It is evident that there +has been no flood in the river for a very considerable period prior to +the present one, there being no marks of wreck or rubbish on the trees +or banks. Now the quantity of matter is astonishing, and, such as must +take some years to remove. The rapid rise and fall in the water would +seem to indicate that neither its source nor its embouchure can be at +any great distance. The former is probably not far east of Arbuthnot's +Range. + +August 2.--It was not until this morning that the river had fallen +sufficiently to allow us to ford it. Though the morning was unpromising +with slight rain, it was not deemed prudent to lose a moment in passing +it, while in our power; and by one o'clock every thing was safely over, +to our great satisfaction. Before this, it had begun to rain hard, and +it continued to do so throughout the day, and great part of the +night. Our observations place this part of Castlereagh River in +lat. 31. 14. 14. S., long. 148. 18. E., variation 8. 14. E. + +August 3.--A dark cloudy morning. At nine o'clock proceeded on our +eastern course towards Arbuthnot's Range. The river had risen in the +night so considerably, that had we delayed until this morning, we should +have been unable to pass it. The rain had rendered the ground so +extremely soft and boggy, that we found it impossible to proceed above +three-quarters of a mile on our eastern course. We therefore returned, +resolving to keep close to the river's edge, until we should be enabled +to sound the vein of quagmire, with which we appeared to be hemmed in. +In this attempt we were equally unfortunate, the horses falling +repeatedly: one rolled into the river, and it was with difficulty we +saved him: my baggage was on him, and was entirely spoiled; the +chart case and charts were materially damaged, and our spare thermometer +broken: we therefore unladed the horses where they stood, and the men +carried the provisions to a firmer spot, where they were reladen. We +again proceeded easterly, and for upwards of a mile we travelled up to +our knees in water and mud: the horses were here stopped by running +waters from the marshes, encircling a spot of comparatively dry ground; +they were again unladen, and with the utmost difficulty we got every +thing safe over. Both men and horses were so much exhausted by the +constant labour they had undergone, that I determined to halt, in order +to restore our baggage to some order. Our ardent hopes are fixed upon +the high lands of Arbuthnot's Range, which I estimate to be about twenty +miles off. The intermediate country, we fear, will be one continued +morass. + +August 4.--Proceeded on our journey. In the seven miles and a half which +we accomplished to-day, the water and bog were pretty equally divided; +and a plain covered with the former was a great relief both to men and +horses, since an apparently dry brush, or forest, was found a certain +forerunner of quicksands and bogs. The natives appear pretty numerous: +one was very daring, maintaining his ground at a distance armed with a +formidable jagged spear and club, which he kept beating against each +other, making the most singular gestures and noises that can be +imagined: he followed us upwards of a mile, when he left us, joining +several companions to the right of us. Emus and kangaroos abound, and +there is a great diversity of birds, some of which have the most +delightful notes, particularly the thrush. + +August 5.--At three o'clock we were obliged to give up all attempts to +proceed farther this day; it was with the utmost difficulty we +accomplished six miles: for the last half mile, the horses were not on +their legs for twenty yards together. This, too, was in the middle of an +apparently dry forest of iron bark and cypress trees: the surface gave +way but little to the human tread, but the horses were scarcely on it +before the water sprang at every step, and the ground sank with them to +their girths. In this dilemma, it was agreed to rest for the night, and +in the morning endeavour to proceed to the nearest hill, which appeared +to be distant about two miles and a half, with very light loads upon the +best track we could find, and then return for the remainder of the +baggage and stores. A foreknowledge of the difficulties we should have +to encounter would certainly have prevented me from attempting to reach +these mountains; the nature of this country baffles all reasonable +expectation and conjecture, and that which appears one thing at a +distance, has a quite different form and aspect when more nearly +approached. Neither rivers, brushes, nor marshes, seem to make the least +difference in the vegetation of this singular tract: a dreary uniformity +pervades alike its geology and its botany. + +August 6.--At eight o'clock the horses set forward with half the +baggage; with considerable difficulty they at length reached the hill, +and were immediately sent back for the remainder of the stores. The hill +was about three miles from our camp, and from it a view of Arbuthnot's +Range was obtained, distant nine or ten miles: its elevated points were +extremely lofty, and of a dark, barren, and gloomy appearance; the rocks +were of a dark grey, approaching to black, and from their crevices, a +few stunted trees protruded themselves. It was half past three o'clock +before every thing was removed to the foot of the hill, when it was much +too late to think of proceeding, anxious as we were to arrive at the +main range itself. We killed this day one of the largest kangaroos we +had seen in any part of New South Wales, being from one hundred and +fifty to one hundred and eighty pounds weight. These animals live in +flocks like sheep; and I do not exaggerate, when I say that some +hundreds were seen in the vicinity of this hill; it was consequently +named Kangaroo Hill: several beautiful little rills of water have their +source in it, but are soon lost in the immeasurable morass at its base. + +August 7.--About a mile from Kangaroo Hill, after crossing a marshy +plain, we came to a limestone rock, spreading in smaller pieces over a +low hill. It is somewhat remarkable, that this stone should again be +found precisely under the same meridian as seen on the Lachlan and +Macquarie Rivers: the same stratum appears to have run from south to +north, upwards of two hundred miles. This hill is certainly its northern +termination, since beyond it the low and marshy plains of the interior +commence. At one o'clock we arrived under the hill which Mr. Evans had +previously ascended: at this spot I intended to remain a couple of days, +as well to refresh the horses, as for the purpose of ascending Mount +Exmouth, from whence I promised myself an extensive view of the country +over which our intended route lay. On ascending the hill before +mentioned, I was surprised with the remarkable effect which the +situation appeared to have on the compass. The station I had chosen was +the highest part, and nearly the centre of the hill; placing the compass +on the rock before me, the card flew round with extreme velocity, and +then suddenly settled at opposite points, the north point becoming the +south. Astonished at such a phenomenon, I made the following +observations. The compass on the rock, Mount Exmouth, bore S. 60. W. +(its true bearing being N. 75. E.), and on raising it gradually to the +eye, the card was violently agitated, and the same point now bore +N. 67. E. About one hundred yards farther south, the compass was again +placed on the rock; the effect on the compass was very different, Mount +Exmouth bore E. 48. S., and the tent in the valley beneath S. 74. W. The +card on raising the compass was rather less agitated than before, and +from +the eye, Mount Exmouth bore N. 77. E., and the tent S. 15. W., the true +bearing of the latter being S. 13 1/2. W. Thus the magnetic fluid seemed +on this spot to have less influence on the needle, than on the spot where +its power was first observed; and at a short distance from the base of +the hill the needle regained its natural position. The rocks, when +broken, were of a dark iron grey: they did not appear to contain any +iron, for when tried at the tent, the magnet had no power over them. +I could not discern any regular stratum of rock, the hill being covered +with large detached stones, many of which formed figures of five and six +sides: the evening was too far advanced to permit any farther +observations to be made. [Note: The island of Cannay, one of the +Hebrides, affects the needle in a nearly similar manner. A rock in it is +named The Loadstone Rock.] Observed the variation of the needle by +azimuth, to be 6. 22. E. + +August 8.--We set off early this morning to ascend Mount Exmouth, +distant four or five miles: at its base we crossed a pretty stream of +water, having its source in the Mount; it took us nearly two hours of +hard labour to ascend its rugged summits: we were however amply +gratified for our trouble by the extensive prospect we had of the +surrounding country. Directing our view to the west, Mount Harris and +Mount Forster, whose elevations do not exceed from two to three hundred +feet, were distinctly seen at a distance of eighty-nine miles. These two +spots excepted, from the south to the north it was a vast level, +resembling the ocean in extent and appearance. From east-north-east to +south, the country was broken and irregular; lofty hills arising from +the midst of lesser elevations, their summits crowned with perpendicular +rocks, in every variety of shape and form that the wildest imagination +could paint. To this grand and picturesque scenery, Mount Exmouth +presented a perpendicular front of at least one thousand feet high, when +its descent became more gradual to its base in the valley beneath, its +total elevation being little less than three thousand feet. To the +north-east commencing at N. 33. E., and extending to N. 51. E., a lofty +and magnificent range of hills was seen lifting their blue heads above +the +horizon. This range was honoured with the name of the Earl of Hardwicke, +and was distant on a medium from one hundred to one hundred and twenty +miles: its highest elevations were named respectively Mount Apsley, and +Mount Shirley. The country between Mount Exmouth and this bounding range +was broken into rugged hills, and apparently deep valleys, and several +minor ranges of hills also appeared. The high lands from the east and +south-east gradually lessened to the north-west, when they were lost in +the immense levels, which bound the interior abyss of this singular +country; the gulf in which both water and mountain seem to be as +nothing. Mount Exmouth seems principally composed of iron-stone; and +some of the richest ore I had yet seen was found upon it. On its sides +were many different stones; but its perpendicular cliffs were of a dark +bluish grey colour, shining when broken, very heavy, and close grained. +Mount Harris, and Mount Exmouth, are composed of distinct materials, and +in their formation bear not the slightest resemblance to each other; +the granite of the former being more allied to the hills to the +south-south-east of it, from which however it is distant at least one +hundred miles, a perfect level filling up the intermediate space. Many +new, and otherwise interesting subjects of the indigenous botany were +discovered on the hills: among which were a species of persoonia, not +previously observed, some xanthorrhaeae or grass trees, and two or three +coast plants. The heteromorphous sterculia of the interior, and some +species of eucalyptus of very stunted growth covered its sides, which +however for a considerable distance were not deficient in grass. +Sandstone +was found in large masses in the rivulet at its base, with pebbles of +various colours, and of species none of which was found on the mount +itself. It was near four o'clock before we returned to the tent, highly +gratified with our excursion. + +August 9.--In the course of the day, I again ascended Loadstone Hill, +and repeated the experiments made on Friday, with the same results. +Several different stations on the summit were tried, and the needle was +variously affected; the spot where the phenomenon was first observed +seemed to have the greatest effect on the needle. A common sewing needle +was strongly rubbed with a magnet, and balanced on the point of the +rock, when it was much agitated, and the point flew round from the +north to the south. The needle of the circumferenter, taken out of the +box, was affected in a similar manner, only that when balanced on the +rock, the fluid did not possess sufficient power to turn the point more +than one point of the circle instead of quite round, as when balanced in +the compass box. A compound magnet was laid on the rock, and applied to +it in different ways, but it did not seem in any manner affected by the +power which had so surprised us with its effect on the compass. The +weather within the last week has become perceptibly warmer: the +thermometer being seldom under 70 degrees at noon. The fires of the +natives were seen at no great distance from us; and they seem to attend +upon our motions pretty closely. The observations made here placed us in +lat. 31. 13. S., long. 148. 41. 30. E., and I estimate the mean variation +to be about 7 1/2 easterly. We found that no reliance could be placed on +bearings taken with the compass on heights in this vicinity, and I am +fearful that the bearings taken from Mount Exmouth will require +verification, a difference of 4 degrees being observed in some, when +compared with other bearings, which could not be supposed to be affected +by the magnetic fluid. + +August 10.--Proceeded on our journey: our course for the first six or +seven miles being to the north-north-east, and afterwards north-east half +east, which latter course I intended to steer for some time. It was the +best day's travelling we had experienced since quitting the Macquarie +River, being generally over low strong ridges, the sides and summits of +some of which were very thick brush of cypress trees, and small shrubs, +particularly the last two miles. We stopped for the evening in an +extensive low valley north of Mount Exmouth, and running under its base, +bounded on the north-east by low forest hills. To the south the hills +were rocky, abrupt, and precipitous. On the whole we accomplished eleven +miles. + +August 11.--Our route lay over low valleys of considerable extent of +open forest ground, but so soft and boggy, that it was with difficulty +we made any progress: it would seem that much rain had fallen here +lately, and completely saturated the soil, which is a light, sandy +mould. In these valleys there are small streams of water, having their +origin in the surrounding hills; they all terminate northerly. We could +accomplish but seven miles on a north-east by east course. In the +evening we had an awful storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied with +torrents of rain. The reverberation of sound among the hills was +astonishing. The natives continue in our vicinity unheeded, and +unheeding: even the noise of their mogo upon the trees is a relief from +the otherwise utter loneliness of feeling we cannot help experiencing in +these desolate wilds. + +August 12.--We found that we could not maintain our direct course, as +the low ground was so boggy, that the horses were altogether unable to +move on it. Keeping therefore the banks of the little stream where the +ground was firmer, we reached the chain of hills bounding the valley to +the southward: we wound along the base of the hills on a variety of +courses, not being able to quit them twenty yards without being bogged. +Finding that the hills trended too much to the south-west, we kept down +the bed of a small stream for two or three miles, and halted on a fine +apple tree flat of rich land, watered by a very fine small stream, which +was joined by the one we came down. The main strewn ran to the +northward. The apple tree flats are uniformly of firm hard ground, while +the soil on which grow the iron-bark, pine, and box, is as invariably a +loose sand, rendered by the rain a perfect quicksand. These bogs are the +more provoking, as without such impediments the country is clear and +open, and as favourable for travelling over as could be wished: we have +had any thing but a dry season, and it is to the heavy rain which might +naturally be expected to fall near high mountains, that our present +difficulties must be ascribed. We travelled between nine and ten miles, +but our course made good was nearly south-east only five miles. A few +new plants were found: the hills were a mere bed of iron ore. + +August 13.--We proceeded at our usual hour; and did not halt till near +sunset, but accomplished no more than six miles, in the course of which +the horses were obliged to be unladen, and the men carried the loads +upwards of half a mile before the horses could be got across the +quicksands. They are indeed properly so termed, consisting of two or +three inches of light mould, on about eighteen inches of loose sand, the +whole covering a rocky or stony bottom. On treading on them, water would +fly up several inches; and it was with difficulty men could pass over +them, much less horses. Quicksands of a similar nature prevented our +reaching a small creek running under a high craggy ridge of hills; +we therefore stopped at the edges of them, every body completely +worn out. The appearance of the country passed over was most desolate +and forbidding, but quite open, interspersed with miserable rocky crags, +on which grew the cypress and eucalyptus. On the more level portions +of the country, a new and large species of eucalyptus, and another of +its genus (the iron bark), were the principal if not the only trees. +Many of the rocks were pointed and basaltic, but the general species +was a coarse sandstone. Miserable as the country was in other respects, +it was fruitful in new plants. + +August 14.--As it rained hard during the night, and the rain still +continued to fall in thick showers, I thought it advisable to rest. + +August 15.--Cloudy, with strong winds from the south-east. We crossed +the creek about two miles from our resting-place, but soon found that +any attempt to advance in that quarter would be abortive, the morass and +quicksands extending into the very water, and denying all egress. We +therefore recrossed the rivulet about a mile more northerly with better +success, and succeeded in gaining some stony hills, which, with two or +three intervening marshy valleys, continued for the rest of the day's +route; the latter part being up very high, rocky, barren hills, with +narrow defiles. From these heights we descended into a pretty valley of +considerable extent, and, to our great joy, of sound, firm soil, with +plenty of good grass: the water however was strongly impregnated with +iron, so that we could hardly drink it. This valley, which we named +Wiltden Valley, was enclosed on all sides except the north, by lofty, +rocky hills of coarse sandstone, adorned with various species of acacia +in full bloom, with a vast variety of other flowering shrubs of the most +beautiful and delicate description, adding greatly to our botanical +collection. We accomplished in the whole twelve or thirteen miles, about +six of which were in the direction of our proper course. + +August 16.--We had hardly begun to lade the horses, when the rain +recommenced with greater violence than in the night, and effectually +prevented us from proceeding. The country presents sufficient +obstructions to our progress, not to render the delay caused by a day's +rain a matter of much inquietude. The loss of time is of little +consideration, when compared with the soft and boggy ground which such +heavy falls leave. A species of banksia was seen to-day under the same +meridian as on the Macquarie. It would seem that particular productions +of the vegetable as well as of the mineral kingdom run in veins nearly +north and south through the country. This peculiarity has been remarked +of other plants, besides the species of banksia. + +August 17.--Our course this day led us over a barren, rocky country, +consisting of low stony ranges, divided by valleys of pure sand, and +usually wet and marshy: latterly we appear to be descending from a +considerable height, to a lower country to the north-east. The whole was +a mere scrub covered with dwarf iron barks, apple trees, and small gums; +the soil scarcely any thing but sand, on which grass grew in single +detached roots. The horses fell repeatedly in the course of the day, +and they were now so weak that they sank at every soft place. Between +four and five o'clock, after travelling about ten hours, we stopped at a +small drain of water for the night, having accomplished nearly eleven +miles. In our track we saw no signs of natives, and the country seemed +abandoned of every living thing. Silence and desolation reigned around. + +August 18.--It is impossible to describe in adequate language the +different trying obstructions we encountered during this day's journey: +after meeting and overcoming many minor difficulties of bog and +quicksand, we had accomplished nearly eleven miles, and were looking out +for a place to rest, when we entered a very thick forest of small iron +barks which had been lately burnt; and their black stems and branches, +with the dull bluish colour of their foliage, gave the whole a +singularly dismal and gloomy appearance. So thick was the forest that we +could hardly turn our horses, nor could the sun's rays penetrate to the +sandy desert on which these trees grew. Without the usual appearances of +a bog, our horses were in an instant up to their bellies, and the +difficulties we had in extricating them would hardly obtain belief. In +this dilemma, scarcely able to see which way to turn, we traversed the +margin of this extensive quicksand for nearly three miles in a direction +contrary to our course, before we could find firm ground or water for +the horses, which we did not effect till sunset; and then (as for the +last three days) there was nothing for them to eat but prickly grass, +which possesses no nourishing qualities. This fare, after their hard +labour, reduces them daily. + +August 19.--After wandering about the whole day without gaining any +thing on our course, for the quicksands kept us revolving as it were in +a circle, the exhaustion of the horses obliged us to stop. It was +painful to behold them, after being disencumbered of their loads, lay +themselves down like dogs about us: it was the fourth day that they had +been without grass, and they preferred the tender branches of shrubs, +etc., to the prickly grass. The backs of the greater part of them were, +notwithstanding every care, dreadfully galled, so that they could, when +first saddled, scarcely stand under their burdens. These quicksands lie +in the hollows between the low irregular hills, which rise on this +otherwise level country: their point of discharge is uniformly +north-westerly. The union of many of these minor drains forms +occasionally a large one, and the points of the hills which meet upon +them afford the only means of crossing them. It was evident that the +early part of the winter had been very wet., and the late rains had +probably been the cause of these morasses, which still continued to +drain themselves off in running water. This region must at all times be +impassable from opposite causes: in wet seasons it is a bog; in dry +ones, there is no water. Finding, as above remarked, that northerly and +north-east the country declined as it were to nothing, it was resolved +to pursue a more easterly course than that hitherto followed; and +instead of attempting to go round the morasses which we might meet with +to the north, to follow them southerly, a course which in time must +certainly take us to a more elevated country. Such a road is rendered +now absolutely necessary by the condition of the horses. Our dogs, which +had so long contributed to our support, had been for the last four days +dependant upon us for theirs, and we were too much indebted to their +exertions not to share our meals with them with cheerfulness. These +woods abound with kangaroo rats, and it is singular that, pinched as the +dogs were, they would not touch them even when cooked. + +August 20.--This day after travelling upwards of nine miles, and having +pushed the horses at the risk of their lives through two minor branches +of the bog, what was our mortification to find, that we were within a +few hundred yards of the spot we set out from! We had first attempted +to cross the main bog northerly, and afterwards kept along its edge +southerly; and the result was, that we found it to extend in a complete +circle around us. From a slight rise in the centre of it, we could see +the country to the north-east, north, and north-west, low and uneven; +Hardwicke's Range distant about forty miles, bounding it between the +north and east. The result of this day's exertion quite subdued our +fortitude, and for a moment a feeling nearly allied to despair had +possession of our minds. We knew not which way to turn ourselves. To +return to Arbuthnot's Range, and again undergo what it had cost us so +much to overcome, could not be thought of for a moment; but upon that +mature reflection which our serious situation demanded, it was deemed +the most prudent plan to return so far back as would enable us to reach +the higher lands to the south-east. This we expected to do by Saturday +evening: twenty miles back we had left land of considerable elevation; +and we could only hope that in its vicinity we should find a dry ridge +on which to accomplish our purpose, and occasionally a patch of country +in which the horses might find subsistence; for they were at present +very much reduced. + +August 23.--We returned yesterday to Parry's Rivulet, within twelve +miles of Weltden Valley, which was the whole distance we had gone in the +direction of our course towards the coast, although we had travelled +during the week upwards of seventy miles. The weather for the last four +days has been extremely tempestuous, with slight showers of hail and +rain: the winds were chiefly from the west and north-west, the +temperature being extremely cold for the latitude and season. The +observations of to-day place this station in lat. 30. 57. 20., +long. 149. 20. E. Variation 8. 42. E. + +August 24.--We were a little surprised at finding that a severe frost +had taken place during the night, and that the thermometer was now as +low as 28 degrees. Ice lay within a few yards of our fire, of the +thickness of a dollar. Our course throughout the day was southerly, and +led us up the banks of Parry's Rivulet. We experienced fewer +difficulties than on any day since we had entered this desert, and +accomplished between nine and ten miles, at the end of which we entered +a small valley of good forest ground with tolerable grass; though early +in the day, the horses needed refreshment too much, not to induce me to +stop here for the remainder of it: as we could not at the utmost have +gone above two miles farther. This valley, and the appearance of forest +hills to the southward, gave us strong hopes that by continuing our +present course for a day or two longer we should get into a better line +of country, and be enabled to resume our easterly course. Parry's +Rivulet was here a series of large ponds, near which were traces of +natives, but of old date. In this desert, we have never met with any +signs that can lead us to believe it has ever been before crossed by any +human being. + +August 25.--A smart frost during the night: the morning fine and clear. +At eight o'clock we proceeded on our route, taking a more easterly +direction according to circumstances. Between three and four miles from +our camp, we had an extensive view to the east and south-east, and saw +with extreme satisfaction a lofty chain of fine forest hills thinly +timbered, bearing east-south-east of us; and distant fourteen or fifteen +miles. To the east were extensive flats, bare of timber, and apparently +either composed of white sand, or covered with dead grass; our distance +would not enable us to distinguish which: these flats were bounded by +remote rising hills seemingly clear and open. A high peak, bearing +north, was named Kerr's Peak; and a very lofty mount, under which the +west extremity of the plains lay, was named Mount Tetley: and the +westernmost remarkable hill in the chain first mentioned, Whitwell Hill. +The bogginess and ruggedness of our route, for the remainder of the day, +sufficiently tried our strength: we accomplished however thirteen miles, +and halted in a small valley about four miles south of Whitwell Hill. +This valley was bounded east and west by rocky hills, but the soil was +better, and the grass of good quality. The base of these hills was of +close-grained white-coloured granite, or whinstone: the summits of good +freestone: on the sides several good pieces of iron ore were picked up. + +August 26.--While Mr. Evans proceeded with the horses on an eastern +course for Mount Tetley, Dr. Harris and myself went towards the spacious +valley at the foot of Whitwell Hill. This we soon reached, and travelled +down its centre, along the banks of a beautiful stream of water which +fertilized and drained it. The extent of this valley towards the +south-west, we could not discover, as its windings were lost among the +forest hills in that direction. We went down to the east between seven +and eight miles, when we rejoined the horses at the base of an elevated +conical hill, standing detached at its east entrance, which was here +four or five miles wide. On ascending this hill, the view which was on +all sides presented to our delighted eyes was of the most varied and +exhilarating kind. Hills, dales, and plains of the richest description +lay before us, bounded to the east by fine hills, beyond which were seen +elevated mountains. To the north-east an extensive valley, from eight to +ten miles wide, led to Hardwicke's Range, being a distance of about +thirty-five miles. In this great valley were numerous low hills and +plains, thinly studded with timber, and watered by the stream, down the +banks of which we had travelled. From its eastern side, these low hills +gradually rose to a loftier elevation: but were still thinly timbered, +and covered with grass. To the east-south-east, and south-east, clear +plains extended to the foot of very lofty forest hills, at a medium +distance of from twenty-five to forty miles. These were the plains seen +on our yesterday's route, and which we feared were sand. We found them +to consist of a rich dry vegetable soil; and although, from their vast +extent, they may, as a whole, be properly denominated plains, yet their +surfaces were slightly broken into gentle eminences with occasional +clumps, and lines of timber. Their white appearance was occasioned by +the grass having been burnt early in the year, and the young growth +killed by the frosts. The little rivulet, that watered the north-west +side of this track of country, had overflowed within these few days; but +the ground left by the retreating waters was as firm and solid, as those +parts which had not been touched. The sides of the hills were of the +same black mould, stony towards their summits, and the higher eminences +rocky. The rocks were of a very hard whinstone, the stratum nearly +perpendicular, or rather standing up in regular basaltic figures, +similar to those on Loadstone Hill. These valleys and hills abound with +kangaroos, and on the plains numbers of emus were seen. We seemed to be +once more in the land of plenty, and the horses as well as men had cause +to rejoice at the change, from the miserable harassing deserts through +which we had been struggling for the last six weeks, to this beautiful +and fertile country. From the hill on which we stood, bearings were +taken to the most remarkable points and objects connected with the +survey; and the most distinguished, in point of beauty or singularity of +appearance, were honoured with distinctive appellations. The valley down +which we had travelled was called Lushington's Valley (after the +Secretary to His Majesty's Treasury); the extensive one to the +north-east, leading to Hardwicke's Range, Camden Valley (after the noble +Marquis); the plains to the east and south-east were honoured with the +name of Lord Liverpool; the hills bounding Lushington's Valley, on the +south side, Vansittart's Hills, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer; +while several less remarkable hills were designated after persons +endeared to our recollections by early friendship. A great variety of +new plants rewarded the exertions of our botanist, in ascending Mount +Tetley; and many, hitherto only known on the coast, were discovered on +the hills and in the valleys: the acacia pendula was also seen; it had +hitherto been the usual characteristic of wet lands, but it was here +growing on the most dry and elevated situations. The timber on the +plains and hills was chiefly those species of eucalyptus called apple +tree, box, and gum trees; and on the banks of the rivulet were a few +large casuarina. So much time was consumed in ascending hills and +examining the country, that we did not go more than ten miles on a +direct course: it was however time well bestowed. Three native fires +were seen in Lushington's Valley, but the whole of this part of the +country appears to be very thinly inhabited; a few wandering families +making up the total of its population. The small rivulet in Lushington's +Valley was named Yorke's Rivulet, in honour of Sir J. S. Yorke. + +August 27.--Pursuing our course to the eastward, towards the range of +low hills bordering the plains in that quarter, between five and six +miles, we came to a fine stream of water, crossing the plains from the +south to the north. There had been a flood in this rivulet within these +few days, marks of which were observed about fifteen feet high; but +still within the banks. It appears that the plains are chiefly flooded +from Yorke's Rivulet, the remaining waters of which, together with +rain-water, were in several places still standing on the surface; but +not to the extent that the horizontal level of these plains would have +led me to suppose would probably be the case. The far greater portion +was a rich dry soil, and that the water is never permanent on any part +of them is clearly demonstrated by the total absence of any aquatic or +bog plants. From this rivulet, the three main branches of these immense +plains were clearly visible to the east by south-south-east, and +north-east. Of the extent of the two former, we could only judge from +the lofty bounding chains of hills in those quarters; and which we could +not estimate to be nearer than from forty-five to fifty miles. +Hardwicke's Range bounded these to the north-east, with many intervening +beautiful hills and valleys. We found the distance across the plains to +the hill where we stopped, to be upwards of fourteen miles on an east +line. Chains and ridges of low forest hills, which gradually rise from the +horizontal level, are scattered over these plains, and stand for the most +part detached like islands; varying the scenery in a most picturesque +manner, as they are generally clothed with wood of apple tree, cypress, +and other species of eucalyptus, intermingled with various acacias in full +flower. Mr. Evans ascended Mount Tetley to take bearings from it. He found +the compass to be affected in a similar manner to that remarked on +Loadstone Hill; the north point of it when placed on the rock, becoming +the south. This remarkable alteration of the needle was also observed on +several other hills in this vicinity, but in a less degree; the bearings +generally varying from two to three points from the truth. On the hill +under which we stopped this evening, named View Hill, the needle varied +three points. In consequence of the heavy rains and recent floods, +travelling on many parts of these plains was very heavy; the soil being a +rick loose loam, of a dark red approaching to a black colour, but of +great apparent fertility and strength: some hundreds of kangaroos and +emus were seen in the course of the day. We killed several, the dogs +being absolutely fatigued with slaughter: the game was by no means shy, +but came close up to us, as if to examine us. Indeed I do not think they +are much disturbed by natives, of whom we have seen few signs in this +neighbourhood. The stream crossing the plains was named Bowen's Rivulet, +in honour of Commissioner Bowen, of the Navy Board. + +August 28.--The season continues to get warm and sultry. We pursued an +east-north-east course during our day's journey, leading us through a +fine open forest country generally level in the direction of our course, +but rising into forest hills to the north and south of us. At eight +miles, ascending from this level, we saw the great plains which extend +along the line of our course, and are separated from us by a rich open +country of hill and vale, distant four or five miles. A branch from these +plains led to the north-east across our course, and was distant five or +six miles. We proceeded in the whole ten miles, and stopped in a pretty +forest valley, with plenty of water and good grass. The stones composing +the hills were very various, sometimes different species of granite, then +sandstone, and on others loose slate. On View Hill we found particularly +rich iron stone. The soil was uniformly good, and covered with grass; the +country by no means thickly timbered, chiefly with box, and a few +cypresses. + +August 29.--On our departure we almost immediately descended a rocky +and steep hill, covered with cypress and small brush; from thence we +descended upon a level forest country, which continued for the remainder +of our journey (seven and a half miles), to the edge of the extensive +flat which we had seen yesterday. As we should not have been able to +cross it before nightfall, I thought it better to remain where there was +plenty of grass and water. From our tent we had a singularly picturesque +and pleasing prospect. To the north, Hardwicke's Range, distant between +forty and fifty miles: the country broken into low forest hills and +plains to its base. To the north-east, east, and south-east, our view was +bounded by beautiful forest hills seldom rising to any great elevation, +thinly wooded, and covered with grass. These hills bounded the plains, +and varied in distance from ten to thirty miles. To the north-east the +country was lowest, but appeared good and open: that part of the plain +near which we encamped was wet and marshy; and the horizontal level of +the whole appeared to warrant the supposition that at some (perhaps not +distant) period, these vast plains formed chains of inland lakes, which +the washings from the hills have now nearly filled up; as the water at +present does not exceed a few inches in depth, and is only partially +spread on the surface, forming but a moderate proportion of the whole. In +dry seasons there is evidently none: the hills passed over this day were +of a curious species of pudding-stone and freestone. The hills on the +opposite side of the plains were named Melville Hills, in honour of the +first Lord of the Admiralty; and the valley at the extremity of it +leading to Hardwicke's Range, Barrow's Valley, after one of the +secretaries of that board. + +August 30.--A day of rest and refreshment to ourselves and horses. Game +abounds, and our dogs abundantly supply us. The observations made here, +place our situation in lat. 31. 7., long. 150. 10. E. + +August 31.--We were agreeably disappointed, in finding that the wet +marshy ground did not extend above three quarters of a mile, the +remainder being dry firm land of the richest description: at six miles we +crossed a considerable stream, running to the north through Barrow's +Valley: this stream, divided the plain into nearly two equal parts, it +being ten miles and a half across. This stream had been very recently +flooded, and the water, yet muddy, had not subsided within its proper +level; the height of the banks from fifteen to twenty feet. On the east +side of the plain, we found the marsh extend about one mile and a quarter +from the forest ground which borders it; though wet, it was now strong +ground, and might easily be laid dry. On quitting the plains we entered a +very fine open forest flat, through which we proceeded a mile and a half, +and encamped for the evening under a lofty hill named Mount Dundas, by a +small spring of excellent water. Ascending this mountain, we found that +the country in the line of our course was high, broken forest land, the +easternmost ranges of which (distant from thirty-five to forty miles) +appeared to have a stream running under them, by reason of the thick +haze which rose from the valley beneath. To the north bending round to +the north-east, the country was beautifully picturesque, consisting of +low, open forest hills, bounded by higher chains of hills that formed the +southern side of the spacious valley under Hardwicke's Range; through +which I no longer doubted that a considerable stream had its course, +since all the waters we had hitherto crossed ran in that direction. A +great many smokes, arising from the fires of the natives, were seen to +the north-east and north. To the south-east, south, and south-west, our +view extended over that vast tract of level champaign country +intermingled with hills, sometimes rising into lofty peaks, as has +already been described. The abundance of game, such as emus, and +kangaroos, and of wild ducks on the stream, was wonderful: our dogs +after severe battles killed two emus, who however tore one of them very +dangerously. We called the river which divided and watered the plain +Field's River, in honour of the Judge of the Supreme Court. + +September 1.--We pursued our course to the east-north-east, winding +through rich valleys bounded by lofty forest hills for seven miles; when +by a gentle descent we entered a rich and spacious vale, bounded on the +east by very high hills, and on the west by others less elevated. At +twelve miles we stopped at some ponds near the centre of the vale. The +hills were very stony, of various species--granite, freestone, and +pudding-stone; they were however well covered with grass, and quite clear +and open; the valleys and levels excellent, with good timber, chiefly +apple tree, box, and gum. On the higher ridges of the hills, and +occasionally on their sides, were many fine cypresses: there was nothing +grand or imposing in the scenery; but it was simple and attractive from +its richness and extent: the hills sometimes rose into singular forms +which were continually changing in our progress, and appeared well +calculated to afford an ample range of sheep pasture. The extensive vale +in which we stopped was named Goulburn Vale, in honour of the under +Secretary of State for the colonies. + +September 2.--Our expectations of finding a river to the eastward, were +this day verified: after passing for eleven miles across this beautiful +vale, we came to a deep and rapid stream running to the north, through +the valley whose eastern side it waters: finding it too deep to be +forded, we constructed a bridge across a narrow part of it, by felling +such large trees as would meet, by which the baggage was taken over: the +horses were swum across. One of the men, foolishly attempting to swim +over on a horse, nearly paid for his imprudence with his life: as he +could not swim, he was carried down the stream near a quarter of a mile, +and was several minutes under water. His body being providentially washed +across a log, was the means of his preservation. It was late in the +afternoon before our passage across was effected, so that we halted on +the banks. This was the largest interior river (with the exception of the +Macquarie and Castlereagh), which we had yet seen. It would be impossible +to find a finer or more luxuriant country than it waters: north and +south, its extent is unknown, but it is certainly not less than sixty +miles, whilst the breadth of the vale is on a medium about twenty miles. +This space between the bounding hills is not altogether level, but rises +into gentle inequalities, and independently of the river is well watered; +the grass was most luxuriant; the timber good and not thick: in short, no +place in the world can afford more advantages to the industrious settler, +than this extensive vale. The river was named Peel's River, in honour of +the Right Hon. Robert Peel. A great many new plants were found to-day and +yesterday, chiefly of the orchis tribe [Note: Orchideae of Juss. and +BROWN.]: we saw numbers of the ornithorynchus, or water mole, in the +river, also a few turtle: we were not successful in obtaining any fish, +so that we were unable to decide whether it contained the same species as +the Macquarie. + +September 3.--After passing over a fine and gently rising country for +between four and five miles, we ascended a very lofty chain of hills, +being the eastern boundary of Goulburn Vale; these hills were of +good soil, and covered with excellent grass to their very summits. +Ascending two of the highest ridges, several circular orifices were +observed on them about twelve feet in diameter, and five feet deep. +Great quantities of small stones resembling basaltes were in heaps +round the edges, at a little distance from which the stones were +perpendicular, and firmly bedded in the earth; many of them regular +six-sided figures, and all fractured into laminae, from two to nine +inches in thickness. The rocks upon this range were of a peculiarly hard +quality, and of a deep blue colour, approaching to black when broken. The +country easterly appeared broken into a series of rocky detached hills: +and on descending this range, we found an immediate change in the quality +of the soil, being in the valleys of a light coarse sand, the surface +covered with gritty particles as from pulverised coarse granite. The +difference in the rocks composing the hills was here very remarkable, +being a very coarse granite of the same description as in the +neighbourhood of Bathurst, scattered in immense masses both in the +valleys and on the hills; and our astonishment was more than once +excited at the causes which could have effected their removal from their +primitive bed. On a hill near which we encamped, was a single mass of +granite apparently thrown up perpendicularly from the bosom of the earth: +it was twenty-six feet high and had six distinct sides, ending in an +irregular point at the summit, and was forty-eight feet in circumference. +The valleys, though sandy, afforded us plenty of good grass and water, +and the hills furnished abundant employment for the botanical collector. + +September 4.--After leaving the valley in which we encamped, we entered +one much more extensive, and communicating with Goulburn Vale. Between +five and six miles on our route, we reached a beautiful small river +coming from the eastward and joining Peel's River, of which it appears to +be a principal branch. For the remainder of the day's journey, we +proceeded up the fine valley which this stream watered, bounded on the +north and south by lofty and fertile hills covered with rich herbage, +having numerous smaller valleys and streams terminating in this principal +valley. The whole scenery was thinly clothed with wood, and occasionally +a bold craggy promontory terminating at the river gave it a diversity, +which its general softness of feature or outline required: there were no +principal ranges of hills, but they broke in and upon each other, forming +the utmost variety of shape. The rocks and stones which composed the +bases and summits of these hills, were not less various than their form: +scarcely two were alike. Granite, coarse porphyry, freestone, and +whinstone were frequently found on the same hill, and the beds of the +streams were of every variety of pebble. This fine stream received the +name of Cockburn River. + +September 5.--Our course this day sometimes led us over very elevated +ridges, and at other times through deep and rich valleys. Some of these +hills were at least three thousand feet in height, and clothed with grass +to their summits. Others of the less elevated were entirely free from +rocks, and of the finest soil. The timber chiefly box, with some few +trees of another species of eucalyptus called stringy bark, and cypress. +A number of small streams watered the deep valleys to the north and +south, falling into Cockburn River. Large quantities of quartz were in +various places, as also good flint, which was found in large masses in +the bed of Cockburn River, and also in small pieces on the hills. This +was the second flint that has been discovered in New South Wales. We +halted in a small and beautiful valley near Cockburn River, after having +accomplished nine miles. + +September 6.--A day of rest. The observations place this station in lat. +31. 04. 35 S., long. 151. 05. 30. E., variation 9. 58. E. + +September 7.--The morning clear and fine. At half past seven o'clock we +proceeded on our journey: in the whole course of it, we never experienced +more precipitous travelling than during the first six miles. Travellers, +less accustomed to meet difficulties, might perhaps have been a little +alarmed at traversing such steep and shelving hills, the loose stones on +which added to the insecurity of our footing. Nevertheless we found it +extremely pleasant, from the romantic beauty of the scenery and the +freshness of the verdure. We had been ascending an extremely elevated +country for the last thirty miles; and I was in great hopes of soon +reaching the point of division between the eastern and western waters. By +a tolerably easy acclivity, we gained that which I took to be the highest +of these congregated hills, in hopes it might possibly lead into a main +range. From its summit we had a very extensive prospect over the country +we had left, and also to the southward, in which direction the land +appeared broken and hilly, and but thinly clothed with timber. To the +east and north-east it appeared far less broken, and certainly less +elevated than the ridge we were on. This ridge soon expanded to a broad +surface of open forest land, and proceeding on it to the east about a +mile, we perceived in the valley beneath us a considerable and rapid +stream running to the north, and afterwards apparently taking a more +easterly direction. A more remarkable change in the outward appearance of +a country was perhaps never before witnessed. In less than a mile, the +timber had entirely changed from the bastard box to another kind of +eucalyptus, called common blue gum, which grew in great luxuriance in the +country before us. Until now this species had never been seen except on +the immediate banks of running streams. In the course of the day, great +quantities of fine stringy bark were also seen. The soil, instead of the +light black mould, which had been the general covering of the country, +was now changed to a stiff tenacious clay; and although well clothed with +grass, its less luxuriant growth evidently showed the difference of soil +not to be favourable. From this hill or range we descended very gradually +for nearly two miles to the river before seen, and up the banks of which +we proceeded about a mile farther, when we halted for the evening. The +country was perfectly open, though much covered with fallen timber; the +banks of the river sloping and quite clear of timber; and being within +one hundred miles of the sea coast, I had a strong belief that we had +descended from the highest land, and that we should meet with no dividing +ranges in the course of our future progress. It is impossible to form any +certain conclusion at present, as to the course taken by this stream. +Whether it finds its way to the coast, or is lost like the other streams +of this country, will, I think, in a great measure depend upon the fact +of our having crossed the highest ranges of the country. One of the men +who had taken the dogs out after kangaroos fell in with a party of +natives, among whom were some women and children. Two of the men +accompanied him to the tent. It was evident from the whole tenor of their +behaviour that they had previously heard of white people (most probably +from the settlement at New Castle); their appearance was most miserable, +their features approached deformity, and their persons were disgustingly +filthy: their small attenuated limbs seemed scarcely able to support +their bodies; and their entire person formed a marked contrast to the +fine and manly figures of their brethren in the interior. We gave them a +small turtle which we had just caught in the river, and they sat down to +dress it instantly. In fact, their cooking was very simple; the fire soon +separated the shell from the meat, which with the entrails was devoured +in a few minutes. Some of the people went to visit their camp, where they +found eight or ten men, but the women and children were sent away. The +same jealousy of women exists throughout the interior. The great number +of fallen trees was in some measure accounted for by the men observing +about a dozen trees on fire near this camp, no doubt the more easily to +expel the opossums, rats, and other vermin which inhabit their hollows. +We were not successful with our lines, though the depth and breadth of +the river had made us a little sanguine. There did not appear any great +marks of flood; none was seen exceeding five feet in height, which led us +to conclude its source was not very distant. This river was named Sydney, +as we this day crossed the meridian of that town. + +September 8.--We proceeded up Sydney River to the south-east about three +miles before we could find a convenient Place to Cross, as the stream +ran with great rapidity over a rocky bottom. The country on either side +sloped to the river with gradual declension, and was an open forest +country. On crossing the river, we passed through some noble forests of +stringy bark, growing generally on the sides and ridges of stony barren +hills: thew forests extended above two miles from the east of the river., +after which the country became perfectly open, and of a level, or rather +alternately rising surface. To the north and north-east the river was +beautiful, the same description of country extending as far as the eye +could reach, with no elevated points or ridges to obstruct it. Indeed I +am clearly of opinion, that if we had kept a more northerly course from +Lushington Valley, we should have avoided the rugged though fine country +we have passed through for the last two days. The determination of all +the hills and slopes is northerly, and the rivers which we have crossed +have also taken the same direction. We proceeded about nine miles farther +through the finest open country, or rather park, imaginable; the general +quality of the soil excellent, though of a strong and more tenacious +description than farther westerly. We halted in a fine and spacious +valley, where art, so far as it is an auxiliary of beauty, would have +been detrimental to the fresher and simpler garb of nature. This valley +was watered by a fine brook, and at a a distance of a mile we saw several +fires, at which appeared many natives: upon discovering us, however, they +immediately departed. I think that the most fastidious sportsman would +have derived ample amusement during our days journey. He might without +moving have seen the finest coursing, from the commencement of the chase +to the death of the game: and when tired of killing kangaroos, he might +have seen emus hunted with equal success. We numbered swans and ducks +among our acquisitions, which in truth were caught without much exertion +on our part, or deviating, in the least from our course. Granite and a +hard whinstone were the most predominant among the stones; small pieces +of quartz, and loose rotten slates covered the tracks, on which grew +some of the finest stringy bark trees I ever saw. Indeed the other timber, +which consisted chiefly of common blue gum, was far larger than usually +seen on forest lands. That species of casuarina called the beef wood +(or she oak), was also seen to-day for the first time: it is in part +a coast tree, and sufficiently denoted that we were approaching the sea. +Observed the variation of the compass to be 8. 51. E. + +September 9.--In the night we had a severe frost, which in the morning +was succeeded by a dense fog. We found however that it was confined to +the valley, for on ascending the hills, the prospect was clear and open. +We passed over a beautiful and well-watered country for about six miles, +when we came on the rivulet which we had quitted in the morning; but +now, by the addition of several brooks from the valleys, increased to a +considerable stream. Its banks were quite clear of timber, and expanded +into extensive sheets of water, which added greatly to the beauty of the +scenery. This stream running to the east southeast verified the +conjecture that we had passed the dividing range of hills, and that this +and most probably Sydney River (much superior in magnitude) were coast +streams. Crossing the former, we ascended a hill on the opposite side, +from whence the river's course was seen to the south-east, running +through a fine and open country. To the northward and north-east the +prospect was equally satisfactory, the hills being connected by long and +easy slopes, which would have rendered their ascent a matter of little +difficulty had our course lain over them. After crossing the river, the +country still continued open, but the soil was not so good, and we found +that we were ascending in a gradual manner. For the last five miles the +country was thickly timbered with stringy bark and gum trees, the soil +bad, and crossed by numerous wet hollows, which showed we were nearly on +the summit of a level and extensive range of hills. We accomplished +fourteen miles with much ease, and halted for the evening in a thick +stringy bark forest, where there was worse entertainment for both man and +horse than we had experienced for some weeks. + +September 10.--A tempestuous morning, with occasional showers of small +rain, prevented us from quitting our camp. In the intervals of fair +weather, I walked to a hill about one mile off, being the highest part of +the range we were upon. Our prospect from it was exceedingly grand and +picturesque. The country from north to south-east was broken into +perpendicular rocky ridges, and divided longitudinally by deep and +apparently impassable glens. The rocks were covered with climbing plants, +and the glens abounded with new and beautiful ones. Our collector +descended one of those nearest to us, and was amply repaid by the +acquisition of nearly sixty most desirable plants, some of which appeared +even to constitute new genera. The rocks were covered with epidendra +[Note: Of the genera cymbidium and dendrobium of Swartz.], bignoniae, or +trumpet-flowers, and clematides, or virgin's bower, of which last genus +three species apparently new were discovered. Far different was the +character of these glens from the rugged and barren blue mountain ranges: +fine open forest land ended abruptly on the precipices. The bottoms were +of the richest soil, the rocks instead of being of a coarse sandstone +were of a hard texture, and of a blue shining appearance when broken. The +country eastward of these glens appeared very lofty, and much broken; but +as in the direction of our course, we should have some miles of good open +country to travel over, we had strong hopes that our difficulties would +prove greater in contemplation than reality. Among the timber in these +glens were some of the stateliest stringy bark trees that we had ever +beheld: in fact, the timber altogether is unusually good. To the +south-west and north-west, the country is low and beautifully diversified +by long sloping hills. + +September 11.--Our course for near eight miles led us along a broad and +very elevated ridge of poor forest land, intermixed with brush; when we +were stopped from proceeding farther eastward by the deep chasm or glen, +which we had seen at a distance yesterday. This tremendous ravine runs +near north and south, its breadth at the bottom does not apparently +exceed one hundred or two hundred feet, whilst the separation of the +outer edges is from two to three miles. I am certain that in +perpendicular depth it exceeds three thousand feet. The slopes from the +edges were so steep and covered with loose stones, that any attempt to +descend even on foot was impracticable. From either side of this abyss, +smaller ravines of similar character diverged, the distance between which +seldom exceeded half a mile. Down them trickled rills of water, derived +from the range on which we were. We could not however discern which way +the water in the main valley ran, as the bottom was concealed by a thicket +of vines and creeping plants. From the range on which we were, we could +distinctly see the coast line of hills. The country between us and the +coast was of an equal elevation, and appeared broken and divided by +ravines and steep precipices. We continued along the edge of this ravine +southerly for about four miles, when we halted for the day. Our only hope +of being enabled to cross this barrier depends upon our pursuing a +southerly course, when if the waters run northerly, the dividing range +between them and Hunters River will permit us again to turn easterly. If +on the contrary they run southerly, their junction with Hunter's River +will equally (it is to be hoped) facilitate that object. + +September 12.--We were obliged during the whole of this day's journey, to +keep along the ridge bordering on the glen. It is impossible to form a +correct idea of the wild magnificence of the scenery without the pencil +of a Salvator. Such a painter would here find an ample field for the +exercise of his genius. How dreadful must the convulsion have been that +formed these glens! The principal glen led us to the westward: there were +others that fell into it from the southward; but we perceived that the +waters in it ran north-easterly, which gave us strong hopes of soon +being enabled to head it. Several times in the course of the day we +attempted to descend on foot; but after getting with much difficulty a +few hundred yards, we were always stopped by perpendicular precipices. +Scarcely a quarter of a mile elapsed without a spring from the top of the +ridge crossing our track, forming at its entrance into the main glen a +vast ravine. The ridge along which we travelled was, as might be +expected, very stony. It was otherwise open forest land, thickly timbered +with large, stringy bark trees, casuarinae, and a large species of +eucalyptus. Kangaroos abounded on it, and the tracks of emus were +also seen. + +September 13.--We were too anxious to find a passage across this river +(for such we now perceived it to be), to permit us to rest this day. We +proceeded on a variety of courses to avoid the deep ravines or glens +which conducted numerous small streams of water to the principal one. Our +road was very rugged, and our elevation sometimes very considerable, +every part heavily timbered. Our course, which led us chiefly west, now +terminated at one of the most magnificent waterfalls we had ever seen. +The water was precipitated over a perpendicular rock at least one hundred +and fifty feet in height in one unbroken sheet, falling into a large +reservoir about one third down the whole declivity: hence it wound its +way through the glen for about half a mile farther, when it joined the +main stream. This grand fall was called Beckett's Cataract, in honour of +the Judge Advocate General. It now commenced raining so heavily that we +were obliged to stop on the spot, though by no means an eligible +situation. We had not seen any place where there had been the slightest +possibility of descending; but as we were not many miles from the river +which we crossed on Wednesday last, we knew that this rugged country must +soon end. + +September 14.--The weather preventing us from proceeding, parties were +sent out to search the banks of the glen, for a place by which to descend +and cross it. Two of the people traced it up so far as to ascertain that +the river which we had crossed on Wednesday was the same which had so +embarrassed us. It entered the glen in a fall of vast height: above, +there was no difficulty in crossing it, the country being clear and open, +and of moderate height. A kangaroo was chased to this fall, down which he +leapt and was dashed to pieces; like the hero of Wordsworth's "Hartleap +Well." It is wonderful that the dogs escaped the same fate. We had +been also successful in finding a passage nearer to the tent. About a +mile above Beckett's Cataract, a pass was discovered by which we might +descend, and the opposite side appeared equally favourable. It appears +that we have been hitherto deceived respecting the magnitude of the river +which runs through the glen, owing to the vast height from which it was +viewed, and to our being seldom within a mile of it. The geologist would +here have a most interesting field for research, and would doubtless be +enabled to account for those natural phenomena, which, from their +defiance of all rule, perplex us so greatly. These mountains abound with +coal and slate. The dip of the rocks on this side (the north) of the +glen, is about twenty degrees to the west. + +September 15.--We first attempted the pass nearest to us, and which was +reported to be practicable. The horses with tolerable ease descended the +first ridge, which was about one third down; but it was impossible to +proceed a step farther with them: indeed we had the utmost difficulty to +get them back again. Three of them actually rolled over, and were saved +only by the trees from being precipitated to the bottom. Quitting this +place, we proceeded up the glen, into which many small streams fell from +the most awful heights, forming so many beautiful cascades. After +travelling five or six miles, we arrived at that part of the river at +which, after passing through a beautiful and level though elevated +country, it is first received into the glen. We had seen many fine and +magnificent falls, each of which had excited our admiration in no small +degree, but the present one so far surpassed any thing which we had +previously conceived even to be possible, that we were lost in +astonishment at the sight of this wonderful natural sublimity, which +perhaps is scarcely to be exceeded in any part of the eastern world. The +river, after passing through an apparently gentle rising and fine +country, is here divided into two streams, the whole width of which is +about seventy yards. At this spot, the country seems cleft in twain, and +divided to its very foundation: a ledge of rocks, two or three feet +higher than the level on either side, divides the waters in two, which, +falling over a perpendicular rock two hundred and thirty-five feet in +height, forms this grand cascade. At a distance of three hundred yards, +and an elevation of as many feet, we were wetted with the spray which +arose like small rain from the bottom: the noise was deafening; and if +the river had been full, so as to cover its entire bed, it would have +been perhaps more awfully grand, but certainly not so beautiful. After +winding through the cleft rocks about four hundred yards, it again falls +in one single sheet upwards of one hundred feet, and continues in a +succession of smaller falls about a quarter of a mile lower, where the +cliffs are of a perpendicular height, on each side exceeding one thousand +two hundred feet, the width at the edges about two hundred yards. From +thence it descends as before described until all sight of it is lost, +from the vast elevation of the rocky hills which it divides and runs +through. The different points of this deep glen seem as if they would fit +into the opposite fissures which form the smaller glens alternately on +either side. The whole is indeed a grand natural spectacle, and is an +indubitable mark of the vast convulsions which this country must at one +period have undergone. The rocks are all slate, the upper romanae of +which are of a light brown colour, rotten, and easily separated. Nearer +the base or surface of the water they are of a dark blue, and of a firmer +texture. The waters are quite discoloured, owing to the nature of the bed +over which they run, the soluble particles of coal among the slate +tinging them a dark brown. This fine fall is not more than five miles +below the place where we crossed the river on the 9th instant, and we +were doubtless prevented from hearing the noise of the waters, by the +numerous smaller falls in the vicinity. This most magnificent fall and +the river itself were respectively named Bathurst and Apsley, in honour +of the Noble Secretary of State for the colonies. Although a week had +elapsed in effecting the passage of this river, we could not consider +it as entirely lost, especially as it enabled us to ascertain that its +direction was to the coast; and we hoped that the nature of the country +would permit us to fix its embouchure. + +September 16.--The weather for some days past has been very unseasonable, +cold and tempestuous, with frequent heavy and continued showers of rain: +this remarkable coldness of temperature in such a latitude (31 degrees,) +I cannot but attribute to the considerable elevation of the country above +the sea, being certainly between four and five thousand feet. We +proceeded to the south-east during this day's journey, on purpose to +avoid the broken land in the vicinity of the river. It was good +travelling though hilly: the soil, for the most part, a poor clay; and +the timber not so good or large as usual. There was however much good +land, particularly in the valleys, through every one of which a stream of +water took its course to the river. At twelve miles, we halted on the +banks of a considerable and rapid stream watering an extensive and wide +valley. The many waters which fall into Apsley River must very +considerably increase its magnitude; and I am in hopes after it has +cleared this mountainous tract and we again fall in with it, that we +shall find it a useful as well as fine stream. The river on which we +encamped was named Croker's River, in honour of the First Secretary of +the Admiralty. + +September 17.--We proceeded on an easterly course during this day's +journey; and seven miles from Croker's River crossed a smaller stream +running to the north-east. For the first ten miles the country was +very poor and badly timbered, with barren stony hills; but from the +last mentioned stream to our halting-place, at the end of twelve +miles, though the land was hilly the soil was excellent, consisting +of a rich, dark mould. The hills were particularly rich and thickly +clothed with fine timber, blue gum, and stringy bark. We halted +on the side of a hill, from the top of which we could see a great +distance to the north and east. In the first quarter, lofty hills were +seen from eighty to one hundred miles off, and generally very irregular. +To the east the land was elevated, but more divided by sloping valleys, +and we augured that at least for thirty miles in the direction of our +course, we should not meet with any such serious obstruction as the last: +indeed we imagined we could trace the course of the river nearly on a +parallel line with us. We this day saw a solitary native, but I believe +we were indebted for the sight rather to the circumstance of his being +deprived of the use of his limbs than to his boldness or curiosity. Two +or three families had been encamped on the spot where we found him, but +they had all departed. He seemed more astonished than alarmed at the +sight of our cavalcade, and expressed his wonder in a singular succession +of sounds, resembling snatches of a song. His countenance was mild and +pleasing, and was entirely divested of the ferocity we had seen expressed +in the visages of some of his countrymen: he had lost the upper front +tooth, and I think it was probable that he had heard of such beings as +ourselves before. He was a miserable object: several ribs on his left +side had been broken; his back was twisted, which apparently had been +the means of depriving him of the use of his limbs, as no injury could +be discovered about them. + +September 18.--During the night and this morning it has continued to blow +a perfect equinoctial storm. We were in constant dread that some of the +branches of the trees which surrounded us would fall on the tent. +Proceeding on our course to the east-north-east, we did not advance above +a mile and a half before a small stream running to the north-east through +a very steep and narrow valley obliged us to alter our course more +southerly, which we did, and soon entered a forest of stringy bark and +blue gum trees of immense size and great beauty. The soil on which they +grew was a rich vegetable mould covered with fern trees [Note: Alsophila +australis of Brown.] and small shrubs. We found that this part of the +country was intersected by deep valleys, the sides of which were clothed +with stately trees, but of what kind we were ignorant: creepers and +smaller timber trees, all of species not previously noticed by us, grew so +extremely thick that we found it impossible to penetrate through them. +We therefore continued along the edge of those valleys, our progress +much impeded by the vast trunks of fallen trees in a state of decay, +some of which were upwards of one hundred and fifty feet long, without +a branch, as straight as an arrow, and from three to eight and ten +feet in diameter. The forest through which we travelled appeared to +be an elevated level or plain, and at three o'clock in the afternoon, +after proceeding three or four miles to the westward, we cleared this +truly primeval forest, and descended into a small valley of open +ground, through which ran the stream we had crossed in the morning. +Indeed we were not more than two miles south of the place we had +quitted. Our hope of proceeding without much interruption was thus +disappointed: the gloominess of the weather, and the constant showers +that fell, so impeded our view and distorted its objects, that what +appeared plain and practicable at a distance of two or three miles, when +approached was found impassable. I think it probable, however, that our +most serious obstructions will be the thickness of the timber, rotten +trees, and creeping plants; the soil is so rich and free from rocks, that +I do not think the steepness of the descents will greatly endanger us. +The wind, which had been extremely violent all day, was now accompanied +by heavy showers; and we thought ourselves extremely fortunate in not +being obliged to encamp in the forest. The storm as the evening advanced +increased to almost a hurricane, with torrents of rain. Since Apsley +River had been ascertained to take a direction coast-wise, the principle +which governed the direction of our course had been to endeavour to make +a port on the coast laid down in lat. 30. 45. S., and which I had an idea +might probably receive this river, now increased by a multitude of smaller +streams, and if so, that it might serve as a point of communication with +the fine country in the interior. It is true this port is marked as a bar +harbour; but I knew that it had never been examined, and I was aware how +possible it was for a harbour to appear closed by a reef from a ship +sailing at a distance along the coast. At all events the point was worth +ascertaining; and notwithstanding the repeated disappointments we had +experienced in attempting a north-easterly course, I shall, if we are +enabled to clear the deep valleys we are at present embarrassed with, +persevere for some time longer. I consider it every way important to know +into what part of the coast these waters are discharged. + +September 19.--The storm continued to rage with unabated violence +throughout the night and the whole of this day, accompanied by torrents +of rain and hail: the weather was also extremely cold and bleak; the +thermometer in the mornings and evenings being not more than 5 or 6 +degrees above the freezing point: indeed, the season much nearer +resembles the winter of a far more southern latitude than the spring +of lat. 31. + +September 20.--Towards the morning the storm abated, but throughout +the day it was dark and gloomy, with passing showers. In the present +state of the weather we did not think it prudent to attempt penetrating +through the thick forests which we knew were before us, and our +horses would be the better for rest. The botanical collector descended +into one of the valleys nearest to us, and found the sides of it +clothed with the timber before mentioned: it was quite new to us. Some +of the flower and seed were procured, as it was generally found in full +flower, which gave these stately trees a richness and beauty I had never +seen equalled. A great variety of other equally interesting plants was +also found, some of them new species of timber. The valleys were of the +richest soil, having a small run of water in their bottoms. Observed the +variation by evening azimuth to be 10. 39. E. + +September 21.--With a severe frost, the morning and day were finer than +usual, though the weather was very unsettled. We accomplished seven miles +on a south-east by east course, through a very heavily wooded country; +the timber generally of the best description, and the soil, with some +partial exceptions, was equally good and rich. It was, however, so +thickly covered with ferns and bushes among the trees, with vines running +from them, that in many places we found it difficult to pass. Our course +was accidentally such as to avoid all the deep valleys but two, the +descents of which were extremely difficult. In them strong streams of +water ran to the north-east, no doubt joining the main river. From +the hill over one of the streams near which we halted the coast +line of hills was plainly seen; and we appeared to have but a +rugged journey before us. Our horses too were so extremely weak and +crippled, that the short distance we are enabled to travel is +accomplished with pain and difficulty. We were forced to leave one of +them about a mile and a half from our resting-place, as he was utterly +unable even to walk without his load. which was distributed among the +others. Some natives' fires were seen about two miles to the north-east +of us in the same valley. + +September 22.--A dark tempestuous morning. Sent back for the horse we +left yesterday afternoon: he was somewhat recovered, and may perhaps live +to reach the coast, the point whither our hopes have long pointed, and +where I trust the horses will experience some relaxation from their +present incessant but necessary labour. We had no choice in the route we +pursued this day, taking that which appeared most practicable for men and +horses: it was a continued ascending and descending of the most frightful +precipices, so covered with trees and shrubs and creeping vines, that we +frequently were obliged to cut our way through: at the bottom of one of +these, we left the sick horse in a dying state. To add to our +perplexities, it rained incessantly, and was so thick and dark, that +towards evening it was with difficulty we could see sufficient of our way +to avoid being dashed to pieces. About two hours before sunset, after a +descent of upwards of five thousand feet, we found ourselves at the +bottom of the glen, through which ran a small stream; but a passage down +it was impossible, as it fell over rocky precipices to a still greater +depth. The opposite side was a mountain equally steep with the one we had +just descended. The horses were also so weak that it was impossible they +could take their loads up it, and there was no possibility of remaining +on the spot, since there was neither grass nor room even to lie down. All +the heavy baggage was therefore obliged to be left behind, and by +unremitted exertion we were enabled to gain a small spot of ground, +formed by the mountains retiring from the immediate descent to the gulf +below. It was, however, near eight o'clock before this was accomplished; +and we were after all obliged to leave two of the horses below, as all +our attempts to move them were fruitless, even when unladen; a +circumstance which we lamented the more, as they were on a spot that did +not afford a blade of grass. The rain ceasing, was succeeded about nine +o'clock by one of the severest storms of wind I ever remember to have +witnessed; and for the first time perhaps during the journey, we were +alarmed for our personal safety. The howling of the wind down the sides +of the mountain, the violent agitation of the trees, and the crash of +falling branches, made us every instant fear that we should be buried +under the ruins of some of the stupendous trees which surrounded us. + +September 23.--Towards midnight the storm abated, and allowed us to pass +the remainder of the night in comparative comfort. The morning broke +fair, and as the state of the horses would not permit us to attempt +ascending the mountain with the baggage to-day, I contented myself with +dispatching them for the provisions left last night at the bottom of the +precipice, and to get up if possible the two remaining horses, whilst Mr. +Evans and myself should explore the range, and endeavour to find out a +somewhat more practicable route. We proceeded to ascend the mountain, the +summit of which was near two miles distant, and in many places extremely +difficult and abrupt. We however remarked on our road seven native huts, +which increased our hopes that these mountains would lead by a +comparatively easy descent to the coast line of country. Bilboa's ecstasy +at the first sight of the South Sea could not have been greater than +ours, when on gaining the summit of this mountain, we beheld Old Ocean at +our feet: it inspired as with new life: every difficulty vanished, and in +imagination we were already at home. We proceeded sufficiently far to +discover, that although our descent would be both difficult and +dangerous, it would not be impracticable. The country between us and the +sea was broken into considerable forest hills and pleasing valleys, down +the principal of which we could distinguish a small stream taking its +course to the sea. To the north and south the country was mountainous and +broken beyond any thing we had seen. Indeed, some idea of those barrier +mountains may be formed from the circumstance, that although we could +distinctly see the ocean, and the waving of the coast line, (which within +the distance of ten or twelve miles from the beach appeared low), yet we +were still nearly fifty miles from it. I estimated the height of this +mountain at between six and seven thousand feet; and yet the country +north and south appeared equally elevated. Numerous smokes arising from +natives' fires announced a country well inhabited, and gave the whole +picture a cheerful aspect, which reflected itself on our minds; and we +returned to the tents with lighter hearts and better prospects. In +removing the baggage left at the bottom of the hill a short quarter of a +mile, a most distressing accident occurred. A mare, one of the strongest +we had, in bringing up a very light load, not a quarter of her usual +burden, and when within one hundred yards of the tent, literally burst +with the violent exertion which the ascent required. In this shocking +state, with her entrails on the ground, she arrived at the tent, when, to +put an end to her agonies, she was shot. This was a serious loss to us, +in addition to that which we suffered on the day before: and three more +horses were so worn, that I scarcely expected to force them along even +unladen. It must not be supposed that we attempted to climb these hills +in a direct line; it would have been scarcely possible for a man to do +it: we wound round them in every practicable direction; and the loose +rich soil of which they were generally composed, together with the +thickness of the timber, by preventing our falling, favoured our +progress. In the course of the afternoon I tried the angle of elevation +and depression on various parts, and found it to be from 30 to 35 and +even 40 degrees. By the same means we found that the mountain which we +had descended yesterday evening exceeded four thousand seven hundred feet +in height on those angles. The mountain we shall have to ascend to-morrow +is very considerably higher; but, with one or two exceptions, the ascents +are not so abrupt. After the provisions were brought up, all hands were +sent to cut a road for the horses through the brushes which surrounded +the bottoms of the steepest ascents, and without which it would have been +impossible for them to pass laden; the vines which crossed each other in +various directions forming an almost impenetrable barrier. It may seem +superfluous to speak of soil and timber among such mountains as these; +yet I will say that except where the rocks presented a perpendicular +face, and along the highest ridges, the soil was light and good. The +timber consisted of blue gum and stringy bark, and forest oak +[Note: Casuarina torulosa.] of the largest dimensions: the gorges of the +valleys were covered with loose small stones, and in those gorges all the +trees which are usually found in places of a similar description +in the district of the Five Islands (with the exception of the red +cedar), were to be met with. The stones and rocks were mixed with +a considerable portion of quartz, and were generally in loose detached +masses of various sizes. The mountain from whence we first saw the ocean +was named Sea View Mount, and I should think might be distinctly seen by +ships at some distance from the coast. + +September 24.--At eight o'clock the horses began to ascend the mountain, +and it was twelve before we reached the summit, a distance of exactly two +miles. How the horses descended I scarcely know; and the bare +recollection of the imminent dangers which they escaped, makes me +tremble. At one period of the descent, I would willingly have compromised +for a loss of one third of them, to ensure the safety Of the remainder. +It is to the exertions and steadiness of the men, under Providence, that +their safety must be ascribed. The thick tufts of grass and the loose +soil also gave them a surer footing, of which the men skillfully availed +themselves. The length of the descent was two measured miles and three +quarters, and upon first, an angle of depression of 40 degrees for one +thousand two hundred and fifty-four feet: we then slightly ascended 4 or +6 degrees for four thousand six hundred and twenty, and from thence the +descent, in a continued straight line, to the run of water at the base, +was on the various angles of 28, 32, 35, 40, and 46 degrees, eight +thousand five hundred and eighty feet; from whence I deduce the +perpendicular height to be nearly six thousand feet, which is certainly +underrated. The descent terminated in a very narrow steep valley, down +which we proceeded for near three quarters of a mile, when the small +stream before mentioned joined a very considerable one seen yesterday from +Sea View Mount; and the valley opening, we halted on the banks of the +river on a spot which afforded us plenty of excellent grass, and was in +other respects favourable for that rest which the horses required before +they could resume their journey. One of the horses when about a third down +the mountain was quite incapable of proceeding, we therefore were obliged +to leave him for the night, with the loads of two other horses. It was +past four o'clock before we arrived at our halting-place, having been +exactly three hours and a half in descending. + +September 25.--Despatched the men to bring down the horse and the baggage +left on the mountain yesterday. They returned in the afternoon with both, +but the horse was scarcely able to stand. In the course of the day +examined the valley a few miles, when we found that it opened +considerably four or five miles down; the hills previously thereto being +very steep, but covered with grass, and abounding with kangaroos. It was +therefore determined to move farther down the river to-morrow, instead of +remaining here two days as originally proposed. In the present +reduced state of the horses, we were obliged to make short stages with +frequent halts, in hopes of sufficiently recruiting their strength so as +to proceed with greater expedition along the coast. + +September 26.--We proceeded between four and five miles down the river, +which was named Hastings River, in honour of the Governor General of +India; the vale gradually opening to a greater width between steep and +lofty hills, the soil on which was very stony, but rich, and covered with +fine grass two or three feet high. At the place where we stopped, small +rich flats began to extend on either side, and confirmed our hopes that +we should find a more regular country as we approached the sea. The route +which we had travelled lay over steep and sharp points of mountains +ending on the river, but did not offer any great obstruction. Yet we were +obliged to leave the horse which had failed the day before, half-way, as +he dropped through utter weakness, though unladen. These valleys and +hills are astonishingly rich in timber of various kinds, many new, and +their botanic supplies were inexhaustible. Indeed our cargo now +principally consists of plants. + +September 27.--The morning fine and clear. Sent back for the horse left +yesterday, which with some difficulty was brought to the tent. Observed +our latitude to be 31. 23. 10. S., longitude by estimation 152. 8. E., +variation 8. 22. E. We this day cleaned all the arms, and put our +military appointments in order to guard against any hostile attempts that +might be made by the natives, who are reported to be in this quarter +numerous and treacherous. + +September 28.--As we proceeded down the river, the vale still continued +to open on either hand, the hills receding from each bank of the stream +from two to three miles. The land on the more elevated spots, and +irregular low hills, was strong but of good soil, covered with grass: the +flats which occurred alternately on both sides of the river were very +rich, the grass long and coarse; the timber, blue gum and apple tree. As +the points of the higher hills sometimes closed on the river, we found it +convenient to cross it, which in the course of the day we did no less +than three times. In the hollows of the higher hills were thick brushes +of the same description as those at the Five Islands. About six miles and +a half down the river it was joined by a considerable stream from the +northward, running through a fine and spacious valley. The accession of +this water materially altered the appearance of the river, as it began to +form long and wide reaches, with alternate rapids over a shingly bottom. +The northern stream was named Forbes's River, in honour of the Marquis of +Hastings' nephew. Although our proximity to the sea seemed to preclude +the probability of Hastings River being joined by any other considerable +waters; yet its present size made us a little anxious to find that it had +a serviceable discharge into the ocean. The ground over which we travelled +being very favourable to the weak state of the horses, we accomplished +between eight and nine miles. Kangaroos abounded; four were this day +killed. Marks of flood were observed to the height of sixteen feet, +but the river appeared now to be in its lowest state, and the sides of +the barren mountains showed that there had been no rain of any consequence +for a considerable time. + +September 29.--The country we passed through is what is generally known +in New South Wales as open forest land, with occasionally small flats on +the river: steep hills sometimes ended on the river, and north and south +of us were detached ranges of a similar description. The whole face of +the country was abundantly covered with good grass, which, having been +burnt some time, now bore the appearance of young wheat. Six miles down +the river it was joined by a fine stream from the southward, apparently +watering a spacious valley. We crossed this, and named it Ellenborough +River, in honour of the Chief Justice of England. We proceeded about +three miles farther before we halted at the edge of a thick detached +brush [Note: Many very beautiful shrubs inhabit these shaded thickets, +of which the following may serve as a specimen. Tetranthera dealbata, +BROWN'S PRODR.; Cryptocarya glaucescens, BR., genera of laurinae. +The Australian sapota fruit, Achras australis, BR.; Cargillia australis, +a date plum. Myrtus trinervia of Smith, and Ripogonum album, BR.], +which came nearly down to the water's edge. In this brush was a +quantity of fine red cedar trees, affording us reason to hope, that this +valuable wood might, as we advanced to the coast, be found in yet greater +abundance. The timber generally might be termed heavy, consisting of blue +gum, stringy bark, and iron bark, with fine forest oaks. The stones on +the surface of the land were hard and splintery, being principally of +coarse quartz; some hard sandstone was also seen: the rocks in the river +were of a fine dark blue colour, singularly hard and slippery. Although +we had seen no natives, there were abundant signs of them. This season +probably is better calculated for them to procure their food on the coast +than in the woods. + +September 30.--Our progress this day was greatly impeded by thick +brushes, which, covering the sides of the hills, ended on the river: some +of them were upwards of a mile in extent, and we were obliged to cut a +road to enable the horses to pass through them. There were several rich +flats on both sides of the river; the hilly projections ending +alternately at the several bends of the stream. The obstruction offered +by the brushes excepted, the road was no wise difficult: the hills were +stony, with rocky summits: the river's course was over large rocks and +pebbles; it was fordable in several places, with intervening deep +reaches. It was late in the afternoon before we had accomplished six +miles, and halting on a flat bounded easterly by extensive brush, I +resolved to cross the river. There appears to be plenty of fish +in it; we caught six fine perch, weighing above two pounds each, in a +very short time. The timber continues heavy and good: we saw however but +little cedar after passing the first brush. + +October 1.--Our travelling to-day was nearly the same as yesterday. The +windings of the river were very sudden, and its banks were most generally +covered with a thick brush, which in some places extended back a +considerable distance. Between those brushes the ground was open forest +with good grass, casuarina or beefwood, and large timber: the hills as +usual stony. Near our halting-place a remarkable rocky range of hills was +seen to the east-south-east of great height, and presenting nearly a +perpendicular front to the north-west. Between east-north-east and east by +south, with the imperfect view which we could obtain from the low hills +we were traversing, it appeared but slightly broken, the higher ranges +breaking off to the north-east and south-east, leaving a spacious valley +through which we conjectured the river flowed. Near us were a few cedar +trees, and marks of flood exceeding twenty feet, but confined to the bed +of the river. On the whole we accomplished near eight miles, but scarcely +five were in the direction of the sea, which we still estimate to be from +twenty to twenty-five miles distant in a direct line. + +October 2.--In order to avoid the brushes, which lined the banks of the +river, we kept at some distance from it to the south, which led us under +the high rocky peaked hill mentioned yesterday. Our road was however +by no means bettered, and I afterwards regretted that I did not keep +close to the river. It is proper to mention that the brush land +is of the richest description, being composed entirely of vegetable +mould, the produce of decayed trees for ages: it is singularly well +watered; every little valley has its run to the river. A great deal of +cedar was seen to-day, and the more common timber was very large and +good; the forest ridges between the brushes were well clothed with grass. +We have hitherto seen no natives, though they are certainly numerous, as +their frequent recently deserted camps witness: we are not very anxious +for better proof. The leeches in the bushes were very troublesome, and +made many plentiful meals at our expense: this would probably have done +us no great harm, but the wounds which they made usually festered and +became painful sores. Our botanical collector ascended the peaked hill on +our left, and had a most extensive prospect. The river, winding a +few miles below our station of this evening, was distinctly seen to the +coast, which he did not estimate to be above fifteen or eighteen miles +off. The account which he gave of the interesting prospect, and the +circumstance of its being the only eminence between us and the coast from +whence any object could be distinguished, determined me to ascend it the +ensuing morning, and ascertain the principal points in this beautiful +country. We travelled this day in the whole near six miles in an +east-south-east course, the horses being very weak, and a road needing to +be cut for them nearly the whole way, the last mile excepted, which was +open forest land. + +October 3.--Soon after daylight, accompanied by the botanist, I returned +to the peaked hill, leaving the horses with Mr. Evans to proceed to the +north-east. Certainly a more beautiful and interesting view is not often +seen. The spacious valley, through which the river flowed, extends along +the coast from Smoaky Cape to the Three Brothers, and its width north of +me was above eight miles, gradually narrowing to the base of Sea View +Mount where we first entered it, and which bore west by north. Wide and +extensive valleys stretched to the west-south-west, and south-south-west, +under its base on either side, the hills in which were of moderate +height, and of open forest land. To the north by east, though high land +was seen at a distance of near sixty miles, the general face of the +country was low with moderate and regular elevations, the highest lands +being immediately behind the capes and projecting points into the sea. +But the object that most interested me in this extensive survey was the +appearance of the river: at a distance of seven or eight miles north-east +of me, it opened into wide reaches extending to the sea, which it seemed +after a winding course to enter nearly east, or in about the situation +assigned by Captain Flinders to a lake across the entrance of which +there appears to be a bar. The country on its banks, and within the +limits before mentioned, appeared very brushy and low; the banks +themselves seeming to be the highest ground. I conjectured that +the river's extending itself to such a considerable breadth, was +probably caused by the tide-water; and I could not help entertaining the +strongest hope from its appearance that it would prove navigable, +whatever its entrance might be. To the north of the river, a few miles +from it, appeared lagoons, or swamps, probably having some beach +communication with the sea. Another large lake was also seen to the +south-east, under the Three Brothers. Several other small patches I +thought might possibly prove to be marshes between my station and the +coast; the country in its immediate vicinity appearing too low to afford +drainage. Descending the hill, I proceeded after the horses, passing for +nearly three miles through a good open forest country; the timber large, +with numerous casuarinae. At the entrance of a brush I met the horses +returning, having been prevented from continuing their easterly course by +a large tea-tree swamp, full of water. We therefore pursued a more +northerly course, with the hope and intention of making the river near +the wide reaches, which I had seen from the hill. From the forest land we +immediately entered a thick brush, and after cutting our way for near two +miles, the evening advancing, I thought it best to send back the horses +to the forest land, where there was plenty of grass, and proceeded myself +with some men to cut the road to the river; an object, which in about +another mile we effected. We happened to make it near the spot wished for. +The tide was going out, the water having fallen near three feet; though +not perfectly good it was drinkable, and would doubtless be sweet at +low-water. A small island here divides the river into two branches: below +the island the water appeared very deep, as did also the north side of the +island. Its breadth might be nearly a quarter of a mile; both banks were +very thick of brush, and the soil rich. About three quarters of a mile +down the reach, the bank on the southern side appears to become a little +more open, and, as I intended halting tomorrow, I determined to cut a road +to it, and clear the way as far as possible down the banks before we +proceeded on Monday. Our distance from this spot to the coast line did +not exceed eight or ten miles. It was nearly dark before we returned to +the place which we had fixed to encamp on, amidst abundance of fine grass +and good water. + +October 4.--We could distinctly hear, during the night, the murmurs of +the surf on the beach, and the sound was most grateful to our ears, as +the welcome harbinger of the point to which eighteen weeks of anxious +pilgrimage had been directed. I accompanied the men who had been +appointed to cut the road along the banks of the river. We had performed +about a mile when we were stopped by a large stream from the southward. It +was therefore necessary to carry the road along the banks, which we did +for nearly two miles, when we left of for the day and returned to our +tent. I caused the main branch of the river to be sounded near the +junction of the southern branch which I had named King's River, +(after my friend who is now surveying the coast of this continent), +and found, at one third ebb, four fathoms. King's River appeared equally +deep, and was about one hundred yards broad; the water at this time of the +tide brackish: the country covered with brush, the soil very rich; and a +few ceder trees were scattered among the other timber. The vines were of +enormous size, and in many instances had entirely enveloped the trees to +which they had attached themselves, a small part of their trunks only +being here and there visible. + +October 5.--Sent a party to cut the road up King's River. After advancing +between four and five miles, a small piece of forest ground was +discovered, which determined me to remove the horses and baggage thither, +since the distance which the people had to go to their work occasioned +much delay. A great many natives' canoes were seen on the river to-day +fishing, and as the use of these canoes to cross King's River would have +been very desirable, we endeavoured to tempt their owners to visit us, +but without success; it being out of our power to make them understand +our meaning. + +October 6.--We set out this morning with an intention of proceeding up +the west bank of King's River by the road already cut, but before we had +arrived at it, two natives in a canoe were induced to cross over to us. +Their vessel we detained, making them a present of a tomahawk. The moment +they saw one of the horses (which happened to be a white one), descending +the bank for the purpose of being unladen, they made signs expressive of +their idea, that we were going to put the horses in the canoe, +which they immediately quitted and swam to the opposite shore. As it was +extremely probable that many smaller branches would fall into King's +River, I determined to cross it at its mouth, and so proceed along the +banks of the main river. It was two o'clock before we had got every thing +over, when, upon examining the road which we had to travel, we found that +about half a mile lower down another small stream joined the river. To +this latter stream we therefore cut a road, keeping the canoe for farther +use. By its means we found that after we should cross this last stream, +we should get into an open forest country, with good grass: and we hoped +that we should meet with no farther obstructions in our progress, which +the thickness of the country and the intersection of streams rendered +extremely tedious. The river at low-water was sufficiently fresh for us +to drink. From the limited observations I was enabled to make, the depth +at that time of tide was from two to three fathoms, and the rise of tide +was five feet: but the tides appeared very irregular, being evidently +influenced by the great body of fresh water in the river. What land we saw +or passed over was a rich vegetable mould; the brush extremely thick on +both sides, with fine timber of various kinds. I do not think the higher +forest ground was more than a mile or two back from us. King's River, and +that which we shall cross tomorrow, are formed by numerous smaller runs +of water from the valleys in the higher grounds to the southward and +south-west. + +October 7.--We crossed the small stream mentioned yesterday, by the +help of our friendly canoe, in safety. The horses however having had +little or nothing to eat the night preceding, I halted for a couple of +hours to refresh them. The horse which had been so weakly, that nothing +but the short stages we were obliged to make enabled him to keep up with +us, in crossing the stream landed on a small muddy patch, dry at low +water: here he fell, and all our efforts were unavailing to carry him to +the forest-land, where I intended to leave him for the chance of +recovery. To prevent a more lingering death, I now caused him to be shot. +We afterwards proceeded near four miles, through an excellent open forest +country, with low rising hills well watered, and plenty of good grass and +timber. We halted near a large lagoon, deriving its source from springs +in the valleys southerly and south-west, having an outlet to the river, +which having bent considerably to the north-westward, we have not +seen since we quitted its banks this morning. The weather for some days +back has been remarkably fine, and we find the brushes a great protection +from the heat of the sun, which is now becoming very powerful. + +October 8.--We proceeded on our course, passing over for upwards of three +miles a good and open country: the river three or four miles north of us. +We soon afterwards came to a very large fresh water lagoon on our left, +several miles in circumference, with smaller branches from the valleys, +which emptied itself into the river: its point of discharge we could not +discern. At five miles we were stopped by a large run of fresh water, +which, from its proximity to the sea, we conjectured fell into the lower +part of the harbour. At this place we were obliged to construct a bridge, +which we did by two o'clock, sufficiently large and strong to take over +the laden horses. During the time we were thus employed, we heard the +natives' call close to us; and, on being answered, they immediately +presented themselves to the number of ten, taking great care to show us, +by lifting up their hands and clapping them together, that they were +perfectly unarmed. Seeing them not disposed to approach near us, I went +towards them, when they all retired to a greater distance except three or +four, among whom I recognised the young man from whom we had borrowed the +canoe. I made them several presents of fish hooks, and kangaroo skins, +but could not get them to approach within a hundred yards of us. After a +short interval I left them, and mounting a horse, they on seeing me +took to their heels and ran as for their lives. They were all handsome, +well-made men, stout in their persons, and showing evident signs of +good living. Crossing this run, we passed over an excellent and rich +country; alternately thick brush and clear forest, with small streams +of water for near four miles more, when, to our great joy and +satisfaction, we arrived on the sea-shore about half a mile from +the entrance of what we saw (with no small pleasure), formed a port +to the river which we had been tracing from Sea View Mount. Thus, +after twelve weeks travelling over a country exceeding three hundred +and fifty miles, in a direct line from the Macquarie River, without +a single serious fatality, we had the gratification to find that +neither our time nor our exertions had been uselessly bestowed; and we +trusted that the limited examination, which our means would allow us to +make of the entrance of this port, would ultimately throw open the whole +interior to the Macquarie River, for the benefit of British settlers. We +pitched our tent upon a beautiful point of land, having plenty of good +water and grass; and commanding a fine view of the interior of the port +and surrounding country. I purpose to remain here until Monday, by which +period I expect to be enabled to complete (as far as possible, without the +assistance of boats), the examination of the harbour's mouth. + +October 11.--Our time for these last two days has been occupied in +making a sketch of the entrance into the river, and, as far as our +limited means would permit, in ascertaining its capability to receive +small vessels. The entrance between the sand-rollers and over the +bay appeared sufficiently deep for vessels whose draught of water might +not exceed ten or twelve feet; and when within the bar, a deeper though +narrow channel seemed to afford safe means of communication with part of +the country traversed by us, on the 3rd and 4th inst. The nature of the +country in the immediate vicinity of this port and river has already been +described; and should the channel, which, as far as we are able to judge, +appears safe and sufficiently deep, hereafter prove to be so, I indulge +the hope, that the knowledge we have obtained will be beneficial to the +interests of the colony; and facilitate the settlement of a rich and +valuable tract of country. The natives in the vicinity of the port +appeared very numerous: they kept, however, on the other side of +the harbour, and seemed by no means inclined to have closer communication +with us. We however prevailed on four young men to come over; and by +making them small presents of hooks, lines, etc., this shyness has soon +worn off. They were evidently acquainted with the use of fire-arms; if +any of the people took up a musket they immediately ran off, and it was +only by laying it down that they could he prevailed upon to return, +showing by every simple means in their power their dread of its +appearance. + +The port abounds with fish: the sharks were larger and more numerous +than I ever before observed in any place. We caught one very large +one, which we offered to the natives, but they would not touch it. +making signs that it would make them ill: our people however found no +bad effects from eating it. + +The forest hills and other rising grounds in the neighbourhood are +covered with large kangaroos; and the marshes, which in some places +border on the port, afford shelter and support to innumerable wild fowl. +Independent of Hastings River, the whole country is generally +well-watered, and there is a fine spring at the very entrance into the +port. + +I named this inlet, Port Macquarie, in honour of His Excellency the +Governor, the original promoter of these expeditions. + +October 12.--We quitted Port Macquarie at an early hour on our course +homewards, with all those feelings which that word even in the wilds of +Australia can inspire. We kept at a distance from the sea shore for +nearly six miles; the country was exceedingly rich, the timber large +with frequent brushes. Just before we came on the beach, we observed an +extensive freshwater lagoon, running for several miles behind the beach, +bounded on the west by forest land of good appearance; a strip of sandy +land about three quarters of a mile wide dividing it from the sea. At the +back of Tacking Point rises a small stream of fresh water, which flows +into the lagoon. The country is of moderate height. After travelling near +fifteen miles, we stopped at the extremity of a sandy beach on a point +of good land, with an excellent spring of water rising on it, about four +miles north of the northernmost of the Three Brothers. Tacking Point, +bearing N. 25 1/4 E. Two of our remaining three dogs, had been for the +last two days deprived of the use of their limbs: one died this morning; +the other, we brought on horseback with us, willing, if possible, +to save the life of a valuable and faithful servant. We conjecture +that something they had eaten in the woods must have caused so universal +a paralysis. + +October 13.--Crossing the point of land on which we had been encamped, we +came to a sandy beach, on which we travelled three miles and a half. At +the end of it was an opening safe for boats, (and probably for small +craft at high water), into an extensive lake. As we had no canoe by which +to cross over, we were obliged to keep along its north shore with an +intention of going round it. The lake formed a large basin with a deep +channel, which as it approached the base of the northern Brother narrowed +into a river-like form, and in the course of a mile it again expanded +from the north-north-west to the south-west, to a very great extent. The +land on its eastern side was low and marshy (fresh water). To the north +and north-west, it was bounded by low forest hills covered with luxuriant +grass; and to the southward and south-west extended along apparently the +same description of country, nearly to the western base of the +Second Brother. The ranges of high, woody hills laid down by Captain +Flinders dwindle when approached into low unconnected forest hills. The +Northern Brother, the highest of the three, is a long hill of moderate +elevation, and is seen from such a distance in consequence of the other +parts of the country being comparatively low. The timber was chiefly +black butted gum [Note: Species of eucalyptus], stringy bark, turpentine +tree, and forest oak [Note: Casuarina torulosa]. The stones are chiefly +a hard sandstone. On the lake were great numbers of black swans, +ducks, etc. Various small inlets from the lake much impeded us, +and after travelling near seven miles along its shores, we halted for +the evening near a small spring of fresh water, in a good rising grass +country. The easternmost highest part of the North Brother was S. 4. W. +From the observed amplitude of the sun at rising this morning, the +variation was found to be 9. 33. E. + +October 14.--We were considerably delayed in our progress this day by +salt water inlets, which occasioned us much trouble to cross, and at +length we were altogether stopped by a very wide and deep one, near the +west end of the lake: it was too late in the day to take any measures +for crossing it this evening; we therefore pitched our tents on the banks +near a swamp of fresh water which borders on it and the lake, from which +we were distant about one mile and a half. The inlet was brackish, and +must have a considerable body of fresh water near its head. In our route +we had disturbed a large party of natives, some of whom were busily +employed in preparing bark for a new canoe. There were several canoes on +the lake, in which they all fled in great confusion; leaving their arms +and utensils of every description behind them. One of the canoes was +sufficiently large to hold nine men, and resembled a boat; of course we +left their property untouched, though we afterwards regretted we did not +seize one of their canoes, which we might easily have done. We however +determined to send back in the morning for the unfinished canoe, and try +our skill in completing it for use. The ground passed over for the last +six miles was hilly and very stony, but covered with excellent timber of +all descriptions, and also good grass. There were plenty of kangaroos, but +we had but one dog able to run; so that we succeeded in killing only a +small one. + +October 15.--A party was sent back early this morning to secure the +canoe, while we examined the river. The people returned in the course of +the forenoon unsuccessful, as the natives had removed it with all their +effects in the course of the night, throwing down and destroying their +guniahs or bark huts. We also found that about a mile higher up the +river, a branch from it joined that which we last crossed about two +miles back, making an island of the ground we were upon. The main +branch continued to run to the north-north-west, and north-west. +We therefore lost no time in returning part of the way to the entrance +into the haven, (which we named after Lord Camden), where we proposed +to construct a canoe. The natives seem very numerous, but are shy: +we saw many large canoes on the lake, one of which would be quite +sufficient for our purposes. + +October 18.--On Friday we returned to the entrance of the haven, and +immediately commenced our endeavours to construct a canoe: our first +essays were unsuccessful, but by Saturday night we had a bark one +completed, which we hoped would answer our purpose; though I think if the +natives saw it they would ridicule our rude attempts. This morning, the +ebb tide answering, we commenced transporting our luggage, and in three +hours every thing was safe over. A very serious misfortune however +occurred in swimming the horses across: two of them were seized with the +cramp near the middle of the channel, one with difficulty gained the +shore, the other sank instantly and was seen no more; he was one of our +best and strongest horses, and even now their weak state can ill afford a +diminution in their number. This haven appears to have a perfectly safe +entrance for boats and small craft at all times of tide, except at dead +low water with a strong surge from the eastward, when it slightly breaks, +but is still quite safe for boats if not for larger vessels. When we were +in it, there appeared a safe and deep channel through the sand shoals +which spread over it: the channel also appeared deep leading into the +inner haven. There is plenty of fresh water in swamps, on almost every +part of the shore on which we were. The higher lands abound with good +timber, the points nearest the sea being covered with Banksia +integrifolia, of large dimensions, fit for any kind of boat timber. It is +high water full and change at ten minutes after nine, and the tide +appears to rise between four and six feet. From a point near the +entrance, several bearings were taken; and we also saw another large +lake, or perhaps fresh water lagoon, Under the southernmost of the Three +Brothers. A sunken rock was also discovered off to sea, lying upwards of +two miles from the next point southerly of us, and bearing S. 5. W.: +a deep clear channel lies between it and the shore. At one o'clock we +departed, and by sunset had accomplished near fourteen miles of our +journey. We saw the large lake under the Brothers from a high point on +the coast very clearly, and found that on the north it was bounded by the +North Brother, and separated from the sea by a strip of low marshy land +about three quarters of a mile wide. This lake I think is a fresh water +one: it was named Watson Taylor's Lake. The country west and southerly of +the Brothers consisted of low forest hills; and a range of hills of +moderate height, the entrance of which bore west-south-west distant +twenty or twenty-five miles, ended near Cape Hawke, the country +being to that range very low with marshes. A strip of sandy land +half a mile wide bounds the shore, on which is good grass and water. +On the beach where we halted we found a small boat nearly buried in +the sand, but quite perfect. It had belonged to a Hawkesbury vessel, +belonging to one Mills, which had been lost some time ago, and the +crew of which perished. We halted on the beach, the South Brother +bearing W. 32. N., and the Reef N. 53 1/2. E., and which we now saw +extended near three quarters of a mile north and south, and lying two +marine miles from the shore. It appears dangerous, since in fine weather +(as to-day) the north part of the reef only breaks occasionally. + +October 19.--Proceeded on our journey up the coast: on attempting to cut +off a point of land which would have saved us a distance of some miles, +we found that the low part of the country was an entire fresh water +swamp, interspersed with thick barren brushes, in all respects resembling +the country between Sydney and Botany Bay. We therefore returned again on +the beach, and crossing nearer to the point in question found the remains +of a hut, which had evidently been constructed by Europeans, the saw and +axe having been employed on it. About four miles farther on the beach, +towards Cape Hawke, our progress was stopped by a very extensive inlet, +the mouth of which was nearly a mile wide. It was near high water, and the +sea broke right across with tremendous violence, affording us little hope, +circumstanced as we were, of being able to effect a passage. As we had +always experienced the difficulty, not to say impracticability of +attempting to go round such inlets as these. we stopped about half +a mile inside the entrance, on a spot affording good grass and water +for the horses, the greater part of which were entirely knocked up; +insomuch that I began to fear we would take very few of them to +Newcastle. It being early in the day, a party proceeded to explore +the shores of the inlet, to ascertain if it was possible for us to +proceed round it. After several hours' examination, and walking from +six to eight miles, we were obliged to give up all intention of +proceeding circuitously; and found that our efforts must be directed +to effect a passage near the entrance, since numerous fresh water +runs having their source in deep and impassable swamps or lagoons, +presented an insurmountable barrier to the horses. The main inlet +extended in two wide and extensive branches to the south-west and west, +the termination of which could not be seen, the water being apparently +deep; and the country to the westward rising into forest hills. In this +perplexing situation, with no other prospect before us but that of +effecting our own passage in a bark canoe, and being obliged to leave the +horses behind us; since the width of the channel (which at low water we +had the satisfaction to perceive did not exceed a quarter of a mile) +and the extreme rapidity of the tide, which ran at the rate of at +least three miles per hour, precluded all reasonable hope that, +in their present weak state, they would have strength to swim over. +In this state, the boat which had been washed on the beach suddenly +occurred to us. It was true that we were twelve or fourteen miles +distant from it, and that we should have to carry her that distance +on men's shoulders, but to persons in our situation such difficulties +were as nothing. It was therefore determined that twelve men should +depart before day, and use their efforts to bring her to the tent, +whilst those that remained to take care of the horses and baggage should +be preparing materials to give her such repair as must necessarily be +required. We had now fully experienced how little dependance can be +placed on the best marine charts, to show all the inlets and openings +upon an extensive line of coast. Perhaps no charts can be more accurate +than those published by Captain Flinders, the situation of the principal +headlands and capes, with the direction of the coast, being laid down +with the most minute attention to truth; but the distance at which he was +obliged to keep, although it did not prevent him from laying the coast +line down with an accuracy of outline sufficient for all nautical +purposes, did not allow him to perceive openings which, though doubtless +of little consequence to shipping, yet present the most serious obstacles +to travellers by land; and of which, if they had been laid down in the +chart, I should have hesitated to have attempted the passage without +some assistance from the seaward, or means wherewith to have constructed +boats. From our station on the north shore of the inlet, the extreme +of Cape Hawke bore south 7 1/2. W., and the highest part of the +Southern Brother, north 161. W.: a break in the land between high +ranges of hills bore west, and was distant from seventeen to twenty +miles. Black swans are very numerous on this inlet: few marks of +the natives having remained here for any time were observed, at least on +this side; recent marks of two men having traversed the shore being all +that were seen. + +October 20.--At four o'clock the people set out to bring the boat, and at +two o'clock they had brought her safely to the tent, having gone in that +time upwards of twenty-six miles, thirteen of which they carried a twelve +feet boat on their shoulders; a proof how much may be effected by a +steady perseverance. In fact, I had no occasion to be anxious for the +result of any measure which at all depended on their personal exertions. +We had the satisfaction to find that the boat would be easily repaired, +wanting little besides caulking and oars, and we did not lose a moment in +commencing the necessary operations. It has blown a gale of wind from the +south all day, the surge breaking across the inlet with extreme violence: +within the bar the water is very deep, and in moderate weather at flood +tides there is doubtless a boat passage over the bar; for, notwithstanding +the break, there appears a sufficient depth of water. Whatever channel +there may be is on the north side of the entrance. I think, from the +height of the rise of tide (between four and seven feet), and the +rapidity with which it runs, that this inlet must penetrate a very +considerable distance into the country; and probably the lake which +we took to be fresh water under the two Southern Brothers, may be a +principal branch of this lake. It appears to be high water at the full +and change at about forty minutes after nine. + +October 22.--Yesterday was employed in giving the boat such repairs as +our means permitted. Before six o'clock this morning we had transported a +good part of the baggage, when, the tide answering, we began towing the +horses over, which we safely effected by half past eight. I consider the +discovery of this boat most providential, for without its assistance we +should never have been able to transport the horses: being obliged to +cross near the entrance, the force of the tide and their own weakness +would have swept them among the breakers, and they would consequently +have perished. We lost no time in pursuing our journey up the coast, and +had by four o'clock accomplished six miles, when, to our great +mortification, another inlet barred our progress. The southerly gale. +attended with incessant rain, had by this time increased to such a +degree, that we could take no steps this evening to cross it. By the time +the tents were pitched every thing was drenched with rain; and I think +we felt the cold it occasioned more severely than on any similar +occasion. I should be of opinion that this inlet communicated with +the one we last crossed, as branches from each take such courses +as would, I think, cause them to unite. The last inlet was named +Harrington Lake, in honour of the noble earl of that title. + +October 23.--The storm continued through the night. Late in the morning +we had intervals of fine weather, when all our strength was immediately +despatched to bring up our little boat, as we found that we could not +cross without its aid. When the people returned with the boat, it blew +with such violence that we dared not venture to cross in her. We however +moved a little nearer the point of entrance, to be more conveniently +situated when the weather should clear up. The men voluntarily undertook +to carry the boat on their shoulders until we should pass Port +Stephens--a service, reduced as their strength was by constant exertion, +I should have been unwilling to impose on them, however it might +facilitate our future progress. + +October 24.--The weather was so extremely unfavourable (blowing in +violent squalls with almost constant rain), that it was near dark before +we got every thing safely over. I had sent on in the morning to examine +the beach for a few miles, and another inlet was discovered about four +miles in advance. We named this lake Farquhar's Lake, after Sir Walter. + +October 25.--From the southern point of entrance into this lake the +following bearings were taken. The highest part of the South Brother, +north 6. E.; ditto North Brother, north 18. E.; Cape Hawke, south 3. E. +We set forward at our usual hour. At a mile along the beach we found the +wreck of a small vessel, which was recognised to be the Jane, of Sydney, +belonging to Mills, before mentioned as the owner of the boat in our +possession. It being low water when we arrived at the lagoon seen +yesterday, we crossed it at the mouth, without unlading the horses. We +proceeded along the beach for six or seven miles farther, when we turned +off to the westward to cut off a point of land, and entered an excellent +rising forest country, with rich thick brushes, bordering the coast line. +We travelled in the whole about nine miles and a half, and halted about +three quarters of a mile from the beach, from a point of which (one mile +south-south-east of us), we saw Cape Hawke bearing east 73. S., distant +six or eight miles; and at the extremity of a long curving sandy beach, +about six miles west of the same point, there was an opening which, from +the appearance of the country, we thought might probably form a lake. + +October 26.--Two miles and a half farther travelling brought us again on +the beach, along which we went for near seven miles more, when the +opening or lake seen from the point yesterday obliged us to make use of +our boat. On the opposite side to us we saw the wreck of the brig +Governor Hunter, now nearly covered with sand, at high water the +tide washing over her. We had got the horses and great part of the +luggage safely over, and I was on the point of setting out to look +for a place to turn the horses on (the immediate margin of the bay +being a swampy brush); when an alarm was given, that the natives +had speared one of the people. Previous to crossing, we had seen them in +great numbers on the side opposite to us, probably to the amount of +seventy of all ages; but on seeing us launch our boat, they got into +canoes and went two or three miles farther up the lake, still keeping on +the south side. On the north side we did not see any natives, and +although on both sides of the lake we were prepared for them, had they +shown themselves in numbers on the beach, yet all were not on their guard +against individual treachery. One of the men, William Blake, had entered +the brushes about a hundred yards from the rest of the people on the +north side, with the design of cutting a cabbage palm: he had cut one +about half through, when he received a spear through his back, the point +of it sticking against his breast bone. On turning his head round to see +from whence he was attacked, he received another, which passed several +inches through the lower part of his body: he let fall the axe with which +he was cutting, and which was instantly seized by a native, the only one +he saw; and it was probably the temptation of the axe that was the +principal incitement to the attack. Blake was immediately put into +the boat and sent over to the south side, where the doctor was, +who fortunately succeeded in extracting both the spears; but from +the nature of the wounds, his chance of recovery was considered +very doubtful. It was so late before every thing was got over, +that we were obliged to remain on the spot close to the wreck of +the Governor Hunter. The natives before dark had assembled in great +numbers, and we could count twelve or fourteen fires from their +camps. United as we were, we had little to fear from their attacks, +particularly in the night; and we remained so short a time at any place, +that we did not give them time to make any concerted attack. The country +west and south-west of this lagoon is rising forest land of pleasant +appearance; but the shores are flat, with thick brushes and steep fresh +water swamps. The lagoon itself is at low water nothing but a sand shoal, +with narrow and shallow channels. The surf beats quite across the +entrance, and though at high water a small vessel might beat over the +bar, it would be a mere chance if she escaped being lost upon the +sand-rollers inside, the surf breaking with a flood tide and easterly +wind full half a mile within the outer bar. The tides run near four miles +per hour, and the rise is from five to eight feet. From the south side of +the entrance into the lake the highest part of the North Brother bore +north 15. E.; ditto of the South Brother, north 8. 10. E. The point of +land of the bay northerly, distant seven or eight miles north 8. 30. E.; +and a high bluff point or projection southerly, north 163. 30. E. + +October 27.--We did not make much progress this day, being greatly +embarrassed by the thick brushes which border on the coast in the +vicinity of Cape Hawke, and fresh water swamps near the edge of the lake. +There was, however, a good deal of forest land, and the brushes grew in +good soil. We halted in the afternoon, having gone only four miles (Cape +Hawke bearing east distant two miles and a half), on a piece of forest +land surrounded by brush, through which, however, in the course of the +evening we cut a road to the beach, to the southward of Cape Hawke. From +a hill on that line we saw that the lake was much more extensive than it +was first supposed to be, reaching in a southerly direction to the base +of the forest hills, which run a north-west line from the next point of +south of Cape Hawke, and within a quarter of a mile of the beach. To the +north-west we could trace it upwards of twenty miles, winding among +forest hills and a generally fine looking country. The lake was studded +with numerous islands of forest lands, the interior of the lake being +apparently deep water with sandy beaches to the main and islands. The +whole appearance of the lake was extremely picturesque and beautiful. + +October 28.--This day's journey afforded tolerably good travelling, +with the exception of the last two miles, when, quitting the beach, +we ascended a high hill over the lake, and again descended to a +small bay under a point of land south of Cape Hawke, where we halted for +the evening: having accomplished ten miles. Although we were obliged to +halt the greater part of the day, the extreme heat of the weather, +combined with the motion of the horse, rendered it impossible for our +poor wounded man to proceed. From this point Cape Hawke bore North Peak +on Ditto 357., highest part of the South Brother, N. 1. E.; North Brother, +N. 7. E.; line of coast westerly, N. 306.; a point N. 328 1/2 mile; +ditto N. 136 1/2. E.; ten or twelve chains islet of Sugarloaf Point, +N. 168. The rocks off ditto, N. 173. Sugarloaf Point, 174 1/2. + +October 29.--The coast projecting into bold and perpendicular headlands +obliged us to keep at a distance from it, and travel over an elevated +range, from whence we saw that an extensive series of lakes, probably +forming one large one, continued at the back of the coast line nearly +as far as Blackhead. At five miles we descended from the range on a +small beach which terminated our day's journey; the nature of the +coast line preventing us from travelling along it. I therefore went +with two men to mark out a road for the horses to the beach on the +south-west side of Sugarloaf Point. The line we were obliged to pursue, +led us through a most miserable scrubby country, formed into irregular +steep hills of white sand, without a blade of grass, or herbage of any +kind; but with abundance of small black butted gums, red gums, etc. We +found the road across, to be too far for us to attempt this evening. +Indeed it was near sunset when I returned to the tent. The natives +are extremely numerous along this part of the coast; these extensive +lakes, which abound with fish, being extremely favourable to their +easy subsistence: large troops of them appear on the beaches, whilst +their canoes on the lakes are equally numerous. In the morning their +fires are to be observed in every direction: they evidently appear +to shun us, and we have no wish for a farther acquaintance. When we +stopped for the night, the lake was only separated from the sea by +a narrow neck of sand, and at spring tides, with an easterly wind, +it must be forced over it. This neck of sand appears likely to be +occasionally washed away, and to form a shallow opening into this +portion of the lake. Its principal entrance I expect to find southerly; +we however observed no tides in it, which makes us conclude it will +have but a shoal entrance. From this point, the Sugarloaf Point, +and island of it in one, bore N. 14 1/2, and the direction of the +lake was N. 275. + +October 30.--We passed for five miles and a half through the country +described yesterday, when we arrived on the beach south-west of the +Sugarloaf Point. The rock off ditto bearing N. 88. E.; Shoal of ditto, +120., and Blackhead, N. 212 1/2; we went nearly six miles farther +on the beach, and halted near a rocky point for the evening. This +beach was a peculiarly productive one to us; a great number of fine +fish resembling salmon, had been pursued through the surf by larger +fish, and were left dry by the retiring tide: we picked up thirty-six, +and a welcome prize they proved to us. We had just got the tents +pitched, when a number of unarmed natives appeared upon the hill +near us, and among them a woman and a child. As they came in peace, so in +peace were they received. They approached the tents without any +hesitation, and in the course of an hour, their numbers amounted to +upwards of thirty, men, women, and children. Most of these people seemed +to have been at Newcastle, and appeared a friendly and peaceable set. We +did all in our power to continue these good dispositions by shaving the +men, cutting the hair of the children, and bestowing on them such little +articles as we could spare; not without a hope, that our kindness might +be of service to others, who might under different circumstances be +thrown among them. They were so far from showing the least jealousy of +their women, that every circumstance indicated that their favours might +be purchased: however that may be, we did not avail ourselves of this +privilege. Kindling their fires close to our tents, they seemed to have +taken up their quarters for the night. The weather had appeared to +threaten rain, and as they all departed about ten o'clock, it was +attributed to the circumstance of their being without shelter; and we +expected a friendly visit from them in the morning. From this station, +Blackhead bore N. 197.; and the island off Sugarloaf Point, N. 70. E. +The peak over the north entrance into Port Stephens, N. 211. + +October 31.--The rain of the night still continuing in the morning, +and the tide not being sufficiently low to let us pass round the head, +we did not set off so early as usual. Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans had +gone to bathe near the point, and within one hundred and fifty yards +of the tent. Mr. Evans had already bathed and had began to dress +himself, when four natives, whom we recognised as being among those +whom we had treated so kindly yesterday, made their appearance with +their spears in their hands, in the attitude of throwing them from +the cliffs above. There was scarcely time to parley with them, when +a spear was thrown at Mr. Evans, Dr. Harris having leaped down the +rock into the sea, and escaped to the tent under its shelter. The +spear fortunately missed Mr. Evans, and he likewise escaped with the +loss of his clothes, by following the doctor's example. On the alarm +being given they were pursued, but they had disappeared among the +brush on the hill. This instance of their treachery redoubled our +circumspection, and our situation here being favourable for their +attacks, I determined to pass over the brow of the hill with the +horses--a road which from its extreme steepness, I had been willing +to avoid by waiting for the tide; and orders were given to collect +the horses and proceed on our route. Whilst this was doing, and as +I was sitting in the tent with Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans writing +this Journal, a shower of spears from the height above was thrown at the +tent, one of which passed directly over my shoulder, and entered the +ground at my feet: the others lodged around the tent, and among the +people who were getting ready the baggage, but providentially without +doing any harm. We had stationed men to watch the hill, but the +appearance of the natives and the flight of their spears was so +instantaneous, that they had not time to alarm us. To enable us therefore +to proceed in safety it was necessary to clear the hill, which was soon +done; for on our ascending that hill, they took their station on another +more distant. We travelled unmolested along the beach for upwards of +twelve miles, when we halted for the evening on a small point of clear +land, which at high water was an island. Here we found ourselves secure: +we had however but just unladen, when three natives were seen coming +along the beach from the side of Port Stephens. We knew that the party +which had behaved so treacherously had gone that way, and we suspected +that these men were sent to see whether we were disposed to resent their +conduct: they appeared unarmed, each holding up a fish as a peace +offering to us: but when they were within three hundred yards of us, they +stopped, and not receiving any encouragement from us to advance, +after halting a few minutes, they returned with all speed along +the beach to their companions. I had determined if they had approached +nearer to have made an example of them: and for the future, never to +suffer them to come near us at all. I was very much surprised to +find that Blackhead proved to be an island, with a good passage, at +least a mile and a half wide, between it and the main. There appears +excellent anchorage and shelter under it, and indeed it seems a far +better and more convenient roadstead than Port Stephens, being safe +from all winds, with a passage either from north or south. The relative +positions of the points and islands on this part of the coast, by no +means correspond with, nor does the longitude of Port Stephens +agree with that assigned to Sugarloaf Point by Captain Flinders, who +commenced at that point; Port Stephens, and this part, of the coast, +being laid down from other authorities. From this point, the north head +of Port Stephens bore N. 199.; Sugarloaf Point N. 45. E; and several +other bearings were taken for a sketch of the channel between Blackhead +Island, and the main. + +November 1.--We departed early in the morning, and at three O'clock +arrived at Port Stephens. The natives had assembled in considerable +numbers at the back of the beach, and being armed, we suspected their +intention to be, to throw at us from the bank and brush as we passed. On +the advance of four men who were sent to clear the bank of them, +they quickly retired, and did not show themselves again until we +had passed. They appeared to be as cowardly as treacherous: and I +am convinced, that all the mischief they do, arises from a misplaced +confidence in their seeming friendly dispositions. A single person +of his guard is sure to fall a sacrifice to their thirst for plunder. +As we were unable to pass this port without the assistance of a +large boat, it was determined that Mr. Evans and three men should +cross the port in our own boat and proceed to Newcastle, from which +settlement we were distant about thirty-six miles; and procure such aid +as the commandant could afford us, together with a supply of provisions, +our own being nearly exhausted. + +November 5.--Mr. Evans and party set forward at day-light on Monday +morning, and arrived the same evening at Newcastle. The commandant, +Captain Wallis of the 46th regiment, lost not a moment in dispatching a +large boat with an abundance of every comfort that could be acceptable to +travellers in our situation. We had also the satisfaction to learn +generally the welfare of our friends in Sydney. + + + + +APPENDIX + + + +PART I. + + +No. I. + +By His Excellency, Lachlan Macquarie, Esq., Captain General, and Governor +in Chief of the Territory of New South Wales, and its dependencies, etc. +etc. + +INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOIN OXLEY, ESQ., SURVEYOR GENERAL OF LANDS. + +Sir, + +The Right Honourable Earl Bathurst, His Majesty's principal Secretary of +State for the Colonies, having in a recent despatch authorised and +directed me to select and employ a properly qualified and competent +officer belonging to this government, for conducting and leading an +expedition for the purpose of prosecuting the discoveries made some time +since to the westward of the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, by Mr. +George William Evans, deputy surveyor of lands; and reposing especial +trust and confidence in your abilities, zeal and diligence, for +conducting and leading such an expedition: I do hereby constitute and +appoint you in virtue of the powers in me vested, to be chief of the +expedition now fitting out to prosecute the discoveries to the westward +of the Blue Mountains in the interior of the continent of Australia. You +are accordingly to be obeyed and respected as chief of this expedition, +and to be governed generally during the continuance of it, by the +following instructions. + +First.--With the view of facilitating the objects of the present +expedition, and in justice to his former zealous and successful exertions +in making the original discoveries in the interior, to the westward of the +Blue Mountains; the Right Honourable the Secretary of State has directed, +that in the farther prosecution of these discoveries, Mr. George William +Evans, deputy surveyor of lands, should be associated with the person +appointed to head and direct the expedition; and to be considered the +second in command of it. You are therefore to consider Mr. Evans as next +in command to yourself during the progress of the expedition, and to +consult with him on all operations and points connected therewith; it +being presumed from his local experience in the interior, he will be able +to afford you very useful information and assistance. + +Second.--Exclusive of yourself and Mr. Evans, I have deemed it advisable +to permit Mr. Allan Cunningham, one of the King's botanists, (lately sent +out to this country, for the purpose of collecting plants and seeds for +His Majesty's gardens at Kew), to accompany the expedition. I have also +ordered ten other persons to accompany you on the expedition in the +various capacities of assistants, or servants; and herewith you will +receive a schedule of their names, and respective designations, or +employments. + +Third.--In order to give every facility to the objects of the expedition +now fitting out, and to afford you the means of prolonging your absence +from headquarters, and consequently extending the range of your +discoveries, I have deemed it advisable to furnish yourself and party +with a sufficient supply of good wholesome provisions for five months; in +which space of time, it is concluded, you will be able to ascertain all +the important objects of the expedition. And in order that this five +months supply of provisions may remain untouched, until you shall have +taken your final departure from the last discovered point on the Lachlan +River, I have had a depot lately established there for the purpose of +lodging the five months provisions, till your arrival at that point; the +necessary number of BAT horses having been provided for conveying the +provisions thither; and it has been lately reported to me, that almost +the whole of the five months provisions have already been conveyed to the +depot on the Lachlan River, and that the remaining part thereof will he +deposited there in the course of seven days from this date. You will +herewith receive a schedule, or account of the provisions, together +with a list of the BAT horses, and other various equipments furnished +and sent to the depot on the banks of the Lachlan River, for the use +of the expedition. I hope it is unnecessary for me to point out or +recommend to a person of your experience, the absolute necessity of +observing every possible economy in the expenditure of your provisions, +and preventing every possible waste thereof, so as to make them hold +out for the full space of time they are intended to last. There is +an ample and liberal daily ration of provisions allowed and sent for +each person sufficient for five months; and you must make it your +particular business to see that there shall be no waste or loss in +the issuing, or carriage of your stock of provisions. + +Fourth.--Having been informed, first from the reports of Mr. Evans, the +original discoverer of the Lachlan River, and subsequently from those of +William Cox, Esq., who went thither lately at my particular request, that +there was every reason from its appearance to conclude that that river +would be found to be navigable for small boats; I some time since sent a +boat builder for the purpose of constructing two light boats for +navigating this river, and conveying the provisions and stores for the +expedition along it, to its junction with the sea, in case it should be +found to fall into it, which there is every reason to hope it does. In +the event of this hope being realized, it will greatly facilitate the +objects of the expedition to be able thus to transport all your +provisions, and other equipments, by water, instead of the tedious +process of carrying them by land on the backs of horses, through a woody +and intricate country. + +Fifth.--The three grand and principal objects of the present expedition +are:--First, to ascertain the real course or general direction of the +Lachlan River, and its final termination, and whether it falls into the +sea, or into some inland lake. Secondly, if the river falls into the sea, +to ascertain the exact place of its embouchure, and whether such place +would answer as a safe and good port for shipping: and thirdly, the +general face of the country, nature of the soil, woods, and animal and +natural productions of the country through which this river passes; +carefully examining and noting down each of these particulars, and adding +thereto the nature of the climate, and description of such natives or +aborigines of the country as you may happen to see, or fall in with in +your progress through it. + +For your farther information and guidance, you will receive herewith a +paper marked A, which is a copy of one lately received by me from Earl +Bathurst, His Majesty's principal Secretary of State for the colonies, +and which I am directed by his lordship to make the groundwork of my +instructions to the officer whom I might think proper to select for, and +entrust with the due execution of the services therein required. And I +therefore refer you for all farther instructions to the paper thus +alluded to; persuaded you will do every thing in your power to comply +with and execute, as far as your means will allow, the several orders and +directions therein contained; communicating these instructions to the +several persons employed with you on the expedition, in as far as they +are severally concerned in making the observations and collections +pointed out in the said instructions from the Secretary of State. + +Sixth.--It will of course be necessary in order to ascertain the exact +distance and direction of your journies, whilst prosecuting your +discoveries, that the country through which you travel shall be regularly +chained and laid down upon a chart; but I leave it optional with yourself +to do this either during your outward or homeward bound journey; and as +it is expected that the Lachlan River will be found to empty itself into +that part of the sea on the south-west coast of Australia, between +Spencer's Gulf and Cape Otway, it is hoped you will he able to make all +the necessary discoveries, and return again to Bathurst considerably +within five months; as the greatest distance from thence to that part of +the coast, where the river is supposed to fall into it, cannot exceed six +hundred miles. It is also hoped and expected, that the Lachlan and +Macquarie Rivers unite at some distant point from where Mr. Evans +terminated his trace of the Lachlan River; and in case these two rivers +are found to form a junction, the exact place of their confluence must be +clearly and exactly ascertained in regard to latitude and longitude, and +noted down accordingly. The latitude and longitude of the junction of +both or either of these rivers with the sea, or inland lake, must also be +accurately ascertained and marked down in the chart to be made of your +entire tour and discoveries. + +Seventh.--On your return from your journey to the sea-coast to Bathurst, +you are to direct all the journals or other written documents belonging +to, and curiosities collected by the several individuals composing the +expedition, to be carefully sealed up with your own seal, and kept in +that state until after you have made your report in writing to me at +Sydney, of the result of the expedition. + +Eighth.--I have only to add, that I wish you to set out from Sydney on +the present service, on Monday, the 31st of this present month, so as to +arrive at Bathurst, on or before the 8th of the ensuing month. + +On your arrival at Bathurst, you will find William Cox, Esq., there, and +to him I beg leave to refer you for every information relative to the +provisions, stores, horses for carriage, and other equipments ordered to +be forwarded to the depot on the Lachlan River, for the use of the +expedition; the arrangement and conveyance of all which has been wholly +entrusted to him. Mr. Cox having promised to accompany you as far as the +depot on the Lachlan River, he will be able to remove any unforeseen +difficulties that may arise on your arrival there, in getting the +provisions and stores for the use of the expedition forwarded. + +Wishing every success may attend the expedition under your command, and a +safe return to all the individuals composing it; + +I remain, Sir, +Your most obedient servant, +(Signed,) L. MACQUARIE, +Governor in chief of New South Wales. +Government House, Sydney, +March 24, 1817. + +* * * * * + +--A.-- + +COPY OF INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY OF STATE. + +Downing Street, April 18, 1816. + +It is most desirable that any person travelling into the interior should +keep a detailed Journal of his proceedings. In this Journal all +observations and occurrences of every kind, with all their circumstances, +however minute, and however familiar they may have been rendered by +custom, should be carefully noted down; and it is also desirable that he +should be as circumstantial as possible in describing the general +appearance of the country, its surface, soil, animals, vegetables and +minerals, every thing that relates to the population, the peculiar +manners, customs, language, etc., of the individual natives, or the +tribes of them that he may meet with. + +The following however will be among the most important subjects, on which +it will be more immediately the province of a traveller to endeavour to +obtain information. + +The general nature of the climate, as to the heat, cold, moisture, winds, +rains, etc.; the temperature regularly registered from Fahrenheit's +thermometer, as observed at two or three periods of the day. + +The direction of the mountains; their general appearance as to shape, +whether detached, or continuous in ranges. + +The rivers, and their several branches, their direction, velocity, +breadth and depth. + +The animals, whether birds, beasts, or fishes, reptiles, insects, etc., +distinguishing those animals, if any, which appear to have been +domesticated by the natives. + +The vegetables, and particularly those that are applicable to any useful +purpose, whether in medicine, dyeing, etc.; any scented woods, or such as +may be adapted for cabinet work, or furniture, and more particularly such +woods as may appear to be useful in ship-building; of all which it +would be desirable to procure small specimens, labelled and numbered, +so that an easy reference may be made to them in the Journal, to +ascertain the quantities in which they are found, and the situations +in which they grow. + +Minerals, any of the precious metals, or stones, if used or valued by the +natives. + +With respect to the animals, vegetables, and minerals, it is desirable +that specimens of the most remarkable should be preserved as far as the +means of the traveller will admit, and especially the seeds of any plants +not hitherto known: when the preservation of specimens is impossible, +drawings or detailed accounts of them are most desirable. + +The description, and characteristic difference, of the several people +whom he way meet; the extent of the population, their occupation, and +means of subsistence; whether chiefly, or to what extent, by fishing, +hunting, or agriculture, and the principal objects of their several +pursuits. + +A circumstantial account of such articles, if any, as might be +advantageously imported into Great Britain. + +A vocabulary of the language spoken by the natives whom he may meet, +using in the compilation of each the same English words. + +If the people are sufficiently numerous to form tribes, it is important +to ascertain their condition, and rules of the society; their genius and +disposition; the nature of their amusements; their diseases and remedies, +etc.; their objects of worship, religious ceremonies; and the influence +of those ceremonies on their moral character and conduct. + +(Signed) JOHN THOMAS CAMPBELL, Sec. +(True copy.) + +* * * * * + +No. Ia. + +LIST OF THE NAMES AND DESIGNATIONS OF THE SEVERAL PERSONS PROCEEDING ON +THE EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY, UNDER THE COMMAND OF JOHN OXLEY, ESQ., +SURVEYOR GENERAL OF LANDS. + +1 John Oxley, Esq., chief of the expedition. +2 Mr. George William Evans, second in command. +3 Mr. Allan Cunningham, King's botanist. +4 Charles Fraser, colonial botanist. +5 William Parr, mineralogist. +6 George Hubbard, boat-builder. +7 James King, 1st boatman, and sailor. +8 James King, 2nd horse-shoer. +9 William Meggs, butcher. +10 Patrick Byrne, guide and horse leader. +11 William Blake, harness-mender. +12 George Simpson, for chaining with surveyors. +13 William Warner, servant to Mr. Oxley. + +(Signed,) L. MACQUARIE. +Sydney, +March 2,1, 1817. + +* * * * * + +No. II + +Government House, Sydney, +June 10, 1815. + +Mr. Cox having reported the road as completed on the 21st of January, the +governor, accompanied by Mr. Macquarie, and that gentleman, commenced his +tour on the 25th of April last, over the Blue Mountains, and was joined +by Sir John Jamison, at the Nepean, who accompanied him during the entire +tour. The following gentlemen composed the governor's suite: Mr. +Campbell, secretary; Captain Antill, major of brigade; Lieutenant Watts, +aid-de-camp; Mr. Redfern, assistant surgeon; Mr. Oxley, surveyor general; +Mr. Meehan, deputy surveyor general; Mr. Lewin, painter, and naturalist; +and Mr. G. W. Evans, deputy surveyor of lands, who had been sent forward +for the purpose of making farther discoveries, and rejoined the party on +the day of arrival at Bathurst Plains. + +The commencement of the ascent from Emu Plains, to the first depot, and +then to a resting-place, now called Spring Wood, distant twelve miles +from Emu Ford, was through a very handsome forest of lofty trees, and +much more practicable and easy than was expected. The facility of the +ascent for this distance excited surprise, and is certainly not well +calculated to give the traveller a just idea of the difficulties he has +afterwards to encounter. + +At a farther distance of four miles, a sudden change is perceived in the +appearance of the timber, and the quality of the soil; the former +becoming stunted, and the latter barren and rocky. At this place the +fatigues of the journey may be said to commence; here the country became +altogether mountainous, and extremely rugged. Near to the eighteenth mile +mark (it is to be observed the measure commences from Emu Ford), a pile +of stones attracted attention; it is close to the line of road, on the +top of a rugged and abrupt ascent, and is supposed to have been placed +by Mr. Caley, as the extreme limit of his tour; hence the governor +gave that part of the mountain the name of Caley's Repulse. To have +penetrated even so far, was an effort of no small difficulty. From +hence forward to the twenty-sixth mile is a succession of steep and +rugged hills, some of which are almost so abrupt as to deny a passage +altogether; but at this place a considerably extensive plain is arrived +at, which constitutes the summit of the western mountains, and from +thence a most extensive and beautiful prospect presents itself on all +sides to the eye. The town of Windsor, the River Hawkesbury, Prospect +Hill, and other objects within that part of the colony now inhabited, of +equal interest, are distinctly seen from hence. The majestic grandeur of +the situation, combined with the various objects to be seen from this +place, induced the governor to give it the appellation of the King's +Table Land. On the south-west side of the King's Table Land, the mountain +terminates in abrupt precipices of immense depth; at the bottom of which +is seen a glen, as romantically beautiful as can be imagined, bounded on +the farther side by mountains of great magnitude, terminating equally +abruptly as the others; and the whole whole thickly covered with timber. +The length of this picturesque and remarkable tract of country is +about twenty-four miles, to which the governor gave the name of +the Prince Regent's Glen. Proceeding hence to the thirty-third mile, +on the top of a hill an opening presents itself on the south-west +side of the Prince Regent's Glen, from whence a view obtained +particularly beautiful and grand: mountains rising beyond mountains, +with stupendous masses of rock in the fore ground, here strike +the eye with admiration and astonishment. The circular form in which the +whole is so wonderfully disposed, induced the governor to give the name +of Pitt's Amphitheatre to this offset or branch from the Prince Regent's +Glen. The road continues from hence for the space of seventeen miles, on +the ridge of the mountain which forms one side of the Prince Regent's +Glen, and there it suddenly terminates in nearly a perpendicular +precipice of six hundred and seventy-six feet high, as ascertained by +measurement. The road constructed by Mr. Cox down this rugged and +tremendous descent, through all its windings, is no less than three +fourths of a mile in length, and has been executed with such skill and +dexterity as reflects much credit to him: the labour here undergone, and +the difficulties surmounted can only be appreciated by those who view +this scene. In order to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Cox's services, the +governor deemed it a tribute justly due to him to give his name to this +grand and extraordinary pass, and he accordingly called it Cox's Pass. +Having descended into the valley at the bottom of this pass, the +retrospective view of the overhanging mountain is magnificently grand. + +Although the present pass is the only practicable point yet discovered +for descending by, yet the mountain is much higher than those on either +side of it, from whence it is distinguished at a considerable distance: +when approaching it from the interior, and in this point of view, it has +the appearance of a very high distinct hill, although it is in fact only +the abrupt termination of a ridge. The governor gave the name of Mount +York to this termination of the ridge: on descending Cox's Pass, the +governor was much pleased by the appearance of good pasture land, and +soil fit for cultivation, which was the first he had met with since the +commencement of his tour. The valley at the base of Mount York he called +the Vale of Clwyd, in consequence of the strong resemblance it bore to +the vale of that name in North Wales: the grass in this vale is of a good +quality, and very abundant; and a rivulet of fine water runs along it +from the eastward, which unites itself at the western extremity of the +vale with another rivulet, containing still more water. The junction of +these two streams forms a very fine river, now called by the governor +Cox's River; which takes its course, as has since been re-ascertained, +through the Prince Regent's Glen, and empties itself into the River +Nepean; and it is conjectured from the nature of the country through +which it passes, that it must be one of the principal causes of the +floods which have been occasionally felt on the low banks of the River +Hawkesbury, into which the Nepean discharges itself. The Vale of Clwyd +from the base of Mount York, extends six miles in a westerly direction, +and has its termination at Cox's River. Westward of this river the +country again becomes hilly, but is generally open, forest land, and +very good pasturage. Three miles to the westward of the Vale of Clwyd, +Messrs. Blaxland, Wentworth, and Lawson, had formerly terminated their +excursion; and when the various difficulties are considered which they +had to contend with, especially until they had effected the descent from +Mount York, to which place they were obliged to pass through a thick +brushwood, where they were under the necessity of cutting a passage for +their baggage horses, the severity of which labour had seriously affected +their healths--their patient endurance of such fatigue cannot fail to +excite much surprise and admiration. In commemoration of their merits, +three beautiful high hills, joining each other at the end of their tour +at this place, have received their names in the following order, viz., +Mount Blaxland, Wentworth's Sugar Loaf, and Lawson's Sugar Loaf. + +A range of very lofty hills and narrow valleys alternately form the tract +from Cox's River, for a distance of sixteen miles, until the Fish River +is arrived at; and the stage between these rivers is consequently very +severe and oppressive to the cattle: to this range the governor gave the +name of Clarence's Hilly Range. Proceeding from the Fish River and a +short distance from it, a very singular and beautiful mountain attracts +the attention, its summit being crowned with a large and very +extraordinary looking rock, nearly circular in form, which gives to the +whole very much the appearance of a Hill Fort, such as are frequent in +India; to this lofty hill, Mr. Evans, who was the first European +discoverer, gave the name of Mount Evans. Passing on from hence the +country continues hilly, but affords good pasturage; gradually improving +to Sidmouth Valley, which is distant from the pass of the Fish River +eight miles. The land here is level, and the first met with unencumbered +with timber: it is not of very considerable extent, but abounds with a +great variety of herbs and plants, such as would probably highly interest +and gratify the scientific botanist. This beautiful little valley runs +north-west and south-east, between hills of easy ascent thinly covered +with timber. Leaving Sidmouth Valley the country again becomes hilly, +and in other respects resembles very much the country to the eastward of +the valley for some miles. + +Having reached Campbell River, distant thirteen miles from Sidmouth +Valley, the governor was highly gratified by the appearance of the +country, which there began to exhibit an open and extensive view of +gently rising grounds and fertile plains. Judging from the height of +the banks and its general width, the Campbell River must be on some +occasions of very considerable magnitude; but the extraordinary drought +which has apparently prevailed on the western side of the mountains, +equally as throughout this colony for the last three years, has reduced +this river so much, that it may be more properly called a chain of pools +than a running stream at the present time. In the reaches, or pools of the +Campbell River, the very curious animal called the water mole +(ornithorhynchus paradoxus), is seen in great numbers. The soil on both +banks is uncommonly rich, and the grass is consequently luxuriant. Two +miles to the southward of the line of road which crosses the Campbell +River, there is a very fine rich tract of low lands which has been named +Mitchel Plains. + +Wild flax was found here growing in considerable quantities. The Fish +River, which forms a junction with the Campbell River a few miles to the +northward of the road and bridge over the latter, has also two very +fertile plains on its banks, the one called O'Connell Plains, and the +other Macquarie Plains, both of considerable extent, and very capable of +yielding all the necessaries of life. At the distance of seven miles from +the bridge over the Campbell River, Bathurst Plains open to the view, +presenting a rich tract of champaign country of eleven miles in length, +bounded on both sides by gently rising and very beautiful hills, thinly +wooded. The Macquarie River, which is constituted by the junction of the +Fish and Campbell Rivers, takes a winding course through the plains, and +can be easily traced from the high lands adjoining, by the particular +verdure of the trees on its banks, which are likewise the only trees +throughout the extent of the plains. + +The level and clean surface of these plains gives them at first view very +much the appearance of lands in a state of cultivation. + +The governor and his suite arrived at these plains on Thursday, the 4th +of May, and encamped on the southern or left bank of the Macquarie River; +the situation being selected in consequence of its commanding a beautiful +and extensive prospect for many miles in every direction around it. At +this place the governor remained for a week, which time he occupied in +making excursions in different directions through the adjoining country, +on both sides of the river. + +On Sunday, the 7th of May, the governor fixed on a site suitable for the +erection of a town at some future period, to which he gave the name of +Bathurst, in honour of the present Secretary of State for the colonies. +The situation of Bathurst is elevated sufficiently beyond the reach of +any floods which may occur, and is at the same time so near the river on +its south bank, as to derive all the advantages of its clear and +beautiful stream. The mechanics, and settlers of whatever description, +who may be hereafter permitted to form permanent residences to themselves +at this place, will have the highly important advantages of a rich and +fertile soil, with a beautiful river flowing through it, for all the uses +of man. + +The governor must however add, that the hopes which were once so +sanguinely entertained of this river becoming navigable to the western +sea have ended in disappointment. During the week that the governor +remained at Bathurst, he made daily excursions in various directions: one +of these extended twenty-two miles in a south-west direction, and on that +occasion as well as on all the others, he found the country composed +chiefly of valleys and plains, separated occasionally by ranges of low +hills; the soil throughout being generally fertile, and well +circumstanced for the purpose of agriculture, or grazing. + +Within a distance of ten miles from the site of Bathurst, there is not +less than fifty thousand acres of land clear of timber, and fully one +half of that may be considered excellent soil, well calculated for +cultivation. It is a matter of regret, that in proportion as the land +improves the timber degenerates; and it is to be remarked, that every +where to the westward of the mountains it is much inferior, both in size +and quality, to that within the present colony: there is however a +sufficiency of timber of tolerable quality within the district around +Bathurst, for the purposes of house building, and husbandry. + +The governor has here to lament, that neither coals nor limestone have +been yet discovered in the western country; articles in themselves of so +much importance, that the want of them must be severely felt, whenever +that country shall be settled. + +Having enumerated the principal and most important features of this new +country, the governor has now to notice some of its live productions. All +around Bathurst abounds in a variety of game; and the two principal +rivers contain a great quantity of fish, but all of one denomination, +resembling the perch in appearance, and of a delicate and fine flavour, +not unlike that of a rock cod; this fish grows to a large size, and is +very voracious. Several of them were caught during the governor's stay at +Bathurst, and at the halting-place on the Fish River. One of those caught +weighed seventeen pounds, and the people stationed at Bathurst reported +they had caught some weighing twenty-five pounds. The field game are the +kangaroos, emus, black swans, wild geese, wild turkeys, bustards, ducks +of various kinds, quail, bronze-winged and other pigeons, etc. etc. The +water-mole also abounds in all the rivers and ponds. + +The site designed for the town of Bathurst by observation taken at the +flag-staff, which was erected on the day of Bathurst receiving that name, +is situated in latitude 33. 24. 30. S., and in longitude 149. 29. 30. E. +of Greenwich; being also twenty-seven miles and a half north of +Government House, in Sydney, and ninety-four and a half west of it, +bearing west 18. 20. N., eighty-three geographical miles, or ninety-five +and a half statute miles; the measured road distance from Sydney to +Bathurst being one hundred and forty English miles. + +The road constructed by Mr. Cox, and the party under him, commences at +Emu Ford, on the left bank of the Nepean, and is thence one hundred and +one miles and a half to the flag-staff at Bathurst: this road has been +carefully measured, and each mile regularly marked on the trees growing +on the left side of the road, proceeding towards Bathurst. + +The governor in his tour made the following stages, in which he was +principally regulated by the consideration of his having good pasturage +for the cattle and plenty of water: + +1st stage, Spring Wood, distant from Emu Ford, 12 miles. +2nd ditto, Jamison's Valley, or 2nd depot, distant from ditto, 28 miles. +3rd ditto, Blackheath, distant from ditto, 41 miles. +4th ditto, Cox's River, distant from ditto, 56 miles. +5th ditto, The Fish River, distant from ditto, 72 miles. +6th ditto, Sidmouth Valley, distant from ditto, 80 miles. +7th ditto, Campbell River, distant from ditto, 90 miles. +8th ditto, Bathurst, distant from ditto, 101 1/2 miles. + +At all of which places the traveller may assure himself of good grass, +and water in abundance. + +* * * * * + +No. III. + +Bathurst, August 30, 1817. +"Sir, + +"I have the honour to acquaint your excellency with my arrival at this +place last evening, together with the persons comprising the expedition +to the westward, which your excellency was pleased to place under my +direction. + +"Your excellency is already informed of my proceedings up to the 30th +of April. The limits of a letter will not permit me to enter at large +into the occurrences of nineteen weeks; and as I shall have the honour of +waiting on your excellency in a few days, I trust you will in the mean +time have the goodness to accept the summary account which I now offer. + +"I proceeded down the Lachlan in company with the boats until the 12th +of May, the country rapidly descending, until the waters of the river +rising to a level with it, and dividing themselves into numerous +branches, inundated the land to the west and north-west, and prevented +any farther progress in that direction, the river itself being lost among +the marshes. Up to this point, it had received no accession of waters +from either side; but on the contrary, was constantly dissipating itself +in lagoons and swamps. + +"The impossibility of proceeding farther in conjunction with the boats +being evident, I determined upon mature deliberation to haul them up; and +divesting ourselves of every thing that could possibly be spared, proceed +with the horses loaded with the additional provisions from the boats, on +such a course towards the coast as would intersect any stream that might +arise from the divided waters of the Lachlan. + +"In pursuance of this plan, I quitted the river on the 17th of May, +taking a south-west course towards Cape Northumberland, as the best +adapted to answer my intended purpose. I will not here detail the +difficulties and privations we experienced in passing through a barren +and desolate country, without any water but such rain as was found +remaining in holes and the crevices of rocks. I continued this course +until the 9th of June, when having lost two horses through fatigue and +want, and the others being in a deplorable condition, I changed our +course to north, along a range of lofty hills running in that direction, +as they afforded the only means of procuring water until we should fall +in with some stream. On this course I continued until the 23rd of June, +when we again fell in with a stream, which we had at first some +difficulty to recognise as the Lachlan, it being little larger than one +of the branches of it where we quitted it on the 17th of May. + +"I did not hesitate a moment to pursue the course of this stream, not +that the nature of the country or its own appearance in any manner +indicated that it would become navigable, or even permanent; but I was +unwilling that the smallest doubt should remain whether any navigable +waters fall westward into the sea, between the limits pointed out in my +instructions. + +"I continued along the banks of the stream until the 8th of July, it +having taken during this period a westerly direction, and passed through +a perfectly level country, barren in the extreme, and being evidently at +periods entirely under water. To this point the river had been gradually +diminishing, and spreading its waters over stagnated lagoons and +morasses, without receiving any tributary stream that we knew of, during +the whole extent of its course. The banks were not more than three feet +high, and the marks of flood on the shrubs and bushes showed that at +times it rose between two and three feet higher, causing the whole +country to become a marsh, and altogether uninhabitable. + +"Farther progress westward, had it been possible, was now useless, as +there was neither hill nor rising ground of any kind within the compass +of our view, which was bounded only by the horizon in every quarter, and +entirely devoid of timber, unless a few diminutive gum, trees on the very +edge of the stream might be so termed. The water in the bed of the +lagoon, as it might now be properly denominated, was stagnant, its +breadth about twenty feet, and the heads of grass growing in it showed it +to be about three feet deep. + +"This unlooked for and truly singular termination of a river, which +we had anxiously hoped, and reasonably expected, would have led to a far +different conclusion, filled us with the most painful sensations. We were +full five hundred miles west of Sydney, and nearly in its latitude; and +it had taken us ten weeks of unremitted exertion to proceed so far. The +nearest part of the coast about Cape Bernoulli, had it been accessible, +was distant above one hundred and eighty miles. We had demonstrated +beyond a doubt, that no river could fall into the sea between Cape Otway +and Spencer's Gulf, at least none deriving its waters from the eastern +coast; and that the country south of the parallel of 34 degrees, and west +of the meridian 147. 30. E. was uninhabitable, and useless for all the +purposes of civilized men. + +"It now became my duty to make our remaining resources as extensively +useful to the colony as our circumstances would allow; these were much +diminished: an accident which happened to one of the boats in the outset +of the expedition had deprived us of one third of our dry provisions, of +which we had originally a supply for only eighteen weeks, and we had been +consequently for some time living on a reduced ration of two quarts of +flour per man, per week. To return to the depot by the route we had come +would have been as useless as impossible; and, seriously considering +the spirit of your excellency's instructions, I determined, after the +most mature deliberation, to take such a route, on our return, as would I +hoped comport with your excellency's views, had our then situation ever +been contemplated. + +"Returning up the Lachlan, I recommenced the survey of it from the point +at which it was made on the 23rd of June, intending to continue up its +banks until its connection with the marshes where we quitted it on the +17th of May was satisfactorily established, as also to ascertain if any +streams might have escaped our research. The connection with all the +points of the survey previously determined, was completed between the +19th of July and the 3rd of August. In the space passed over within that +period, the river had divided itself into various branches, and formed +three fine lakes, which, with one near the termination of our journey +westward, were the only considerable pieces of water we had yet seen; and +I now estimated that the river, from the place where it was first made +by Mr. Evans, had run a course, including all its windings, of upwards of +one thousand two hundred miles; a length altogether unprecedented, when +the single nature of the river is considered, and that its original +source constitutes its only supply of water during that extent. + +"Crossing at this point, it was my intention to take a north-east course +to intersect the country, and if possible to ascertain what had become of +the Macquarie River, which it was clear had never joined the Lachlan. +This course led us through a country to the full as bad as any we had yet +seen, and equally devoid of water, the personal want of which again much +distressed us. On the 7th of August the scene began to change, and the +country to assume a very different aspect; we were now quitting the +neighbourhood of the Lachlan, and had passed to the north-east of the high +range of hills, which on this parallel bounds the low country to the +north of that river. To the north-west and north the country was high and +open, with good forest land; and on the 10th we had the satisfaction of +falling in with the first stream running northerly. This renewed our +hopes of soon falling in with the Macquarie, and we continued upon the +same course, occasionally inclining to the eastward until the 19th, +passing through a fine luxuriant country, well watered; crossing in that +space of time nine streams, having a northerly course through rich +valleys, the country in every direction being moderately high and open, +and generally as fine as can be imagined. + +"No doubt remained upon our minds that those streams fell into the +Macquarie, and to view it before it received such an accession, was our +first wish. On the 19th, we were gratified by failing in with a river +running through a most beautiful country, and which I should have been +well contented to have believed to be the river we were in search of. +Accident led us down this stream about a mile, when we were surprised by +its junction with a river coming from the south, of such width and +magnitude as to dispel all doubts as to this last being the river we had +so long anxiously looked for. Limited as our resources were, we could not +resist the temptation which this beautiful country offered us, to remain +two days upon the junction of these rivers, for the purpose of examining +its vicinity to as great an extent as possible. + +"Our examination increased the satisfaction we had previously felt; as +far as the eye could reach, in every direction, a rich and picturesque +country extended, abounding in limestone, slate, good timber, and every +other requisite which could render an uncultivated country desirable. + +"The soil cannot be excelled; whilst a noble river of the first magnitude +affords the means of conveying its productions from one part of the +country to the other. Where we quitted it, its course was northerly, and +we were then north of the parallel of Port Stephens, being in latitude +32. 32. 45. S., and 148. 52. E. longitude. + +"It appeared to me that the Macquarie had taken a north-north-west course +from Bathurst, and that it must have received immense accessions of water +in its course from that place. We viewed it at a period best calculated +to form an accurate judgment of its importance, when it was neither +swelled by floods beyond its natural and usual height, nor contracted +within its proper limits by summer droughts; of its magnitude when it +should have received the streams we had crossed, independently of any +which it may receive from the east (which, from the boldness and height +of the country, I presume must be at least as many as from the south), +some idea may be formed when I inform your excellency, that at this point +it exceeded in breadth and apparent depth the Hawkesbury at Windsor, and +that many of the reaches were of grander and more extended proportion +than the admired one on the Nepean River, from the Warragamba to Emu +Plains. + +"Resolving to keep as near the river as possible during the remainder +of our course to Bathurst, and endeavour to ascertain at least on the +west side what waters fall into it, on the 22nd we proceeded up the +river, and, between the point quitted and Bathurst, crossed the sources +of numberless streams all running into the Macquarie; two of them were +nearly as large as that river itself is at Bathurst. The country whence +all these streams derive their source was mountainous and irregular, and +appeared equally so on the east side of the Macquarie. + +"This description of country extended to the immediate vicinity of +Bathurst, but to the west of those lofty ranges the land was broken into +low grassy hills and fine valleys, watered by rivulets rising on the +western side of the mountains, which on their eastern side pour their +waters directly into the Macquarie. These westerly streams appeared to me +to join that which at first sight I had taken for the Macquarie, and, when +united, to fall into it at the point on which it was first discovered on +the 19th instant. We reached this place last evening, without a single +accident having occurred to any one of the party during the whole +progress of the expedition; which from this point has encircled within +the parallels of 34. 30. S. and 32. S., and between the meridians of +149. 29. 30. E. and 143. 30. E. a space of nearly one thousand miles. +I shall hasten to lay before your excellency the journals, charts, and +drawings, explanatory of the various occurrences of our diversified route; +amply gratified if our exertions should appear to your excellency +commensurate with your expectations, and the ample means which your care +and liberality placed at my disposal. + +"I feel the most particular pleasure in informing your excellency of the +obligations I am under to Mr. Evans, the deputy surveyor, for his able +advice and cordial co-operation throughout the expedition; and, as far as +his previous researches had extended, the accuracy and fidelity of his +narrative was fully established. + +"It would perhaps appear presumptuous in me to hazard an opinion upon +the merits of persons engaged in a pursuit in which I have little +knowledge; the extensive and valuable collection of plants found by +Mr. A. Cunningham, the King's botanist, and Mr. C. Frazer, the colonial +botanist, will best evince to your excellency the unwearied industry and +zeal bestowed in the discovery and preservation of them; in every other +respect they also merit the highest praise. + +"From the nature of the greater part of the country passed over, our +mineralogical collection is but small. Mr. S. Parr did as much as could +be done in that branch, and throughout endeavoured to render himself as +useful as possible. + +"Of the men on whom the chief care of the horses and baggage devolved, +it is impossible to speak in too high terms. Their conduct in periods of +considerable privation, was such as must redound to their credit; and +their orderly, regular, and obedient behaviour could not be exceeded. +It may principally be attributed to their care and attention, that +we lost only three horses; and that, with the exception of the loss +of the dry provisions already mentioned, no other accident happened +during the course of the expedition. I most respectfully beg leave to +recommend them to your excellency's favourable notice and consideration. + +"I trust your excellency will have the goodness to correct any +omissions or inaccuracies that may appear in this letter: the messenger +setting out immediately will not allow me to revise or correct it. + +"I have the honour to remain, with the greatest respect, +Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant, +(Signed), J. OXLEY, Surveyor General." + +To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc. + + +* * * * * + + +APPENDIX. + + + +PART II. + + +No. IV. + +DIARY OF MR. EVANS, DEPUTY SURVEYOR GENERAL, FROM THE 8TH, +TO THE 18TH OF JULY 1818. + +Wednesday, July 8.--Left Mount Harris about nine o'clock. For six miles +the country tolerably good; afterwards, to the end of my day's journey, +it was alternately acacia pendula scrubs, and cypress brushes; the soil +light, and full of holes; abundance of water, but, latterly, no grass. In +the evening halted on the bank of a gully, having gone about twelve +miles. Mount Harris bearing 8. 35. W. + +July 9.--Set forward at eight o'clock, and continued travelling until +five in the afternoon, chiefly through very thick brushes, consisting of +various shrubs, with casuarina and dwarf box trees; the country nearly a +marsh and almost impassable, so much so, that I had great difficulty in +keeping my course, being the greater part of the day up to our knees in +water. + +I estimate my distance this day to be about fifteen miles, on a +north-east course. + +July 10.--The country worse than yesterday, being exceeding low and +marshy, with many thick scrubs. About eleven o'clock it opened, being +more thinly clothed with the acacia pendula: having travelled about ten +miles, we arrived on the borders of a large apparent plain, on which I +had proceeded about two miles, when we were suddenly stopped by deep +water among reeds; from hence I could distinctly see Arbuthnot's Range, +the north end of which bore N. 101., and the other part connected by a +low range bore from N. 108 to N. 112. + +The country from north-west to north-east was open with the horizon, +being covered with water and reeds, as far as the eye could distinguish; +we saw immense numbers of wild ducks, many black swans, pelicans, and +birds resembling the sea gannet: I altered my course to east, and shortly +afterwards to south-east. + +I estimate the distance travelled this day to be eighteen miles. Being +rather late, we were much at a loss to find a place dry enough to sleep +on: the north end of Arbuthnot's Range bore N. 98. + +July 11.--Finding our efforts to travel in any direction north of east +useless, I altered my course for the north end of Arbuthnot's Range. The +country continuing nearly as yesterday, brushes and marshes alternately, +having gone about twelve miles, the last quarter of a mile of which was +at an almost imperceptible rise above the general level, I came to the +edge of a river, the stream of which was thirty or fort yards wide, but +the bed nearly one hundred yards, the banks being eight or nine feet +high: I forded it in the middle of a very long reach bearing north and +south, the stream clear, and running gently from the south, about three +feet deep, over a fine sandy bottom. After crossing this river, I +proceeded onwards about four miles, and halted on the edge of a brush, +having travelled sixteen or seventeen miles. + +July 12.--After proceeding about four miles, we crossed a small stream +from the south-east; the country perfectly level, not a perceptible rise +in any direction, save Arbuthnot's Range: the space travelled over to-day +was a complete marsh, the soil good, being clearly alluvial. It will be +impossible for heavy loaded horses to walk over the country, traversed by +us these last three days; the trouble we have had is more than can well +be imagined. Travelled fifteen miles. + +July 13.--A very cold morning, set off at sunrise: at the sixth mile +arrived on an open plain, over which was rather better travelling than we +had latterly experienced. Finding it unlikely that we should reach the +range, at least in time to view the country from it, I thought it best, +as I had no time to spare, to keep more southerly for a lofty eminence +about two miles distant, and apparently of easy ascent: this mount +afforded me a most extensive prospect. The south extreme of Arbuthnot's +Range bore south, the north extreme N. 20. E, then trends more easterly. +Westerly of the hill on which I stood and the range, the country is a +perfect level, without the slightest apparent rise or inequality; what I +could see of the country to the south-east, appeared to be very broken +and rugged, detached rocks projecting like pillars and pyramids, in +various parts of the ranges; there was a number of native fires about the +base of the range, and we saw plenty of kangaroos, for the first time +since quitting Mount Harris: I also this day shot a new species of +pigeon. The distance travelled, I suppose sixteen or seventeen miles. + +July 14.--Set forward on my return to the tents in a south-west +direction, and passed, for four or five miles, through a good open forest +country, abounding with kangaroos: after passing that, the country +altered for the worse, becoming low and wet: at twelve miles, we crossed +a chain of ponds leading to the north. + +Last evening we suspected that we had been watched by the natives. I saw +some of them, and our resting-place was surrounded by their smokes; they +however did not attempt to molest us. Stopped in an acacia pendula brush, +having travelled about twenty miles. + +July 15.--It came on to rain in the night, and continued all this day. +Our journey was dreadfully bad and marshy; yet on the whole the country +had a better aspect, not being so much overrun with the plant called +atriplex as usual. On my track out, plains, brushes, indeed almost the +entire surface was covered with it, until within a few miles of +Arbuthnot's Range. After going about three miles, we again fell in with +and forded the river crossed on the 11th instant: it was here not quite +so wide as when first seen, but deeper. Halted, having gone about ten +miles. + +July 16.--I altered my course from south-west to west, 80 degrees south, +and had an extremely tedious and unpleasant day's journey, through a wet +and dreary country; continued rain. Travelled fifteen miles. + +July 18.--Arrived at the hut about one o'clock, p.m., having travelled +yesterday and to-day about thirty-seven miles. + +(Signed) G. W. EVANS. + +* * * * * + +No. V. + + +GOVERNMENT, AND GENERAL ORDERS. + +Government House, Parramatta, +December 5, 1818. + +CIVIL DEPARTMENT. + +The sanguine hope which his excellency the governor was induced to +entertain, that, by pursuing the course of the Macquarie River, which had +been discovered running in a north-west direction by John Oxley, Esq., on +his return last year from tracing the course of the Lachlan to the +south-west, would have amply compensated for the disappointment sustained +on that occasion; and his excellency having in consequence accepted the +farther services of Mr. Oxley, on a second expedition; the party +consisting of John Oxley, Esq., surveyor general; John Harris, Esq., late +surgeon of the 102nd regiment, (who most liberally volunteered to +accompany the expedition); Mr. Evans, deputy surveyor general; and Mr. +Charles Fraser, colonial botanist; together with twelve men, having +eighteen horses and two boats, and provisions for twenty-four weeks, took +their final departure on the 4th of June last, from a depot prepared +for the occasion in the Wellington Valley, at about ninety miles west of +Bathurst; and those gentlemen, and the entire party, having a few days +since arrived at Port Jackson by sea, from the northward, his excellency +is happy in offering his most cordial congratulations to John Oxley, +Esq., the conductor of this expedition, and to John Harris, Esq., Mr. +Evans, and Mr. Fraser, on their safe return from this arduous +undertaking. + +The zeal, talent, and attention manifested by Mr. Oxley, considering the +perils and privations to which he and his party were exposed, in +exploring a tract of country so singularly circumstanced in its various +bearings, are no less honourable to Mr. Oxley than conducive to the +public interest; and although the principal object, namely, that of +tracing the Macquarie River to its embouchure, has not been so favourable +as was anticipated, yet the failure is in a great degree counterbalanced +by other important discoveries made in the course of this tour, which +promise, at no very remote period, to prove of material advantage to this +rising colony. + +Whilst his excellency thus offers this public tribute of congratulations, +he desires to accompany it with expressions of his high sense and +approbation of Mr. Oxley's meritorious services on this occasion; which +his excellency will not fail to represent to His Majesty's ministers, by +the earliest opportunity. + +The personal assistance and support so cheerfully and beneficially +afforded to Mr. Oxley by the gentlemen associated with him on this +expedition, demand his excellency's best acknowledgments, which be is +happy thus publicly to request them to accept. + +The following letter received from Mr. Oxley on his arrival at Port +Stephens, on the 1st of November last, is now published for general +information on the interesting subject of this tour. + +By his excellency the governor's command, + +J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary. + + +* * * + + +Port Stephens, November 1, 1818. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform your excellency, that I arrived at this port +to-day, and circumstances rendering it necessary that Mr. Evans should +proceed to Newcastle, I embrace the opportunity to make to your +excellency a brief report of the route pursued by the western expedition +entrusted to my direction. + +My letter, dated the 22nd of June last, will have made your excellency +acquainted with the sanguine hopes I entertained, from the appearance of +the river, that its termination would be either in interior waters, or +coastwise. When I wrote that letter to your excellency, I certainly did +not anticipate the possibility, that a very few days farther travelling +would lead us to its termination as an accessible river. + +On the 28th of June, having traced its course without the smallest +diminution or addition, about seventy miles farther to the +north-north-west, there being a slight fresh in the river, it overflowed +its banks, and although we were at the distance of near three miles from +it, the country was so perfectly level that the waters soon spread over +the ground on which we were. We had been for some days before travelling +over such very low ground, that the people in the boats finding the +country flooded, proceeded slowly; a circumstance which enabled me to +send them directions to return to the station we had quitted in the +morning, where the ground was a little more elevated. This spot being by +no means secure, it was arranged that the horses, with the provisions, +should return to the last high land we had quitted, a distance of sixteen +miles; and as it appeared to me that the body of water in the river was +too important to be much affected by the mere overflowing of its waters, +I determined to take the large boat, and in her to endeavour to discover +their point of discharge. + +On the 2nd of July I proceeded in the boat down the river, and in the +course of the day went near thirty miles in a north-north-west course, +for ten of which there had been, strictly speaking, no land, as the flood +made the surrounding country a perfect sea: the banks of the river were +heavily timbered, and many large spaces within our view, covered with the +common reed, were also encircled by large trees. On the third, the main +channel of the river was much contracted but very deep, the banks being +under water from a foot to eighteen inches; the stream continued for +about twenty miles on the same course as yesterday, when we lost sight of +land and trees, the channel of the river winding through reeds, among +which the water was about three feet deep, the current having the same +direction as the river. It continued in this manner for near four miles +more, when, without any previous change in the breadth, depth, and +rapidity of the stream, and when I was sanguine in my expectations of +soon entering the long-sought-for lake, it all at once eluded our farther +pursuit, by spreading at all points from north-west to north-east over +the plain of reeds which surrounded us; the river decreasing in depth +from upwards of twenty feet to less than five feet, and flowing over a +bottom of tenacious blue mud; and the current still running with nearly +the same rapidity, as when the water was confined within the banks of the +river. This point of junction with interior waters, or where the Macquarie +ceased to have the form of a river, is in lat. 30. 45. S., and +long. 147. 10. E. + +To assert positively that we were on the margin of the lake, or sea, into +which this great body of water is discharged, might reasonably be deemed +a conclusion that has nothing but conjecture for its basis; but if an +opinion may he hazarded from actual appearances, which our subsequent +route tended more strongly to confirm, I feel confident we were in the +immediate vicinity of an inland sea, most probably a shoal one, and +gradually decreasing, or being filled up by the immense depositions from +the waters flowing into it from the higher lands, which, on this singular +continent, seem not to extend beyond a few hundred miles from the +seacoast; as westward of these bounding ranges, (which from the +observations I have been enabled to make, appear to me to run parallel to +the direction of the coast), there is not a single hill or other eminence +discoverable on this apparently boundless space, those isolated points +excepted, on which we remained until the 28th of July; the rocks, and +stones composing which, are a distinct species from those found on the +above ranges. + +I trust your excellency will believe, that fully impressed with the +great importance of the question, as to the interior formation of this +great country, I was anxiously solicitous to remove all ground for farther +conjecture, by the most careful observations on the nature of the country; +which though it was to me a proof that the interior was covered with +water, yet I felt it my duty to leave no measure untried which would in +any way tend to a direct elucidation of the fact. + +It was physically impracticable to gain the edge of these waters by +making a detour round the flooded portion of the country on the south-west +side of the river, as we proved it to be a barren wet marsh, overrun with +a species of polygonum, and not offering a single dry spot to which our +course might be directed; and that there was no probability of finding +any in that direction, I had a certain knowledge from the observations +made during the former expedition. To circle the flooded country to the +north-east yet remained to be tried; and when on the 7th of July I +returned to the tents, which I found pitched on the high land before +mentioned, and from whence we could see mountains at the distance of +eighty miles to the eastward, the country between being a perfect level, +Mr. Evans was sent forward to explore the country to the north-east, that +being the point on which I purposed to set forward. + +On the 18th of July Mr. Evans returned, having been prevented from +continuing on a north-east course beyond two day's journey, by waters +running north-easterly through high reeds, and which were most probably +those of the Macquarie River; as during his absence it had swelled so +considerably as entirely to surround us, coming within a few yards of the +tent. Mr. Evans afterwards proceeded more easterly, and, at a distance of +fifty miles from the Macquarie River, crossed another much wider but not +so deep, running to the north: advancing still more easterly, he went +nearly to the base of the mountains seen from the tent, and returning a +more southerly route, found the country somewhat drier, but not in the +least more elevated. + +The discretionary instructions with which your excellency was pleased to +furnish me, leaving me at liberty as to the course to be pursued by the +expedition on its return to Port Jackson, I determined to attempt making +the sea-coast on an easterly course, first proceeding along the base of +the high range before mentioned, which I still indulged hopes might lead +me to the margin of these, or any other interior waters which this +portion of New South Wales might contain; and embracing a low line of +coast on which many small openings remained unexamined, at the same time +that the knowledge obtained of the country to be encircled, might +materially tend to the advantage of the colony, in the event of any +communication with the interior being discovered. + +We quitted this station on the 30th of July, being in latitude 31. 18. S., +and longitude 147. 31. E. on our route for the coast; and on the 8th +of August arrived at the lofty range of mountains to which our course had +been directed. From the highest point of this range we had the most +extended prospect. From south by the west to north, it was one vast level, +resembling the ocean in extent, but yet without water being discerned, +the range of high land extending to the north-east by north, elevated +points of which were distinguished upwards of one hundred and twenty +miles. + +From this point, in conformity to the resolution I had made on quitting +the Macquarie River, I pursued a north-east course; but after +encountering numerous difficulties from the country being an entire +marsh, interspersed with quicksands, until the 20th of August, and +finding I was surrounded by bogs, I was reluctantly compelled to take a +more easterly course, having practically proved that the country could +not be traversed on any point deviating from the main range of hills which +bound the interior; although partial dry portions of level alluvial land +extend from their base westerly to a distance which I estimate to exceed +one hundred and fifty miles, before it is gradually lost in the waters +which I am clearly convinced cover the interior. The alteration in our +course more easterly, soon brought us into a very different description +of country, forming a remarkable contrast to that which had so long +occupied us. Numerous fine streams, running northerly, watered a rich and +beautiful country, through which we passed until the 7th of September, +when we crossed the meridian of Sydney, as also the most elevated known +land in New South Wales, being, then in latitude 31. S. We were +afterwards considerably embarrassed and impeded by very lofty mountains. +On the 20th of September, we gained the summit of the most elevated +mountain in this extensive range, and from it we were gratified with a +view of the ocean, at a distance of fifty miles; the country beneath us +being formed into an immense triangular valley, the base of which +extended along the coast from the Three Brothers on the south, to the +high land north of Smoky Cape. We had the farther gratification to find +that we were near the source of a large stream running to the sea. On +descending the mountain, we followed the course of this river, increased +by many accessions, until the 8th of October, when we arrived on the +beach near the entrance of the port which received it; having passed +over, since the 18th of July, a tract of country near five hundred miles +in extent from west to east. + +This inlet is situated in lat. 31. 25. 45. S., and long. 162. 53. 54. E., +and had been previously noticed by Captain Flinders, but from the +distance at which he was necessarily obliged to keep from the coast, he +did not discover that it had a navigable entrance; of course our most +anxious attention was directed to this important point; and although the +want of a boat rendered the examination as to the depth of water in the +channel incomplete, yet there appeared to be at low water at least three +fathoms, with a safe though narrow entrance between the sand-rollers on +either hand. Having ascertained thus far, and that by its means the fine +country on the banks, and in the neighbourhood of the river, might be of +future service to the colony, I took the liberty to name it Port +Macquarie, in honour of your excellency, as the original promoter of +the expedition. + +On the 12th of October, we quitted Port Macquarie on our course for +Sydney; and although no charts can be more accurate in their outline and +principal points than those of Captain Flinders, we soon experienced how +little the best marine charts can he depended upon, to show all the +inlets and openings upon an extensive line of coast. The distance his +ship was generally at, from that portion of the coast we had to travel +over, did not allow him to perceive openings, which, though doubtless of +little consequence to shipping, yet presented the most serious +difficulties to travellers by land; and of which, if they had been laid +down in the chart, I should have hesitated to have attempted the passage +without assistance from the sea-ward: as it is, we are indebted for our +preservation, and that of the horses, to the providential discovery of a +small boat on the beach, which the men with the most cheerful alacrity +carried upwards of ninety miles on their shoulders, thereby enabling us +to overcome obstacles, otherwise insurmountable. + +Until within these few days, I hoped to have had the satisfaction to +report the return of the expedition without accident to any individual +composing it; but such is the ferocious treachery of the natives along +the coast to the northward, that our utmost circumspection could not save +us from having one man (William Blake), severely wounded by them; but by +the skillful care bestowed upon him by Dr. Harris, (who accompanied the +expedition as a volunteer, and to whom upon this occasion, and throughout +the whole course of it, we are indebted for much valuable assistance); I +trust his recovery is no longer doubtful. + +The general merits of Mr. Evans are so well known to your excellency, +that it will here be sufficient to observe, that by his zealous attention +to every point that could facilitate the progress of the expedition, he +has endeavoured to deserve a continuance of your excellency's +approbation. + +Mr. Charles Fraser, the colonial botanist, has added many new species to +the already extended catalogue of Australian plants, besides an extensive +collection of seeds, etc.; and in the collection, and preservation, he +has indefatigably endeavoured to obtain your excellency's approval of his +services. + +I confidently hope that the Journal of the expedition will amply evince +to your excellency the exemplary and praiseworthy conduct of the men +employed on it; and I feel the sincerest pleasure in earnestly soliciting +for them your excellency's favourable consideration. + +Respectfully hoping, that on a perusal and inspection of the journals and +charts of the expedition, that the course I have penned in the execution +of your excellency's instructions will be honoured by your approbation, + +I beg leave to subscribe myself, with the greatest respect, + +Sir, +Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant, +(Signed), JOHN OXLEY, Surveyor General. +To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc. + + + +No. VI. + + +GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS. + +Government House, Sydney, +Thursday, June 17, 1819. +CIVIL DEPARTMENT. + +It is with feelings of much gratification that his excellency The +Governor is at length enabled to announce, thus publicly, that a safe +capacious harbour has been discovered, and now accurately described, +situated to the north-east of Newcastle; from whence it is distant about +one hundred and forty miles, and consequently about two hundred and +twenty miles in the same direction from Port Jackson. + +This harbour, which was discovered by John Oxley, Esq., surveyor general, +on his reaching the coast last year from his tour of discovery in the +interior, then obtained from him the name of Port Macquarie; and +although, owing to his not having any boat or vessel at that time, he +could not then ascertain the soundings, and practicability of the +entrance into this harbour, yet the general appearances were sufficiently +favourable to induce him to form the opinion that it would prove safe; +and from the circumstances of the surrounding country being well watered, +and fertile, and the large River Hastings discharging itself into the sea +there, he concluded that a port so happily situated would be a valuable +acquisition to this colony. Impressed with this idea. he did not fail to +report his opinion in regard to it to his excellency, who was happy to +provide Mr. Oxley with a suitable vessel, to enable him to make the +necessary survey of the entrance and harbour of Port Macquarie. + +The result of this survey having been as satisfactory as could have been +expected, his excellency is pleased to give publicity to Mr. Oxley's own +clear and circumstantial report on this valuable acquisition; and his +excellency desires to express his full and entire approbation of Mr. +Oxley's intelligent, zealous, and indefatigable exertions on this arduous +occasion, which evince an earnest and well directed desire to promote the +public service, and to advance the interests of the colony. + +His excellency is also happy to add the expression of his approbation of +the liberal and judicious assistance rendered to Mr. Oxley, by +Lieutenant King, commander of His Majesty's colonial cutter, Mermaid, +whose exertions are so justly appreciated by Mr. Oxley, in the following +report; and his excellency desires both those gentlemen to accept his +thanks for the service thus rendered by their joint efforts to the +colony. + +By his excellency's command, +J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary. + + +* * * + + +Sydney, June 12, 1819. + +Sir, + +In obedience to your excellency's commands to proceed in the Lady Nelson, +for the purpose of examining the entrance into Port Macquarie, and how +far it would be practicable and safe for vessels of a certain description +to enter it, I beg leave to report to your excellency, that I arrived off +the entrance of the harbour, on the 11th of May, in company with His +Majesty's cutter, Mermaid, commanded by Lieutenant King, who expressed +his intention to forward, by the superior means possessed by his vessel, +the view of your excellency, relative to the harbour. + +Both vessels anchored off the bar, and the day was spent in sounding the +bar and channel; when we had the pleasure to find that we could enter +with safety. Accordingly the next morning they were warped into the +harbour, and moored alongside a natural wharf, on the south side of the +port. + +The examination of the harbour, and river falling therein, occupied us +until the 21st, when having completed the service directed by your +excellency, both vessels quitted the port with perfect ease; the Mermaid +pursuing her course to the northward on her ulterior destination. + +Port Macquarie is situated in latitude 31. 25. 45. S., and in longitude +152. 53. 54. E. It is a bar harbour, on which however there is at low +water spring tides, at least nine feet; the tide rising from three to +four feet. The true channel is perfectly straight, and the tides set so, +that no danger is to be apprehended from their operation. The chief +danger to be avoided on entering is a sunken rock on the south side, +having about three feet on it at low water; and it will he necessary, +should the port he settled, that this danger should he buoyed. The bar +extends about two hundred yards; the bottom a soft sand when the water +deepens to two fathoms and a half, and alternately to three fathoms, +when secure anchorage will be found inside the Beacon Rock. + +When vessels arrive off the bar, should the wind or tide be adverse to +entering the port, good anchorage will he found in from five to eight +fathoms outside the bar; Tacking Point being shut in by Peaked Hill +Point. When the winds are from the south, round by the west to north, the +bottom a clear sand. + +The winds from north-east and south-east, if blowing strong, cause the +water to break across: but as those winds are fair for entering, no +danger is to be apprehended to vessels whose draft of water does not +exceed nine or ten feet. Should however circumstances render it imprudent +or impracticable to enter, the coast may be cleared on either tack, the +indenture of the coast line not being such as to cause it ever to be a +dangerous lee shore. + +The port should be entered at or near high water, when, unless it blows +very hard, it seldom breaks on the bar. The tide of ebb runs with great +rapidity, sometimes nearly four miles per hour, owing to the great +quantity of fresh water in the Hastings River, and the narrowness of the +channel. The flood tide seldom exceeds one mile and three quarters per +hour. The tides are however very irregular in their operation, being +considerably influenced by local circumstances. The port is perfectly +capable to receive vessels of the class usually employed on the coasts of +this territory, and is in my opinion far better and safer than many +considerable bar harbours in Europe; and which are much frequented by +vessels adapted to their navigation. + +Within the port the water deepens to five and six fathoms, which depth +continues for nearly ten miles, when the rapids of the river render it +impracticable for craft drawing more than six or eight feet; which depth +continues for six or eight miles farther, when the falls commence; it may +however, when the river is ordinarily full, be navigable for boats +some little distance farther. + +My report to your excellency of the proceedings of the expedition of +discovery on its return in October, 1818, will have put your excellency +in possession of the nature and description of country watered by the +River Hastings from its source until it falls into the sea at Port +Macquarie. + +To that report I respectfully beg to refer your excellency, as my +opportunities of examining the country, at that period, were of course so +much more extensive. To the productions of the country as then reported, +may now be added great quantities of rose wood, the flooded gum, and +coal. Flint was before noticed lying in large masses on the beach. The +coal, as appears to me, may be worked without difficulty, as I think that +a stratum of it pervades the whole of the south side of the harbour, +which stratum is again seen southerly as far as Camden Haven. + +I herewith respectfully submit to your excellency a plan of the entrance +into the port, with a sketch of part of Hastings River, for which I am +principally indebted to the assistance rendered me on all occasions by +Lieutenant King, who, I am happy in reporting to your excellency, fully +coincides with me, as to the advantages that may he expected to result +from the knowledge that the port has a navigable and safe entrance; +thereby affording a communication with the fine country on both banks of +Hastings River. + +I have the honour to remain, with great respect, +Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant, +J. OXLEY, Surveyor General. + +To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc. + + +* * * * * + + +A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NOT +INCLUDING VAN DIEMEN'S LAND, FOR THE YEARS 1815, 1816, 1817, INCLUSIVE. + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- + | Souls at | + |-----------------------------------------------------------| +Year. | Sydney. Parramatta. Windsor. Liverpool. Newcastle.| Total. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- +1815 | 5668 2566 2749 1167 346 | 12,911 +1816 | 6882 3581 3164 1550 413 | 15,175 +1817 | 7409 4257 4257 1922 553 | 17,265 +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- + + +A STATEMENT OF THE LAND IN CULTIVATION ETC., QUANTITIES OF STOCK, ETC., +IN NEW SOUTH WALES, NOT INCLUDING VAN DIEMENS LAND, FOR THE FOLLOWING +FIVE YEARS, VIZ. 1813,1814,1815, 1816,1817, INCLUSIVE. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + | Acres in | + |---------------------------------------------------------------| + | Peas Garden | +Yr.| Bar- and Potat and Cleared Total Hor Horned| +18-|Wheat Maize ley Oats Bean -oes Orchard Ground held -ses Cattle|Sheep Hogs +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +13 7386 13814 694 299 68 308 960 52976 151057 1891 12543 45621 14641 +14 8571 5880 537 355 33 205 906 61679 181787 2197 23263 73230 10921 +15 10712 6089 708 610 51 333 901 67521 208547 2328 25279 62476 10106 +16 13238 7540 836 787 68 380 1102 88685 221657 2451 21116 55097 11372 +17 14446 11714 656 148 108 335 863 92894 224003 2851 33637 66684 15634 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Two Expeditions into the +Interior of New South Wales, by John Oxley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS *** + +***** This file should be named 5334.txt or 5334.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/3/5334/ + +Produced by Col Choat + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales + +Author: John Oxley + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5334] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 2, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS *** + + + + +Produced by: Col Choat colc@gutenberg.net.au + + + + + +JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES, +BY ORDER OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN THE YEARS 1817-18. +BY JOHN OXLEY, +SURVEYOR GENERAL OF THE TERRITORY AND LIEUTENANT OF THE ROYAL NAVY. +WITH MAPS AND VIEWS OF THE INTERIOR, OR NEWLY DISCOVERED COUNTRY. + + + +Production notes: +* 12 items of errata listed in the book have been corrected in this eBook. +* Illustrations, Maps and Charts have not been included in this eBook. +* Notes included within the text have been included in square + brackets [] in the text at the point referenced. +* Italics have been converted to upper case. + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PART I + +LIST OF PLATES +LIST OF CHARTS +INRODUCTION +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA PART I. + +PART II + +PREFACE +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA PART II. +APPENDIX PART I. +No. I. Instructions for conducting and leading first expedition. +No. II Report of tour over Blue Mountains in 1815 by the Governor. +No. III Letter from Oxley to Governor advising of his return from first + expedition. +APPENDIX PART II. +No. IV Diary of Mr. Evans, from 8th to 18th of July, 1818. +No. V. Governor's report on the return of Oxley from the second + expedition, together with a letter from Oxley on his arrival + at Port Stephens.. +No. VI. Governor's report on Oxley's discovery of Port Stephens together + with a letter from Oxley to the Governor on this subject. +A brief abstract of the population of N.S.W in 1815, 1816 and 1817. +A statement of land in cultivation, quantities of stock, etc. from + 1813 to 1817 inclusive. + + + + +LIST OF PLATES (NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EBOOK). + +Field Plains from Mount Aymot. +The Grave of a Native of Australia. +Arbuthnot's Range, from the West. +Liverpool Plains. West Prospect from View Hill. +Bathurst's Falls. +A Native Chief of Bathurst. + + +LIST OF CHARTS (NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EBOOK). + +Range of the Thermometer from April 9th to August 30th 1817 by John +Oxley. +A Chart of Part of the Interior of New South Wales, 1817. + First Expedition. +A Chart of Part of the Interior of New South Wales, 1818. + Second Expedition. +Reduced Sketch of the Two Expeditions. +A Plan of Port Macquarie Including a Sketch of Part of Hastings River, + on the East Coast of New South Wales. +A General Statement of the Inhabitants of New South Wales as per General + Muster commencing 28th September 1818, with an account of same + at Van Diemmens Land. +A General Statement of the Land in Cultivation etc., the quantities + of Stock etc., as accounted for at the General Muster, with an + account of same at Van Diemmens Land.. + + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA +Part I. + + +TO HIS EXCELLENCY LACHLAN MACQUARIE, ESQ. +MAJOR GENERAL IN THE ARMY, +AND CAPTAIN GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEF IN AND OVER THE TERRITORY +OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND ITS DEPENDENCIES, +THE FOLLOWING JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION, +PERFORMED UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION AND DIRECTION, +IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS VERY OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, +JOHN OXLEY. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The colony had been established many years before any successful attempt +had been made to penetrate into the interior of the country, by crossing +the range of hills, known to the colonists as the Blue Mountains: these +mountains were considered as the boundary of the settlements westward, +the country beyond them being deemed inaccessible. + +The year 1813 proving extremely dry, the grass was nearly all destroyed, +and the water failed; the horned cattle suffered severely from this +drought, and died in great numbers. It was at this period that three +gentlemen, Lieutenant Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, Messrs. +Blaxland, and William Wentworth, determined upon attempting a passage +across these mountains, in hopes of finding a country which would afford +support to their herds during this trying season. + +They crossed the Nepean River at Emu Plains, and ascending the first +range of mountains, were entangled among gullies and deep ravines for a +considerable time, insomuch that they began to despair of ultimate +success. At length they were fortunate enough to find a main dividing +range, along the ridge of which they travelled, observing that it led +them westward. After suffering many hardships, their distinguished +perseverance was at length rewarded by the view of a country, which at +first sight promised them all they could wish. + +Into this Land of Promise they descended by a steep mountain, which +Governor Macquarie has since named Mount York [Note: This mountain was +found to be 795 feet in perpendicular height above the vale of Clwydd.]. +The valley [Note: Named by Governor Macquarie the Vale of Clwydd.] to +which it gave them access was covered with grass, and well watered by a +small stream running easterly, and which was subsequently found to fall +into the Nepean River. From Mount York they proceeded westerly eight or +ten miles, passing during the latter part of the way through an open +country, but broken into steep hills. Seeing that the stream before +mentioned as watering the valley ran easterly, it was evident they had +not yet crossed the ranges which it was supposed would give source to +waters falling westerly; they had however proceeded sufficiently far for +their purpose, and ascertained that no serious obstacles existed to a +farther progress westward. + +Their provisions being nearly expended, they returned to Sydney, after +an absence of little more than a month; and the report of their +discoveries opened new prospects to the colonists, who had began to fear +that their narrow and confined limits would not long afford pasture and +subsistence for their greatly increasing flocks and herds. + +His Excellency Governor Macquarie, with that promptitude which +distinguishes his character, resolved not to let slip so favourable an +opportunity of obtaining a farther knowledge of the interior. Mr. Evans, +the deputy surveyor, was directed to proceed With a party, and follow up +the discoveries already made. He crossed the Nepean River on the 20th of +November, 1813, and on the 26th arrived at the termination of Messrs. +Lawson, Blaxland, and Wentworth's journey. Proceeding westward, he +crossed a mountainous [Note: Since named Clarence Hilly Range.] broken +country, the grass of which was good, and the valleys well-watered, until +the 30th, when he came to a small stream, running westerly; this stream, +called by him the Fish River, he continued to trace until the 7th of +December, passing through a very fine country, adapted to every purpose +either of agriculture or grazing; when he met another stream coming from +the southward: this latter stream he named Campbell River, and when +joined with the Fish River, the united streams received the name of the +Macquarie River, in honour of his excellency the present governor of +New South Wales. + +Mr. Evans continued to trace the Macquarie River until December the +18th, passing over rich tracts clear of timber, well-watered, and +offering every advantage which a country in its natural state can be +supposed to afford. During this excursion, Mr. Evans fell in with +abundance of kangaroos and emus, and the river abounded with fine +fish: he saw only six natives during the whole time of his absence, +viz. two women and four children, although on his return he observed many +fires in the neighbourhood of the mountains. On the 8th of January, 1814, +he returned to Emu Plains, having gone in the whole near one hundred +miles +in a direct line due west from the Nepean River. + +From the report of Mr. Evans, Governor Macquarie was induced to believe +that a road might be opened for the whole distance already surveyed, and +was most anxious that the colony should reap as soon as possible the +advantages, which the discovery of such extensive and fertile tracts +seemed to open. + +The ample means afforded for this purpose enabled Mr. Cox, to whose +superintendence this work was entrusted, to complete a road passable for +loaded carriages early in 1815. This road extended in length upwards of +one hundred miles, the first fifty of which passed along a narrow ridge +of the Blue Mountains, bounded on each side by deep ravines, and +precipitous rocks. The road which was cut down Mount York was a work of +considerable labour and magnitude, and reflected the highest credit +upon all employed in it. This important task being finished, the +governor resolved in person to visit a country of which so much had been +said, and to judge from actual observation how far the sanguine hopes +which had been entertained were likely to be realized; his excellency +therefore, accompanied by Mrs. Macquarie and his suite, set out from Emu +Plains on the 26th of April, 1815, and arrived on the 4th of May at a +small encampment (the site of which had been previously selected), on +Bathurst Plains, near the termination of Mr. Evans's journey. Governor +Macquarie having been pleased to publish for the information of the +colonists such observations on the country as he deemed necessary, I +shall not presume to add any thing to an account, which so clearly and +accurately describes all that could be interesting or beneficial to the +colonist and general inquirer. + +I have therefore inserted in the Appendix the account published by the +Governor in the Sydney Gazette, of the 10th of June, 1815, as affording +the best and most authentic information on the subject. During the +Governor's stay at Bathurst, he despatched Mr. Evans, and a party with a +month's provisions, to explore the country to the south-west, and it is +the result of that journey which led to the expedition, the direction of +which was entrusted to my command. + +The means which his excellency placed at my disposal were well +calculated to attain the object in view, and it is a matter of the most +sincere regret, that the nature and description of the country which we +passed through was for the most part such as to afford few interesting +objects of research or remark. + +The botanical productions of the country have however in a great measure +been ascertained by Mr. Allan Cunningham, the King's botanist, who +accompanied the expedition. + +With respect to the construction of the chart prefixed to this Journal, +it is thought proper to observe, that the situation of the principal +stations of Bathurst, and the depot on the Lachlan River, were +ascertained by celestial observations, and connected by a series of +triangles, commencing at the latter point, and closing at Bathurst. New +base lines were frequently measured, and any unavoidable errors which +might arise from the nature of the country were corrected at every proper +opportunity by observed latitudes; so that on the return of the +expedition to Bathurst, I had the satisfaction to find the connection of +the angles complete, the error in the whole survey not exceeding a mile +of longitude. + +The instruments chiefly used were a small theodolite by Ramsden, and +Kater's pocket compass [Note: A most valuable instrument, combining all +the advantages of the circumferentor, without being so liable to be +damaged and put out of order by carriage.], with the addition of an +excellent sextant, pocket chronometer, and artificial horizon. I have +to lament that our mountain barometers were broken at an early stage +of the expedition; the height however of some principal points had been +previously obtained, and is marked on the chart; these in two instances +were verified by geometrical measurement, and the difference was found +to be too trilling to be noticed. The conveyance of such delicate +instruments is always attended with great risk, and in our case +peculiarly so, our means being only those of horseback. I am afraid +that a method of constructing those instruments, so as to place them +beyond the reach of injury by carriage, will always remain among the +desiderata of science. I have given to our thermometrical observations +the form of a chart, as affording the readiest view of the atmospherical +changes which took place during our journey. The winds and weather are +also more particularly noticed on the same sheet than in the narrative. + +It may perhaps be not superfluous to mention, that it is the intention +of His Majesty's Government to follow the course of the Macquarie River, +and it is sanguinely expected that the result of the contemplated +expedition will be such as to leave no longer in doubt the true +character of the country comprising the interior of this vast island. It +would be as presumptuous as useless to speculate on the probable +termination of the Macquarie River, when a few months will (it is to be +hoped) decide the long disputed point, whether Australia, with a surface +nearly as extensive as Europe, is, from its geological formation, +destitute of rivers, either terminating in interior seas, or having +their estuaries on the coast. + +J. O. +Sydney, New South Wales, +Dec. 11, 1817. + + +ERRATA: 12 items of errata, listed in the book at this point, +have been corrected in this eBook. + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA--Part I + + + +On the twenty-fourth of March I received the instructions of his +excellency the Governor to take charge of the expedition which had been +fitted out for the purpose of ascertaining the course of the Lachlan +River, and generally to prosecute the examination of the western +interior of New South Wales. + +On the sixth of April I quitted Sydney, and after a pleasant journey +arrived at Bathurst on the fourteenth, and found that our provisions +and other necessary stores were in readiness at the depot on the +Lachlan River. We were detained at Bathurst by rainy unfavourable +weather until the nineteenth, when the morning proving fine, the BAT +horses, with the remainder of the provisions, baggage, and instruments, +were sent off, we intending to follow them the ensuing morning. + +Bathurst had assumed a very different appearance since I first visited +it in the suite of his excellency the Governor in 1815. The industrious +hand of man had been busy in improving the beautiful works of nature; a +good substantial house for the superintendant had been erected, the +government grounds fenced in, and the stack yards showed that the +abundant produce of the last harvest had amply repaid the labour +bestowed on its culture. The fine healthy appearance of the flocks and +herds was a convincing proof how admirably adapted these extensive downs +and thinly wooded hills are for grazing, more particularly of sheep. The +mind dwelt with pleasure on the idea that at no very distant period +these secluded plains would be covered with flocks bearing the richest +fleeces, and contribute in no small degree to the prosperity of the +eastern settlements. + +The soil, in the immediate neighbourhood of Bathurst, is for the first +six inches of a light, black, vegetable mould, lying on a stratum of +sand, about eighteen inches deep, but of a poor description, and mixed +with small stones, under which is a strong clay. The surface of the +hills is covered with small gravel, the soil light and sandy, with a +sub-soil of clay. The low flats on the immediate borders of the river +are evidently formed by washings from the hills and valleys deposited by +floods, and the overflowings of the watercourses. + +Sunday, April 20.--Proceeded on our journey towards the Lachlan River. +At two o'clock we arrived at the head of Queen Charlotte's Valley, +passing through a fine open grazing country; the soil on the hills and +in the vale a light clayey loam, occasionally intermixed with sand and +gravel: the late rains had rendered the ground soft and boggy. The trees +were small and stunted, and thinly scattered over the hills, which +frequently closed in stony points on the valley. The rocks a coarse +granite. + +Monday, April 21.--Our journey for the greater part of the way lay over +stony ridges, and for the last six miles over a country much wooded with +ill-grown gum and stringy bark trees (all of the eucalyptus genus); the +grass good, and in tolerable plenty, and much more so than the +appearance of the soil would seem to promise. At three o'clock, the +horses being very much fatigued, we stopped under the point of a rocky +hill for the evening. + +April 22.--A clear and frosty morning. Last night was the coldest we had +yet experienced, the thermometer being at six o'clock as low as 26. We +felt the cold most severely, being far beyond what we had been +accustomed to on the coast; the difference of temperature in twelve +hours being upwards of twenty degrees of cold. Our route lay through a +dull uninteresting country, thickly covered with dwarf timber, daviesia, +etc. Passed under Mount Lachlan, a hill of very considerable height; a +stream of water runs north-westerly under its base. Turned off a little +from our track to the right, and ascended Mount Molle, whence there is a +beautiful and extensive prospect from the south by the west to the +north. The country (except the dividing range between the Lachlan and +Macquarie Rivers, which is very lofty and irregular) rising into gentle +hills, thinly timbered, with rich intervening valleys, through which +flow small streams of water. I think from Mount Molle, between the +points above mentioned, a distance of forty miles round may he seen; the +view to the west being lost in the blue haze of the horizon, no hills +appearing in that quarter. The Mount itself is a fine rich hill, +favourably situated for a commanding prospect; the valleys which +surround it are excellent land, well watered with running streams. We +descended its west side, and stopped for the night in the valley +beneath, on the banks of a small rivulet. + +April 23.--A fine clear morning. At two o'clock we arrived at Limestone +Creek, passing through a beautiful picturesque country of low hills and +fine valleys well watered: the timber, as usual of diminutive growth, +and unfit for any useful purpose. The ridges of the higher eminences +were invariably stony, and about a mile and a half from the Creek, there +is a narrow slip of barren country covered with small slate stones: the +soil until then was on the sides of the hills of a fine vegetable mould, +the more level and lower grounds a hazel-coloured stiff loam, both +equally +covered with grass, particularly the anthistria. The timber standing +at wide intervals, without any brush or undergrowth, gave the country a +fine park-like appearance. I never saw a country better adapted for the +grazing of all kinds of stock than that we passed over this day. The +limestone, which is the first that has hitherto been discovered in +Australia, abounds in the valley where we halted; the sides and abrupt +projections of the hills being composed entirely of it, and worn by the +operation of time into a thousand whimsical shapes and forms. A small +stream runs through the valley, which in June 1815 was dry; the bottom +of this rivulet was covered with a variety of stones, but the bases of +the hills which projected into it, and from which the earth had been +washed, were of pure limestone of a bluish grey colour. + +April 24.--A fine mild morning. A small piece of limestone which had +been put in the fire last night was found perfectly calcined into the +purest white lime. At eight o'clock proceeded on our journey, through a +very uninteresting but good grazing country: nature here seemed to have +assumed her tamest and most unvarying hue. The soil of the country we +passed through was generally excellent, but the timber was still as +useless as we had hitherto found it. We arrived about one o'clock at a +small pond of water, where it was necessary to stop, as there was no +other water nearer than the Lachlan River, which was distant about +fourteen miles. + +April 25.--Our course for the first seven or eight miles was through a +level open country, the soil and grass indifferently good. We now +ascended a hill a little to the left of the road, for the purpose of +viewing the country through which the river ran: it appeared a perfect +plain encompassed by moderately high hills, except in the south-east +and west quarters, these being apparently the points whence and to which +the river flows. The whole country a forest of eucalypti, with +occasionally on the banks of the river a space clear of timber: there +was nothing either grand or interesting in the view from this hill, +neither did I see in any direction such high land as might be expected +to give source to a river of magnitude. When we quitted the hill, we +went west, to make the Lachlan River, passing for nearly six miles over +a perfect level, the land poor, and in places scrubby. At two o'clock +saw the river, which certainly did not disappoint me: it was evidently +much higher than usual, running a strong stream; the banks very steep, +but not so as to render the water inaccessible: the land on each side +quite flat, and thinly clothed with small trees; the soil a rich light +loam: higher points occasionally projected on the river, and on those +the soil was by no means so good. The largest trees were growing +immediately at the water's edge on both sides, and from their position +formed an arch over the river, obscuring it from observation, although +it was from thirty to forty yards across. At four o'clock we arrived at +the depot. + +We had scarcely alighted from our horses, when natives were seen in +considerable numbers on the other side of the river. I went down +opposite to them, and after some little persuasion about twenty of them +swam across, having their galengar or stone hatchet in one hand, which +on their landing they threw at our feet, to show us that they were as +much divested of arms as ourselves. After staying a short time they were +presented with some kangaroo flesh, with which they re-crossed the +river, and kindled their fires. They were very stout and manly, well +featured, with long beards: there were a few cloaks among them made of +the opossum skin, and it was evident that some of the party had been at +Bathurst, from their making use of several English words, and from their +readily comprehending many of our questions. + +April 26.--Fine clear warm weather. The natives were still on the +opposite bank, and five of them came over to us in the course of the +morning; but remained a very short time. During the last night a few +fine shrimps were caught; the soldiers stationed at the depot said they +had frequently taken them in considerable numbers. During the day +arranged the loads for the boats and horses, that they might be enabled +to set off early the next morning. + +April 27.--Loaded the boats with as much of the salt provisions as they +could safely carry, and despatched them to wait at the first creek about +seven or eight miles down the river until the loaded horses came, and +then to assist in taking their loads over the creek; intending myself to +follow with the remainder of the baggage early to-morrow morning. + +The observations which were made here placed the depot in lat. 33. 40. +S., +and in long. 148. 21. E., the variation of the needle being 7. 47. E. +The barometrical observations, which had been regularly taken from Sydney +to this place, did not give us an elevation of more than six hundred feet +above the level of the sea; a circumstance which, considering our +distance +from the west coast, surprised me much. + +The few words of which we were enabled to obtain the meaning from the +natives who occasionally visited its, being different from those used by +the natives on the east coast, it way perhaps be interesting to insert +them. + +AUSTRALIAN. ENGLISH. + +Nh-air, The eyebrows. +Whada, The ears. +Ulan-gar,) The head. +Nat-tang,) +Anany, The beard. +Morro, The nose. +Er-ra, The teeth. +Mill-a, The eyes. +Narra, The fingers. +Bulla-yega, The hair of the head. +Chu-ang, The mouth. +0-ro, The neck. +Bargar, The arms. +Ben-ing, The breast. +Bur-bing, The belly. +Mille-aar, The loins. +Dha-na, The thighs. +Wolm-ga, The knees. +Dhee-nany, The feet. +Dhu-a, The back. +Mor-aya, Bones worn in the cartilage of the nose. +Mada, Skins, with which they are clothed. +Wamb-aur, Scars, raised for ornament, or distinction, + on their bodies. +Gum-iil, Girdles worn round the body. +Un-elenar, One night. +Gow, Woman. +Mar-o-gu-la, Another tribe. +Mem-aa, A native man. +Wam-aa, A kind of hornet's-nest, which they eat. +Warenur, Fire. +Curr-eli, Timber, or trees. +Galu-nur, Thistles, the roots of which they eat. +Gulura, The moon. +Yandu, Sleep. +Galen-gar,) +Ori-al, ) Stone hatchets. +Ta-wi-uth,) + +The above were all the words the meaning of which we could clearly +comprehend: the words used by the natives on the coast to express the +same objects have not the remotest resemblance to the above. + +April 28.--Fine clear mild weather. Proceeded with the remainder of the +baggage to join the boats down the river; arrived at Lewis's Creek, +which, although nearly dry when crossed by Mr. Evans in 1815, is now a +considerable stream. The distance from the depot is about nine miles; +the country on both banks of the river low but good: the upper levels +would afford excellent grazing, but the soil is of inferior quality: the +points of the low hills end alternately on each side the river. The land +up both banks of Lewis's Creek is very rich, and covered with herbage. +The boats had come safely down the river, although the large boat +grounded +once; the river appears to me to be from three to five feet above its +usual level. + +Several specimens of crystallized quartz were found on the adjoining +hills, also some small pieces of good iron ore. + +April 29.--Proceeded on our journey down the river, directing the boats +to stop at the creek which terminated Mr. Evans's former journey. The +country through which we passed this day in every respect resembles the +tracts we have already gone over. The crowns and ridges of the hills are +uniformly stony and barren, ending as before alternately on each side of +the river; the greater proportion of good flat land lies on the south +side of the river; there are however very rich and fertile tracts on +this side. After riding about eight miles, we ascended a considerable +hill upon our right, from the top of which we could see to a considerable +distance; between the south-west and north-north-west, a very low level +tract lay west of us, and no hill whatever bounded the view in that +quarter. Three remarkable hummocks bore respectively S. 72. W., +S. 51 1/2 W. and S. 34 1/2 W., within which range of bearing the country +was uniformly level, or rising into such low hills, as not to be +distinguished from the general surface. The tops of distant ranges could +be discerned over low hills in the north-west, whilst, from north by the +east to south, the country was broken into hill and valley. The whole of +this extensive scene was covered with eucalypti, whilst on the rocky +summits of the hills in the immediate neighbourhood a species of +callitris was eminently distinguished. From this extensive view I named +the hill Mount Prospect. + +At five o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at the place where the +horses had been directed to wait for the boats, but they had not +arrived; the distance is at least doubled by following the immediate +course of the stream, but I had calculated that its rapidity would make +up for the distance, and enable the boats to keep pace with the horses. + +At six o'clock the boats arrived safe, the men having had a very +fatiguing row, and been obliged to clear the passage of fallen trees, +and other obstructions; so that we determined to give them some repose, +and halt here for the night. At half past eight o'clock proceeded down +the river, intending to stop at the termination of Mr. Evans's journey +in 1815, about five miles further, for the purpose of repairing the +small boat, which had sustained some slight damage in coming down the +river yesterday. I rode about three miles back into the country; the +callitris was here more frequent, though not of large growth; the soil +is not good. In returning to the river we came upon the creek which +terminated Mr. Evans's journey, down which we travelled until we came to +the river, about half a mile from which is a large shallow lagoon, full +of ducks, bustards, black swans and red-hills. At twelve o'clock the +horses arrived at the mouth of the creek, and the boats half an hour +afterwards. The banks of the creek were very steep, and it was three +o'clock before all the provisions were got over. The creek was named +Byrne's Creek, after one of the present party, who had accompanied Mr. +Evans in his former journey. + +May 1.--The creek fell upwards of a foot during the night, by which some +of the articles in the large boat received damage. Commenced the survey +of the river from this point. The flats on both sides the river were +very extensive, and in general good; the same timber and grass as usual; +the stream was from thirty to forty yards broad on an average. There was +not even a hillock on which to ascend during this day's route, so that +our view was bounded by less than a mile on each side of the river. +Traces of the natives were observed, but no natives were seen. The boats +were much impeded by fallen timber: it was half past two o'clock when +they arrived at the place where I intended to halt, although we had only +gone between nine and ten miles. + +The trees on the immediate banks of the river were very large and +ramified, but few of them were useful: another species of callitris was +seen to-day. + +May 2.--Our journey this day was very fatiguing, the grass being nearly +breast high, thick, and entangled. The soil is tolerably good within a +mile and a half of the banks: I rode five or six miles out, in hopes of +finding some eminence on which to ascend, but was disappointed, the +country continuing a dead level, with extensive swamps, and barren +brushes. The timber, dwarf box, and gum trees (all eucalypti), with a +few cypresses and casuarinas, scattered here and there: few traces of +the natives were seen, and none recent. Upon the swamps were numerous +swans and other wild fowl. In the evening we caught nearly a hundred +weight of fine fish. + +May 3.--Proceeded down the river. We passed over a very barren desolate +country, perfectly level, without even the slightest eminence, covered +with dwarf box-trees and scrubby bushes; towards the latter part of the +day a few small cypresses were seen. I think the other side of the river +is much the same. We have hitherto met with no water except at the +river, and a few shallow lagoons, which are evidently dry in summer. I +do not know how far this level extends north and south, but I cannot +estimate it at less than from ten to twelve miles on each side; but this +is mere conjecture, since for the last three days I have been unable to +see beyond a mile: I have, however, occasionally made excursions of +five or six miles, and never perceived any difference in the elevation +of the country. To-day the course of the river has been a little south +of west: its windings are very frequent and sudden, fully accounting for +the apparent heights of the floods, of which marks were observed about +thirty-six feet above the level of the stream. At six o'clock the boats +had not arrived; and as I had given directions on no account to attempt +to proceed after dark, I ceased to expect them this evening. + +May 4.--As soon as it was light I sent two men up the river to search +for the boat: at nine o'clock one of them returned, having found it +about four miles back. It appeared that the large boat had got stoved +against a tree under water, and that the people were obliged to unload +and haul her on shore to undergo some repairs, which they had effected; +but the rain prevented them from paying her bottom. They expected to be +able to proceed in an hour or two, as the weather had begun to clear up. +It was fortunate that no damage had befallen any part of the boat's +lading. At twelve proceeded about three quarters of a mile down the +river, and from a small eminence half a mile north of it, an extensive +tract of clear country was seen, bearing N. 50. W., about two or three +miles from us, having a low range of hills bounding them in the +direction of S. 65. W. and N. 65. E. The river wound immediately under +the hill, taking a westerly direction as far as I went, which was about +three miles; its windings were very sudden, and its width and depth much +the same as before. The country, as far as I could see, was precisely +similar to that already passed over: the hills were slaty and barren, +with a few small cypresses: in fact, I have seen them grow on no other +spots so frequently as on those stony hills. The boats arrived about two +o'clock. + +May 5.--Proceeded down the river, ascended the eminence mentioned +yesterday, and from the top of a cypress tree a very distant view of the +whole country was obtained: the opening through which the river +apparently runs bore S. 75 1/2 W.; the country to the south and +south-west extremely low. A range of hills, lying nearly east and west, +bounded the level tract on the other side of the river; these hills and +two or three detached hammocks excepted, there was nothing to break the +uniformity of the scene. + +The country was in general poor, with partial tracts of better ground; +the hills were slaty, and covered as well as the levels with small +eucalypti, cypresses, and casuarinas. About a mile from this place we +fell in with a small tribe of natives, consisting of eight men; their +women we did not see. They did not appear any way alarmed at the sight +of us, but came boldly up: they were covered with cloaks made of opossum +skins; their faces daubed with a red and yellow pigment, with neatly +worked nets bound round their hair: the front tooth in the upper row was +wanting in them all: they were unarmed, having nothing with them but +their stone hatchets. It appeared from their conduct that they had +either seen or heard of white people before, and were anxious to depart, +accompanying the motion of going with a wave of their hand. + +About three miles from our last night's halting-place we had to cross a +small creek, the banks of which were so steep that we were obliged to +unload the horses. I rode up the creek about three quarters of a mile, +and came upon those extensive plains before-mentioned; the soil of this +level appears a good loamy clay, but in some places very wet: it was far +too extensive to permit us to traverse much of it; we saw sufficient to +judge that the whole surface was similar to that we examined; it was +covered with a great variety of new plants, and its margin encircled by +a new species of acacia, which received the specific name of PENDULA, +from its resembling in habit the weeping willow. Low hills to the north +bounded this plain, whilst a slip of barren land, covered with small +trees and shrubs, lay between it and the river. + +It appeared to me that the whole of these flats are occasionally +overflowed by the river, the water of which is forced up the creek +before-mentioned, and which again acts as a drain on the fall of the +water. + +At four o'clock we halted for the evening, after a fatiguing day's +journey; the boats were obliged to cut their passage three or four +times, and the whole navigation was difficult and dangerous: the current +ran with much rapidity, and the channel seemed rather to contract than +widen. We were obliged to stop on a very barren desolate spot, with +little grass for the horses; but further on the country appeared even +worse. The south bank of the river (as far as I could judge) is +precisely similar to that which we are travelling down. The clear levels +examined to-day were named the Solway Flats. Many fish were caught here, +one of which weighed upwards of thirty pounds. + +May 6.--Proceeded down the river. It is impossible to fancy a worse +country than the one we were now travelling over, intersected by swamps +and small lagoons in every direction; the soil a poor clay, and covered +with stunted useless timber. It was excessively fatiguing to the horses +which travelled along the banks of the river, as the rubus and +anthistiria +were so thickly intermingled, that they could scarcely force a passage. +After proceeding about eight miles, a bold rocky mount terminated on the +river, and broke the sameness which had so long wearied us: we ascended +this hill, which I named Mount Amyot, and from the summit had one of the +most extensive views that can be imagined. On the opposite side of the +river was another hill precisely similar to Mount Amyot, leaving a +passage between them for the river, and the immense tract of level +country to the eastward; this hill was named Mount Stuart. Vast plains +clear of timber lay on the south side of the river, and which, from our +having travelled on a level with them, it was impossible for us to +distinguish before. These plains I named Hamilton's Plains, and they +were bounded by hills of considerable elevation to the southward; whilst +the whole level country thus bounded was honoured with the designation +of Princess Charlotte's Crescent. + +To the west of Mount Amyot the view was equally extensive, being bounded +only by the horizon; some high detached hills, rising like islands from +the ocean, broke, in some measure, the sameness of the prospect. I +estimated that in the west north-west I could see at least forty miles, +and in the south south-west as far; the view in other points being +slightly interrupted by low ranges of hills, rising occasionally to +points of considerable elevation: none of those elevated spots was +nearer than twenty-five or thirty miles, and considerable spaces of +clear ground could, by the assistance of the telescope, be distinguished, +interspersed amidst the ocean of trees whence those hills arise: a long +broken mountain, bearing W. 32 1/2. N., was named Mount Melville; +one W. 24. N. Mount Cunningham; and another, bearing S. 70. W. Mount +Maude. Smoke, arising from the fires of the wandering inhabitants of +these +desolate regions was seen in several quarters. At four o'clock we stopped +for the evening, about three miles west of Mount Amyot. + +I have reason to believe that the whole of the tract named Princess +Charlotte's Crescent is at times drowned by the overflowing of the +river; the marks of flood were observed in every direction, and the +waters in the marshes and lagoons were all traced as being derived from +the +river. During a course of upwards of seventy miles not a single running +stream emptied itself into the river on either side; and I am forced to +conclude that in common seasons this whole tract is extremely badly +watered, and that it derives its principal if not only supply from the +river within the bounding ranges Of Princess Charlotte's Crescent. There +are doubtless many small eminences which might afford a retreat from the +inundations, but those which were observed by us were too trifling and +distant from each other to stand out distinct from the vast level +surface which the crescent presents to the view. The soil of the country +we passed over was a poor and cold clay; but there are many rich levels +which, could they be drained and defended from the inundations of the +river, would amply repay the cultivation. These flats are certainly not +adapted for cattle; the grass is too swampy, and the bushes, swamps, and +lagoons, are too thickly intermingled with the better portions to render +it either a safe or desirable grazing country. The timber is universally +bad and small; a few large misshapen gum trees on the immediate banks of +the river may be considered as exceptions. If however the country itself +is poor, the river is rich in the most excellent fish, procurable in the +utmost abundance. One man in less than an hour caught eighteen large +fish, +one of which was a curiosity from its immense size, and the beauty of its +colours. In shape and general form it most resembled a cod, but was +speckled over with brown, blue, and yellow spots, like a leopard's skin; +its gills and belly a clear white, the tail and fins a dark brown. It +weighed entire seventy pounds, and without the entrails sixty-six pounds: +it is somewhat singular that in none of these fish is any thing found +in the stomach, except occasionally a shrimp or two. The dimensions of +this fish were as follow: + + Feet. Inches. + +Length from the nose to the tail 3 5 +Circumference round the shoulders 2 6 +Fin to fin over the back 1 5 +Circumference near the anus 1 9 +Breadth of the tail 1 1 1/2 +Circumference of the mouth opened 1 6 +Depth of the swallow 1 foot. + +Most of the other fish taken this evening weighed from fifteen to thirty +pounds each, and were of the same kind as the above. + +May 7.--A fine clear frosty morning. The horses having been much +fatigued by the two last days' journey, I determined to halt to-day +instead of Saturday, as the grass was good, which is more than could be +said of it for some days past. Observed the latitude to be 33. 22. 59. S. + +May 8.--Proceeded down the river. Our general course was westerly, and +the country, though equally level with any we had passed, improved in +the quality of the soil, which, during the greater part of to-day's +route, was a good vegetable mould, the land thickly covered with small +acacia and dwarf trees. On the south side of the river it was apparently +the same; and the whole we passed over bore evident marks of being +subject to inundations. + +The banks of the river were, I think, much lower, not exceeding fifteen +or twenty feet high, and they were rather clearer of timber than before. +The casuarina, which used to line the banks, was now seldom seen, the +acacia pendula seeming to take its place. We stopped for the night on a +plain of good land, flooded, but clear of timber: large flocks of emus +were feeding on it, and we were fortunate enough to kill a very large +one after a fine chase. At three o'clock, the boats not having arrived, +I sent a man back to look for them; at eight he returned, having found +them about six miles up the river, unable to proceed until morning, +having met with continual interruptions from fallen trees. These +impediments in the navigation of the river obstruct our progress very +materially, and its windings continue so great and frequent, that the +distance travelled by land is nearly trebled by water. + +May 9.--The boats not having arrived at ten o'clock, Mr. Evans proceeded +with the BAT horses another stage down the river. Mr. Cunningham and I +waited to bring up the boats, which shortly afterwards came in sight. We +proceeded to join the horses, which we did about five o'clock, the boats +having gone in that time nearly thirty-six miles, although the distance +from the last station did not exceed seven in a direct line. + +The country we had passed through during this day's route was extremely +low, consisting of extensive plains divided by lines of small trees: +the banks of the river, and the deep bights formed by the irregularity +of its course, were covered with acacia bushes and dwarf trees. The +river, at the spot where we stopped, wound along the edge of an +extensive low plain, being at least six miles long and three or four +broad; these I called Field's Plains, after the judge of the supreme +court of this territory; they are the same which we saw from the top of +Mount Amyot. The soil of these plains is a light clayey loam, very wet +in many places; they were fringed round with that beautiful tree, the +acacia pendula, which here seems to perform the part of the willow in +Europe; the cypresses were also more frequent, and the banks of the +river much lower than even those we passed yesterday. I cannot help +thinking that the whole of this extensive region has been at some time +or other under water, and that the present river is the drain by which +the waters have been conveyed to lower grounds. It is evident that even +now the plains (on those parts clear of trees) are frequently under +water, and that at very high floods the wooded lands are so too, for it +is almost impossible to distinguish any difference in their elevation; +but the wooded lands, from being actually higher, seem to have given +time for the growth of the diminutive timber with which they are +covered, whereas the lower plains are too frequently covered to give +time for such growth. + +May 10.--The horses having strayed in the night, and it being nearly +noon before they were found, I determined to make this a halting day. + +These plains are much more extensive than I supposed yesterday, and many +new plants were found on them. The river rose upwards of a foot during +the night, and still continues to rise; a circumstance which appears +very singular to me, there having been no rains of any magnitude for the +last five weeks, and none at all for the last ten days. We are also +certain that no waters fall into it or join it easterly for nearly one +hundred and fifty miles. This rise must therefore be occasioned by heavy +rains in the mountains, whence the river derives its source; but it is +not the less singular, that during its whole course, as far as it is +hitherto known, it does not receive a single tributary stream. Observed +the latitude 33. 16. 33. S. + +May 11.--The river rose about four feet during the night, and still +continues to rise. Set forward on our journey down the river. About four +miles and a half from this morning's station. the river began to wash +the immediate edge of the plain, and so continued to do all along. My +astonishment was extreme at finding the banks of the river not more than +six feet from the water: it at once confirmed my supposition that the +whole of this extensive country is frequently inundated; the river was +here about thirty yards broad. Mount Cunningham was at this time distant +about two miles, and Mount Melville four miles; the plains winding +immediately under the base of each. At twelve o'clock ascended the south +end of Mount Cunningham, a small branch of the river running close under +it. From this elevation our view was very extensive in every direction, +particularly in the west quarter. The whole country in that direction +was so low, that it might not improperly be termed a swamp, the spaces +which were bare of trees being more constantly under water than those +where they grew. A remarkable peaked hill bearing W. 27 1/4. N. was +named Hurd's Peak [Note: After Captain Hurd, Hydrographer to the +Admiralty.], and a lofty hummock S. 83 1/2. W, Mount Meyrick: these were +the only elevations of any consequence in the western direction. To the +north, low ranges of rocky hills bounded the swamps, which on the south +had a similar boundary, except that occasionally a bolder rocky +projection would obtrude itself on the flat. + +On descending from the hill, we proceeded to the point where the +north-west arm is separated from the main branch, but apparently to join +it in water, bearing from Mount Cunningham W. 40. N.: on arriving there +we found the boats and horses. The crew of the former reported, that an +equally considerable branch of the river, with that down which they had +come, had turned off to the south-west, about two miles below the place +where we stopped last night. After directing the horses and baggage to +be got over the north-west arm, I returned to examine the branch passed +by the boats, and found it at least as considerable as that which we +were pursuing. I am in hopes that when again joined, the width and depth +of the river will be considerably increased. At half past four returned +to the tents on the north-west arm. The river (from whatever cause) was +still rising, and no part of the banks was more than four feet above +the level of the water. I consider that the river may have from eight to +ten feet more water in it than usual: its present average depth is about +eighteen feet. + +The soil of these extensive plains, designated Field's Plains, is for +the most part extremely rich, as indeed might be expected, from the +deposition of the quantities of vegetable matter that must take place in +periods of flood. The plains are in some places even lower than the +ground forming the immediate bank of the river, very soft, and difficult +for loaded horses to pass over. If we had been so unfortunate as to have +had a rainy season, it would have been utterly impossible to have come +thus far by land. The ranges of hills are unconnected, and are rocky and +barren; the swamps for the most part surrounding them. Mount Cunningham +is a lofty rocky hill, about a mile and a half long, composed of granite +rock, but entirely surrounded by low swampy ground. + +Here we were so unfortunate as to find the barometer broken, the horse +which carried the instruments having thrown his load in passing the +swamps: every precaution had been taken in the packing to prevent such +an accident, which was the more to be regretted, as it interrupted a +chain of observations by which I hoped to ascertain the height of the +country with tolerable accuracy. The last observations that were made, +reduced to this place, gave us an elevation of not more than five +hundred feet above the sea, or about a hundred feet lower than the +country at the depot. + +Since the river has been swollen, the fish have eluded us, none having +been caught since yesterday morning. Two black swans were however shot +on the river. Our present situation is by no means enviable: in the +first place, there is every chance that the river may be lost in a +multitude of branches, among those marshy flats, and farther navigation +thus rendered impossible; and in the second, a rise of four feet in the +river would sweep us all away, since we have not the smallest eminence +to retreat to. Should the river lead through to the westward, and be +afterwards joined by the branches we have passed, it may become +something more interesting and encouraging: a wet or even a partially +rainy season will, in my judgment, preclude us from returning by our +present route, more especially if these low countries continue for any +distance. + +I am by no means surprised at the paucity of natives that have been +seen: it would be quite impossible in wet seasons to inhabit these +marshes, and equally so for them to retreat in times of flood. Their +fires are universally observed near the higher grounds, and no traces of +any thing like a permanent camp has hitherto been seen; but in many +places +on the banks quantities of pearl muscle-shells were found near the +remains +of fires. That large species of bittern, known on the east-coast by the +local name of Native Companions, I believe from the circumstance of their +being always seen in pairs, was observed, on the flats, of very large +size, exceeding six feet in height: they were so shy that we were unable +to shoot any. + +May 12.--The fine weather still continues to favour us. The river rose +in the course of the night upwards of a foot. It is a probable +supposition that the natives, warned by experience of these dangerous +flats, rather choose to seek a more precarious, but more safe +subsistence in the mountainous and rocky ridges which are occasionally +to be met with. The river and lagoons abound with fish and fowl, and it +is scarcely reasonable to suppose that the natives would not avail +themselves of such store of food, if the danger of procuring it did not +counterbalance the advantages they might otherwise derive from such +abundance. + +About three quarters of a mile farther westward we had to cross another +small arm of the river, running to the northward, which although now +full, is, I should think, dry when the river is at its usual level. It +is probable that this and the one which we first crossed join each other +a few miles farther to the westward, and then both united fall into the +stream which gave them existence. We had scarcely proceeded a mile from +the last branch, before it became evident that it would be impossible to +advance farther in the direction in which we were travelling. The stream +here overflowed both banks, and its course was lost among marshes: its +channel not being distinguishable from the surrounding waters. + +Observing an eminence about half a mile from the south side, we crossed +over the horses and baggage at a Place where the water was level with +the banks, and which when within its usual channel did not exceed thirty +or forty feet in width, its depth even now being only twelve feet. + +We ascended the hill, and had the mortification to perceive the +termination of our research, at least down this branch of the river: the +whole country from the west north-west round to north was either a +complete marsh or lay under water, and this for a distance of +twenty-five or thirty miles, in those directions; to the south and +south-west the country appeared more elevated, but low marshy grounds +lay between us and it, which rendered it impossible for us to proceed +thither from our present situation. I therefore determined to return +back to the place where the two branches of the principal river +separated, and follow the south-west branch as far as it should be +navigable; our fears were however stronger than our hopes, lest it +would end in a similar manner to the one we had already traced, until it +became no longer navigable for boats. + +In pursuance of this intention we descended the hill, which was named +Farewell Hill, from its being the termination of our journey in a +north-west direction at least for the present, and proceeded up the +south bank of the stream. We were able to reach only a short distance +from the spot where we stopped last night, having been obliged to unload +the horses no less than four times in the course of the day, added to +which, the travelling loaded through those dreadful marshes had +completely exhausted them: my own horse, in searching for a better +track, was nearly lost, and it consumed four hours to advance scarcely +half a mile. + +My disappointment at the interruption of our labours in this quarter was +extreme, and what was worse, no flattering prospect appeared of our +succeeding better in the examination of the south-west branch. I was +however determined to see the present end of the river in all its +branches, before I should finally quit it, in furtherance of the other +objects of the expedition. + +May 13.--Returned to the point whence the river separates into two +branches; intending first to descend the south-west branch for some +distance before the boats and baggage should move down, being unwilling +the horses should undergo an useless fatigue in traversing such marshy +ground, unless the branch should prove of sufficient magnitude to take +us a considerable distance; conceiving it an object of the first +importance that the horses should start fresh, if I should find it +necessary to quit the river at this point of the coast. + +May 14.--This branch of the river has fallen about a foot. Having +directed the casks in the boats to be prepared for slinging on the +horses, and the tools and arms to be put in order preparatory to leaving +the river, I proceeded to examine the branch. After going about four +miles down, it took a similar direction (north-westerly) to that which +we had previously traced. The banks on both sides were a mere marsh, and +about six miles down, a small arm from it supplied the marshes between +this and the north-west branch. The fall of the country from the +south-east to the north-west was very remarkable; the water in the +branch was here nearly level with the banks, and was narrowed to a +width of not more than twenty feet. Finding that it would be equally as +impracticable to follow this branch as the other, I returned and +commenced preparations for setting out for the coast, which I purpose +not to do until Sunday, in order that the horses may be refreshed, as +they will at first be most heavily laden. + +My present intention is to take a south-west direction for Cape +Northumberland, since should any river be formed from those marshes, +which is extremely probable, and fall into the sea between Spencer's +Gulf and Cape Otway, this course will intersect it, and no river or +stream can arise from these swamps without being discovered. The body of +water now running in both the principal branches is very considerable, +fully sufficient to have constituted a river of magnitude, if it had +constantly maintained such a supply of water, and had not become +separated into branches, and lost among the immense marshes of this +desolate and barren country, which seems here to form a vast concavity +to receive them. It is impossible to arrive at any certain opinion as to +what finally becomes of these waters, but I think it probable, from the +appearance of the country, and its being nearly on a level with the sea, +that they are partly absorbed by the soil, and the remainder lost by +evaporation. + +May 15.--Mr. Cunningham made an excursion under Mount Melville, and +found the country in that direction as full of stagnant water as to the +north-west. Some tracts rather more raised above the usual level were +barren, and covered with acacia scrubs. The natives had been recently +under Mount Melville, perhaps to the number of a dozen: abundance of +large pearl muscle-shells was found about their deserted fireplaces, but +these shells had been apparently some months out of water. + +May 16.--Felled a tree of the acacia pendula, the wood extremely hard +and beautiful; a black resinous juice exuded from the heart, which much +resembled the black part of the lignum vitae. Our observations placed +this spot in latitude 33. 15. 34. S.; longitude 147. 16. E. and the +variation of the compass 7. 0. 8. E. + +May 17.--After reducing our luggage as much as possible, we sent every +thing down the branch about two miles, and landed on the south shore; +got every thing in readiness for proceeding on our journey to-morrow; +hauled up the boats on the south bank, and secured them, together with +such heavy articles as we could not take with us. The provisions +occupied our whole fourteen horses, including my own, and each will +still be very heavily laden. + +May 18.--At nine o'clock we commenced our journey towards the coast; at +three stopped within four miles of Mount Maude, on a dry creek, with +occasional pools of very indifferent water. The country through which we +passed from the branch was for the first three miles very low and wet, +with large lagoons of water. During the latter part of the journey the +country was more elevated though still level, the soil light and rotten, +and overrun with the acacia pendula. The horses being very heavily laden +fell repeatedly during the early part of the day. Our course was nearly +south-west, and we performed about ten miles. + +May 19.--At two miles passed over a low rocky range connected with Mount +Maude: the remainder of our day's journey (nearly twelve miles) lay +chiefly through a barren level country, the ground rather studded than +covered with grass, and that only in patches, by far the greater part +producing no grass at all. The trees were chiefly cypresses, a new +species of staculia, together with scrubs of the acacia pendula. The +soil a light red sand, the lower levels being stronger and more clayey. +We did not meet with any water, and were obliged to stop in the middle +of an acacia brush, the horses being too much fatigued to proceed +farther, and as the country had been lately burnt, the grass was a +little better than usual. At four o'clock sent two men to search for +water, and in about half an hour they returned, having found several +small ponds of good water about three quarters of a mile to the +south-west: the swamp appeared to extend to the northward a considerable +distance. Several native huts were on the edge of one of the ponds, but +they had not been recently inhabited. + +May 20.--Proceeded forward south-west eleven miles through a most barren +desolate country, the soil a light red sand, literally parched up with +drought, there being no appearance of rain having fallen for several +months. The country through which we passed being a perfect plain +overrun with acacia scrubs, we could not see in any direction above a +quarter of a mile; I therefore halted at two o'clock on purpose to gain +time to find water before sunset, as we had seen no other signs of any +on our route than a few dry pits. It is impossible to imagine a more +desolate region; and the uncertainty we are in, whilst traversing it, of +finding water, adds to the melancholy feelings which the silence and +solitude of such wastes is calculated to inspire. + +The search for water was unsuccessful, about three gallons of muddy +liquid being all that could be procured: our horses and dogs, I am +afraid, were the greatest sufferers. + +May 21.--The water was so extremely bad that, pressed as we were by +thirst, we could scarcely even by twice boiling it render it drinkable. +After travelling ten or eleven miles through a country equally barren +and destitute with that of yesterday, without meeting with the least +appearance of water, and the horses being completely worn out, I +determined to halt on a small patch of burnt grass; two of the horses +had fallen several times under their loads, and nothing but the +evenness of the road enabled us to reach thus far. The same level plain +extended on all sides, and our view was confined to the scrubby brush +around us. A small hollow lying across our track, I sent a man on +horseback to trace it, in hopes it might lead to water: he returned +about four o'clock with the joyful news that he had found water in a +large swamp about five miles to the north-west: he also saw a native, +who however ran too swiftly to allow him to come up with him. This was +the first living creature of any kind we had seen since we quitted the +river. Both the kangaroo and emu seem to have deserted these plains for +other parts of the country better watered, and affording them more food. +The horses being utterly unable to proceed without rest, I determined to +remain here to-morrow to refresh them. + +May 22.--The nights cold and frosty, the days warm and clear: I think it +is very evident that the altitude of the country declines in a +remarkable manner to the north-west; from the south-east to the +south-west it appears nearly of the same elevation; and in travelling we +appear to be going along an inclined plane, the lowest edges being from +west to north. I went about five miles to the north-west to the place +whence the water was procured; the country poor, and as barren as can +well be imagined; the soil a light red sand, acacia scrubs, small +box-trees, and a few miserable cypresses. + +May 23.--Our route lay through a country equally bad, if not worse, than +any which we had passed the preceding days: in some places it was +difficult for the horses to force a passage through the brush; +occasionally low stony ridges intervened, which, when viewed from higher +eminences, were not to be detected from the plain out of which they +rose. The soil was alternately a sterile sand and a hardened clay, +without grass of any description: the country appeared to form the +bottom of a dry morass, and I am convinced if the weather had not been +dry for a considerable time, travelling would have been impossible. +After proceeding ten miles we were obliged to stop, the horses being +unable to go further. We had seen no signs of water during our route, +but stopping at a stony water-course we were in hopes of finding a +sufficiency to supply our wants, and on a hill at the end of it, about a +quarter of a mile to the westward, water was found. + +May 24.--A day of rest and preparation. The country seems to rise +hereabouts and to be more broken, the ridges stony: the dwarf timber and +brush very thick. In searching for the horses this morning several +kangaroos and emus were seen, also the huts of a tribe of natives +recently inhabited. + +May 25.--The horses much refreshed, except one which is unable to carry +any thing; his load was therefore obliged to be distributed among the +rest, already too heavily laden. At nine o'clock set forward on our +journey. At two we arrived at the base of a hill of considerable +magnitude, terminating westward in an abrupt perpendicular rock +from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet high. The country we +passed over was of the most miserable description; the last eight miles +without a blade of grass. The acacia brushes grow generally on a hard +and clayey soil evidently frequently covered with water, and I consider +that these plains or brushes are swamps or morasses in wet weather, +since they must receive all the water from the low ranges with which +they are generally circumscribed. It is a remarkable feature in the +hills of this country that their terminations are generally +perpendicular westward, rising from the lower grounds round from +south-west to north-west very gradually; their terminating rocky bluffs +are usually two or three hundred feet high. I include in these +observations not only the single detached hills, but the points of the +ranges. This hill was named Mount Aiton. The country having been +recently burnt, some good grass was found for the horses a little to the +south-west. We therefore stopped for the night, and ascended the face of +the mount for the purpose of looking around: a very large brown speckled +snake was killed about half way up, which, in the absence of fresh +provisions, was afterwards eaten by some of the party. On arriving at +the summit we had an extensive prospect in every direction; the country +was most generally level, but rose occasionally into gentle eminences +bounded by distant low ranges from the south south-west to the +north-west. The most considerable of these ranges were named PEEL'S +RANGE, and GOULBURN'S RANGE: a very lofty hill, distant at least seventy +miles, was named MOUNT GRANARD. Interspersed through the country, +bounded by those ranges, were several large tracts entirely devoid of +wood; these are however, I fear, only a repetition of the acacia plains +of which we had lately been but too abundantly favoured. From +south-west by south round to north-east were some low broken hills, with +some to the east-south-east of greater magnitude; but their distance was +so great as to appear but faintly in the horizon. Upon the whole the +country appeared more open and somewhat better, particularly in the +immediate vicinity of our station to the south-west. There were not the +smallest signs of any stream, neither is-ere there any fires in the +direction we had to take. Three or four fires were seen in the +north-west, and recent traces of the natives were discovered near our +tents. The inhabitants of these wilds must be very few, and I think it +impossible for more than a family to subsist together; a greater number +would only starve each other: indeed their deserted fires and camps +which we occasionally saw, never appeared to have been occupied by more +than six or eight persons. The scarcity of food must also prevent the +raising of many children, from the absolute impossibility of supporting +them until of an age to provide for themselves. We have seen so few +animals, either kangaroo or emu, and the country appears so little +capable of maintaining these animals, that the means of the natives in +procuring food must be precarious indeed. We found just a sufficiency of +water to answer our purpose in a drain from the Mount; our dogs are, +however, in a wretched condition for want of food. + +May 26.--The horses having strayed in the night, every man was employed +in searching for them. In passing through those barren brushes +yesterday, a great quantity of small iron-stones was picked up, from the +size of a large pea to a hen's-egg, all nearly round, being washed into +heaps by the waters, which in time of rain sweep over those flats. The +front of Mount Aiton was found to decline about fifteen degrees from the +perpendicular; the rocks were composed of a hard sandy free-stone. It +was eight o'clock in the evening before any of the people returned, and +then only two men came back with two horses, being all they were able to +find: the other three men are still absent, but they had found the track +of the other horses before these men left them. The two horses were +discovered in the midst of a thick brush, entangled among creeping +plants and unable to get further: they must have strayed in search of +water, the water at this place not being sufficient for them all. The +animals were all spencilled, but such is the scarcity of both water and +grass, that they will wander in search of each. + +The natives have been reconnoitring us: we have several times heard +them, but have been unable to see them. At sunset their fires were +seen about two miles to the south-west. + +May 27.--At day-light, despatched the other two men and horses to the +assistance of the rest, who remained out all night. + +A native was seen about half a mile from our fires: the dogs attacked +him, and when called off, he ran away shouting most lustily; he was a +very stout man, at least six feet high, entirely naked, with a long +bushy beard: he had no arms of any kind. At two o'clock, two of the men +who had been out all night returned, after an unsuccessful search, +leaving three more out to pursue it in every possible direction. Water +is evidently the reason of their straying, as several patches of burnt +grass have been passed by them, and they would naturally return to the +place where they last found it, if they could find none nearer. +At sunset the men returned with nine of the horses, five being still +missing: they were found ten miles on the road back, and near the place +where they fed on the 24th. + +May 28.--At daylight despatched four men on horseback to resume the +search for the missing horses, taking with them two days' provisions. + +May 29.--At four o'clock in the afternoon the men returned, still +unsuccessful. + +May 30.--At seven o'clock I proceeded to the north-east with two men, +whilst Mr. Evans went to the north-west. At ten I was fortunate enough to +fall in with the horses about eight miles from our camp; returned with +them, and prepared every thing for setting forward to-morrow morning. In +one of the brushes an emu's nest was found, containing ten eggs; our +dogs also killed two small birds. Mr. Evans returned about three +o'clock, having seen nothing remarkable: the country was very thick and +brushy, and he was much impeded by creeping vines. + +Mr. Cunningham here planted the seeds of quinces, and the stones of +peach and apricot trees. + +May 31.--Fine weather as usual, and at nine o'clock we set off with +renewed hopes and spirits. Our first nine miles afforded excellent +travelling through an open country of very indifferent soil. The trees +thin and chiefly cypress, with occasionally a large sterculia, but no +water whatever: at the ninth mile we entered a very thick eucalyptus +brush, overrun with creepers and prickly acacia bushes. We continued +forcing our way through this desert until sunset, when, finding no hopes +of getting through it before dark, we halted in the midst of it, having +travelled in the whole nearly twenty miles, and for the last mile been +obliged to cut our way with our tomahawks. + +Both men and horses were quite knocked up, and our embarrassment was +heightened by the want of water for ourselves and them, as this desert +did not hold out the slightest hope of finding any. No herbage of any +kind grew on this abandoned plain, being a fine red sand, which almost +blinded us with its dust. It was with some little hesitation that we +affixed a name to this brush; but at length nothing occurred to us more +expressive of its aspect than EURYALEAN. This was the first night which +we had passed absolutely without water. + +June 1.--A cold frosty morning. The weather during the might changed +from very mild and pleasant to extreme cold; the thermometer varying +24. At daylight we loaded the horses and set forward to get out of this +scrub, and endeavour to procure water and grass for the horses, which +we were obliged to tie to bushes, to prevent them from straying. After +going about two miles farther we cleared the thickest of it: but the +country was only more open, and not in any degree more fertile. We +proceeded on towards the south-east end of Peel's range until twelve +o'clock, when, having gone nearly eleven miles, the horses were unable +to proceed farther with their loads. There was nothing left for us but +to unload them, and separate in every direction in search of that most +precious of elements, without tasting a drop of which both men and +horses had now existed nearly thirty-six hours. + +Water was found in three holes in the side of Peel's range sufficient +for all our necessities, and a most grateful relief it proved, +particularly to the poor horses, who were nearly famished for the want +of it: one of the best of our animals was so exhausted that it was with +some difficulty he could be taken to the water. I wish the grass had +proved equally good, but there is nothing for them but dead wire-grass +(IRA). We saw no game, with the exception of three or four kangaroo +rats: many beautiful small parrots were observed; and, barren as the +scrub appeared to us, yet our botanists reaped an excellent harvest +here; nothing being more true than that the most beautiful plants and +shrubs flourish best where no grass or other herbage will grow. + +June 2.--Fine and clear as usual, the nights cold. One of our best +horses, mentioned yesterday as having fallen repeatedly under his load, +was this morning extremely ill, having entirely lost the use of his +hind quarters. Finding that he was quite unable to accompany us, and in +fact unfit to do any more work, it was with extreme reluctance that I +caused him to be shot, since it would have been no mercy to suffer him +to linger in his present miserable condition. Observations were taken to +ascertain our situation, and they placed us lat. 34. 8. 8. S., +long. 146.03. E., the variation of the compass being 7. 18. E. + +The hills to the southward of us are curiously composed of pudding-stone +in very large masses, the lower stratum being a coarse granite +intermingled with pieces of quartz, and a variety of other stones. + +June 3.--Set forward on our route, passing over a rugged, barren, and +rocky country for about four miles and a half, when we ascended a hill +upon our right which promised a view in all directions. To the +southward, south-west, and even west, the country was a perfect plain, +interspersed with more of those dreadful scrubs which we had passed +through. In coming from Mount Aiton to the south-east were some low +ranges, with a level barren country between us and them; this hill was +named Mount Caley, and the termination of Peel's range to the southward, +a lofty rocky hill, was called Mount Brogden. On descending the hill, I +had the mortification to find that one of the horses, who had hitherto +performed well, now sunk under his load, and was unable to proceed +farther: in short, all of them appeared so debilitated, that the utmost +we could promise ourselves was their proceeding three or four miles +farther in search of grass and water. Directing the man to stay by his +load, we proceeded towards some burnt grass which had been seen from +Mount Caley, and after going about four miles farther we stopped upon +it. As the ultimate success of the expedition so entirely depended upon +the capability of the horses to perform the journey, it was judged +advisable that they should have two or three days rest before we +attempted to penetrate farther; and as we were now on a spot that at +least afforded them a mouthful of fresh wire-grass, I determined, if +water should be found, to remain here until Friday morning. + +The country is so extremely impracticable, and so utterly destitute of +the means of affording subsistence to either man or beast; water is so +precarious, and when found is only the contents of small muddy holes, +which under different circumstances would be rejected equally by horses +and by men, that I much fear we shall not be able to proceed much +further; but my mind is made up to persevere until the last horse fails +us, keeping that course which, although inclining to the westward, will +bring us out upon the coast upon a nearer line than Cape Northumberland, +which I intended to steer for when we quitted the Lachlan River. + +Sent back assistance to the man and horse left under Mount Caley, and at +eight o'clock they returned. + +After searching in every direction, no water was found, except in a +small hole evidently dug by the natives under Mount Brogden, and +containing scarcely sufficient for the people. + +June 4.--Weather as usual fine and clear, which is the greatest comfort +we enjoy in these deserts, abandoned as they seem to be by every living +creature capable of getting out of them. I was obliged to send the +horses back to our former halting-place for water, a distance of near +eight miles: this is terrible for the horses, who are in general +extremely reduced; but two in particular cannot, I think, endure this +miserable existence much longer. + +At five o'clock, two men, whom I had sent to explore the country to the +south-west and see if any water could be found, returned, after +proceeding six or seven miles: they found it impossible to go any +farther in that direction or even south, from the thick brushes that +intersected their course on every side; and no water (nor in fact the +least sign of any) was discovered either by them, or by those who were +sent in search of it nearer to our little camp. + +No other trace of inhabitants (besides the well from which we derive our +supply of water) has hitherto been seen: no game of any kind, nor grass +to support any, have resulted from the various routes and observations +of the different persons who were employed for that purpose during the +day. I almost despair of finding any, for the country being perfectly +level (some few elevated stations excepted), and the soil a deep loose +red sand, the rain which falls must be immediately absorbed, and indeed +it is quite impossible that water should remain on the surface of the +land which we have travelled over since we have left the river. + +At the period we quitted the river I considered our height above the +level of the sea to be about five hundred feet, an elevation too +trifling to afford a hope that any streams could rise in these regions +and flow thence into the sea. In traversing these flats, the declivity, +when it could be observed, was always towards the west and north-west, +obliging me to believe that either the country continued a desert of +sand as at present, or that its westerly inclination would cause all +that part of it to consist of marshes and swamps. Since quitting the +river we have not enjoyed what under any other circumstances would be +called drinkable water; what was found being merely the contents of +shallow mud holes, in the bottom of acacia swamps, over which the +dryness of the season alone enabled us to travel. We have uniformly been +obliged to strain our water before we drank it, and its taste, from the +decayed vegetable matter it contained, was sour and unpleasant. + +June 5.--A clear cold frosty morning: sent the horses to the watering +place: if it be any way possible to get them on, it is my intention to +proceed to-morrow morning, as it is almost as much labour to them to go +for water as it would be to perform a short day's journey. + +From every thing I can see of the country to the south-west, it appears, +upon the most mature deliberation, highly imprudent to persevere longer +in that direction, as the consequences to the horses of want of water +and grass might be most serious; and we are well assured that within +forty miles on that point the country is the same as before passed over. +In adopting a north-westerly course, it is my intention to be entirely +guided by the possibility of procuring subsistence for the horses, that +being the main point on which all our ulterior proceedings must hinge. +It is however to be expected that as the country is certainly lower to +the west and north-west than from south-east to south-west, there is a +greater probability of finding water in this latter direction. In our +present perplexing situation, however, it is impossible to lay down any +fixed plan, as (be it what it may) circumstances after all must guide us. +Our horses are unable to go more than eight or ten miles a day, but even +then they must be assured of finding food, of which, in these deserts, +the chances are against the existence. + +Yesterday, being the King's birthday, Mr. Cunningham planted under Mount +Brogden acorns, peach and apricot-stones, and quince-seeds, with the +hope rather than the expectation that they would grow and serve to +commemorate the day and situation, should these desolate plains be ever +again visited by civilized man, of which, however, I think there is very +little probability. + +Our observation placed the situation of the tent in lat. 34. 13. 33. S., +long. 146. E.; the variation of the compass 8. 08. E. + +June 6.--A mild pleasant morning: set forward on our journey to the +westward and north-west, in hopes of finding a better country: at two +o'clock halted about two miles from Peel's range, after going about +eight miles through a very thick cypress scrub; the country equally bad +as on any of the foregoing days. We saw no signs of water during our +route: the whole country seems burnt up with long continued drought; no +traces of natives, or any game seen. + +After two hours' search a small hole of water was found at the foot of +the range, sufficient for the horses, and in a hole in the rocks a +little clearer was procured for ourselves. + +June 7.--Set forward to the north-west, the horses being a little +fresher than for some days past. Halted at four o'clock, having gone ten +miles through a country which, for barrenness and desolation, can I +think have no equal; it was a continued scrub, and where there was +timber it chiefly consisted of small cypress: we saw no water as usual, +but stopped on some burnt grass near the base of a low range of stony +hills west of Peel's range, from which we are distant eight or ten +miles. These ranges abound with native dogs; their howlings are +incessant, day as well as night: as we saw no game, their principal +prey must be rats, which have almost undermined this loose sandy +country. + +As we had brought a small keg of water with us, we did not on this +occasion suffer absolute want: we hope that the instinct of the horses +would lead them to water in the course of the night--but we were too +sanguine. + +Our spirits were not a little depressed by the desolation and want that +seemed to reign around us: the scene was never varied, except from bad +to worse. However, the scarcity of water and grass for the horses are +our greatest real privations, for the temperature is mild and equable +beyond what could be expected at this season, and it is this +circumstance alone that enables us to proceed: the horses are too much +reduced to endure rainy weather, even if the loose soil of the country +would permit us to travel over it. + +June 8.--During the night there was light rain. At daylight sent out in +search of water, but all our efforts proved unsuccessful. Peel's range +being the nearest high land, I determined to search the base of it, in +hopes of finding water, since it was impossible that either men or +horses could long endure this almost constant privation of the first +necessary of life. I accordingly set off towards the range, but was +prevented from making it by impenetrable scrubs: we then returned to the +range a little to the west of the tent, whence we could see a +considerable distance to the west and north-west; it is impossible to +imagine a prospect more desolate. The whole country in these directions, +as far as the eye could reach, was one continued thicket of eucalyptus +scrub: it was physically impossible to proceed that way, and our +situation was too critical to admit of delay; it was therefore resolved +to return back to our last station on the 6th under Peel's range, if for +no other purpose than that of giving the horses water. I felt that by +attempting to proceed westerly I should endanger the safety of every man +composing the expedition, without any practical good arising from such +perseverance: it was therefore deemed more prudent to keep along the +base of Peel's range to its termination, having some chance of finding +water in its rocky ravines, whilst there was none at all in attempting +to keep the level country. It was too late to pursue this resolution +this evening. + +June 9.--During the night heavy rain. At eight o'clock set off on our +return to our halting-place of the 6th, the horses having been now +forty-eight hours without water. We had scarcely proceeded a mile when +it began to rain hard, and continued to do so without intermission until +we stopped at the place where water had been previously found: it was by +this time two o'clock, the horses failed, and the people were in little +better condition, not having tasted any thing since the evening before. +All our clothes were wet through, a circumstance which added greatly to +the unpleasantness of our situation. + +The true nature of the soil was fully developed by this day's rain. +Being in dry weather a loose light sand without any apparent +consistency, it was now discovered to have a small portion of loam mixed +with it, which, without having the tenacity of clay, is sufficient to +render it slimy and boggy: I am quite satisfied that two days' rain will +at any time render this country impassable. The mortification and +distress of mind I felt at being obliged to take a retrograde direction +was heightened by seeing the horses struggling under loads far beyond +their present powers, their labour rendered still more trying by the +miserable country they were obliged to pass through. + +June 10.--Light rain during the night, the morning fair and pleasant: +upon mature deliberation it was resolved to remain here until the 13th, +for the purpose of refreshing the horses. I also determined to send a +detachment on before us, to endeavour to find an eligible station for us +to stop at, that we might proceed with more certainty. + +Mr. Cunningham named those thick brushes of eucalyptus that spread in +every direction around us EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, or the dwarf gum, as they +never exceed twenty feet in height, and are generally from twelve to +fifteen, spreading out into a bushy circle from their roots in such a +manner that it is impossible to see farther than from one bush to the +other; and these are very often united by a species of vine (cassytha), +and the intermediate space covered with prickly wire-grass, rendering a +passage through them equally painful and tedious + +The low ranges of hills which we quitted yesterday morning we named +Disappointment Hills, from our not being able to penetrate beyond them +to the north-west or west, and also from our not finding any water on +them; our hopes being thus disappointed of penetrating into the interior +in the direction that I intended when we quitted Mount Brogden. + +June 11.--A party set forward to the northward to explore our +to-morrow's route, and to endeavour to find water at some eligible +station. + +They returned about four o'clock, having proceeded eight or ten miles. +Small holes of water were found in almost every gully. They saw several +traces of the natives, but none recent: the dogs killed several +kangaroo-rats, and some new species of plants were discovered. + +June 12.--Fine and clear. At eight o'clock set forward on our journey +along the west side of Peel's range: we proceeded to the north, +inclining westerly for about ten miles; the travelling for the horses +very bad, the ground being extremely soft, the description of the +country the same. The trees resembled bushes more than timber, being +chiefly small cypresses, which is the prevailing wood. The grass where +we stopped was very bad, but the quantity and quality of the water +compensated for it. No recent marks of the natives having visited this +part of the range. + +June 13.--Fine mild pleasant weather. Proceeded along the foot of Peel's +range for about ten miles; we then inclined north-easterly, the range +taking that direction, and after going about four miles farther we +stopped for the evening: the country was wretchedly barren and scrubby, +and to the north-west and west a continued eucalyptus dumosa scrub, +extending as far as the eye could reach from the occasional small hills +which we passed in our route. + +Water was found about two miles off in the range, affording a bare +sufficiency for ourselves and horses. + +June 14.--Fine clear weather. Proceeded on our journey northwards: the +first four or five miles was over a rocky broken country, consisting of +low hills, rising westerly of Peel's range. After going about six miles +and a half the country became more open and less rocky; as the grass was +here better than at our last night's halting-place, and the water +convenient and tolerable, we resolved upon stopping, particularly as I +intended resting the horses to-morrow; and I was fearful if I proceeded +farther I might meet with neither, and thus be obliged to continue +travelling to-morrow; an exertion which the horses were not in a +condition to make. Nothing can be more irksome than the tedious days' +journeys we are obliged to make through a country in which there is not +the smallest variety, each day's occurrences and scenes being but a +recapitulation of the former: our patience would frequently be +exhausted, were we not daily reanimating ourselves with the hopes that +the morrow will bring us to a better country, and render a journey, the +labour of which has hitherto been ill repaid, of some service to the +colony, and of some satisfaction to the expectations which had been +formed of its result. + +June 15.--Observed in lat. 33. 49. 09. S., and long. 145. 54. E. +Mr. Cunningham went upon Peel's range in search of plants, and found a +few +new ones; the country to the north appeared hilly and broken, but no +scrubs, such as obstructed our progress westward, were seen. Goulburn's +range had a remarkable appearance, being broken into peaks and +singularly shaped hills. A solitary native was seen by one of our party, +but he ran off with great precipitation on friendly signs being made to +him to approach. + +June 16.--It blew extremely hard during the night, and rained +incessantly, as it still continues to do, with scarcely any +intermission. This morning we had the misfortune to find one horse dead, +the same that fell under his load on the 3d instant, and, as he had +carried little or nothing since, he appeared to be recovering his +strength. Independently of the continuance of heavy rain, which would +certainly have prevented me from attempting to set forward, the ground +has become so hollow and soft from the rain which fell during the night, +that it was the universal opinion that the horses could not travel under +their loads. It cleared up towards night, with the exception of +occasional heavy showers. + +June 17.--Towards morning the weather became fine, with fresh winds from +the north-east; at eight o'clock set forward on our journey, the ground +extremely wet and soft. + +We could not proceed above ten miles when we stopped, one of the horses +being completely disabled from going any farther. The line of country we +passed over was rocky, barren, and miserable, the level grounds being a +perfect bog; to the westward, low irregular rocky ranges, with blasted +and decayed cypresses on their summits, were the only objects which +presented themselves to our view. There was neither grass nor water +where we stopped; of course, nothing but the absolute necessity that +existed to spare the horses could induce us to halt. People were sent to +search the range for water, but all their endeavours proved fruitless, +after wandering in every probable direction until sunset. The coldness +of the air would have prevented us from feeling much inconvenience from +this privation, had it been in our power to have satisfied our hunger +but salt pork, would have proved an aggravating meal without water; we +therefore preferred an absolute fast to the certainty of increasing our +thirst. + +About sunset the wind increased to a perfect storm, accompanied by heavy +showers, which prevented the horses from suffering so severely as they +otherwise would. + +June 18.--The weather was very tempestuous during the night: towards +morning the wind somewhat abated, and left light drizzling showers. Our +search after water was renewed, and so far succeeded as to procure us +about a pint of rain-water each, which afforded us great relief. It did +not appear that the horses had been equally successful. + +Upon consultation, in our present critical situation it was resolved +that Mr. Evans should proceed forward to the north-north-west until he +found grass and water, and as it was evident to all that the horses were +utterly incapable of proceeding with their present loads to any +distance, I thought it expedient to leave half our provisions behind, +and proceed to the place selected by Mr Evans, and then to send back for +the remainder: in fact, there remained no alternative; reduced as the +horses were in their strength, it would have been in the highest degree +imprudent to have dared the almost certainty of killing them by +proceeding with their usual loads. + +After going about three miles we came upon a small valley which afforded +both good grass and water; the latter was rain-water collected in holes +at the base of the range, which was composed of a hard granite rock. In +this valley we found several holes dug by the natives, for the purpose +of receiving water; in some a few quarts of muddy water were found, +others were quite dry. It rained almost incessantly during the whole of +this day, rendering our situation extremely unpleasant. + +As if to add to our misfortunes, it was now first discovered that +three of the casks, which had all along been taken for flour casks, were +filled with pork; and upon a minute investigation it came out, that +when, on the 1st of May, the large boat had been reported to have filled +from the falling of the river without any other accident, that then, in +fact, three of the upper tier of casks had been washed out of her. It +was impossible, at this distance of time, to exactly ascertain how such +a serious loss could have happened and not have been discovered before, +for the boatmen persisted in declaring that their cargo was then all +safe; but, as so large a quantity could not possibly have been consumed +by the party clandestinely without certain discovery, it appeared quite +clear that the loss either happened on that day or on the 4th, when the +large boat sunk from having been stove. In counting our casks up to this +period, three, in every respect the same as the flour casks, with +similar marks, had been reckoned in their lieu by us all, whilst the +deficiency being then apparently in the pork was not suspected by any. + +In this distressing dilemma nothing remained for us but to reduce our +ration of flour in such a proportion as would leave us twelve weeks of +that article, and as we had still plenty of pork, to issue an extra +pound of it weekly. Since leaving the depot we had been so extremely +guarded in the issue of provisions, to prevent the possibility of our +suffering from any longer protraction of our journey than was expected, +that never more than six pounds of flour had been issued to each person +weekly, which now, from this accident coming to light, was reduced to +four pounds: it was, in truth, extremely fortunate that we had thus kept +within the calculated ration, as otherwise our situation would have been +highly alarming. + +Some of our party began even now to anticipate the resources of famine, +for a large native dog being killed, it was pronounced, like lord +Peter's loaf, in the Tale of a Tub, to be true, good, natural mutton as +any in Leadenhall-market, and eaten accordingly: for myself, I was not +yet brought to the conversion of Martin and Jack. + +The natives had been in this valley very recently, and I conjectured +that they were then not far from us. In the afternoon, the rain still +continuing, I sent back the strongest of the horses to bring up the +provisions left behind. Towards eight o'clock the wind increased to a +storm, so that the rain was forced through our tent in every part, and +we were fairly washed out: this abated about ten o'clock, and the +weather partially cleared up. Upon the whole this was the most +uncomfortable day and night we had experienced since we quitted the +depot. + +June 19.--Fresh winds from the north-west, with thick small rain. The +valley was now a complete bog, the hills closing on each side of it, and +its widest part not exceeding two hundred yards: the soil imbibes all +the water almost as fast as it falls. There was one comfort in all this +bad weather; we had plenty of water, and the horses tolerable grass. + +Taking advantage of a fair interval, I explored to the north-north-west +about a mile, whence I had a tolerable view of the country between the +showers: it was broken into very remarkable hills between the north-west +by north and north-east; to the west it was more level, and having been +burnt, the young grass gave it a more cheering aspect than any we had +seen for some time. Bearings were taken to several remarkable hills for +the purpose of connecting the survey. + +Two swans passed over the valley to the north-west, which we considered +as a sign that water lay in that direction. + +June 20.--The weather broke up during the night, and the morning was +fair and pleasant. However desirable it was that the horses should +remain another day in this valley to recruit, yet, in the present +unsettled state of the season, I was unwilling to lose an hour more than +was absolutely necessary. We here left all the spare horse-shoes, broken +axes, etc. in order to lighten the burden of the horses. This little +valley received the name of Peach Valley, from our having here planted +the last of our fruit-stones. + +At eight we proceeded to the north-north-west, our course taking us over +a broken barren country; the hills composed of rocks and small stones, +the valleys and flats of sand. To the westward of our route the country +was covered with scrubs of the eucalyptus dumosa; these scrubs we +avoided, by keeping close along the base of Peel's range, where the +country had been lately burnt. It is somewhat singular that those scrubs +and brushes seldom if ever extend to the immediate base of the hills: +the washings from them rendered the soil somewhat better for two or +three hundred yards. As to water, we did not see the least signs of any +during the whole day. After proceeding between nine and ten miles, we +stopped for the evening on some burnt grass, which existed in sufficient +quantity; but, although we procured a few gallons of water for +ourselves, not all our researches could find a sufficiency for the +horses. + +The dogs killed a pretty large emu, which was a most luxurious addition +to our salt pork, of which alone we were all well satiated. I ascended +the range behind the tent, and I never saw a more broken country, or one +more barren. It appeared more open to the north-north-west, to which +point our course will be directed to-morrow. + +June 21.--Fine mild weather: at eight o'clock set forward on our +journey. The farther we proceed north-westerly, the more convinced I am +that, for all the practical purposes of civilized man, the interior of +this country westward of a certain meridian is uninhabitable, deprived +as it is of wood, water, and grass. With respect to water, it is quite +impossible that any can be retained on such a soil as the country is +composed of, and no watercourses, for the same reason, can be formed; +for, like a sponge, it absorbs all the rain that falls, which, judging +from every appearance, cannot be much. The wandering native with his +little family may find a precarious subsistence in the ruts with which +the country abounds; but even he, with all the local knowledge which +such a life must give him, is obliged to dig with immense labour little +wells at the bottom of the hills to procure and preserve a necessary of +life which is evidently not to be obtained by any other method. + +We proceeded through a broken irregular country for nearly six miles, +when the evident weakness of the horses made it highly imprudent to +attempt to proceed farther. We therefore halted under a high rocky hill, +which was named Barrow's Hill; and sent round in all directions to +look for water. The goodness of Providence came to our succour when we +least expected it; an ample sufficiency for the people being found near +the top of the hill in the hollow of a rock. + +I ascended Barrow's Hill, and from its summit had a very extensive +prospect from the west north-west round to east-north-east. To the north +the country appeared perfectly level, though the horizon was skirted +with distant hammocks, which could be but faintly distinguished. +To the north-east were some native's fires; and a lofty detached +mountain was named Mount Flinders: a high range to the westward was +named Macquarie's Range, in honour of his excellency the Governor. + +The men returned late after an unsuccessful search for water, having +gone entirely round Mount Flinders. There was now nothing to be done but +to drive the horses to the base of the hill under which we were +encamped, and share with them the water whence we derived our own +supply: it was obliged to be handed from man to man in the cooking +kettle, out of which the poor animals drank; and I was happy to find +that a sufficiency would still remain to supply us until Monday morning, +when we intended again to set forward. + +June 22.--The morning mild, but a thick drizzling rain continued until +near noon, when it cleared up. The variation of the compass was 7. 45. E. + +About sunset Mr. Cunningham returned from a botanical excursion to +Mount Flinders; he had found many new plants on the west side of the +mount, but nothing was seen from its summit which had not been +previously observed from Barrow's Hill: Frazer, our botanical soldier, +also returned from Mount Bowen, in Goulburn's Range; but was not +fortunate enough to find any thing new in vegetation, as it had been +lately burnt: it was, however, remarkable that the paneratium Macquarie +should be found growing in great abundance at the very top; this plant +never being found except near moist Places, and in the vicinity of +water. At the foot of Mount Bowen, Frazer fell in with a native camp, +which had not been quitted more than a day or two: among the reliques +were three or four pearl muscles, such as we had observed on the river; +and it is probable that these may have been the property of natives who +live more immediately in that vicinity. These shells are used as knives, +being ground very sharp against the rocks, and certainly for a scraper +they may answer very well. + +It may here be remarked, that the composition of the lofty detached +hills, designated as mounts, is uniformly different from the rock +composing the bases and summits of the more connected and elevated +tracts, and what may more properly be termed ranges; the latter being of +hard dark coloured granite, whilst the former rather resembles hard +sandstone, studded with pebbles and quartz. The west side of Mount +Flinders was covered with quartz, whilst the larger pieces of rock, on +being broken, appeared to be an indurated sandstone. + +June 23.--The watering our horses took us up so much time, that it was +ten o'clock before we set forward to the northward. After proceeding +about four miles, the country became much more open, extending east and +west over a flat level plain, the botany of which, in every respect, +resembled Field's Plains; except that a new species of eucalyptus took +place of the acacia pendula. A flock of large kangaroos was seen for the +first time since we quitted the Lachlan; also many emus and bustards. +Our dogs killed three kangaroos and two emus. The soil of these plains +was a stiff tenacious clay, and had every appearance of being frequently +under water: as we were now in the parallel of the spot where the river +divided into branches, the altered appearance of the country induced us +to hope that we should shortly fall in with some permanent water, and be +relieved from the constant anxiety attendant on the precarious supply to +which we had lately been enured. + +After going eight miles and a quarter, we suddenly came upon the banks +of the river; I call it the river, for it could certainly be no other +than the Lachlan, which we had quitted nearly five weeks before. Our +astonishment was extreme, since it was an incident little expected by +any one. It was here extremely diminished in size, but was still nearly +equal in magnitude to the south-west branch which we last quitted. The +banks were about twelve or fourteen feet above the water, and it was +running with a tolerably brisk stream to the westward. The banks were so +thickly covered with large eucalypti, that we did not perceive it until +we were within a very few yards of it; it appeared about thirty feet +broad, running over a sandy bottom. I think it extremely probable that +the waters of both the main branches, after losing a very considerable +portion over the low grounds in the neighbourhood of Mount Cunningham +and Field's Plains, have again united and formed the present stream. + +Our future course did not admit of any hesitation, and it was resolved +to go down the stream as long as there was a chance of its becoming more +considerable, and until our provisions should be so far expended as +barely to enable us to return to Bathurst. + +It is a singular phenomenon in the history of this river, that, in a +course of upwards of two hundred and fifty miles, in a direct line from +where Mr. Evans first discovered it, not the smallest rivulet, or, in +fact, water of any description, falls into it from either the north or +south; with the exception of the two small occasional streams near the +depot, which flow from the north. + +The country to the southward, in its soil and productions, explains +pretty satisfactorily why no constant running streams can have sources +in that direction; and it may be esteemed, as to useful purposes, +a desert, uninhabitable country. A small strip along the sea-coast +may possibly be better, and derive water from the low hills which +are known to border on it: south of the parallel of 34. S. may +therefore be considered as falling under the above designation and +description of country. + +The plains south of the river, and lying from Goulburn's to Macquarie's +Range, were named Strangford Plains; and a remarkable peak south of +Barrow's Hill, Dryander's Head. + +We resolved to try if our old friends, the fish, still continued in the +streams; in the course of a short time five fine ones were caught: this +most seasonable refreshment had an excellent effect in raising our +hitherto depressed spirits; and eternal Hope again visited us in the +form of extensive lakes and a better country; and even when her +companion Fear obtruded herself on our minds, the certainty of plenty of +water, and the chance of a fresh meal, dispelled every remaining +anxiety. + +It was a matter of considerable curiosity and interest to us, in what +direction the Macquarie River had run; it was clear that it had not +joined the present stream, for in that case it would have been much more +considerable: we were within three or four miles of the latitude of +Bathurst, and it was scarcely probable that it should continue for so +long a course to run parallel to the Lachlan. The whole form, character, +and composition of this part of the country is so extremely singular, +that a conjecture on the subject is hardly hazarded before it is +overturned; every thing seems to run counter to the ordinary course of +nature in other countries. + +June 24.--The water is about three feet above the common level, and +although the banks on both sides are certainly occasionally overflowed, +there is no appearance of any fresh or flood having swollen the stream +for a considerable time. + +At nine o'clock we set forward down the river; our course lay westerly, +and by three o'clock we had gone nearly twelve miles in that direction; +when we stopped for the night on the banks of the river near the +termination of Macquarie's Range, the north point of which I named Mount +Porteous. + +Strangford's Plains lay along our course the whole way; the river being +hidden from our view by a thick border of trees. We observed several +hollows and gulleys, which being connected with the river in times of +flood, receive their waters from it; they were now dry; but the +singularity consisted in the water being conveyed by them over the low +lands instead of their being the channels by which the waters in rainy +seasons might be drained off to the river. During our whole journey, we +have never discovered in what manner any additional supply of water +could be conveyed to it, as the back lands (with the exception of the +ranges) were always lower than the immediate banks of the river itself; +where we stopped, it was about thirty feet wide, and nearly choked up +with fallen trees. + +Whilst the horses were coming up, I set off, accompanied by Mr. +Cunningham, for the purpose of ascending Mount Porteous: the view from +it by no means repaid us for our trouble; the same everlasting flats met +our eye in every direction westerly round nearly to north, in which +quarter the horizon was occasionally studded with hills, at too great a +distance to render them objects of interest to us. The immediate +vicinity of the river was free from timber or brush in various places; +and these tracts have hitherto received the particular denomination of +PLAINS, which might with equal propriety be extended to the whole +country. The bases of the hills and ranges were invariably a barren red +sand, affording nourishment to a few miserable cypresses and eucalypti +dumosa; between which, and filling up all the intermediate spaces, grows +a variety of acacia and dwarf shrubs, rendering those parts nearly a +thicket. Within one hundred yards of the bank of the river, and there +alone, were seen the only timber trees we had met with in the country; +if huge unshapen eucalypti, which would not afford a straight plank ten +feet long, may be so denominated. + +June 25,--Proceeded down the river, and at three o'clock halted for the +night, having performed about eleven miles; the country barren, even to +the very verge of the stream, which continues to run nearly west. We +were obliged to keep at a small distance from the river, owing to large +lagoons, partly full of water, which would have otherwise interrupted +our course, or rather our multitude of courses; for I never saw a stream +with such opposite windings, and no one reach was a quarter of a mile +long, so that it may be said to resemble a collar of SS. The opposite +plains were named Butterworth Plains. + +Several new plants were the result of to-day's research, among them a +new species of amaryllis, upon which the botanists prided themselves +much; for in this country few were supposed to be in existence. + +June 26--The morning cold and frosty. At nine o'clock we proceeded down +the river, which inclined to the south of west for ten miles; when at +three o'clock we stopped for the evening. We passed through a country to +the full as barren as any we had yet seen. There were occasional clear +spaces, but for the greater part thick cypress bushes, acacia, and other +low shrubs, rendered it difficult for the horses to pass. On the plain, +the acacia pendula again made a very fine appearance. + +The timber on the intermediate banks of the stream became scarcer and +smaller; and from the marks on the trees in the swamps, it sometimes +overflows them to the depth of two feet; but they have now apparently +been long dry, the little water remaining in the hollows or holes being +a milky white. + +The abundance of white cockatoos and crows, which is constantly about +the banks of the river, is astonishing; the other smaller birds appear +to be also common to the east coast. Since we have been on the river, no +recent traces of the natives have been seen; here, as higher up the +river, they rather seem to shun it, and frequent the higher grounds in +preference: perhaps their food is more easily procured on those grounds +than on the river, particularly as they appear unacquainted with the +method of taking the fish by hook and line. + +As the horses were by no means in a condition to be forced, I determined +to remain here to-morrow to refresh them, and set forward again on +Saturday morning. + +June 27.--After breakfast, I sent two men down the river to examine our +route for to-morrow: one of them crossed over to the north side, to +endeavour to reach some open spaces of plains which we saw from our +tent. In the course of the afternoon they both returned; one, who had +gone a little way inland on this side, could make no progress for +extensive swamps, covered with water of the depth of from two to four +feet, and abounding with black swans and wild fowl. The other man was +also unable to reach the plains on the other side for water supplied +from a creek of the river, and forming an extensive and deep morass. + +With these unfavourable reports before us, we determined to keep close +to this bank of the river during tomorrow's journey; and if we should he +prevented by its overflowing from proceeding, to return, and endeavour +to round the morasses to the southward. Latitude by observation +33. 22. S., long. 145. 24. 15. E.; and the variation of the compass +7. 30. E. + +June 28.--Upon farther consideration, it appeared more advisable that +the horses should proceed round the south edge of the morasses rather +than be obliged to return; after keeping by the river for three or four +miles, which to all appearance was as far as we should be enabled to +proceed in that direction. However, that there might remain no doubt as +to which was the preferable route, I adhered to my determination to go +down the banks of the river myself as far as I could, and return by the +route which the horses were to take. Our principal object being to keep +as close to the stream as possible, with reference to the ability of the +horses to travel over the ground. + +The horses set forward at nine o'clock$ and I proceeded down the stream +five or six miles, when I was obliged to return to the place from which +I set out, being unable to cross a small drain that led from the swamps +to the river. I could in no place deviate above fifty yards from the +river without being bogged, the water lying in some places eighteen +inches deep, and in holes, much deeper. I attempted several times to +proceed southerly, intending to cross the track which I presumed Mr. +Evans would be obliged to take, but I was unable to accomplish it. The +route taken by Mr. Evans and the horses led along the edge of extensive +morasses covered with water; we proceeded nine or ten miles, when the +morasses almost assumed the appearance of lakes; very extensive +portions of them being free from timber, and being apparently deep +water. South of the edge of the morass along which we travelled, the +country was a barren scrub, and in places very soft; the horses falling +repeatedly during the day. + +At the place where we stopped for the evening, I calculated that we were +about five miles south of the river; on the edge of a very large lagoon, +or lake. The country was so extremely low, that before I returned up the +river to rejoin the horses, wishing to see what the openings on the +other side were, I ascended a large gum tree, which enabled me to see +that the flats opposite were similar to those on the south side. Our +progress, upon the whole although we had travelled upwards of ten miles, +did not exceed in a direct line five miles. The lagoons abound with +water fowl, although we were not so fortunate as to obtain any; we were +however amply compensated by our dogs killing a fine large emu. Various +old marks of natives having visited these lakes, but none recent. + +June 29.--Our course in the first instance was directed in such a +manner as to compass the lagoons, which after travelling about three +miles and a half to the south-west, we accomplished, and again came upon +the stream; the country thence backward bore the marks of being at some +periods near three feet under water, and was covered with small +box-trees: the country from our rejoining the river, to the place at +which we stopped for the evening, consisted of barren plains, extending +on both sides of the stream to a considerable distance backward. The +points of the bends of the river were universally wet swamps with large +lagoons; the back land, though equally subject to flood, was now dry; +but the travelling was very heavy, the ground being a rotten, red, sandy +loam, on which nothing grew but the usual production of marshes. I never +saw a stream with so many sinuosities; in many places a quarter of a +mile would cut off at least three miles by the river. The stream was in +places much contracted, sand banks stretching nearly across; its medium +depth was about eight feet. + +There was not the smallest eminence whence a view might be obtained, the +country appearing a dead level; and although on these plains we could +see for some distance all round, yet there was not a rising ground in +any direction. The plains on the north side of the stream were named +Holdsworthy; and those on the south, Harrington. We were lucky enough to +procure two fine emus. + +June 30.--The first two or three miles were somewhat harder travelling +than the greater part of yesterday. Immense plains extended to the +westward, as far as the eye could reach. These plains were entirely +barren, being evidently in times of rain altogether under water, when +they doubtless form one vast lake: they extended in places from three to +six miles from the margin of the stream, which on its immediate borders +was a wet bog, full of small water holes, and the surface covered with +marsh plants, with a few straggling dwarf box-trees. It was only on the +very edge of the bank, and in the bottoms of the bights, that any +eucalypti grew; the plains were covered with nothing but gnaphalium: the +soil various, in some places red tenacious clay, in others a dark +hazel-coloured loam, so rotten and full of holes that it was with +difficulty the horses could travel over them. Although those plains were +bounded only by the horizon, not a semblance of a hill appeared in the +distance; we seemed indeed to have taken a long farewell of every thing +like an elevation, whence the surrounding country could be observed. To +the southward, bounding those plains in that direction, barren scrubs +and dwarf box-trees, with numberless holes of stagnant water, too +clearly proclaimed the nature of the country in that quarter. We could +see through the openings of the trees on the river that plains of +similar extent occupied the other side, which has all along appeared to +us to be (if any thing) the lower ground. We travelled in the centre of +the plains, our medium distance from the river being from one to two +miles; and although we did not go above thirteen miles, some of the +horses were excessively distressed from the nature of the ground. + +There was not the least appearance of natives; nor was bird or animal of +any description seen during the day, except a solitary native dog. +Nothing can be more melancholy and irksome than travelling over wilds, +which nature seems to have condemned to perpetual loneliness and +desolation. We seemed indeed the sole living creatures in those vast +deserts. + +The plains last travelled over were named Molle's Plains, after the late +lieutenant-governor of the territory; and those on the opposite side, +Baird's Plains, after the general to whom he once acted as aide-de-camp, +and whose glory he shared. The naming of places was often the only +pleasure within our reach; but it was some relief from the desolation of +these plains and hills to throw over them the associations of names dear +to friendship, or sacred to genius. In the evening three or four small +fish were caught. + +July 1.--Dark cloudy morning, with showers of rain. However desirous I +was to proceed, I found that to do so would greatly injure the horses. +Towards noon it cleared up, permitting me to take a tolerable +observation, to ascertain our situation. I consider ourselves as +peculiarly fortunate in being blessed with so dry and favourable a +season; since all attempts to penetrate into the country during rain, or +after an inundation of the stream, must have failed. I am quite +convinced that at this place, when the banks are overflowed, the waters +must extend from thirty to forty miles on each side of the stream, as we +are that distance from any eminence. If there had been any nearer to the +north, west, or south, we must have seen it from those extensive plains +on which we have travelled for the last three days; for looking +eastward, we can distinctly perceive Macquarie's Range, from which we +estimate ourselves to be about thirty-five miles west. The stream was +sounded in various places during the day, and its greatest depth never +exceeded seven feet; the bottom and sides a stiff bluish clay. Latitude +observed 33. 32. 22. S., longitude 145. 5. 50. E.; variation of the +compass 6. 49. E. + +July 2.--At nine o'clock we again set forward down the stream; our +course, as it has hitherto done, lay over apparently interminable +plains, nothing relieving the eye but a few scattered bushes, and +occasionally some dwarf box-trees: the view was boundless as the ocean, +neither eminence nor hillock appearing. On the edges of the stream +alone, and the lagoons that occasionally branched from it, was any thing +like timber to be seen. The occasional openings on the stream enabled us +to perceive, that the north side was in every respect similar to the +south: I was so much deceived, by the semblance of the plains on the +other side to sheets of water, that I twice went down to the edge of the +stream to assure myself to the contrary. + +A strong current of water must frequently pass over these plains, as is +evident from the traces left by the washings of shrubs, leaves, etc. The +soil was a brown hazel-coloured sandy loam, very soft and boggy; in +places it was more tenacious, water still remaining in many holes. By +the marks on the trees it would seem that the stream occasionally +overflows its banks to the depth of three or four feet; and five miles +back from it small trees were seen, that had evidently stood from twelve +to eighteen inches in the water. As usual we saw no recent signs of +natives having visited these parts; here and there the remains of +burnt muscle-shells would denote that at certain seasons the stream is +visited by them for the purpose of procuring these shell-fish: I am +clearly of opinion that, in dry summers, there is no running water in +the bed of the present stream, and thus it is easy for them to procure +the muscles from the shallow stagnant pools which would naturally be +formed at every bend of the stream. To procure any such shell-fish +whilst a stream like the present is running in it, is totally +impossible. + +Although we did not travel above eleven miles, we were nearly seven +hours in performing it. Our halting place was within a few feet of the +river, and so wet and spongy, that the water sprung even from the +pressure of our feet; and this has been the case nearly ever since we +made the stream, though of course we chose the driest spots. Neither +hunting nor fishing were successful today, but as we had become from +experience not over sanguine, our expectations were not much +disappointed, and the aspect of the country promised nothing. + +It had been remarked by all, for some days past, that a putrid sour +smell seemed to proceed from the plains, and we were at first at some +loss to discover the cause of it, as there did not appear sufficient +vegetable matter in a decayed state to produce such an effect. Mr. +Cunningham discovered that it proceeded from decayed plants of the +salsolae, which produce the same effect as decayed sea-weed does in salt +marshes; in short, all the plants found in our journey over these plains +are the natural productions of low wet situations. + +July 3.--So thick a fog arose during the night, that in the morning we +could not see in any direction above one hundred yards; this delayed us +considerably, and it was the middle of the day before we could proceed. + +Our course lay over the same description of country as we had previously +passed. The soil in some parts a red loamy mould; in others, a dark +hazel-coloured sandy soil: this last appears to have its origin in the +depositions left by floods, the former being the original or prevailing +soil. The plants and shrubs the same as yesterday. + +Several flocks of a new description of pigeon were seen for the first +time; two were shot, and were beautiful and curious. Their heads were +crowned with a black plume, their wings streaked with black, the short +feathers of a golden colour edged with white; the back of their necks a +light flesh-colour, their breasts fawn-coloured, and their eyes red. A +new species of cockatoo or paroquet, being between both, was also seen, +with red necks and breasts, and grey backs. I mention these birds thus +particularly, as they are the only ones we have yet seen which at all +differ from those known on the east coast. [Note: See the Plates.] Our +visible horizon, in every direction, being merely studded with shrubs +and low bushes, gave the scene a singular marine appearance. We stopped +about two miles south of the river, not being able to reach it before +night-fall, the marshy ground having driven us a considerable distance +round. + +July 4.--During this day's course we repeatedly attempted to gain the +situation where we supposed the river to take its course, but were +always disappointed; immense swamps constantly barred our attempts to +travel northerly; these swamps were now covered with several feet of +water, which, from the marks of dwarf trees growing in them, is +sometimes three or four feet deeper. The same dead level of country +still prevailed; and the sandy deserts of Arabia could not boast a +clearer horizon, the low acacia bushes not in any degree interrupting +the view. It was remarkable that there was always water where the dwarf +box-trees grew; we might therefore be said to coast along from woody +point to point, since all attempts to pass through them were uniformly +defeated. The soil the same as yesterday, and most unpleasant to travel +over, from the circular pools or hollows, which covered the whole plain, +and which seem to be formed by whirlpools of water, having a deep hole +in the bottom, through which the water appeared to have gradually +drained off. It is clear that the entire country is at times inundated, +and that as every thing now bears the appearance of long-continued +drought, the swamps and stagnant waters are the residuum. + +In the whole we proceeded upwards of fourteen miles, and stopped for the +night upon the edge of one of the swamps, which are now the only places +that afford any timber for firing. Some traces of natives were seen +today, about three or four days old; they appeared to have been a single +family of four or five persons. If there are any natives in our +neighbourhood, they must have discovered us, and keep out of the way, +otherwise upon these clear flats we could not avoid seeing them. + +We were again fortunate enough to kill an emu, a most acceptable +supply, since continued exercise gives us appetites something beyond +what our ration can satisfy. + +July 5.--Independently of the nature of the country rendering it +altogether uninhabitable, the noxious vapours that must naturally arise +during the heats of summer from these marshes (should the present +surface of land on which we are now travelling be then free from water), +would render the whole tract peculiarly unhealthy. Even during the short +space of a fortnight, when it might be presumed that the winter's cold +had in a great degree rendered the effluvia innoxious, every person in +the expedition was more or less affected by dysenterical complaints; and +the putrid sour smell that constantly attended us was symptomatic of +what would be its effects when rendered active by the powerful heats of +summer. + +Although there was no grass out of the marshes for the horses to feed +upon, yet they appeared to live very tolerably upon a species of +atriplex which covered the plains, and being extremely succulent was +eaten with avidity by them; they certainly preferred it to the grasses +which the swamps produced. + +Our route lay over the same unvarying plain surface as on the preceding +days, and after travelling about five miles, we again saw the line of +trees growing on the banks of the stream; and having performed about ten +miles more, we halted on the immediate banks of it. These were +considerably lower, being about six feet above the water; the current +was almost imperceptible, and the depth did not exceed four feet, and +was extremely muddy; the trees growing on the banks were neither so +large nor so numerous as before, and a new species of eucalyptus +prevailed over the old blue gum. The north-east side was precisely of +the same description of country as the south-east. A very large sheet of +water or lake lay on the north-west side, opposite to the place where we +made the river. The horizon was clear and distinct round the whole +circle, the line of trees on the river alone excepted. From the marks on +these trees, the waters appear to rise about three feet above the level +of the bank; a height more than sufficient to inundate the whole +country. This stream is certainly in the summer season, or in the long +absence of rain, nothing more than a mere chain of ponds, serving as a +channel to convey the waters from the eastward over this low tract. It +is certain that no waters join this river from its source to this point; +and passing, as it does, for the most part, through a line of country so +low as to be frequently overflowed, and to an extent north and south +perfectly unknown. but certainly at this place exceeding forty miles, it +must cause the country to remain for ever uninhabitable, and useless for +all the purposes of civilized man. + +These considerations, added to the state of our provisions, of which, at +the reduced ration of three pounds of flour per man per week, we had but +ten weeks remaining, determined me to proceed no farther westward with +the main part of the expedition; but as the state of the greater part of +our horses was such as absolutely to require some days' rest and +refreshment, before we attempted to return eastward, I considered that +it would be acting best up to the spirit of my instructions to proceed +forward myself with three men and horses, and as we should carry nothing +with us but our provisions, we should be enabled to proceed with so much +expedition, as to go as far and see as much in three days as would take +the whole party at least seven to perform. + +My object in thus proceeding farther was to get so far to the westward +as to place beyond all question the impossibility of a river falling +into the sea between Cape Otway and Cape Bernouilli. In my opinion, the +very nature of the country altogether precludes such a possibility, but +I think my proceeding so far will be conclusive with those who have most +strongly imbibed the conviction that a river enters the sea between the +Capes in question, which was certainly an idea I also had entertained, +and which nothing but the survey of a country, without either hills or +permanent streams, could have destroyed. + +I must observe as a remarkable feature in this singular country, that +for the last fifty miles we have not seen a stone or pebble of any kind, +save two, and they were taken out of the maws of two emus. I am now +firmly persuaded that there are no eminent grounds in this part of the +country, until these low sandy hills [Note: From Encounter Bay to this +slight projection (Cape Bernouilli), the coast is little else than a +bank of sand, with a few hummocks on the top, partially covered with +small vegetation, nor could any thing in the interior country be +distinguished above the bank. Flinder's Voy. Vol. I. p. 197.] which +bound the south-western coast-line are reached; and these, in my +judgment, are the only barriers which prevent the ocean from extending +its empire over a country which was probably once under its dominion. + +July 6.--A fine and pleasant morning; one of the horses was found dead, +the greater part of the others in a very weakly state. + +July 7.--At eight o'clock, taking with me three men, I proceeded to +follow the course of the stream; I attempted in the first instance to +keep away from the banks, but was soon obliged to join them, as the +morasses extended outwards and intersected my proposed course in almost +every direction. About three miles and a half from the tent, a large arm +extended from the north bank to a considerable distance on that side; +the banks continually getting lower, and before we had gone six miles it +was evident that the channel of the stream was only the bed of a lagoon, +the current now being imperceptible, with small gum trees growing in the +middle. Three miles farther the morasses closed upon us, and rendered +all farther progress impossible. The water was here stagnant. The large +trees that used to be met with in such numbers up the stream were +entirely lost, a few diminutive gums being the only timber to be seen: +the height of the bank from the water-line was three feet six inches; +and the marks of floods on the trunks of the trees rose to the height of +four feet six inches, being about one foot above the level of the +surrounding marshes. It would appear that the water is frequently +stationary at that height for a considerable time, as long moss and +other marks of stagnant waters were remaining on the trunks and roots of +the trees, and on the long-leaved acacia, which was here a strong plant. +There could not be above three feet water in this part of the lagoon, as +small bushes and tufts of tea grass were perceptible. The water was +extremely muddy, and the odour arising from the banks and marshes was +offensive in the extreme. There were only four different kinds of plants +at this terminating point of our journey, viz. the small eucalyptus, the +long-leaved acacia, the large tea grass, and a new diaeceous plant which +covered the marshes, named polygonum junceum. It is possible that the +bed of the lagoon might extend eight or ten miles farther, but I do not +think it did, as the horizon was perfectly clear in all directions, a +few bushes and acacia trees, marking the course of the lagoon, excepted. + +Had there been any hill or even small eminence within thirty or forty +miles of me they must now have been discovered, but there was not the +least appearance of any such, and it was with infinite regret and pain +that I was forced to come to the conclusion, that the interior of this +vast country is a marsh and uninhabitable. How near these marshes may +approach the south-western coast, I know not; but I do not think that the +range of high and dry land in that quarter extends back north-easterly +for any great distance; it being known, that the coast from Cape +Bernouilli to the head of Spencer's Gulf is sandy and destitute of +water. [Note: The view from the top of Mount Brown (in lat. 32. 30. 15. +S. +and lon. 138. 0. 3/4. E. head of Spencer's Gulf) was very extensive, +its elevation not being less than three thousand feet; but neither +rivers nor lakes could be perceived, nor any thing of the sea to the +south-eastward. In almost every direction the eye traversed over an +uninterruptedly flat woody country, the sole exceptions being the ridge +of mountains, extending north and south; and the water of the gulf to +the south-westward. Flinder's Voy. Vol. I. p. 159.] + +Perhaps there is no river, the history of which is known, that presents +so remarkable a termination as the present: its course in a straight +line from its source to its termination exceeds five hundred miles, and +including its windings, it may fairly be calculated to run at least +twelve hundred miles; during all which passage, through such a vast +extent +of country, it does not receive a single stream in addition to what it +derives from its sources in the eastern mountains. + +I think it a probable conjecture that this river is the channel by which +all the waters rising in those ranges of hills to the westward of Port +Jackson, known by the name of the Blue Mountains, and which do not fall +into the sea on the east coast, are conveyed to these immense inland +marshes; its sinuous course causing it to overflow its banks on a much +higher level than the present, and in consequence, forming those low wet +levels which are in the very neighbourhood of the government depot. Its +length of course is, in my opinion, the principal cause of our finding +any thing like a stream for the last one hundred miles, as the immense +body of water which must undoubtedly be at times collected in such a +river must find a vent somewhere, but being spent during so long a +course without any accession, the only wonder is, that even those waters +should cause a current at so great a distance from their source; +everything however indicates, as before often observed, that in dry +seasons the channel of the river is empty, or forms only a chain of +ponds. It appears to have been a considerable length of time since the +banks were overflowed, certainly not for the last year; and I think it +probable they are not often so: the quantity of water must indeed be +immense, and of long accumulation, in the upper marshes, before the +whole of this vast country can be under water. + +My intention to penetrate farther westward being thus frustrated, I +returned to the tent about three o'clock, and determined, should the +horses appear sufficiently recovered and refreshed, finally to quit +this western part of the country on Thursday next; a few days rain +would prevent us from ever quitting it, but we have been bountifully +favoured by Providence with a season of continued fair and pleasant +weather, which could hardly have been expected, and which alone could +have enabled us to decide so satisfactorily, if it can be called +satisfaction to prove the negative of the existence of any navigable +rivers in this part of Australia. + +July 8.--Observed the sun's magnetic amplitude in rising from the clear +horizon of the plain, a circumstance that rarely can occur in any +country unless such a one as the present; it strongly marks the. +horizontal level which seems to run now from east to west. + + +Mean lat. of our tent 33 degrees 53 minutes 19 seconds S. +Comp. long. 144 33 50 E. +Mean variation 7 25 00 E. + + +Situation of the spot where the stream ceased to have a current. + +Lat 33 degrees 57 minutes 30 seconds S. +Long. comp. 144 23 00 E. +Do. do. 144 31 15 E. + + +No hill or eminence in a south-west direction terminating in +lat. 34. 22. 12. and in long. 143. 30. 00. E. which is the calculated +extent of our visible clear horizon. + +The afternoon proved cloudy, with occasional showers: prepared every +thing for our return eastward on the morrow. + +July 9.--The morning fair and pleasant, but cold, the ground being +covered with hoar-frost. At half-past eight we set out on our return +eastward, every one feeling no little pleasure at quitting a region +which had presented nothing to his exertions but disappointment and +desolation. Under a tree near the tent, inscribed with the words "Dig +under," we buried a bottle, containing a paper bearing the date of our +arrival and departure, with our purposed course, and the names of each +individual that composed the party. I cannot flatter myself with the +belief, however, that European eyes will ever trace the characters +either on the tree or the paper; but we deposited the scroll as a +memorial that the spot had been once in the tide of time visited by +civilized man, and that should Providence forbid our safe return to +Bathurst, the friends who might search for us should at least know the +course we had taken. + +About two o'clock we arrived at our halting-place of the 4th; and +there being no place convenient for pitching our tent within six or +seven miles farther on, we determined to remain here. + +July 10.--Observed the variation of the compass by amp., at sun-rising, +to be 7. 47. E., by Kater's compass. The horses having strayed, it was +nearly eleven o'clock before we could set out, and between four and five +o'clock we stopped at our halting-place of the 3d. On our way we passed +a raised mound of earth which had somewhat the appearance of a +burial-place; we opened it, but found nothing in it except a few ashes, +but whether from bones or wood could not be distinguished; a +semicircular trench was dug round one side of it, as if for seats for +persons in attendance. + +July 11.--At nine, again set forward on our return up the river, and it +was near four o'clock before we arrived at a convenient halting-place on +its banks, the river presented a most singular phenomenon to our +astonished view. That river which yesterday was so shallow that it could +be walked across, and whose stream was scarcely perceptible, was now +rolling along its agitated and muddy waters nearly on a level with the +banks: whence this sudden rise, we could not divine, any more than we +could account for the non-appearance of a fresh twenty miles lower down; +unless the marshes which we have traced for the two last days, at a +distance from the river, should have absorbed the waters in passing, or +unless the extremely winding course should so protract and retard the +current of them as to cause a considerable time to elapse before a flood +in the upper parts could reach the lower. We considered ourselves as +extremely fortunate in having quitted our station of the 8th a day or +two before it was originally intended, as we should otherwise have been +in considerable danger. + +The present height of the bank above the level of the stream is four +feet nine inches. + +A singular instance of affection in one of the brute creation was this +day witnessed. About a week ago we killed a native dog, and threw his +body on a small bush: in returning past the same spot to-day, we found +the body removed three or four yards from the bush, and the female in a +dying state lying close beside it; she had apparently been there from +the day the dog was killed, being so weakened and emaciated as to be +unable to move on our approach. It was deemed mercy to despatch her. + +A tomb similar in form to that which we observed yesterday being +discovered near our halting-place of this day, I caused it to be opened: +it is as a conical mound of earth about four feet high in the centre, +and nearly eight feet long in the longest part, exactly in the centre, +and deep in the ground: we at first thought we perceived the remains of +a human body, which had been originally placed upon sticks arranged +transversely, but now nearly decayed by time; nothing remained of what +we took for the body but a quantity of unctuous clayey matter. The whole +had the appearance of being not recent, the semicircular seats being now +nearly level with the rest of the ground, and the tomb itself overgrown +with weeds. The river fell about three inches in the course of the +night. + +July 12.--It is impossible that any weather can be finer than that which +we are favoured with. For days together the sky is unobscured by even a +single cloud, and although the air is cold and sharp, yet the dryness of +the atmosphere amply repays us for any little inconvenience we sustain +from the cold. At nine, we again set forward on our return up the river, +and at three arrived on its banks, having performed about twelve miles. +The river had fallen about one foot in the course of the day. The horses +being much fatigued by the heavy travelling over the flats, and many of +them being very sorely galled in the back, I propose halting to-morrow +to refresh them. We were this day once more cheered by the sight of +rising ground; Macquarie's Range just appearing above the horizon, +distance about forty miles; and we felt that we were again about to +tread on secure and healthy land, with a chance of procuring some sort +of game, which would now be very acceptable, our diet being entirely +confined to pork and our morsel of bread. The weather is far too cold for +us to have any hopes of procuring fish; all our attempts to catch them +for the last fortnight being unsuccessful. The odour from the river and +marshes was most fetid, and was, I think, even stronger than that which +we had before experienced. + +July 13.--In the course of the day the river fell upwards of a foot. + +July 14.--The river fell about eighteen inches. We found that the horses +had again strayed, and they were not found and brought home until past +sunset, having wandered about in search of food from eight to twelve +miles in various directions. As the people had of course separated in +the search, three men still remained out; and being fearful that the +darkness of the night might prevent them from finding the camp, fired +several musquets, and kindled a fire upon the plains. It was twelve +o'clock before they were fortunate enough to regain the tents. + +July 15.--At three, having travelled about twelve miles, halted on the +stream for the evening. The dogs killed an emu. + +July 16.--Cloudy, but mild and pleasant. We retraced this day much of +the same ground which we travelled on the 28th ult. The horses were +frequently up to their shoulders in deep holes, to the danger of +breaking their own limbs, or those of their leaders or riders. There is +a uniformity in the barren desolateness of this country, which wearies +one more than I am able to express. One tree, one soil, one water, and +one description of bird, fish, or animal, prevails alike for ten miles, +and for one hundred. A variety of wretchedness is at all times +preferable to one unvarying cause of pain or distress. + +We halted on the margin of one of the swamps, after travelling about +eleven miles, which it took eight hours to accomplish. + +July 17.--Part of the horses again strayed; these delays in such a +country try our patience to the very utmost, and their very rambling is +the sole means of their being kept alive. It was past eleven before we +could set out, and the rain that had fallen during the night rendered +our track so extremely soft that it was with difficulty the horses could +proceed. At three we halted for the evening on a large lagoon near the +river, having gone about nine miles and a quarter. + +July 18.--At nine proceeded onwards towards Macquarie's Range; and at +four, we halted at the place we rested at on the 24th ult. For the first +time since we left Cypress Hill we heard natives on the other side of +the river, but they kept out of our sight. + +July 19.--At nine we proceeded up the river, and at three arrived at the +spot where we first reached the river on the 23d ult. The fresh in the +river was still considerable, being from three to five feet above its +apparent usual level. + +July 20.--Rested the horses to-day, having had a hard week's work, and +the weather being unfavourable. Confirmed my intention of returning to +Bathurst instead of the depot on the Lachlan, for the following reasons. +The route up the Lachlan would be difficult and very tedious, not to say +impracticable, without the assistance of boats in crossing the two +principal creeks; and if it should have proved wet and rainy, it would +be nearly impossible to travel over the low-lands with loaded horses. +Again, our return by the route outward would not afford us any +additional knowledge of the country, and presuming this river to be the +Lachlan, the course and the country in the neighbourhood of the +Macquarie would still remain unknown. To return to Bathurst by a +northerly course would enable us to trace the Macquarie to a very +considerable distance; it would give us a knowledge of the country at +least two hundred miles below Bathurst; and although the difficulties we +may meet with in the attempt are of course unknown to us, yet I consider +it a far preferable route to returning by the Lachlan, the difficulties +of which are known, and I think we may reach one station as soon as the +other. + +To-morrow, therefore, I am resolved to set forward again up the stream, +and take the earliest opportunity to cross it; when, should the +inclination of its course be such as to give reason to believe it to be +the Macquarie, we shall continue on the north bank the whole way to +Bathurst: but, on the contrary, should its course leave it no longer in +doubt that it is the Lachlan again rising from the marshes under Mount +Cunningham, we shall quit its banks, and, taking a north-easterly +course, endeavour to fall in with the Macquarie, which having found, I +shall pursue my first intention of keeping along its banks until we +arrive at Bathurst. The river has risen in the course of the night and +morning about eighteen inches. We killed this day a red kangaroo, and +three emus. + +July 21.--The stream has risen nearly eighteen inches in the night. It +is extremely puzzling whence such a body of water can come thus +suddenly. There must have been a great deal of rain in the eastern +mountains, and the accumulated waters can be only now bending their way +to the lower grounds; should the winter have proved wet to the eastward, +it will undoubtedly solve the problem. + +At half past eight o'clock we proceeded up the river, which during our +day's journey trended nearly north. Both banks appeared equally low: +that on which we were travelling extended to the base of Goulburn's +Range, and was wet and barren. About two miles from our night's +encampment, we ascended a low stony hill, from which the country +northerly was broken into detached hills; to the east was Goulburn's +Range, and to the north-west the country was low without any rising +grounds as far as we could see. The sameness which had so wearied us +during the last month was somewhat relieved by the various rising +hills and low ranges which were scattered over the otherwise level +surface of the country. A hill bearing N. 15 E. received the name +of Mount Torrens; it stood quite detached. Two of the men, who were +about a mile ahead of the main party, fell in with a small native +family, consisting of a man, two women and three children, the +eldest about three years old. The man was very stout and tall; he +was armed with a jagged spear, and no friendly motions of the men (who +were totally unarmed) could induce him to lay it aside, or suffer them +to approach him: during the short time they were with him, he kept the +most watchful eye upon them; and when the men calling the dogs together +were about to depart, he threw down with apparent fierceness the little +bark guneah which had sheltered him and his family during the night, and +made towards the river, calling loudly and repeatedly, as if to bring +others to his assistance: he was quite naked, except the netted band +round the waist, in which were womerahs. The women were covered with +skins over their shoulders, and the two younger children were slung in +them on their backs. + +There was a very considerable fresh in the stream, and its windings +to-day were singularly remarkable, insomuch that it was frequently taken +for two different rivers; necks of land near a mile long, but not one +hundred yards wide, being the only separation between several of the +reaches. At three o'clock we halted on its banks, having travelled +eleven miles and a half. + +July 22.--The river had risen during the night upwards of a foot, and +was now about eight feet from the banks; its breadth from thirty to +fifty feet, whilst its apparent usual channel could not exceed from +fifteen to twenty. The calls of the natives were heard this morning on +the opposite side of the river. At nine o'clock we again proceeded up +the river, which to-day trended east by north. About four miles east +from our last station, we ascended a stony mount being near the +north-east extreme of Goulburn's Range: the country to the north-east +and round to east was without any eminences of magnitude, but several +rising chains of low hills were scattered over the general surface of +the country; they were mostly bare of trees, being stony and barren. It +is impossible to imagine a worse tract of country than that through +which our route lay this day; to the very edges of the stream, it was a +barren acacia scrub intermingled with cypresses and dwarf box-trees. The +flats were uniformly swampy, and covered with bushes (rhagodea); the +hills instead of grass were clothed with gnapthalium. We repeatedly saw +the river in our course, but I could find no eligible place to cross it, +as the trees which would have suited our purpose for bridges were now, +in consequence of the fresh or flood, in the very middle of the stream. +The banks where the rising grounds came immediately on the river were +high and of a red loamy clay, and when this was the case the opposite +banks were seen to be low in proportion: when we halted for the night, +they were not above five or six feet, and I think there must have been +from ten to twelve feet more water in the bed of the stream than usual. +Bad as the travelling was even close to the stream, it was still worse +about two miles back from it; several small scrubs of the eucalyptus +dumosa and prickly shrubs were passed through by the men who had taken +out the dogs in search of game; and from the hill we first ascended, we +observed several very extensive scrubs to the northward, of the same +description. At half past three we halted for the night, having gone +about eleven miles. + +July 23.--The river had fallen a little during the night. At nine +o'clock we again set forward: the country became extremely low and +marshy, far more so than any we had passed over east of Macquarie's +Range. These marshes extended so far southerly that to have gone round +them would have led us far from our purposed course without answering +any useful purpose, and although we judged that at first they might not +extend above three or four miles back, yet we soon had reason to change +that opinion. The river had led us upon a general course nearly east +about six miles, when about half a mile from the bank southerly, a very +extensive lake was formed, extending about east-south-east and +west-north-west from three to four miles, and being about a mile and a +half wide. Excepting the sheet of water on the north side near the +termination of the stream, this was the only one we had seen that could +justly be entitled to the denomination of lake. We crossed over a low +wet swamp, by which its overflowings are doubtless re-conveyed to the +river. This lake was joined to another more easterly, but much smaller. +We could not form any correct judgment how far the marshy ground +extended south-east of it; but the country was low and level as far as +Mount Byng, and a low range extended north-easterly from it. We now kept +the banks of the stream, till at the tenth mile we ascended a small hill +a mile south of it, from which Mount Byng bore N. 12. E. Close under the +hill ran a considerable branch of the river, which certainly supplied +the lakes and lower grounds with water; on the other side of this arm, +the country was low, and apparently marshy as far as we could see. On +examination I found it would be extremely difficult to cross this +branch, as the water was too shallow to swim the horses over, and the +ground so soft that they could not approach the banks within several +yards. I therefore determined to get upon the river nearly where this +branch separated from it, and endeavour to construct a bridge, by which +we might convey the provisions and baggage over: as to the horses, they +could easily swim across. + +The course of the river during the day had been nearly due east, but +from the separation of the branch it seemed to take a more northerly +direction; the banks were very low, and never exceeded five feet from +the water. Occasional points of land somewhat more elevated than the +general surface would of course make them in Places a little higher; but +we could not discover any marks which denoted a greater rise than six +feet, or six feet six inches, above the present level. When we halted in +the evening, the stream was running with great rapidity. The water did +not appear to have either risen or fallen during the day; but all the +trees which would have best answered our purposes were now several feet +in the water. We had however no alternative but to cross somewhere in +this neighbourhood, as we were fearful of entangling ourselves in marshy +ground by proceeding farther up this bank; and to attempt to penetrate, +or even to round, the marshes to the southward, (if it were +practicable,) would take up more time (without being of any service) +than we could spare. Experience had made us too well acquainted with the +nature of these marshes to run any needless risks; and we had besides +great hopes that we should find better travelling to the northward, +which as the river seemed inclined to come from that point would also be +a great convenience to us, as I did not purpose to quit its banks as +long as it continued to run any thing north of east. + +As to the soil and general description of country passed over this day, +the low-lands were all swamps covered with atriplex bushes, and where +the land was a little more elevated, the soil was sandy and barren, +covered with acacias, dodonaeae, small cypresses and dwarf box-trees. Our +course was E. 4. N. 6 3/4 miles; but by the windings of the river, we had +measured nearly 12 miles. The lake I named Campbell Lake, in honour of +Mrs. Macquarie's family name. + +July 24.--At day-light we attempted to construct our bridge near to the +place where we were encamped, but as fast as the trees were felled they +were swept away by the rapidity of the current; the breadth on an +average being now, by reason of the flood, nearly sixty feet, and the +trees on the immediate or proper banks being several feet in the water: +we were therefore obliged to fell trees farther inland, and these, as +before remarked, were swept away, falling short of the land on the +opposite side. + +All our attempts to construct a bridge during the day were fruitless, as +the flood was too violent to allow the trees to take firm hold: in +searching the banks of the stream for a proper place for our purpose, an +arm nearly as large as the main branch up which we had travelled was +discovered about a mile down the stream on the north side; it ran to the +north-north-west, and then apparently trended more westerly. Thus is this +vast body of water, all originating in the Eastern or Blue Mountains, +conveyed over these extensive marshes, rendering uninhabitable a tract +which they might reasonably be expected to fertilize. + +Finding that in the present high state of the water we could not succeed +in crossing the river, at least near our present station, and that if we +returned lower down we should experience a farther difficulty in +crossing the north-west arm recently seen, it was judged best to try if +we could get over the branch on the south side, and swim the horses over +in the main stream near the mouth of the branch. We could not, however, +find any tree on this side that would reach across; although it was +quite dark before we gave over the attempt for the night. + +July 25.--Every means was again employed in constructing the bridge over +the south-west branch. The stream had fallen but a few inches, and +continues to fall too slowly to permit us to entertain any hopes of +crossing it in this vicinity. + +Our bridge was finished by one o'clock, but it being too late to cross +the horses and baggage this evening, I went in company with Byrne on +horseback to view the country to the southward. After going about two +miles and a quarter south of the tent, we were most agreeably surprised +with the sight of a very fine lake; we rode down to its shores, which on +this side were hard and sandy beaches. On the south side the shores were +bolder, being red clay cliffs. We now found that the creek or arm which +I had supposed to be the source whence Campbell Lake was supplied, had +not any communication with it, but supplied the lake we now saw: a low +ridge of hills, bare of trees except small cypresses in clumps, lying +between the two lakes, which were distant from each other two or three +miles. Finding I might obtain a better view by going to the point of +these bare hills about five miles westward, I rode thither along the +margin of the lake, but quitted it to ascend the hill, which was about +two miles and a half from it. The hill was but low in comparison with +Goulburn's Range and other hills in the vicinity, but was sufficiently +elevated to afford me the most varied and noble prospect I had seen in +New South Wales The expanse of water was too large and winding to be +seen in one point of view, but it broke in large sheets from east to +west for upwards of six miles; its medium breadth being from two and a +half to three miles: it was bounded six or seven miles from its eastern +extremity by a low range of hills connected with Mount Byng, and from +the dark broken woody appearance of the country in that direction, I +felt assured that the stream came from a more northerly quarter. To the +westward was Goulburn's Range, distant about five or six miles; its bold +rocky peaks of lofty elevation forming a striking contrast to the dead +level of the country southerly, in which however Mount Aiton appeared +like a blue speck on the horizon. To the northward was Mount Granard, +the highest of a very elevated range, it having been seen at a distance +of seventy-two miles from Mount Aiton; and to the north-north-east were +extensive open flats; in one place, bearing N. 17. E., I thought I could +distinguish water. Between the hill on which I stood and the stream, +Campbell Lake wound along the plain, but its width did not allow it to +be so conspicuously seen as the present one. To the south-east and round +to the north-east the country was covered with dark foliage of the +eucalyptus, intermixed with the cypress; whilst to the south-west, as +far as the base of Goulburn's Range, it was more open, with gentle hills +clothed with a few small cypresses. These hills were rocky and barren, +the lower grounds a red loamy clay; but the intermingled light and shade +formed by the different description of trees and shrubs, the hills, +but above all, the noble lake before me, gave a character to the scenery +highly picturesque and pleasing. + +From this eminence I took the following bearings to objects connected in +the survey, viz. + + +The highest point of Goulburn's Range N. 225 degrees distance 5 or 6 +miles. +Do. Do. Mount Aiton 143 +Table Hill 116 +Mount Byng 114 +West extreme of the lake N. 106. 30. distance 2 1/2 miles. +East Do. Do. N. 65. distance 5 or 6 miles +Highest point of Mount Granard N. 341 +Extremes of extensive flats from N. 346 1/2 to N. 10. distance + 12 or 14 miles, the last point being also the extreme of a low +range. +Appearance of water or a lake N. 17 degrees +Mount Torrens N. 294 1/2 +Mount Davidson N. 317 1/2 +Bluff point of the clear hill on which I stand, and to which bearings + had been previously taken to ascertain its situation, N. 186, + distance 3/4 Mile. +Low range of hills extending from Mount Byng to N. 55.; nearest part + of that range, N. 81, distance 8 or 9 miles. + +I came back to the tent at half-past four o'clock and it was extremely +satisfactory to us to find, on laying the different bearings down on the +chart, that the connection of the survey with Mount Aiton corresponded to +less than a mile of longitude, although it had extended on a most varied +course from that point between three and four hundred miles. + +The water in the stream has remained stationary throughout the day. + +July 26.--Mr. Evans set out to view the lake and take some sketches, +whilst I remained to forward the horses and baggage over the arm of the +river, by which time I expected he would return, so as to enable us to +proceed at least a few miles farther up. By half-past eleven we had got +the horses and every other thing safely over, and they proceeded up the +river. Mr. Evans did not return until half-past one to the bridge, +having been highly gratified with his excursion to the lake, of which he +had taken two views. + +After proceeding to the north-east about three miles, through a low, +wet, and barren country, which is at times from eighteen inches to two +feet under water, we came upon another fine lake about a mile distant +from the river. This lake was not so large as the last, but was +nevertheless a fine sheet of water, about three miles long and one and a +half or two miles wide; the opposite or south shore was much more +elevated +than that near the river, which had here extremely low banks, the water +in the stream not being above four feet below them; the marks of flood +upon the trees were also upwards of three feet higher. The cypress-tree +grew very thick and strong on the opposite side of the lake, casting a +dark shade over its transparent waters, which, though certainly +originating in the river, had not received any supply for apparently a +considerable time. The land from hence to the place where we stopped for +the night was very low and much flooded, with fine, deep, clear lagoons +winding round almost every bend of the stream; the soil was also much +better, having more the appearance of fertility than any we had seen for +some time. About one and a half or two miles from the river a thick +cypress brush bordered the low lands, and was of course free from +floods. The small dwarf box-tree still, however, continued to be the +prevailing wood, and covered, as usual, the more wet and boggy portions +of the low land. The north-west side appeared to be higher, and the +banks, as much at least as we could see of them, seemed of better soil. +A large native's canoe having been found hauled tip near to the spot on +which we stopped, appearing to me sufficiently strong to be capable of +transporting ourselves and baggage to the opposite side of the river, I +determined to make trial of it for that purpose, and if found +practicable to cross at once, rather than wait the chance of the waters +falling sufficiently to enable us to construct a bridge, where, in the +event of failing in that design, no friendly canoe might be at hand to +assist us. + +The waters in the stream had not fallen at all, and were about four or +five feet from the banks, continuing to run with great rapidity. The +first lake seen yesterday was named the Regent's Lake, in honour of His +Royal Highness the Prince Regent. + +A superb scarlet flower, named kennedia speciosa, was found on the shore +of the first named lake. The course of the river this day was +north-east, and our distance five miles and a half, although we had +travelled upwards of eight and three-quarters. + +July 27.--As soon as it was light, our little canoe was launched; but +our hopes and expectations had been too sanguine as to her capability: +sufficiently strong and buoyant to contain one person, more was too much +for her; I therefore of necessity abandoned the design, and at half-past +nine o'clock again proceeded up the strewn. The fresh did not in +the least diminish, but I thought rather rose than fell. A line which +had last night been thrown into the stream, with little hope or +expectation of catching any thing, was found, when taken up this +morning, to have hooked a very fine fish. Since the flood we had almost +ceased to think of fish, as we never had the least success in our trials. + +The river, as we had conjectured it would, trended this day again to the +north-east. The country passed over was low and nearly level. The points +and immediate banks were deeply flooded, forming extensive morasses, and +there were generally between them and the drier and more elevated land +deep serpentine lagoons, the water in which was clear and transparent, +it having been apparently a long time since that of the river had filled +them. The back land was a red sandy loam, very light, covered with +acacia bushes, spear-wood, and small cypresses; the only herbage, a +coarse tea-grass; and yet I do not think the kind of soil which appears +to be the universal one upon the drier lands, can be strictly called +barren: I have seen apparently much worse soils in a state of +cultivation. We crossed one or two large plains, clear of wood and even +bushes; the soil a stiff tenacious clay, which, though not flooded by +the river, retains all the water that falls upon it, there being no +descent or fall by which it can be conveyed to its natural drain, the +river. These plains were now dry and hard, and having been lately burnt, +the coarse natural herbage springing up fresh, gave them a pleasing +green appearance. One or two beautiful new shrubs in seed and flower +were found to-day, to the great satisfaction of the botanists, who had +not lately made many very splendid or valuable additions to their +collections. + +A party of natives was seen on the opposite side of the river, +consisting of one man, two lads, and two women; they disappeared as soon +as they observed us. + +The flood had swollen the stream to a considerable breadth; it was at +least sixty feet wide at the spot where we stopped, and was about six +feet below the banks. + +July 28.--The waters in the stream continue stationary. There must +have been heavy rains to the eastward, to maintain at this height such +a body of water. As to the rains that fall westward of the Blue +Mountains, I am clearly of opinion, that they are in no way auxiliary in +forming this stream. The soil, the general level surface, without a +single water-course north or south, prove that all the waters which fall +are quickly absorbed; and I think it very probable that rain falls here +extremely seldom, and never simultaneously with the rain of the eastern +coast and mountains. + +The day was full of cross accidents, and ended in the separation of the +expedition for the first time. The river turned suddenly north, whilst +extensive swamps ran out from it to the south-east, backed by thick +scrubby land, which we afterwards found, having taken another sudden +bend into the north-west, to be at a considerable distance, and which we +had some difficulty in finding at all, the smaller plains being +separated from the larger one by lagoons, edged with trees similar to +those on the banks of the river. + +Not having been able to find the rest of my companions this evening, I +halted with three men on the spot where we reached the river, firing +muskets, that if any of the missing party were near, they might be +enabled to join us in the morning. + +The bendings of the river were singularly remarkable, trending suddenly +from south-east by east to north-north-west, and then back to the north +and north-east; I mean the principal bending in the general course, for +the smaller ones were as usual innumerable. + +Of the swamps, which in places, extended from eight to ten miles from +the river south-east and south, some parts were dry and others under +water; and there were occasionally large lagoons covered with +innumerable wild fowl of various descriptions. Great numbers of +native companions, bustards, and emus, were seen on the plains, Which, at +the termination of our day's journey, were of a better and drier +description than usual. The north-east hills bounding them were low, +thinly studded with trees, and although rocky on the summits, were +covered with green tea-grass. The flood in the river was very high, but +from the appearance of the banks, which were about five feet from the +water, I did not think it had risen much in the course of the day. + +July 29.--At day-light sent a man on horseback to search for our missing +companions up the river, as we thought we had heard a musquet in that +direction in reply to one of ours. The man shortly returned, having met +with two men whom I had seen yesterday looking for their horses; they +had been joined by Mr. Cunningham, and had encamped about half a mile +higher up the stream than ourselves: of Mr. Evans's party, consisting +besides himself of five men, they had heard or seen nothing, nor had +they fallen in with any of their marks. At half-past eight o'clock I +proceeded with the horses up the river to join the two men, expecting +also that Mr. Evans would certainly return downwards when he found that +we did not join him. It was twelve o'clock before we found him, and we +then proceeded up the river, whilst one man and myself went to a clear +hill in the range of Mount Byng, and from which we expected a good +prospect. We passed over a large plain, washed by the river; the soil, a +stiff red clayey loam, long parched by drought; the sides of the hill +light red sandy loam. Small blue gum-trees, box, cypress, and a +multitude of acacia shrubs of various species, were the usual +productions of the drier and more elevated grounds. + +Our expectations of an extensive prospect from the top of the hill were +not disappointed: we had a distinct view round the compass. The river +wound close under the foot of the hill, and trending to the south-east +through low marshy grounds covered with atriplex bushes and the acacia +pendula, evidently and distinctly showed that it originated in the +separated branches of the Lachlan, which it is probable united fifteen +or twenty miles below Mount Cunningham, forming the present stream. The +north-east side of the river was equally low and marshy. All the points +which had been set at Mount Cunningham were distinctly recognised, and +bearings being now taken to them, served to correct and prove the +survey. The bearings taken from this hill, named Piper's Hill, were as +follows by the theodolite: + + +Mount Cunningham E. 9 deg. 20 min. S. +Mount Meyrick S. 67 10 E. +Mount Maude S. 62 0 E. +Table Hill S. 4 30 E. +Line of Mount Byng, + called Watson Taylor's range E. 7 0 W. +Mount Granard N. 79 0 W. +Mount Barrer N. 68 0 W. + about the same distance as Mount Granard. +Extreme of a high range from N. 59 1/2 W., to N. 24 1/2 W.; + nearest extreme distance about thirty miles, westward 45. +Extremes of another range from N. 10. W., to N. 2. W., + about twelve miles long; another range, N. 3. E. to N. 50 1/2 E +Hurd's Peak, N. 72. E.; a mount north of it (Mount Hawkins), + N. 71. 15. E.; a distant one, N. 86 1/2 E (Mount Riley). +Low ranges in N. 44. E., N. 35. E. and N. 26 1/2 E., + all the intermediate spaces being low level land. + + +On descending, we waited on the stream till the arrival of Mr. Evans, +about half-past three o'clock, when we halted. + +It was determined that as we had now ascertained the course of the +Lachlan, from the depot to its termination, any farther trace of it, +running as it did from the south-east, would take us materially out of +our +purposed course to Bathurst, without answering any good purpose, at the +same time that we should entangle ourselves in the mushy grounds which +had been seen both from Mount Cunningham, Farewell Hill, and our present +station; and that therefore we should immediately proceed to construct a +raft on which we might transport our provisions and baggage across the +river, afterwards taking such a course as we deemed most likely to bring +us to the Macquarie river, and so keep along its banks to Bathurst. +This work, and the task of getting the baggage over, will take two days +to +accomplish. + +The stream where we stopped was about four feet from the banks, running +with much rapidity; and I think the flood in it has rather increased +than abated. + +Almost directly under the hill near our halting-place, we saw a tumulus, +which was apparently of recent construction (within a year at most). It +would seem that some person of consideration among the natives had been +buried in it, from the exterior marks of a form which had certainly been +observed in the construction of the tomb and surrounding seats. The form +of the whole was semicircular. Three rows of seats occupied one half, +the grave and an outer row of seats the other; the seats formed segments +of circles of fifty, forty-five, and forty feet each, and were formed by +the soil being trenched up from between them. The centre part of the +grave was about five feet high, and about nine long, forming an oblong +pointed cone [Note: See the drawing]. + +I hope I shall not be considered as either wantonly disturbing the +remains of the dead, or needlessly violating the religious rites of an +harmless people, in having caused the tomb to be opened, that we might +examine its interior construction. The whole outward form and appearance +of the place was so totally different from that of any custom or +ceremony in use by the natives on the eastern coast, where the body is +merely covered with a piece of bark and buried in a grave about four +feet deep, that we were induced to think that the manner of interring +the body might also be different. On removing the soil from one end of +the tumulus, and about two feet beneath the solid surface of the ground, +we came to three or four layers of wood, lying across the grave, serving +as an arch to bear the weight of the earthy cone or tomb above. On +removing one end of those layers, sheet after sheet of dry bark was taken +out, then dry grass and leaves in a perfect state of preservation, the +wet or damp having apparently never penetrated even to the first +covering of wood. We were obliged to suspend our operation for the +night, as the corpse became extremely offensive to the smell, resolving +to remove on the morrow all the earth from the top of the grave, and +expose it for some time to the external air before we searched farther. + +July 30.--Employed in preparing dead cypress-trees for the timber of the +raft. The rain continued throughout the day without intermission. and +prevented us from making much progress with it. This morning we removed +all the earth from the tomb and grave, and found the body deposited +about four feet deep in an oval grave, four feet long and from eighteen +inches to two feet wide. The feet were bent quite up to the head, the +arms having been placed between the thighs. The face was downwards, the +body being placed east and west, the head to the east [Note: "Nay, +Cadwal, we must lay his head to the east; my father has a reason for +it."--CYMBELINE.]. + +It had been very carefully wrapped in a great number of oppossum skins, +the head bound round with the net usually worn by the natives, and also +the girdle: it appeared after being enclosed in those skins to have been +placed in a larger net, and then deposited in the manner before +mentioned. The bones and head showed that they were the remains of a +powerful tall man. The hair on the head was perfect, being long and +black; the under part of the body was not totally decayed, giving us +reason to think that he could not have been interred above six or eight +months. Judging from his hair and teeth, he might have been between +thirty and forty years of age: to the west and north of the grave were +two cypress-trees distant between fifty and sixty feet; the sides +towards the tomb were barked, and curious characters deeply cut upon +them, in a manner which, considering the tools they possess, must have +been a work of great labour and time. Having satisfied our curiosity, +the whole was carefully re-interred, and restored as near as possible to +the station in which it was found. The river fell in the course of the +day near two feet. + +July 31.--Again employed in the construction of our raft, which I hope +will be completed sufficiently early to-morrow to allow us time to get +every thing over, and encamp on the other side. The river fell about two +feet in the course of the day, and still continues to fall rapidly. The +dogs were very successful, killing three emus and a small kangaroo. + +August 1.--Still employed on the raft, which will be ready for use about +one o'clock. The river fell a foot during the night, but the trees that +would have been useful to us are still under water. The mean of the +different observations made here gave the following results. + +Mean lat. 33 deg. 04 min. 02 sec. S. +Comp. long. 146 31 50 E. +Variation 7 23 00 E. + +The series of triangles by which the longitude from our situation on the +17th of May has been computed, corresponds precisely with the bearings +taken from this station to the principal objects forming their bases, +and whose relative situation on the chart had been fixed on the 17th of +May; it was extremely satisfactory to find in so extensive a survey that +the angles should thus so completely verify our situation. + +Our raft was finished and launched by one o'clock; its capability of +carrying any burden we had to put upon it fully answered our +expectations; but here its utility ended, the violence of the current +caused by the high flood or the stream rendered all our labour abortive, +as no exertions we were capable of making could enable us to get it +across the stream. We had stretched a line across the river by which to +tow it over, but the men were not able to withstand the force of the +current acting on the body of the raft; they let go their line and were +carried about three quarters of a mile down, when they were brought up +by some trees and got safe on shore, making the raft fast. The flood had +been slowly subsiding all day, giving us hopes that we should still be +enabled to fell some trees for a bridge, which was now our only +resource, as it was considered most advisable to use our utmost efforts +to cross here rather than go farther up the stream. + +August 2.--Cloudy weather with heavy rain during the night, which still +continues. We commenced felling some trees, which we were in hopes would +answer our purpose, our anxiety to cross being very great; as it is +probable, from the long continued fine weather we have experienced until +lately, that the rainy season in this part of the country may shortly +set in, which would extremely embarrass and distress us. + +We were again disappointed in our hopes of crossing by means of trees, +as the flood which still continued swept them away as soon as felled. I +sent Byrne up the stream to endeavour to find a better Place; but he +returned in the afternoon without any success: he reported that about +three or four miles above the tent a branch joined the stream, that he +had travelled up it six or seven miles, but not far enough to say where +it quitted the main stream; the low plains were several inches under +water from the present rain; and the ground that appeared the driest was +the worst to travel on, being a wet, loose, sandy bog. As the flood +continued rapidly to subside, we resolved upon again trying the raft +to-morrow morning; all hands were accordingly sent to tow her up, which +was accomplished by night. + +August 3.--A bleak cold morning, with continued small rain. At day-light +we set to work with our raft: and after many trials had the +satisfaction to find that we should succeed in getting over our baggage. +Whilst Mr. Evans superintended this work, I rode up the river with Byrne +to see the branch: I found it but an inconsiderable one, being merely a +lagoon, except in times of flood like the present, when it appears +nearly as large as the parent stream; it forms an island ten or twelve +miles long, and from two to four broad. The impossibility of our +travelling up this side was demonstrated, as well as the nature of these +lower grounds or clear plains, which retain all the water that falls +upon them, the little inequalities forming shallow pools. It was much +better travelling over them, than on a low ridge of hills a couple of +miles from the river on which I returned; the soil of the latter being +so loose and boggy as to render it difficult for the horses to proceed. + +On my return I found considerable progress had been made in transporting +our luggage, and by four o'clock every thing was safely crossed; our +little bark was however completely water logged, and at last would +scarcely support a single man, though when first launched, three or four +might venture in her with safety. + +As I think the state of the seasons in New South Wales may serve to +explain, at least partially, why there are no running streams in +the western parts of it, it may be worth while to make some little +inquiry into that subject. It appears to me that it can never rain +simultaneously westward of the Blue Mountains and on the coast, +for these reasons: first, That the Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers, +being the sole channels by which the waters falling on the Blue Mountain +range are conveyed westward to the low-lands, are always flooded in +times of great rains in those mountains and on the coast; secondly, that +the winter, that is to say, the period between March and August, is the +time when the rains are most to be expected, and have most generally +fallen on the east coast, and which so falling would naturally cause a +flood in the streams above mentioned; thirdly, that in the summer +season, or from September to February, which is certainly the driest +period of the year, the rains fall westward of the Blue Mountains; but +falling upon flat sandy land without any watercourses, do not in the +smallest degree add to the waters of the Lachlan or Macquarie, which are +then consequently in a state nearly if not entirely stagnant. It is at +this season, therefore, that these streams are visited by the natives, +as they are then enabled to procure the shell and other fish which abound +in them. The tracks and impressions made by the feet of the natives were +certainly made when the ground was very soft and marshy, whilst their +guneahs were merely the branches of trees, and erected in places which we +found to be swamps, but which in summer would, in comparison with the +plains, be dry ground, the waters from them being drained off into +the river. + +The Blue Mountain range is by far the highest in New South Wales; the +ranges westerly, though high when viewed from the low grounds from which +they rise, cannot in any respect be compared with them. + +In the summer, the north-east and south-east winds coming from the sea +are forced over these mountains, and the vapours with which they are +charged are attracted by the lower ranges westerly, and converted into +rain. In the winter, the prevailing winds on the coast and inland, as is +evident from the trees on the tops of the hills, are from south-west to +north-west. In the winter, these westerly winds blowing over a vast +extent of country, and coming with great violence on the Blue Mountains, +confine those clouds and vapours which would occasion rain, to the +vicinity of the coast, and the eastern side of the mountains. A wet +summer on the east coast would occasion a flood in the Lachlan at that +season; and should the rains then be attended with easterly winds, +causing rain on the western side also, the whole low country must be +under water for a double reason. This is a circumstance which, I think, +could seldom happen, otherwise the consequence to the miserable natives +must be dreadful. + +It may be remembered that for nearly two years (viz. 1814 and 1815), +scarcely a drop of rain fell on the east coast of New South Wales; and +when the country about Bathurst was first visited, it bore marks of +being similarly affected by drought. The last summer was a very wet one +on the east coast; at the depot on the Lachlan, during that period when +the rains were heaviest (in February), the people enjoyed the finest +weather, at the same time the river was constantly flooded, sometimes +rising to a great height in the most sudden manner. + +Since the present expedition has been out it has generally enjoyed dry, +clear weather, otherwise we could not have travelled. Our meteorological +journal will, when compared with one kept at Sydney, throw farther light +upon this subject; and I merely hazard the above ideas as hints for a +more general and extended view of the natural causes which seem to +govern the seasons in this truly singular country. + +Another proof (if more were wanting) that the river is only periodically +full and flowing, I think may be derived from the numberless windings of +the stream, setting aside the general course. If the water was always +running, it would doubtless have forced a straighter channel through the +soft, loose, sandy, loamy country through which it flows; it being also +remembered that there is not a single stone or rock to be found along +the whole banks of the river: the few low rocky hills that terminate +upon it, either have a narrow slip of soft land between their base and +the river, or the country is flat to a considerable distance on the +opposite shore. Its windings and sudden bends are so remarkable, that I +am sure I under estimate it, when I consider that on a straight line of +ten miles from point to point, the water passes over twenty-five miles; +in many places, from thirty to thirty-five would be within the truth. + +The animals differing from those in the neighbourhood of Bathurst are +but few: the principal is a new species of red kangaroo; a smaller +species of the same, having a head delicately formed, called by us the +rabbit-kangaroo. Two other birds besides the pigeon and cockatoo +beforementioned may be noticed: we suppose them to be both birds of +night, being only heard at that time; neither of them was seen: one was +remarkable for exactly imitating the calls of the natives, the other the +short sharp bark of the native dog, insomuch that our dogs were +constantly deceived by the noise. + +August 4.--Proceeded to the north-east by east, intending to keep that +course for two or three days, to clear us of the low grounds north of +the Lachlan, before we bent more easterly for Bathurst; the above course +would also carry us so far northward, as to ensure our falling in with +the Macquarie at a considerable distance from the settlement, and also +enable us to discover if any similar streams had their source westerly +of the high range from whence the coal river derives its source, as we +shall then be some miles north of that port. + +Our route lay through a low wet country for the first eight or ten +miles, the flats covered with the acacia pendula; the last three miles +were rather more elevated: the soil in general a loose, red, sandy loam, +with small cypress, box, and acacia trees; a few acres in patches had +been burned, occasionally relieving the eye from the otherwise barren +scrubby appearance of the country. We passed through two or three small +eucalyptus scrubs, and upon getting out of one, having gone thirteen +miles and a quarter, we fortunately happened to fall in with a native +well, containing a few gallons of water sufficient for our own supply; +whilst the open level land which the scrub led to having been burnt, we +hoped would afford succulent herbage sufficient for the horses, and +prevent them from suffering from the want of water. Our course was +N. 69 E. thirteen miles. + +August 5.--The water for our breakfast drained our little well to the +dregs. Hoping that we should be more fortunate in this day's route, at +half past eight o'clock we again set forward, on the same point as +yesterday. + +The first four miles of our course led through one of those dreadful +scrubs of eucalyptus dumosa, and prickly grass, which we had often +before experienced; it was on rather an elevated plain, and, exclusive +of the difficulty of forcing a passage through it, was extremely boggy +and distressing to the horses. After passing through it, the country for +five or six miles farther was more open, the same elevated plain or +level still continuing, being thinly studded with box and cypress trees, +with abundance of acacia and other shrubs: the soil a loose, red, sandy +loam. At the tenth mile we providentially found a small muddy hole of +water which, bad as it was, refreshed both men and horses extremely; +fearing, from the appearance of the country, that we should not find any +water farther on, we filled our small keg, containing nearly three +gallons, which would at all events free us from absolute want. We went +four miles farther through the same desert country, when evening drawing +on, and the small trees and shrubs becoming thicker, we thought it best +to stop before we again encountered an eucalyptus brush; which not +affording the smallest fodder for the horses, would, added to the want +of water, render them in all probability unable to take either us or +themselves out of the desert in which we were. + +The spot we halted on afforded some dry tea-grass and a few syngeneceous +shrubs; and praying for a heavy dew to moisten them, we hoped the +animals would not on the whole fare much worse than ourselves. + +The rain which had fallen while we were on the river was not perceptible +here; indeed I think sufficient to deluge any other country must fall, +before it is seen on the surface of such a soil as prevails in this part +of New South Wales. A little rain renders it however so soft and slimy +as to make it difficult to travel over; and I should conjecture, from +the milky whiteness of the water in the holes we have seen, that it +rests on a substratum of white clay three or four feet below the +surface; the water holes at least had that bottom, although their +margins were of the red, sandy loam before mentioned. + +An accident happened to the vessel containing the mercury of the +artificial horizon, by which the greater part was lost, leaving scarcely +sufficient for use. It had been a matter of surprise to me that such a +misfortune had not occurred sooner, the box containing the instruments, +etc., being so shaken by the horse forcing his way through the scrubs, +that I considered myself extremely fortunate not to have been deprived +of the use of them long before. To carry barometers, and other +delicately constructed mathematical instruments, safely through such a +journey as the present is impossible. Our course made good was N. 68 E., +distance thirteen miles and a half. The evening fine and clear. + +August 6.--Proceeded on our course, which led us for nine or ten miles +through what might be termed an open forest country, with respect to the +timber growing on it, but it was overrun with mimosa and acacia bushes, +many of which were coming into flower, relieving in some measure the +sombre foliage of the cypress and box trees which were scattered among +them: it was rather an elevated tract that we travelled through, with +such gentle rises and descents as to be almost imperceptible from a +level surface. I ascended a hill about three miles north of the road, +but could see nothing remarkable in any direction, the whole appearing +irregularly broken into low hills and valleys, thickly clothed with +small trees and bushes. At the eighth mile we came upon a small +waterhole, which our poor horses soon emptied; again at the tenth mile, +just at the commencement of a very broken stony range, we also found a +few gallons of water, which the horses also enjoyed, it being much too +muddy for our use; and besides, we had hopes that after passing the +range of hills in which we were about to enter, we should find water on +the other side. The range continued in short broken hills for upwards of +three miles and a half, and led through such a country as distressed +both men and horses exceedingly: the surface was covered with small +quartz stones, without herbage of any kind. The box and cypress trees +disappeared, and their place was supplied by a numerous species of iron +bark, between which the acacia, mimosa, and a new prickly acacia +rendered it almost impossible to force a passage: after enduring this for +upwards of three miles and a half, we began to descend, by keeping a +more easterly course; but before we could come into a better country, +either for grass or water, we were obliged to halt for the night, being +too much fatigued to proceed farther. + +Our search after water was not attended with success, but the ground +being extremely boggy, we were in hopes of procuring a little by +digging. Our spade, which had so unfortunately been left at Bathurst, +would now have been of the most essential service, but the carpenter's +adze proved a useful substitute. Choosing a place which seemed most +likely to have received the drainings of the hills, and on which a +little rain-water still remained, we dug a tolerably good well, and in a +few hours were rewarded by obtaining near a quart of thick muddy water +per man, which by boiling, skimming, and straining, was rendered +palatable to persons who must otherwise have gone without their dinner +or breakfast the next morning, it being impossible to eat either our +bread or pork without something to quench our thirst. + +The soil of the country passed over was of the same red, sandy +description as on former days; the hills were covered with small pieces +of broken white quartz, and occasionally a large granite rock showed +itself from beneath the surface. The botanical productions of the hills +seemed also to undergo a considerable change, indicating, as we would +fain hope, that a better country is not far off. Several new plants were +acquired today, some of which were very beautiful. Our course made good +was N. 71. E., distance thirteen miles and a half. + +August 7.--The horses suffered much from want of food and water; but it +is absolutely necessary to proceed and get into a better country with +all the expedition which we are capable of using, and which the nature +of this country will allow. It is some consolation to us that the horses +are but lightly loaded, by reason of our not being now encumbered with +much provisions, and are consequently enabled to travel farther and +better. At half past eight o'clock we again set forward, and for four +miles and a quarter continued to pass through the same thick, barren +country as yesterday, the ground being absolutely covered with acacia +of various species, some extremely beautiful; after which the country +became more open; the grass had been burnt, and the marks of the mogo or +stone hatchet on the trees, made by the wandering natives of these +deserts in search of food, gave us renewed hopes of soon coming to +water. A rose-hill parrot was seen for the first time for many months, +and we were farther fortunate in killing a fine kangaroo. The country +seemed to improve as we advanced, and at the ninth mile, as we had been +gradually ascending, we were gratified by an open prospect to the +eastward, which showed low gentle hills and valleys thinly studded with +trees. The broom-grass, now dead, gave them a white appearance, and, +contrasted with the acacia in full flower, and the darker foliage of the +trees, gave the whole the most pleasing and varied aspect. To the +north-west round to the north, the country was nearly the same; but from +north to north-east by east, it was more broken into low barren hills; +the tops and sides covered with iron bark, and cypress growing among the +interstices of the granite rocks. We had however seen no water, but +there was something in the aspect of the whole country that flattered +our hopes of finding it in some of the valleys that lay in our course; +nor were we disappointed: after going rather more than four miles +farther, through a very open country, thickly covered with broom-grass +(killed by the frost), we ascended a rocky hill of moderate elevation, +connected with others lying east and west: opposite to us was a low +rocky range, the summits of which were clothed with iron bark and +casuarina trees. We saw from this hill Mount Melville bearing N. 175., +Mount Cunningham N. 189 1/2., Mount Maude N. 192., a round mount +N. 218., named Mount Riley, a gap in a range N. 283., distance about +thirty miles: descending into the valley we found plenty of water, to our +great relief, as the horses were quite exhausted, and without this +seasonable supply would have been altogether unable to proceed farther. +The grass in the valley, although perished by the winter's frost, was +very +tolerable, and the worn out state of the horses made me determine to +remain here to-morrow, to recruit them a little before we proceeded +farther. + +The country we have passed through this day afforded some of the most +beautiful specimens of acacia which we had yet seen, at the same time +that they were quite new in the species. The soil however was still of +the same description, red and sandy, but for the last five or six miles +more firm and compact; many of the plants were recognized as having been +originally seen in the neighbourhood of the Macquarie River, and not +since: this, with the more generally open appearance of the country, +gave us hopes that in a few days we should be fortunate enough to fall +in with that stream, which would free us from any farther apprehensions +of suffering from want of water; for in that event it is my intention to +keep in its immediate vicinity until our arrival at Bathurst. Our course +made good was N. 71. E., distance thirteen miles and a quarter. + +August 8.--Made the usual observations to ascertain our situation, the +result of which placed us in lat. 32. 47. 58. S., long. 147. 23. E., and +the variation of the needle 5. 20. E. The valley in which we encamped is +enclosed by forest hills on all sides but the east, affording us plenty +of water from what is, even at this dry season, a perceptible stream. +The grass however was quite killed by the frost, and, although abundant, +did not afford such nourishment to the horses as their condition +required, insomuch that if we fall in with a part of the country that +has been burnt in the course of to-morrow's route, I shall give them a +day's rest. + +Kangaroos of a very large size abound in every direction around us: our +dogs killed one weighing seventy or eighty pounds, which proved a great +and refreshing acquisition to us. + +To the valley I gave the name of Emmeline's Valley, and the hill from +which we corrected our survey with Mount Melville and Mount Cunningham, +Macnamara's Hill. The day was clear and mild, and in the course of it +some new and fine plants were procured. + +August 9.--The morning fine and pleasant. At half past eight we left the +valley, intending still to keep our course north of east, as the most +likely point on which to make the Macquarie River, from which, judging +by the botanical productions of that stream, we cannot be very far. + +For three or four miles the country was tolerably open and good, being +clothed with luxuriant broom-grass. The cypress trees of good +dimensions; but no signs of water. For the remainder of our day's +journey, we passed over tracts of low barren ridges covered with brush, +and iron bark trees, and open valleys; the country was of moderate +elevation, but still we were not so fortunate as to find any water, +although every slope was searched. After having travelled fourteen +miles, during the latter part of which it rained hard, I thought it most +advisable to stop, as we had just passed through a thick brush into a +more open country, which would afford the horses something to eat; the +rain, which still continued, relieving us from apprehension of their +suffering much from want of water. As to ourselves, we had taken our now +usual precaution to fill our keg, which gave us a pint each for our +evening consumption, and the same quantity for breakfast the next +morning. + +In the course of the day the stirculia heterophylla was very abundant, +and we remarked that the cypresses were those originally known as the +callitris australis, and not of either of the other two species, which +were common in the neighbourhood of the Lachlan. The brushes and scrubs +were the only places that afforded any thing to the researches of the +botanists; the open lands being covered with grass, and the shrubs being +of acacias whose species had been already often seen on this side of the +Blue Mountain range. + +August 10.--The morning proved clear and mild, and at nine we again +proceeded; as it was impossible to remain in a place that did not afford +us any water, and not good grass. + +The country continued open forest land for about three miles, the +cypress and the bastard box being the prevailing timber; of the former +many were useful trees. We seemed neither ascending nor descending, but +travelling on somewhat of an elevated plain. The broom-grass was very +luxuriant, being four or five feet high; the soil, as before, a light, +red, sandy loam. To this open tract succeeded three miles of barren +brush land, covered with clumps of small cypresses, iron barks, and +acacias; the slightest elevation or ascent was always stony, and in one +or two places large masses of granite rock were observed. We have +hitherto seen no other signs of this being an inhabited country than the +marks usually made by the natives in ascending the trees, and none of +these were very recent. It is probable that they may see us without +discovering themselves, as it is much more likely for us to pass +unobserved the little family of the wandering native, than that our +party, consisting of so many men and horses, not travelling together, +but sometimes separated a mile or two, should escape their sight, +quickened as it is by constant exercise in procuring their daily food. + +At the end of the brush we came upon a large chain of ponds, the fall of +water in which being north, induced us to believe that the Macquarie +could not be far distant: we proceeded down them about a mile, when the +situation offering us all we could wish for, we halted for the night, it +being past two o'clock, determining to remain here to-morrow for the +sake of the horses. + +The country on the east side of this chain of ponds was again an open +forest as far as we could see in that direction; which however was not +very far, as we were nearly on a level. I rode down the ponds Six or +seven miles, hoping to fall in with their junction with the river. Two +or three miles from our halting-place the ground became very scrubby, +and was much over-run with brush and small pines; there were marks of +flood in the watercourse of the ponds, from eight to ten feet high. I +saw several shags, ducks, herons, cranes, and other birds that frequent +low or watery situations, but the night coming on obliged me to return. + +August 11.--Along the banks of these ponds, several transitory +encampments of the natives were found, but none that had been inhabited +within these four or six months; by all of them were found abundance of +the pearl muscle-shell so common on the Lachlan. The soil, as far as we +examined round our tents, east of the ponds, was a good sandy loam. The +timber very open, and if the country had been divested of the numerous +acacia bushes with which the face of it was covered, it would be +impossible to wish for land more lightly timbered: the grass anthistiria +was very luxuriant. The ponds appear to have not been flooded for a very +considerable time, the water in many being of a milky whiteness, and the +dry channels are overrun with reeds and grass. These ponds were called +Coysgaine's Ponds, and by our observations the tent was in +lat. 32. 44. 29. S., long. 147. 46. 30. E., mean variation 7. 18. E. + +August 12.--Proceeded on our course, which, as I hoped and expected we +were not far from the Macquarie River, was altered to north-east, for +the purpose of joining it lower down than our former course would have +done; being anxious to know as much of the country in the vicinity of +the river as our time and circumstances would permit. An open forest +country with tolerably good soil continued for nearly five miles, when +we suddenly came upon a large swampy plain surrounded by the acacia +pendula. Water was still remaining on several parts of it, and we had no +doubt from its whole appearance that it would lead immediately to the +river; from the south-west edge of this plain (which was six or seven +miles round), we had a distant prospect of a very lofty mountainous +range to the eastward, named Harvey's Range; the north extreme of which +bore north, and the highest part N. 94. This range was by far the +highest we had seen westward of the Blue Mountains. and its elevation +could be very little if at all inferior. Crossing this plain and +pursuing our north-easterly course, we entered a poor barren country +covered with box trees, and low acacia shrubs; our hope of meeting the +river was however disappointed. We travelled upwards of six miles +through this box scrub, when coming to two or three holes of good water +I thought it advisable to halt, rather than proceed a mile or two +farther, which was the utmost we could have done; and then in all +probability, be obliged to halt at a spot that would not afford us that +necessary article. + +The inclination of the loftier trees, particularly the cypress trees, +for these two or three days past, denoted the strength and prevalence of +the south-west and westerly winds: this is more easily discernible from +the tops of low ranges; the western side of the tree being generally +deprived of its branches, and the trunk bent in a remark-able manner to +the north-east. This inclination and prevalence of the winds was not +observed in any particular degree westward of Mount Cunningham, and was +most remarkable in that elevated range of country lying between the +depot on the Lachlan and Bathurst; and which elevated tract continues +with little interruption to the western base of the Blue Mountain range, +on which there is not a single tree that does not denote prevalence of +the westerly wind. + +August 13.--Again set forward, intending to keep a north-easterly course +through the day, when if we do not fall in with the river, our future +course will be directed more easterly; as we shall be then full seventy +miles north of Bathurst, and north of the parallel of Port Stephens. The +country through which our course led us to-day was of various +description, the first three miles and a half being indifferent forest +land, open with respect to timber, but much overrun with small acacia +bushes; at the end of this tract was a small stream of water in ponds, +having its course in the lofty range east-south-east of us, and which +was not very distant from us; this stream was named Allan Water, and its +stream was northerly. The next four miles north-east of this burn was +through a barren scrubby country, full of dry water-holes, and thickly +covered with the casuarina filifolia, box trees, and acacia bushes. The +cypress seemed to shun this kind of barren clayey soil, and was more +prevalent and flourishing on the open forest land where the soil was +light and loamy, and covered with luxuriant broom-grass; this was the +case for the last few miles, which consisted of a very good tract of +land. The cypresses here grew into very handsome timber, and indeed were +the only useful wood, as the box tree was usually stunted and crooked. +At the end of twelve miles we found a small spring of water that +supplied some ponds, which also run northerly. The grass being pretty +good, although old, we determined to halt for the evening, as the horses +were not all arrived having had a considerable detour to make in +crossing Allan Water. On the banks of that burn many heaps of the pearl +muscle-shells were found, and marks of flood about eight feet. We have +for several days past seen no signs of any natives being recently in +this part of the country; the marks on the trees, which were the only +marks we saw, being several months old, and never seen except in the +vicinity of water. Marks of the natives' tomahawks were to us certain +signs of approaching water. + +August 14.--We had now come from the river Lachlan upwards of an hundred +miles in a north-east direction, without being so fortunate as to fall +in with the Macquarie; we were also near seventy miles north of +Bathurst, and much about the same distance west of it: it was therefore +evident that the Macquarie must have taken at least a north. north-west +course from the place where it was last seen; how much farther north it +had gone, of course we were ignorant: it is however probable, from the +watercourses we have lately passed leading northerly, that the above +point would be nearly the course which it has taken. To travel farther +to the north-east would lead us very far from our proper route to +Bathurst; farther indeed than we had provisions to enable us to travel, +having only from Saturday next enough for fourteen days at a reduced +allowance; and that time I calculated would be barely sufficient to take +us to Bathurst on a direct course, presuming no local obstacles to +arise. These considerations induced me to alter our course to east, +which however would be nearly at right angles with that which we imagined +the river to have taken, and would therefore enable us to reach it +perhaps as soon as on any other course, as we could only infer its +probable situation from the nature of the country over which we +travelled. At half past eight o'clock, we again set forward on the above +course (east): it led us generally through a good open grazing country +for about eight miles, when it became more broken and hilly; these hills +were all covered with grass, their summits and sides rocky, with small +stones: the colour of the soil had been apparently getting darker for +some miles, and was now a light, hazel-coloured, sandy loam. The small +blue eucalyptus, so common in the neighbourhood of Bathurst, again made +its appearance, taking the place of the box tree; iron and stringy barks +of small size were also common on the tops and sides of the hills: two +Sydney or coast plants were also seen. Between the eighth and ninth mile +we ascended a small hill, whence we had a distant view from the south +round by the west to north, taking in that tract of country over which +we had passed. Not a hill or eminence of any kind broke the dead level +surface of the country in those quarters; and the day was so clear, that +had any been within sixty or seventy miles they must have been seen. +From the east to the south was the lofty range before mentioned, and now +distant five or six miles: it was broken and rocky; iron bark trees were +however growing on the very summit. To the north-east and north our view +was not more than ten or eleven miles, being broken into low grassy +hills of pretty much the same elevation with that on which we stood. The +smoke of several natives' fires were seen in the range to the eastward, +and some to the north-west. Proceeding about four miles farther to the +eastward among those hills, we halted in a pretty valley, having a small +run of water in it falling northerly. We had just pitched our tent when +hearing the noise of the stone-hatchet made by a native in climbing a +tree, we stole silently upon him, and surprised him just as he was about +to descend: he did not perceive us until we were immediately under the +tree; his terror and astonishment were extreme. We used every friendly +motion in our power to induce him to descend, but in vain: he kept +calling loudly, as we supposed for some of his companions to come to his +assistance; in the mean time he threw down to us the game he had +procured (a ring-tailed opossum), making signs for us to take it up: in +a short time another native came towards us, when the other descended +from the tree. They trembled excessively, and, if the expression may be +used, were absolutely INTOXICATED with fear, displayed in a thousand +antic motions, convulsive laughing, and singular motions of the head. +They were both youths not exceeding twenty years of age, of good +countenance and figure, but most horribly marked by the skin and flesh +being raised in long stripes all over the back and body; some of those +stripes were full three-quarters of an inch deep, and were so close +together that scarcely any of the original skin was to be seen between +them. The man who had joined us, had three or four small opossums and a +snake, which he laid upon the ground, and offered us. We led them to our +tent, where their surprise at every thing they saw clearly showed that +we were the first white men they had met with; they had however either +heard of or seen tomahawks for upon giving one to one of them, he +clasped it to his breast and demonstrated the greatest pleasure. After +admiring it for some time they discovered the broad arrow, with which +it was marked on both sides, the impression of which exactly resembles +that made by the foot of the emu; it amused them extremely, and they +frequently pointed to it and the emu skins which we had with us. All +this time they were paying great attention to the roasting of their +opossums, and when they were scarcely warm through, they opened them, +and, taking out the fat of the entrails, presented it to us as the +choicest morsel; on our declining to receive it they ate it themselves, +and again covered up the opossums in the hot ashes. When they were +apparently well done, they laid them, the snake, and the things we had +presented them with, on the ground, making signs that they wished to go; +which of course we allowed them to do, together with their little store +of provisions and such things as we were able to spare them. The +collection of words which we had made at the depot on the Lachlan, we +found of no use, as they did not understand a single one. They had +neither of them lost the upper front tooth, though apparently men grown. + +August 15.--We were somewhat disappointed in not seeing anything more of +our native acquaintances, as we hoped the treatment and presents they +had received would have induced them to return to us with their +companions, as they had endeavoured to make us understand by signs they +would. At eight we proceeded on an easterly course, when a mile of +gently rising ground brought us to the edge of a fine valley, in which +was a chain of ponds connected by a small stream; alternate hills and +valleys of the best description of pasture land: the soil, a rich, +light, sandy loam, continued until we halted, at the end of eleven +miles, in a spacious, well-watered valley; where to our great surprise +we found distinct marks of cattle tracks: they were old, and made when +the ground was soft from rain, as appeared from the deep impression of +their feet. These cattle must have strayed from Bathurst, from which +place we were now distant in a direct line between eighty and ninety +miles. From several of the hills over which our route led us, we had the +most extensive and beautiful prospects; from thirty to forty miles +round, from the north to south, the country was broken in irregular low +hills thinly studded with small timber, and covered with grass: the +whole landscape within the compass of our view was clear and open, +resembling diversified pleasure grounds irregularly laid out and +planted. The animation of the whole scenery was greatly increased by the +smoke of the natives' fires arising in every quarter, distinctly marking +that we were in a country which afforded them ample means of +subsistence; far different from the low deserts and morasses to the +south-west. + +The tops of the hills were generally stony (granite of different degrees +and qualities), but the broom-grass grew strongly and abundantly in the +interstices. We never descended a valley without finding it well +watered, and although the soil and character of the country rendered it +fit for all agricultural purposes, yet I think from its general +clearness from brush, or underwood of any kind, that such tracts must be +peculiarly adapted for sheep-grazing; there being no shelter for native +dogs, which are so destructive and annoying in other more thickly wooded +parts of the country. In the fine valley where we pitched our tents, our +dogs had some excellent runs, and killed two large kangaroos; the +clearness of the country affording us a view of the chace from the +beginning to the end. + +Some of the baggage horses, which were a mile or two behind the others, +came up to the tents, with nine natives, who had joined them on the +road: they were entirely unarmed, and there was but one mogo, or +stone hatchet, among them; we had reason to suppose that their women and +children were at no great distance, as they were observed to hide +themselves when the men were first seen. The greater part of them had +either seen or heard of white men, as they were neither alarmed nor +astonished at what they saw. I should think that the loss of the front +upper tooth is not common to every tribe, as several of these men +retained it, although others were without it; the wearing a stick, or +bone, through the cartilage of the nose, appeared common to all of them. +They remained about an hour with us: we gave them the fore-quarter of a +kangaroo, and putting our remaining pork into a bag, we distributed the +iron hoops of the keg in small pieces among them; these were received +with as much pleasure as an European would have felt at being presented +with the like quantity of gold. It was impossible distinctly to make out +anything that they wished to express, by reason of the variety of their +gestures; but their frequent pointing to the south-east (the direction +of Bathurst), induced us to believe that they thought we were going +there, a conjecture which we did all in our power to confirm. Wishing, +if possible, to learn if they knew anything of the river, a fishing hook +was given to one of them, but he did not seem to understand the use of +it until Mr. Evans drew the resemblance of a fish, and made signs that +the hook was to take it, when they immediately understood him, and +pointing to the east made signs that the fish were there; but our +endeavours to learn the distance of the river were wholly fruitless. +They appeared a harmless, inoffensive race of people, extremely cautious +of giving offence, and never touching anything until they had first by +signs obtained permission. Many of the words collected at the depot were +known to them, others were not; but ignorant as we of course were of +each other's meaning, we found it a vain task to endeavour to learn +their names of things. To collect a vocabulary of words in a strange +language, it is in some measure necessary that the party who is to +afford the knowledge should understand for what purpose he is +questioned, which it was impossible to make these simple creatures +comprehend. They left us about an hour before sunset, highly gratified +with their adventure. + +August 16.--Quitted the valley (which was named Mary's Valley) on our +eastern course, anxiously hoping that we should reach the river in the +course of the day. We had heard last night and this morning the screams +of the white cockatoo, which we have always looked upon as a certain +sign of approaching water. + +The same fine grazing tract of country continued over irregular hills +and valleys for about four miles, when ascending a high hill (named +Mount Johnston), a little upon our left, we had a very extensive view to +the north-east and east. In the former quarter, a beautiful range of +hills +stretching north and south, bounded at a distance of about eight miles +the fine extensive valley before us; under those hills we would fain +have found the Macquarie, fancying that we could distinguish the haze +arising from water. To the northward, two hills skirted the valley at a +distance of six or seven miles, which might be about the medium width of +it from north to south, in which quarter a rocky range, clothed with +pines and iron-bark, prevented us from seeing to any great distance; to +the east and south-east, the same low irregular country appeared, thinly +covered with trees and grass. + +Desirous of ascertaining if our conjectures were well founded in respect +to the river, we altered our course, which was east, to north-east, +keeping down the south side of the valley or plain, which we had seen +from Mount Johnston. A finer or more fertile country than that we passed +through for about four miles and a half cannot be imagined: the soil, a +light brown, sandy loam, covered with broom-grass from four to five feet +high. After travelling the above distance, we most unexpectedly came +upon a stream, which from its high grassy banks and rocky bottom we were +obliged to conclude must be the river we were in search of; but so +diminished in magnitude that the motion of the water connecting the long +chains of reedy ponds, was so slow as scarcely to entitle it to the +appellation of a living stream. The whole country from where we quitted +the Lachlan to this spot had borne evident marks of long continued +drought, and in no part was it more apparent than in the present stream +which was so much smaller than it was at Bathurst, even after the great +drought in 1815, that after going up it three or four miles, I began to +entertain great doubts of its being the same, hoping that it might be +one of the channels which must convey the waters from the high ranges of +hills, lying nearly midway between the Lachlan and the Macquarie Rivers. + +Observing a fine and extensive flat on the opposite side of the stream, +which having been formerly burnt, was now covered with good grass, we +crossed over at a place not ankle deep, and about six or eight feet wide, +over a bottom of sand and stone, and halted for the evening; intending +also to remain the ensuing day, to refresh the horses, as they had +performed an excellent and continued week's work, and much required it. + +On reaching the present stream numerous cattle tracks were observed, and +although not very recent, I do not think they were more than four or six +months old, since the marks of young cattle were among them; it is +probable they were those that have been missing for a length of time +from the government herds at Cox's River, and are now straying wild +through this beautiful country, abounding in every thing that can tempt +them to remain here. + +The plants on the banks and in the stream were precisely similar to +those on the Macquarie in the vicinity of Bathurst; but I have observed +that no certain conclusions can be drawn from a similarity between the +botanical productions of two places, a truth which has been exemplified +more than once in the course of this Journal. + +August 17.--During the whole day the weather did not permit me to make +the usual observations; it was not however uselessly passed, as the +country was examined several miles to the north-east and east of our +tents, and every report concurred as to the general beauty and goodness +of the tracts passed over. Mr. Evans and myself ascended a high grassy +hill about a mile and a half north of the tent, and the prospect round +was highly pleasing. The general appearance of the country southerly +made me still adhere to the opinion I entertained that the stream along +which we were travelling would prove to derive its source from a very +lofty range in that direction; whilst the Macquarie would be found still +farther to the eastward, in which quarter I must have deceived myself +greatly, if we do not find a stream superior to the present; and my +hopes in that respect are much strengthened when I consider that we are +not above fifty miles in a straight line from the spot where Mr. Evans +left the Macquarie, a strong and powerful stream, and that too in a +season as long and even longer dry than the present one. In these hopes +and expectations I shall continue an easterly course until nearly on the +meridian of Bathurst, when they must either be realized, or the negative +indisputably established, that there are no considerable rivers rising +in the interior of New South Wales. From the hill on which we stood, +bearings were taken to the most remarkable objects, which were but few; +for the country, as far as the eye could reach, was a continued series +of low grassy hills and valleys; the whole thinly covered with wood, and +in many places entirely bare of it. The hills to the southward and +south-west on the west side of the stream, and immediately bordering on +it, were rocky and irregular; a few cypresses were growing on their +sides and summits. We named the hill on which we stood Mount Elizabeth, +and the extensive flats or plains north of it, and on the east side of +the stream, McArthur's Plains. + +The tracks of cattle were observed in various places on these plains, +some very recent, perhaps not a month old. A fish was also caught, of +the species common both to the Lachlan and the Macquarie. The soil of +the country round, is far as we had time to examine it, was a rich, +light, sandy loam, most abundantly covered with long broom-grass: the +rocks and stones on the hills were granite of various qualities. Nothing +was found new to the botanists; in truth, this is not a country adapted +to their pursuits. + +August 18.--In pursuance of the intention formed yesterday of still +continuing an easterly course, we again set forward at half past eight +o'clock. + +The general description of country was nearly the same as that which we +passed over on preceding days; several pieces of limestone were found, +which proved of good quality. On going between three and four miles, +ascending a range of hills which lay directly across our course, we had +a prospect of a fine and spacious valley, bounded to the east by low +grassy hills; there was every appearance of a watercourse being in it, +but it was distant five or six miles, and our access to it was rendered +difficult by lofty rocky hills forming deep and irregular glens, so +narrow that I feared we should not be able to follow their windings, the +rocks rising in such vast perpendicular shapes as seemingly to debar +our passage. After some little hesitation, we found a place down which +the horses might descend in safety. This being accomplished, we +traversed the bottom of the glen along all its windings for nearly three +miles and a half: a fine stream of pure water was running through it. +Here, doubtful of being able before dark to gain the valley we were in +search of we halted for the night. It is impossible to imagine a more +beautifully romantic glen than that in which we lay. There was just +level space on either side of the stream for the horses to travel along, +the rocks rising almost perpendicularly from it to a towering height, +covered with flowering acacia of various species, whose bright yellow +flowers were contrasted and mingled with the more sombre foliage of the +blue gum and cypress trees: several new plants were also found, of +beautiful descriptions. + +The stream in the glen running north-easterly encouraged us to hope that +we should ultimately be rewarded by finding a considerable stream in the +valley, which was the cause of our deviation from our more direct course +to Bathurst. The glen which was to afford us access to it, we named +Glenfinlass: it might, perhaps, be properly termed the glen of many +windings, as it was formed of several detached lofty hills; between each +of which deep ravines were formed, communicating in times of rain their +waters to this main one. + +August 19.--Full of the hopes entertained yesterday, at half past eight +o'clock we pursued our course down Glenfinlass. A mile and a half +brought us into the valley which we had seen on our first descending +into the glen: imagination cannot fancy anything more beautifully +picturesque than the scene which burst upon us. The breadth of the +valley to the base of the opposite gently rising hills was, between +three and four miles, studded with fine trees, upon a soil which for +richness can nowhere he excelled; its extent north and south we could +not see: to the west it was bounded by the lofty rocky ranges by which +we had entered it; this was covered to the summit with cypresses and +acacia in full bloom: a few trees of the sterculia heterophylla, with +their bright green foliage, gave additional beauty to the scene. In the +centre of this charming valley ran a strong and beautiful stream, its +bright transparent waters dashing over a gravelly bottom, intermingled +with large stones, forming at short intervals considerable pools, in +which the rays of the sun were reflected With a brilliancy equal to that +of the most polished mirror. I should have been well contented to have +found this to be the Macquarie River, and at first conceived it to be +so. Under this impression, I intended stopping upon its banks for the +remainder of the day, and then proceeding up the stream southerly. +Whilst we were waiting for the horses to come up we crossed the stream, +and wishing to see as much of the country on its banks northerly, as +possible, I proceeded down the stream, and had scarcely rode a mile when +I was no less astonished than delighted to find that it joined a very +fine river, coming from the east-south-east from among the chain of low +grassy hills, bounding the east side of the valley in which we were. +This then was certainly the long sought Macquarie, the sight of which +amply repaid us for all our former disappointments. Different in every +respect from the Lachlan, it here formed a river equal to the Hawkesbury +at Windsor, and in many parts as wide as the Nepean at Emu Plains. These +noble streams were connected by rapids running over a rocky and pebbly +bottom, but not fordable, much resembling the reaches and falls at the +crossing place at Emuford, only deeper: the water was bright, and +transparent, and we were fortunate enough to see it at a period when it +was neither swelled beyond its proper dimensions by mountain floods, nor +contracted by summer droughts. From its being at least four times larger +than it is at Bathurst, even in a favourable season, it must have +received great accessions of water from the mountains north-easterly; +for from the course it has run from Bathurst, and the number of streams +we have crossed all running to form it from the south and south-west, I +do not think it can receive many more from that quarter between us and +Bathurst, at least of sufficient strength to have formed the +present river. + +Reduced as our provisions were, we could not resist the temptation of +halting in this beautiful country for a couple of days, to allow us time +to ascertain its precise situation, and to ride down the banks of the +river northerly as far as we could go and return in one day. The banks +of the river in our neighbourhood were low and grassy, with a margin of +gravel and pebble stones; there were marks of flood to the height of +about twelve feet, when the river would still be confined within its +secondary banks, and not overflow the rich lands that border it. Its +proper width in times of flood would be from six to eight hundred feet, +its present and usual width is about two hundred feet. The blue gum +trees in the neighbourhood were extremely fine, whilst that species of +eucalyptus, which is vulgarly called the apple tree, and which we had +not seen since we quitted the eastern coast, again made its appearance +on the flats, and of large size; as was the casuarina filifolia, growing +here and there on its immediate banks. + +The day throughout was as fine as could be imagined, and it was spent +with a more cheerful feeling than we had experienced since we quitted +the depot on the Lachlan. The river running through the valley was named +Bell's River, in compliment to Brevet Major Bell, of the 48th Regiment; +the valley Wellington Valley; and the stream on which we halted on +Sunday, Molle's Rivulet. + +August 20.--The day proved as favourable as could be wished, and the +observations placed our situation in lat. 32. 32. 45. S., and our +compared long. 148. 51. 30. E., the variation of the needle being +8. 38. 38. E. A valuable discovery was made in the course of the day by +the men who were out with the dogs, the hills bounding the east side of +Wellington Vale being found of the purest limestone, of precisely +similar quality with that found at Limestone Creek. We were never due +north of that place, and it is more than probable that the same stratum +extends on the same meridian through the country. + +August 21--At eight o'clock, accompanied by Mr. Evans and +Mr. Cunningham, set out on our intended excursion down the Macquarie +River. Crossing Bell's River in the valley, we came in a mile to where +the steep rocky hills forming the west side of the vale advance their +perpendicular cliffs directly over the river. These hills we soon +rounded, and entered the vale north of them: I shall not in this place +attempt to describe the rich and beautiful country that opened to our +view in every direction. Alternate fine grazing hills, fertile flats and +valleys, formed its general outline; whilst the river, an object to us +of peculiar interest, was sometimes contracted to a width of from sixty +to eighty feet between rocky cliffs of vast perpendicular height, and +again expanded into noble and magnificent reaches of the width of at +least two hundred feet, washing some of the richest tracts of land that +can be found in any country; the banks were in those reaches low and +shelving, and covered with pebbles, whilst even at the highest floods +secondary banks restrained the river from doing the smallest damage: +these secondary banks might be from six to eight hundred feet in width, +and I think the highest marks of flood did not exceed twenty feet +perpendicular. The rapids were usually formed by small stony islands, +which. dividing the stream rendered it shoaler in those places than in +others, but they never extended above one hundred yards, and were none +of them fordable. Limestone of the best quality and of various species +abounded; and it appeared to me to be as common as the other stone +forming the hills, which was a fine and hard granite. We passed through +this charming country for upwards of twelve miles, the course of the +river during that time being nearly north, and from appearances we +thought it must continue in that direction for a considerable distance +farther. A perpendicular limestone rock overhanging the river terminated +our excursion; adjoining to this rock (which was called Hove's Rock, +from its being covered with a beautiful new species of hovia), a +stratum of fine blue-slate was found. A little lower down, the bank on +the east side was formed of perpendicular red earth cliffs at least +sixty feet high, extending along the reach nearly three quarters of a +mile; this bank was named Red Bank: a fine grassy hill thinly covered +with wood rose eastward of it. + +The timber was unusually fine, consisting chiefly of very large and +straight blue guns; beautiful large casuarina trees were occasionally +growing at the very edge of the water. The tops and sides of the rocky +precipices on the west side of Wellington Vale were clothed with cypress +trees, which had all the appearance of the pinus silvestris, that adorns +the mountains and glens of Scotland. It was nearly five o'clock before +we returned to our tent, highly gratified with our day's excursion. + +Nothing can afford a stronger contrast than the two rivers, Lachlan and +Macquarie; different in their habit, their appearance, and the sources +from which they derive their waters, but above all differing in the +country bordering on them; the one constantly receiving great accession +of water from four streams, and as liberally rendering fertile a great +extent of country; whilst the other, from its source to its termination, +is constantly diffusing and extenuating the waters it originally +receives over low and barren deserts, creating only wet flats and +uninhabitable morasses, and during its protracted and sinuous course is +never indebted to a single tributary stream. The contrast indeed +presents a most remarkable phenomenon in the natural history of the +country, and will furnish matter in other parts of this Journal, for +such conclusions as my observations have enabled me to form. + +August 22--Among the other agreeable consequences that have resulted +from discovering the river in this second Vale of Tempe, may be +enumerated, as not the least, the abundance of fish and emus with which, +we have been supplied; swans, and ducks, were also within our reach, but +we had no shot. Very large muscles were found growing among the reeds +along some of the reaches; many exceeded six inches in length, and +three and a half in breadth. Traces of cattle were found in various +places as low as Hove's Rock, which are now doubtless straying through +the country. + +Our horses have recruited themselves exceedingly within the last ten +days, and being lightly laden, I have great hopes of being enabled to +reach Bathurst before our provisions are altogether expended; we have +now left but four pounds and a half of flour, and the same quantity of +pork per man; our chief dependence must be on the success of our dogs +for any additional supplies, and in such a country as the present, we +have no fear of being in want of food. + +We had scarcely laden our horses and began to proceed up the river, when +the rain recommenced, and continuing without intermission, obliged us to +halt after we had gone about six miles; which we did upon a reach of the +river, that for magnitude and extent equals if not surpasses any in the +Hawkesbury, and exceeds that much admired one on the Nepean River, +winding round Emu Plains. The country on both sides was of the greatest +possible fertility, and beautifully diversified by hills and open +valleys. Timber is good, and in two places where the hills on this side +nearly closed on the river, immense quantities of fine limestone were +again found, the rocks being entirely composed of it. The rapids were +few and unimportant, and occasioned as usual by the river dividing into +two channels forming small islets. They did not appear to me to impede +in any manner the navigation of the river; the open reaches had +apparently depth to float the largest vessels, and there was certainly +breadth sufficient for that purpose. Nothing in fact can be imagined +grander or more beautiful than we have hitherto found the river, and +that too so near Bathurst that no reasonable expectation could have been +formed of finding it such as we did. Many good specimens of agate +forming on granite were found on the hills, chiefly where the limestone +appeared in the largest and most continued stratum. We indulged +ourselves in the probable speculation, that where limestone was found in +such abundance as in this country, quarries of marble would also be +discovered not far beneath the surface, as is usual in other countries +most abounding in this useful stone. Fish and emus were procured in +great quantities in the course of the afternoon. + +August 23--The last allowance of our provisions was now distributed, and +at half past eight o'clock we proceeded up the river, which this day +might be said to come through a mountainous country. Rocky points of +hills frequently terminated on the river and occasionally opened into +fine valleys and flats: in every valley a watercourse conveyed the +waters from the back country to the river. I think the north bank was +most frequently the lower: several small runs of water also fell in on +that side. The hills, uniformly stony and rocky as they were, were +covered with good grass to their summits. The scenery on the river was +beautifully picturesque, and more magnificent reaches cannot be found in +any river; these were interrupted in their uniform course by rapids, +which having a much greater fall than any we had seen lower down, would +materially impede the navigation of the river by boats farther than this +station, up to which point I conceive it navigable. No falls had yet +been seen that boats could not easily pass over; but in seasons of +greater drought than the present, some difficulty might be experienced. + +The travelling was excessively bad along the sides and points of the +hills; and as we had every reason to believe the country was much lower +back from the river, I determined to quit its immediate banks, and +endeavour to make a more direct course than we found it possible to do +in following its windings, which, even if it were practicable, our +provisions will not permit. + +August 24.--A very thick fog arising from the river prevented us from +setting forward until nearly ten o'clock, till when we could not see +fifty yards in any direction. Taking the earliest opportunity to quit +the river, we passed through a mountainous tract of country extremely +irregular and stony, but full of springs of water, and good grass. We +found it impossible to accomplish more than eight or nine miles, the +tops of the hills standing quite detached and unconnected into regular +ranges. We seemed ascending the ranges, which in some measure separate +the country farther westward from the river; as it was much lower in a +direction from south-south-west to north-west, and appeared to be fine +open grazing land. At four o'clock, we halted in a small valley for the +evening. Our course made good on a variety of bearings was 8. 6. W., +seven miles. + +August 25.--We again set forward, hoping soon to clear these lofty +hills, among which we seemed to be entangled: four or five miles, on +various courses, through a very rugged, but grassy country, freed us +from the dividing range, as we found by the streams all running +westerly, and apparently joining the river in Wellington Vale. Just +before we descended what we considered the principal range, we saw Mount +Lachlan bearing south from this point; and we were enabled for the +remainder of the day to make a direct course towards Bathurst, through a +good open grazing country of gentle hills and dales, abounding in +beautiful rivulets, having their rise in the mountains east of us, which +bending round to the west and north-west, and watering the finest +districts in their course, contribute their waters to the Macquarie. + +The country now passed over was generally good, and although the hills +were stony, yet the soil upon them was equal to the flats or valleys, +and covered with grass. We saw no good timber, it consisting chiefly of +small box trees, thinly scattered over the sides and tops of the hills. +There was plenty of kangaroos and our valuable dogs killed two fine +ones. + +Coarse gravel and small slate were the most common stones, but the +bottoms of the rivulets were composed of a species of black jade. Quartz +was very frequent. + +Few traces of natives have been observed, either on the river, or since +we quitted it. The population of this country must be extremely small: +as the natives derive their chief support from opossums, squirrels, and +rats, which are known to frequent barren scrubs and hollow trees, such +neighbourhoods are unquestionably frequented by them in preference to +the open country and river banks. It must be a mere accident that +enables the natives to kill either a kangaroo or emu: as to fish, they +certainly are ignorant of the manner of taking them by hook and line. + +August 26.--At eight o'clock we proceeded on our course towards +Bathurst. The country throughout the day's journey was extremely hilly, +with steep descents into fine valleys, in every one of which was a +running stream. It appeared to me, that we were pursuing a course which, +intersecting the streams near their sources, rendered our road much more +irregular and difficult than it would have been either a few miles +farther westward, or even on the immediate banks of the river, the line +of which we several times saw during the day. The country north-east of +the river was very elevated and broken. The tops and sides of even the +most mountainous parts were covered with grass, and thinly clothed with +wood. + +Many of the valleys were composed of extremely rich soil: the hills were +also generally good land and covered with grass; though there were +occasionally barren stony summits, and ridges producing nothing but iron +and stringy bark trees of diminutive growth. These tracts were however +too inconsiderable in extent, to be considered other than what ought +naturally to be expected in such an irregular tract as that which we +travelled over. + +Had not the appearance of the country round the Macquarie, where we +first reached it, fully accounted for its magnitude, the course we have +pursued since would satisfactorily have explained the cause; it is in +point of fact a country of running waters: on every hill we found a +spring, and in every valley a rivulet, either flowing directly +north-east to the river, or taking a course westerly to join the river +in Wellington Vale. Of the waters that may fall into it from the +north-east we were of course ignorant, but the appearances of the +country indicated that they were at least as numerous as from the +south-west. + +After proceeding a few miles, we halted for the night in an extensive +valley, watered by a rivulet running through it directly to the river, +from which I think we were distant six or seven miles. + +August 27.--Nothing could be more delightful than the climate and the +temperature of the season. + +At eight o'clock we took our road through a very rugged and broken +country. The glens were enclosed on either side by almost perpendicular +rocks, mostly slate of fine quality, mixed with coarse granite. In these +glens or defiles were fine running streams. The declivity and steepness +of the road delayed our progress, in seeking for better paths for the +horses; and after riding a few miles we came to the edge of a very steep +glen or valley, at the point of junction of two large streams, the +largest coming from the south-west, the other from the north-west. Both +united formed a very powerful stream, rushing with great impetuosity +over a rocky bottom, with frequent falls or rapids. The hills being on +both sides too steep even for the men to descend in safety, we were +obliged to pursue the ridge of them up the north-west river, until we +found a place where we could descend and cross, which we did about five +o'clock in the afternoon with considerable difficulty. So steep indeed +was the side on which we now were, that we could not find a level space +sufficient to pitch our tent upon. The rocks consisted chiefly of slate +and coarse granite intermixed. There appeared in each river to be more +water than usual; and marks of flood were visible at a height exceeding +eighteen feet. + +Finding that we were entangled among the streams of the Macquarie, I +determined on the morrow to proceed by the mountains dividing the +north-west and south-west rivers; and if they should lead me +considerably westward before their junction, to cross the south-west +river, which, from its apparent direction and vicinity to Bathurst, I +considered to be the only stream of consequence which we should find +between our present station and that place. + +Rugged and uneven as the country generally was during this day's +journey, there was considerable intermixture of the good with the +barren; many portions consisting of excellent pasture land, and even the +rocky hills were divested of the appearance of being so barren as they +actually are, by being covered with shrubs and grass intermingled among +the box and small gum trees, that find support between the interstices +of the stones. + +August 28.--At eight o'clock we proceeded on our journey, and pursuing +the ridge which separated the two streams, we found that their general +direction was from the southward, opening, as we advanced, into fine +valleys, rounding gentle rising hills, thinly wooded and covered with +grass. The ridge itself was chiefly of slate-rock, intermixed with +masses of coarse siliceous granite. We followed the ridge for about six +miles, when we descended into the valley through which the south-west +rivulet ran, and after travelling about four miles farther, we crossed +it when it was running a strong stream. Waiting for the horses at this +spot, I took the opportunity of ascending a very lofty conical hill, +forming part of the range bounding the north-east side of the valley. +From this hill our hopes and expectations were gratified by a view of +Bathurst Plains, which I estimated to be distant about twenty-two +miles, bearing on the course we were pursuing. A Journal is but ill +calculated to be the record of the various hopes and fears, which +doubtless in some degree pervaded every mind upon this intelligence: +these feelings, whatever they might be, were soon to be realized, and +in an absence from our friends and connections of nineteen weeks how +much might have occurred in which we were all deeply interested! + +After travelling about three miles farther, we stopped for the evening, +under expectations that we might possibly reach Bathurst on the morrow. + +From the hill whence I saw Bathurst the view in every direction (except +north-east, where it was bounded by a range of equal height between me +and the river) was very extensive; the country to the southward and +south-west was broken into low grassy hills with four intervening +valleys. The rivulets derive their main supply from those hills, and +from the range upon which we had travelled the greater part of the day: +almost every hollow contained a running stream, having its source in +springs near the summit of the hills. + +Stringy bark trees were seen most generally on barren ridges, the larger +sized blue gums in the valleys. In the evening the weather was unsettled +with flying showers. + +August 29.--At eight o'clock we proceeded towards Bathurst, hoping to +reach it by the evening; this we effected between eight and nine +o'clock, passing over a very hilly country with numerous running +streams, joining the river near Pine Hill, and afterwards keeping +along its banks. + +The hospitable reception which we met with from Mr. Cox went far to +banish all present care from our minds: relieved, as they were, by the +knowledge that our friends were well, we almost forgot in the hilarity +of the moment, that nineteen harassing weeks had elapsed since we last +quitted it. + +Although the winter at Bathurst, we learnt, had been cold and severe, +there had not been much rain; little or none had fallen in the depot on +the Lachlan, although the people there had observed some very high +floods in the river; one particularly that would nearly correspond with +the time when an unexpected fresh surprised us on our return down the +Lachlan on the 11th of July. + + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA + + + +PART II + + + +--qua nulla pedum vestigia ducunt, + Nulla rotae currus testantur signa priores. GROTIUS. + + + +TO THE RIGHT HON. ROBERT PEEL, M. P. +ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL, +etc. etc. etc. + +THIS JOURNAL +IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, +BY HIS VERY FAITHFUL AND OBLIGED +HUMBLE SERVANT, +THE AUTHOR. + +Sydney, New South Wales, +July 21, 1819. + + + + +PREFACE. + +The general appearance of the country of New South Wales and the +magnitude of the Macquarie River, as seen on the return of the +expedition in 1817, had caused the most sanguine expectation to be +entertained, that either a communication with the ocean, or interior +navigable waters, would be discovered by following its course. The +important benefits that would result to the colony in the event of such +an expectation being realized, determined his Excellency Governor +Macquarie to lose no time in fitting out a second expedition, which +should have the elucidation of this point for its principal object. This +expedition was also entrusted to my direction. I had scarcely a doubt of +ultimate success, and set out with a confidence which nothing short of +ocular demonstration could destroy. The result of our voyage down the +Macquarie River, and the conjectures which naturally arose in my mind +founded upon observations of its apparent termination, together with +our subsequent journey to the east coast, will be found in the following +pages. + +In the map which accompanies the present Journal, every bounding range +to the westward is laid down, from which it will appear that the +north-west interior is nearly a perfect plain; the lower parts of which +are certainly in most seasons under water. The highest land we crossed +lies in lat. 31. S., and long. 151. 10. E. From this apparently dividing +or principal range, the country gradually declines to the north-west; +when, the hills terminating abruptly, the level land commences, over +which is discharged all the waters that have their rise in this dividing +range; and also those waters which rising in the hills (for they cannot +with propriety be termed mountains) to the south-west, have the Lachlan +River for their channel. + +The nature of the country will be best explained by a reference to the +Journal; generally speaking, it is fine and open. The bounding high +lands to the north-west seem to take a direction nearly parallel with +the coast line, and the evident declension of the country northerly +affords strong ground for belief, that if those interior waters have any +outlet to the sea [See Note at end of this paragraph.], it will be found +in that direction; and I think the probability is that the waters falling +westerly, will there approach the high tracts of country, much nearer +than they do to the south-west. The whole country to the north of our +track appeared so extremely open and practicable, that it offers in my +opinion but few obstructions to a series of triangles being carried over +it; the longest sides of which, being traced along the bounding high +lands to the north-west, and carried as far northerly as the isthmus, +which separates the gulf of Carpentaria from the sea to the eastward, +would effectually set at rest all questions as to the existence of an +interior sea. Farther north than this point, there can be no reasonable +expectation of finding either waters or an outlet. + +[Note: The observations made in the recent voyage of Lieutenant King +along the west and north coasts preclude every reasonable hope of any +opening being found on those coasts. The voyage which he is at present +prosecuting will doubtless determine that point beyond all future +question.] + +So few natives were seen in the interior, that those extensive regions +can scarcely be described as inhabited; some scattered families comprise +the entire population, and the scanty remarks we were enabled to make +satisfied us of the strict identity of this race of human beings with +those of the coast. The same method of procuring their food, the same +arms and utensils, are common to both. This remarkable similarity in the +natives of different tribes extends also to the animal and vegetable +productions of the country: the eucalyptus and casuarina; the kangaroo +and the emu, with their various species, alike inhabit the cold regions +of Van Diemen's land, and the warmer latitudes within the tropics. + +A short description of the most remarkable plants collected during the +expedition by Mr. Charles Frazier, the government collector, is added to +this Journal; and although the result as to the principal object of the +expedition has not been answerable to the expectation which was +entertained when it set out, yet when the general knowledge obtained of +so considerable a portion of this extensive country is considered, it is +hoped that it has not been undertaken and performed in vain; and that +the field which it has opened to the colonists will be attended with +ultimate benefit both to them and to the parent country. + +Sydney, July 17, 1819. + + + + +JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION IN AUSTRALIA--PART II. + + + +May 20, 1818. Having received his Excellency the Governor's instructions +for the conduct of the expedition intended to examine the course of the +Macquarie River, and every preparation having been made at the depot in +Wellington Valley for that purpose, I quitted Sydney in company with Dr. +Harris (late of the 102nd foot), and after a pleasant journey, arrived at +Bathurst on the 25th. Our little arrangements having been completed by +the 28th, we again set forward with the baggage horses and men that were +to compose the expedition. + +We at first kept nearly upon the track pursued by us on our return from +the first expedition in August last; but on approaching Wellington +Valley, keeping a little more to the westward, we avoided much of that +steep and rugged road which we then complained of; the country being +quite +open, the valleys and flats good, the hills limestone rock. We did not +meet with the slightest interruption, and arrived at the depot on the +2nd of June, where we found the boats, etc. in perfect readiness for our +immediate reception. + +June 4.--Got all the horses and provisions over to the north side of the +river, and made every preparation to pursue our journey on the morrow. +The river rose about a foot during the day. The accident which had +befallen our barometer during the former expedition not being repaired, +we are of course deprived of means to make any observations on the +height of the country above the sea, otherwise than by careful +observation of the several falls or rapids: I do not think that our +station here is much above four hundred feet below the level of +Bathurst. + +June 5.--About one o'clock the weather cleared up a little, when Lewis +with the boat-builder's party set out on their return to Bathurst, +taking with them three of the worst of the horses, and leaving with us +nineteen. The river rose but little during the day: it is quite high +enough for our purpose. A new species of fish was caught, having four +smellers above and four under the mouth; the hind part of it resembled +an eel; it had one dorsal fin, and four other fins, with a white belly; +it measured twenty-one inches and a half, and weighed about two pounds +three quarters. + +June 6.--Proceeded down the river about four miles, when the boats were +finally laden. The river in Wellington Valley had been swelled by the +late rains, insomuch that the water below its junction with the +Macquarie was quite discoloured. From the fineness of the soil, the rain +had made the ground very soft, rendering it difficult for the horses to +travel. + +June 7.--Proceeded on our journey, both boats and horses being very +heavily laden with our stores and provisions. The river rose but +little. Our day's journey lay generally over an open forest country, +with rich flats on either side of the river: high rocky limestone hills +ended occasionally in abrupt points, obliging the horses to make +considerable detours. The hills were very stony, and so light was the +soil upon them, that the rain rendered the ground very soft. The river +had many fine reaches, extending in straight lines from one to three +miles, and of a corresponding breadth. The rapids, although frequent, +offered no material obstruction to the boats. The current in the long +reaches was scarcely perceptible, and it appears to me that the +difference of elevation between this station and the last is not +considerable. + +June 8.--The river expanded into beautiful reaches, having great depth +of water, and from two to three hundred feet broad, literally covered +with water-fowl of different kinds: the richest flats bordered the +river, apparently more extensive on the south side. The vast body of +water which this river must contain in times of flood is confined within +exterior banks, and its inundations are thus deprived of mischief. About +six miles down the river, a freestone hill ended on the north side of +the river: I mention this, as the only stone of that description I had +yet seen. The trees were of the eucalyptus (apple tree), and on the hills +a few of the callitris macrocarpa [Note: Callitr. Vent decad.] were seen: +the trees would furnish large and useful timber. Between eight and nine +miles lower, passed the mouth of Molle's rivulet, now a fine stream. At +four o'clock halted for the evening on rather an elevated spot, +overlooking the rivulet, and a most luxuriant country, on the south side +of the river, well clothed with wood. The boats, during this day's work, +met with no obstructions that were not easily avoided; the rapids were +not so numerous, neither were they so shoal as in the vicinity of the +depot. Our sportsmen provided us with plenty of kangaroos, and a swan. + +June 9.--This day the river ran to the north-west by north; about six +miles below our halting-place it received Mary's River, a pretty little +stream. The country on the north side which we passed over was of +various description; the hills barren and stony, with dwarf eucalypti, +or gums, casuarinae, and a few of the sterculia heterophylla; the +country hilly and open: some of the flats on the banks of the river were +extensive and rich, and apparently not subject to floods. On the south +side of the river, the country was more generally a rich flat, backed by +distant hills; to the south-west, stony eminences occasionally ended on +the river. On the hills many specimens of agate, iron-stone, and jasper +were procured, also some flint; the low stones of the river produced the +same: abundance of fine freestone was every where seen. The general +elevation of the country still continues high; the river pours along a +vast body of water; there is no fresh in it, and it is not in any +respect above its usual level. The rapids are caused by the river +dividing into two channels, forming small islands; the water here runs +with great rapidity on a rocky and stony bottom, but of considerable +depth; the obstructions solely arising from trees which have been washed +by the floods from the banks, and which on the subsidence of the water +have remained in the narrows. The character of this river is in every +respect different from the Lachlan; its waters are pure and transparent, +with no marks of flood; it derives its source and continuance from +springs and additional streams, and is in no way dependent upon rains +for its permanent existence. + +June 10.--Remained at this station for the purpose of refreshing the +people and horses. Examined the country to the north-east for a few +miles; it differed but little from that already passed over, in point of +quality of soil, but was broken into irregular hills and valleys, +without rising into any one distinguishing or remarkable hill: the +surface of the country seemed elevated, and rising to the eastward. The +soil for the most part a reddish light mould, the hills covered with +small stones, the trees dwarf gum, box, a few cypresses and casuarinae; +the soil well covered with grass. Kangaroos, fish, and swans, were the +produce of this day's sport, so that we enjoyed all the necessaries, and +many of the luxuries of life. + +June 11.--Proceeded down the river about eight miles, meeting with no +obstructions of any consequence: the water had risen about a foot in the +last night, and now ran with considerable rapidity, particularly in the +narrows. It is by no means desirable that the river should rise any +higher; there is abundance of water for our purposes, any addition would +only partially cover the stumps of trees and increase our danger; at +present we see and avoid them. After travelling six miles we came to a +small river running from the eastward; there was at this time a fresh in +it, so that we had to unload the horses and use the boats to transport +our baggage over. It was three o'clock before we had got every thing +across, we therefore halted for the evening. The country passed through +was of the finest description, and apparently equally good on the +opposite side; rich flats bounded by gentle hills were on each side of +the small river, which received the name of Erskine River, after the +present lieutenant governor of the colony. These flats were covered with +the species of eucalyptus called apple tree, but (like the other +trees) of small size. While we were employed in crossing the river, I +rode up it about three miles through a similar country. I went to the +north-east; the country gently rose, and was generally of an excellent +soil, well watered and fit for all purposes of cultivation, with partial +exceptions of stony and brushy ridges. Many hills and elevated flats +were entirely clear of timber, and the whole had a very picturesque +and park-like appearance. I hailed Erskine River as a good omen of +ultimate success: it was the first stream we had met with falling from +the eastward, and was a proof to me that the Macquarie was the natural +reservoir or channel for the waters from the north-east, as I knew it to +be from the south. We had as yet seen no inhabitants, and very few signs +that the country is inhabited at all. Fish, flesh, and fowl are +abundant, but there are no human beings to enjoy them but ourselves: +native dogs are in considerable numbers, and keep up during the night a +continual howling. + +June 12.--We this day passed over a very beautiful country, thinly +wooded, and apparently safe from the highest floods; the river had +considerable windings, but was of noble width and appearance; the +rapids were few, and offered no obstruction; its medium width from one +hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty feet, and in many reaches +much more. On one of the higher back ridges there are some good iron +bark trees, with abundance of cypress; the apple, blue gum, and box, +were the principal trees growing on the flats. Kangaroos were in very +great numbers: our dogs took four; they were of that species called by +Dr. Smith macropus elegans, and are very rare on the east coast. The +stones and rocks were generally hard whinstone, or freestone, the former +in large masses; the beach, of pebbles of all colours and kinds, from +quartz to sandstone. About a mile from our resting-place, we passed the +mouth of the small rivulet named in the former journey Elizabeth's Burn; +the stream now in it was inconsiderable. + +June 13.--Our route during this day's journey was generally over a very +level country, the land three or four miles back from the river very +inferior to that on the borders of it, being covered with small trees +and brush; the soil a light, red loam. The rich flats on the banks on +either side were not flooded, and were of the best quality: these flats +seemed more extensive on the south than the north side of the river, and +were bounded by the fine hills, which were passed over on the return of +the expedition last year. About five miles from our last night's +resting-place, we fell in with a small rivulet from the north-east, +which I named after Major Taylor, of the 48th regiment. On the west side +of it, we came suddenly upon a couple of native families; they, however, +with the exception of an old man, and a boy who was up a tree, made +their escape. No entreaties could bring the boy down; he seemed, in +fact, as well as the old man, petrified with terror. The man was +possessed of the remains of an iron tomahawk, which he had fitted as a +mogo, or native axe. I think it probable he became possessed of this +treasure through others of his countrymen who had visited the party in +Wellington Vale, as it was clear he had never seen white people before. +The man made repeated attempts to induce us to depart, which to his +great joy we shortly did. The left side of this man's body was one +continued ulcer, occasioned most likely by a burn. The river wound upon +every point of the compass, and its breadth was much contracted by +shoals and rapids running over a rocky bottom: the stream ran with +great velocity, and the boat experienced no interruptions. The banks +were very high and wide, and although the marks of flood were observed +to upwards of thirty feet, the waters were confined to the actual bed of +the river, without flooding the lands on either side. Large masses of +coarse granite were in the river where we stopped for the evening; it +was of a different species from any we had hitherto seen, and the bases +of the hills ending on the river seemed to be composed of it. + +June 14.-I had determined to halt this day, for the purpose of verifying +our situation by survey, but was prevented by rain of great violence +throughout the day, accompanied by strong winds from the north-west; +this confined us to our tents. + +June 15.--Our journey lay over alternate rich flats and barren stony +scrubs; the country irregular, and the banks much elevated: the land to +the north-west and north, as far as we could see, (ten or twelve miles) +broken into bare, irregular hills and valleys. On the south side of the +river the flats were more extended; thick coppices, and tracts of +barren land, were also observed on that side. About four miles down the +river large blocks of granite were scattered in its bed, and formed the +base of the surrounding hills, the tops of which were covered with +different kinds of stone, cemented or fused together by the action of +fire: many of those stones were beautifully crystallised, and the +appearance of some kind of mineral was evident. The river sometimes +swept along in fine reaches, then, becoming contracted into narrow rocky +channels, rushed through those straits with extreme violence, rendering +it difficult to steer the boats clear of the obstructions that presented +themselves on every side: the large boat struck twice in those narrows. +The water has fallen considerably, and it does not appear to be even now +at its usual level; its quality is very hard. The granite we fell in +with four miles below our last encampment was of a totally different +species, being much finer and closer grained, with small black specks +thickly intermingled in the mass; some freestone was also seen. The +botany of the country was in all respects the same as observed on our +journey homewards last year; the grassy nature of the herbage preventing +any material addition to our collection. Kangaroos were in great +numbers, and continued to furnish us with a welcome addition to our +rations. + +June 16.--Our day's route was as usual over a very flat though rich +country, thickly wooded with good timber of the eucalyptus and angophora +species, with some fine cypresses in the looser soils, and back from the +river. The country, although flat, appears considerably elevated, and is +neither flooded nor swampy; the opposite side apparently of the same +kind. We fell in with another small camp of natives; the women and +children withdrew before we came up with them: among the men (seven in +number) we recognised four whom we had seen on the last expedition at +Mary's Rivulet; the recognition was mutual, and they seemed highly +pleased with it: they accompanied us about eight miles farther to our +evening's encampment, where being gratified with some kangaroo, and +undergoing the operation of shaving, (at their earnest request, after +seeing one of their number disencumbered of an immense beard) they left +us +at sunset to join their families, which were probably at no great +distance. About four miles above our encampment, on the immediate banks +of +the river, we discovered a large mass of saponaceous earth; I at first +took it to be a fine pipeclay, but on examination, it appears to possess +all the valuable qualities of fuller's earth; and a piece of woollen +cloth +being partially greased, and then rubbed over with the earth, the grease +was perfectly extracted and the cloth left entirely clean. Among this +earth, small white pieces of a hard marly substance were found, and +appeared either to be pure lime, or to contain a very considerable +portion of it. On one of the beaches a small shell was found, which was +unanimously adjudged to be a marine production; at least, we had never +before seen any fresh-water shell resembling it. The river fell during +the +last night and the course of this day very considerably, and is, I think, +below its proper level; there is however an ample sufficiency of water +for our boats: the chief dangers are from stumps and branches of trees +in the narrows; and what previously to the great fall in the water we +could have passed over without difficulty, now occasions us some anxiety +and trouble. The course the river took to-day was considerably to +the north. + +June 17.--A very severe frost, the ice a quarter of an inch thick. About +a mile down the river, we saw a native burial-place or tomb, not more +than a month old; the characters carved on the trees were quite fresh: +the tomb had no semicircular seats, but in other respects was similar to +those seen on our last journey. The country still continued perfectly +level, the greater part extremely good and rich; back from the river it +was occasionally marshy, with barren rocky scrubs; the timber large, and +generally good: we could not see beyond a mile on the opposite side, but +the country there appeared much the same. One of the men, who was some +distance ahead of the horses, saw a large party of the natives, who fled +at his approach, and swam the river; there were upwards of twenty men, +besides women and children: the moment they were safely across, they +brandished their waddies and spears in token of defiance: this was the +first time any of the natives were seen armed, or in any way hostilely +inclined. The river ran to the north-west by north over a bottom of rock +and sand: in point of depth, it was amply sufficient for much larger +boats than ours; but it was impossible always to avoid concealed +dangers, over which the waters did not cause the slightest ripple. The +large boat struck on a sharp rock, and with such violence as to stave +her bottom; she was immediately unladen, and temporarily repaired +without injury to the cargo. Although the river is extremely low, there +is a very large body of water in it; the outer banks are nearly a +quarter of a mile wide, and far out of the reach of flood, the marks of +which were, to our extreme astonishment, observed nearly fifty feet +high. We have not seen during these last two days any hill or other +eminence; the country within our sight and observation being perfectly +level. + +June. 18.--As we were on the point of setting forward, a large party of +natives made their appearance on the opposite side of the river: they +set up a most hideous and discordant noise, making signs, as well as we +could understand them, for us to depart and go down the river. After +beating their spears and waddies together for about a quarter of an +hour, accompanied by no friendly gestures, they went away up the river, +while we pursued our course in an opposite direction. We had hitherto +met with no obstructions in the navigation, except such as arose from +the wrecks of successive floods lodging in the narrows; these were +easily overcome: the course of the river to-day for nearly six miles +was a fine and even stream, from forty to fifty yards wide, and from +eight to sixteen feet deep, over a bottom of rock and sandy gravel; when +a reef of rocks at once interrupted our progress in the laden boats, the +water breaking with such violence over them, that I was afraid they +would be greatly endangered even when light. The horses had stopped at a +cataract about three quarters of a mile lower down, and it appeared that +the rocky shoal extended to that distance, when a fall of five feet over +a bed of rocks would have stopped the boats altogether. The horses were +immediately unladen and sent to bring the cargos of the two boats, which +being accomplished, we got them safely over the shoals by the cataracts; +when hauling them over land about two hundred yards, they were again +launched into deep water. The country on either side during this days +journey was by no means so good as it had hitherto generally been, being +very brushy, and thickly timbered, chiefly with the species of +eucalyptus called box, and another kind appearing to be different from +those frequently observed. The banks of the river were very high; and, +notwithstanding the country was perfectly level, it was far above the +reach of any flood. The body of water falling over the cataract was +surprising, the low state of the river being considered, and this +incident instead of discouraging us increased our already sanguine +hopes, that its termination would not deceive the expectations we could +not avoid indulging. + +June 19.--The boats during their progress this day did not experience +any obstruction, the river winding in fine though narrow reaches, over a +bottom of sand and occasionally rock; the depth from eight to sixteen +feet. The country still continued perfectly level, but generally of +excellent soil: two or three miles back from the river north-east, there +were several extensive plains, without any timber on them, and in many +places water was on the surface, probably occasioned by the heavy rain +on the 14th instant; since these flats, and indeed all the country we +had hitherto travelled over, were quite clear of any floods from the +river. The banks of the river are, I think, ten or twelve feet lower +than they are fifteen or twenty miles higher up; the floods evidently do +not rise to so great a height, not exceeding, as far as we can judge, +sixteen feet. I do not think the timber is either so large or so good as +we had hitherto found it; but there is a great quantity of it, chiefly +box, and a species of blue gum. Although at such a distance from the +Lachlan, we have recognised most of the plants found in its vicinity: in +all other respects the neighbourhood of the two rivers is totally +dissimilar; and in nothing more observable than in the rivers +themselves. The water in the river continues so extremely hard as to +render it difficult to raise a lather from soap; it is also very pure +and transparent. + +June 20.--The night cold, a sharp frost congealing some standing water +by the river's side. The river rose upwards of a foot during the night, +and still continues gradually to rise. Having gone upwards of one +hundred and twenty-five miles from Wellington Valley, I thought it +advisable that the two men who accompanied us for that purpose should +return to Sydney with an account of our proceedings, agreeably to the +governor's instructions. Despatched two other men on horseback to the +north-east, with directions to go as far as possible in that direction, +and to return by sunset; which they did, and reported that they had been +from fourteen to sixteen miles, through a very fine though level +country: the brushes were of small extent, and communicated with the +finest tracts, chiefly of forest land thinly wooded: no marks were seen +of any floods either from the river or land side, and these flats were +watered by chains of ponds or watercourses, which doubtless when +overflowed communicate with the river. Abundance of kangaroos and emus. + +June 21.--The result of the observation this day gave for our situation +lat. 31. 49. 60. S., long. 147. 52. 15. E., and the variation 8. 22. E. + +June 22.--Completed the necessary papers for the governor's information, +and made all ready to proceed on our journey tomorrow. The river in +these last two days has risen between two and three feet. + +June 23.--Having despatched Thomas Thatcher and John Hall to Bathurst, +with an account of our progress, the expedition set forward down the +river. For four or five miles there was no material change in the +general appearance of the country from what it had been on the preceding +days, but for the last six miles the land was very considerably lower, +interspersed with plains clear of timber, and dry. On the banks it was +still lower, and in many parts it was evident that the river floods +swept over them, though this did not appear to be universally the case. +The far greater part of the last six miles was covered with shrubs, and +the acacia pendula. These unfavourable appearances threw a damp upon our +hopes, and we feared that our anticipations had been too sanguine. The +river continued nearly as before, but much narrower, and more winding, +in some measure accounting for the great height of the floods which we +observed fifty or sixty miles back, where the river was probably four +times as wide: we missed with regret the striking characteristics which +had hitherto distinguished it, the sandy and gravelly beaches, and rocky +points; though there was certainly the same volume of water which had +originally given me such strong hopes that it could never be dissipated +over marshes. The banks are no more than twenty feet high in their most +elevated places, and the probability is, that all our doubts, +speculations, and hopes, will be clearly decided within the week; the +soil is of the richest quality, but the flatness of the land, and want +of any eminence, are great drawbacks upon the bounties of nature: not +but there are numerous spaces above the reach of either land or river +flood, which would offer secure retreats to the inhabitants of these +singular regions. Several new birds were seen to-day of very beautiful +plumage; none however were procured, so as to enable me to describe them. +We also saw the crested pigeon, and grey and red parrot of the Lachlan; +some fine and singular plants also enriched our collection: it would seem +as if nature here delighted in wasting her most beautiful productions +upon the "desert air," rather than placing them in situations where +they would become more easily accessible to the researches of science +and taste. + +June 24.--The country was still extremely flat, and perfectly overrun +with acacias, dwarf box (eucalyptus), some species of suffruticore +atriplex [See Note at end of this paragraph.], and other shrubs; and +intersected by nunumerous extensive lagoons now quite dry, but which when +the river is about one-third full, convey the water back over vast plains +and levels for the most part clear of every kind of brush, and on the +fall +of the waters these lagoons act as drains to the lands. The brushes were +most numerous and perplexing in the neighbourhood of the river, a course +we were obliged to keep, in order not to part company with the boats. The +country two or three miles along the banks of the river was only +partially flooded, the land being much lower at a greater distance from +it; the most part of the soil was a rich, alluvial deposition from +floods. Except on those clear plains which occasionally occurred on the +sides of the river, we could seldom see beyond a quarter of a mile. +Byrne, who was at the head of the hunting party, surprised an old native +man and woman, the former digging for rats, or roots, the other lighting +a fire: they did not perceive him till he was within a few yards of +them, when the man threw his wooden spade at Byrne, which struck his +horse; then taking his old woman by the hand, they set off with the +utmost celerity, particularly when they saw the dogs, of which they seem +to entertain great fears. In the evening, natives were heard on the +opposite side of the river, but none came within view. There was no +alteration in the appearance or size of the river during this day's +course; the banks were in no respect lower: it ran with great rapidity +over a sandy bottom, and was from six to thirty feet deep; the water +still clear, and remarkably hard. + +[Note: Other genera of chenopodeae likewise exist on these plains, +of which some salsolae, and that curious lanigerous shrub sclerolaena +paradoxa of Mr. Brown, with spinous fruit, are most remarkable.] + +June 25.--The weather cold, but fine: the thermometer is about 28 +degrees, and I think from this extraordinary degree of cold so far to +the north, that notwithstanding the lowness of the surrounding country +(as compared to its relative situation with the river), that we are +still at a considerable elevation above the sea. In our last journey, +three degrees farther south, we experienced at the same season no such +cold, the weather being equally fine and clear as at present. The +appearance of the country was much the same as yesterday; the whole +ground we passed over being liable to flood, and covered with eucalyptus +or gum tree, acacia pendula, and various other species of that extensive +genus, one of which appeared quite new but not in flower. Four or five +miles back from the river (east), the country rises and is not flooded, +the soil being there much inferior, but covered with fine cypresses: +notwithstanding this tract was much higher than that more immediately on +the river, there was no eminence from which we could look around. The +banks of the river are much lower than yesterday, scarcely exceeding +twelve feet high; the floods are low in proportion, and I did not see +any mark showing that the rise of water ever exceeded a foot above the +banks. The river did not offer the slightest obstruction, and was from +twenty to twenty-four feet deep. There is probably from two to three +feet more in it than usual; the breadth varies considerably, in some +places not more than sixty feet, in others two hundred. All the lagoons +(though very deep), in the neighbourhood of the river are quite dry, and +appearances indicate that the country has not been flooded for years. +Emus and kangaroos are in abundance; but we have lately caught no fish, +owing most likely to the coldness of the weather: various birds +altogether unknown to us were seen; and although the leading plants were +the same as those found through nearly the whole of Australia, new ones +were daily met with. The river has continued inclining to the northward: +its course to-day was north-north-west. + +June 26.--The country this day was as various as can be imagined; low +but not level; in some places covered with the acacia pendula, +chenopodeae, and polygonum juncium; in others, with good gum and box +trees. The whole, with few exceptions, appeared liable to flood. Four or +five miles back the country imperceptibly rises, and is free from river +floods; but the hollows, proceeding from the inequalities of its +surface, are in rainy seasons the reservoirs of the land floods. The +whole country was now perfectly dry, and must have been so for a long +period: it would indeed have been impossible, had the season been wet, +to have kept company with the boats. The river itself continues +undiminished, and is a fine stream, with nothing to impede the +navigation; its windings, however, are very considerable. The banks +appear lower by nearly three feet than yesterday: there are still no +marks of flood rising upon the land above a foot on either side: the +depth of the stream is from twenty to twenty-four feet, breadth from +sixty to one hundred and sixty, and its current is about a mile and a +half per hour. The river has fallen yesterday and to-day nearly eighteen +inches. + +June 27.--The river continues to fall. We had gone about five miles +through a country as low and brushy as usual, when we were agreeably +surprised with the view of a small hill about a mile to the eastward: we +hastened to it, in hopes that we should find that the country rose to +the north-east; we however saw nothing but another hill still higher, +about three miles to the north-north-west, in the direction of the +river. The hill, or rather rock, we had just quitted, was about a +quarter of a mile long by half a quarter broad, and about seventy feet +high; it was nothing but granite, having the sides and summit covered +with broken pieces of a fine and very compact species of the same +mineral. We named it Welcome Rock; for any thing like an eminence was +grateful to our sight. From the summit of the hill seen to the +north-north-west our view was very extensive; but nothing indicated +either +a speedy change of country or a termination of the river. To the +westward, +the land was a perfect level, with clear spaces or marshes interspersed +amidst the boundless desert of wood. To the east, a most stupendous +range of mountains, lifting their blue heads above the horizon, bounded +the view in that direction, and were distant at least seventy miles, the +country appearing a perfect plain between us and them. From north-west +to north-east nothing interrupted the horizontal view, except a hill +similar to the one we were on, about five miles distant to the +north-north-west. Extended as was our prospect, it did not afford much +room for satisfactory anticipation; and there was nothing that gave us +reason to believe that any stream, either from the east or west, joined +the river for the next forty miles at least. The hill from which this +view was taken was named Mount Harris, after my friend, who accompanied +the expedition as a volunteer; that to the north-north-west, Mount +Forster, after Lieutenant Forster, of the Navy; and the lofty range +before mentioned to the eastward was distinguished by the name of +Arbuthnot's Range, after the Right Hon. C. Arbuthnot, of His Majesty's +Treasury. The two first mentioned hills are entirely of granite, from +one and a half to two miles long, by half a mile to one mile wide: their +formation must be considered a most singular geological phenomenon, +detached as they are by an immense space from all mountainous ranges, +and rising from the midst of a soft alluvial soil. Small pieces of +granite were in several places thrown into heaps, as if by human means; +and their whole surfaces were covered with similar pieces, detached from +the solid mass to which they had once belonged. If I might hazard a +conjecture, I should attribute to them a volcanic origin: I think, on +examination, their constituent parts will be found to have undergone the +action of fire, by which they have been fused together. To those +conversant in the structure of the earth, and with the means used by +nature to accomplish her purposes, these singular hills may offer a +subject for curious inquiry. The natives appear numerous in these +regions of apparent desolation: we fell in with several parties in the +course of the day, in the whole probably not less than forty, and many +fires were seen to the north. Being a mile or two ahead of our party in +a thick brush, I came suddenly upon three men; two ran off with the +greatest speed; the third, who was older and a little lame, first threw +his firestick at me, and next (seeing me still advance) a waddie, but +with such agitation, that though not more than a dozen paces distant, he +missed both me and my horse. I returned to my party, and in company with +them surprised the native camp; we found there eight women and twelve +children, just on the point of departing with their infants in their +cloaks on their backs: on seeing us, they seized each other by the hand, +formed a circle, and threw themselves on the ground, with their heads +and faces covered. Unwilling to add to their evident terror, we only +remained a few minutes, during which time the children frequently peeped +at us from beneath their clothes; indeed, they seemed more surprised +than alarmed: the mothers kept uttering a low and mournful cry, as if +entreating mercy. In the camp were several spears, or rather lances, as +they were much too ponderous to be thrown by the arm; these were jagged: +there were also some elamongs (shields), clubs, chisels, and several +workbags filled with every thing necessary for the toilet of a native +belle; namely, paint and feathers, necklaces of teeth, and nets for the +head, with thread formed of the sinews of the opossum's tail for making +their cloaks. The men belonging to the camp were heard shouting at no +great distance: their affection for their families was not, however, +sufficiently powerful to induce them to attempt their rescue from the +hands of such unfabulous centaurs, as we doubtless appeared to them. The +boats met with no interruption, the river continuing a fine and even +stream, running at the rate of a mile and a half per hour: it was in +places very narrow, and our astonishment would have been excited that +such a channel should contain the powerful body of water falling into +it, if we had not found its medium depth to be from twenty to thirty +feet. The height of the banks is not more than seven feet above the +water, and they appeared to have been flooded to that height. It did not +seem that back from the river, beyond three or four miles, the country +was ever flooded, except by the waters which would fall on its surface +in rainy seasons; it was, however, now quite dry, and the hollows of the +surface bore evidence of a long continued drought. The course of the +river still continued to the north-north-west. The rocks composing Mount +Harris are apparently basaltic, the whole seeming to have been shot up +in points. the angles of which are complete. The stones are very heavy +and compact, and when dashed against each other were extremely sonorous. + +June 28.--Remained here this day for the purpose of rest and +refreshment: the grass and country poor, and covered with acacia trees +and small eucalypti in our immediate vicinity. Despatched two men to +view the country to the north-east. The botanical collector crossed the +river and ascended Mount Forster, on which he was fortunate enough to +procure many plants seemingly new: he thought he saw a branch of the +river separating from it and running to the north-west, whilst the river +itself continued to go northerly. The account brought by the men in the +evening was far from flattering; they had been out ten or twelve miles +to the north and east, and found the country as bad as can be imagined; +in fact, a dry morass, with higher land, free from floods, but overrun +with brushes, among which a few pines were scattered: they saw no water, +and but little game of any kind. + +June 29.--As we proceeded down the river, the country gradually became +much lower in its immediate vicinity; and between four and five miles +from our resting-place it was even with the banks, and in some places +overflowed them. All travelling near the river with horses was at once +interrupted, and this was the more perplexing as it rendered the +communication with the boats uncertain, and liable to be cut off +altogether. Finding that those marshes were only impassable for a mile +or little more from the river, and that occasionally we could approach +within one hundred yards of it, the horses were directed to keep round +the edge of them, making for the river whenever practicable, and firing +guns to let the boats know our situation. At two o'clock in the after. +noon we stopped, after going about ten miles and a half, about one +hundred and fifty yards from the river. which we could not approach +nearer by reason of wet and boggy marshes; in fact, the place where we +stopped is of the same description, but now (fortunately for us) dry. +The country north-east of us, along the dry edge of which we were +obliged to keep, is as bad as possible, being in wet seasons full of +water-holes, and consequently impassable. The river still continues +undiminished, as we find that the branches and small streams that +frequently run from it join it again at short distances, and that they +owe their existence at this time to the full state of the river, which +is certainly some feet above its usual level. The breadth and depth of +the river were various throughout the day: in the places where it +overflowed its banks, there was not more than from ten to twelve feet; in +others, where it ran very broad, but was confined within them, fifteen +feet; and in narrower places, under the same circumstances, upwards of +twenty feet. Thus it seemed to vary with the capacity of the channel to +contain its waters, which were very muddy, the current running at a +medium rate of a mile per hour. The boats arrived at about half past +four o'clock, meeting nothing to interrupt them. + +June 30.--After making every arrangement that we could devise to ensure +our keeping company with the boats, we proceeded down the river. Our +progress was, however, interrupted much sooner than I anticipated; for +we had scarcely gone six miles, and never nearer to the river than from +one to two miles, when we perceived that the waters which had overflowed +the banks were spreading over the plains on which we were travelling, +and that with a rapidity which precluded any hope of making the river +again to the north-west by north, in which direction we imagined it to +run for some distance, when its course appeared to take a more northerly +direction. Our situation did not admit of hesitation as to the steps we +were to pursue. Our journey had, in fact, been continued longer than +strict prudence would have warranted, and the safety of the whole party +was now at stake: no retreat presented itself except the station we left +in the morning, and even there it was impossible that we could, with any +regard to prudence, remain longer than to carry the arrangements which I +had in contemplation into effect. The horses were therefore ordered +back, and two men succeeded, after wading through the water to the +middle, in making the river about three miles below the place they set +out from. Fortunately the boats had not proceeded so far, and on their +coming up were directed to return. The boats arrived at sunset, having +had to pull against a strong current. The river itself continued, as +usual, from fifteen to twenty-five feet deep, the waters which were +overflowing the plains being carried thither by a multitude of +little streams, which had their origin in the present increased +height of the waters above their usual level. The river continued +undiminished, and presented too important a body of water to allow +me to believe that those marshes and low grounds had any material +effect in diffusing and absorbing it: its ultimate termination, +therefore, must be more consonant to its magnitude. These reflections +on the present undiminished state of the river would of themselves +have caused me to pause before I hastily quitted a pursuit from +the issue of which so much had naturally been expected. For all +practical purposes, the nature of the country precluded me from +indulging the hope, that even if the river should terminate in an +inland sea, it could be of the smallest use to the colony. The +knowledge of its actual termination, if at all attainable, was, +however, a matter of deep importance, and would tend to throw some +light on the obscurity in which the interior of this vast country is +still involved. My ardent desire to investigate as far as possible this +interesting question, determined me to take the large boat, and with +four volunteers to proceed down the river as long as it continued +navigable; a due regard being had to the difficulties we should have to +contend with in returning against the stream. I calculated that this +would take me a month; at all events, I determined to be provided for +that period, which indeed was the very utmost that could be spared from +the ulterior object of the expedition. + +July 1.--The water not rising. Employed in making every preparation to +proceed on the voyage down the river to-morrow morning. On mature +deliberation, it was resolved that on my departure, the horses with the +provisions should return back to Mount Harris, a distance of about +fifteen miles, as the safety of the whole would be endangered by a +longer stay at this station, and to that point I fixed to return with +the large boat. It was determined, that during my absence Mr. Evans +should proceed to the north-east from fifty to sixty miles, and return +upon a more northerly course, in order that we might be prepared against +any difficulties that might occur in the first stages of a journey to +the north-east coast. The only one which I contemplated in a serious +point of view, was the probable want of water until we came in contact +with high land, and I hoped this might be partially provided against by +Mr. Evans's expedition. The horses were all in good condition, and, from +the length of time I expected to be absent, the baggage would be reduced +to the smallest possible compass, and the cooper would have time to +diminish the pork casks, which were far too heavy for the horses, being +intended for boats only; for it had not been contemplated that the +nature of the country would so soon deprive us of water carriage. + +July 2.--I proceeded down the river, during one of the wettest and most +stormy days we had yet experienced. About twenty miles from where I set +out, there was, properly speaking, no country; the river overflowing its +banks, and dividing into streams which I found had no permanent +separation from the main branch, but united themselves to it on a +multitude of points. We went seven or eight miles farther, when we +stopped for the night upon a space of ground scarcely large enough to +enable us to kindle a fire. The principal stream ran with great +rapidity, and its banks and neighbourhood, as far as we could see, were +covered with wood, encreasing us within a margin or bank. Vast spaces of +country clear of timber were under water, and covered with the common +reed [Note: Arundo phragmites. Linn.], which grew to the height of six +or seven feet above the surface. The course and distance by the +river was estimated to be from twenty-seven to thirty miles, on a +north-north-west line. + +July 3.--Towards the morning the storm abated, and at daylight we +proceeded on our voyage. The main bed of the river was much contracted, +but very deep, the waters spreading to the depth of a foot or eighteen +inches over the banks, but all running on the same point of bearing. We +met with considerable interruption from fallen timber, which in places +nearly choked up the channel. After going about twenty miles, we lost +the land and trees: the channel of the river, which lay through reeds, +and was from one to three feet deep, ran northerly. This continued for +three or four miles farther, when although there had been no previous +change in the breadth, depth, and rapidity of the stream for several +miles, and I was sanguine in my expectations of soon entering the long +sought for Australian sea, it all at once eluded our farther pursuit by +spreading on every point from north-west to north-east, among the ocean +of reeds which surrounded us, still running with the same rapidity as +before. There, was no channel whatever among those reeds, and the depth +varied from three to five feet. This astonishing change (for I cannot +call it a termination of the river), of course left me no alternative +but to endeavour to return to some spot, on which we could effect a +landing before dark. I estimated that during this day we had gone about +twenty-four miles, on nearly the same point of bearing as yesterday. To +assert positively that we were on the margin of the lake or sea into +which this great body of water is discharged, might reasonably be deemed +a conclusion which has nothing but conjecture for its basis; but if an +opinion may be permitted to be hazarded from actual appearances, mine is +decidedly in favour of our being in the immediate vicinity of an inland +sea, or lake, most probably a shoal one, and gradually filling up by +immense depositions from the higher lands, left by the waters which flow +into it. It is most singular, that the high-lands on this continent seem +to be confined to the sea-coast, or not to extend to any great distance +from it. + +July 7.--I returned with the boat late last night, and was glad to find +that every thing had been removed to Mount Harris. Mr. Evans had not yet +set out on his journey, but intends to do so to-morrow. + +July 8.--Mr. Evans set forward to the north-east, taking with him eight +or ten days' provisions, which I hoped would be sufficient to enable him +to form a competent idea of the country we should now have to travel +over. In the mean time we employed ourselves in diminishing our baggage, +and setting aside eighteen weeks' provisions on a reduced ration, which +was the utmost the horses could take; the remainder serving us for +consumption during our stay here. + +July 18.--During the last week the weather was very variable and +unsettled, with constant gales from the north-west round to the +south-west, and occasional heavy rain. We had reason to congratulate +ourselves on the change of our situation: a delay of a few days would +have swept us from the face of the earth. On the 10th, the river began +to rise rapidly, and on the 15th, in the evening it was at its height, +laying the whole of the low country under water, and insulating us on +the spot on which we were; the water approaching within a few yards of +the tent. Nothing could be more melancholy and dreary than the scene +around us; and although personally safe, we could not contemplate +without anxiety the difficulties we might expect to meet with, in +passing over a country which the waters would leave wet and marshy, if +not impracticable. By this morning the waters had retired as rapidly as +they had risen, leaving us an outlet to the eastward, though I feared +that to the north-east the waters would still remain. In the evening +Mr. Evans returned, after an interesting though disagreeable journey. His +horses were completely worn out by the difficulties of the country they +had travelled over. His report, which I shall give at length, decided +me as to the steps that were now to be pursued; and I determined on +making nearly an easterly course to the river which he had discovered, +and which was now honoured with the name of Lord Castlereagh. This route +would take us over a drier country, and the river being within a short +distance of Arbuthnot's range, would enable me to examine from those +elevated points the country to the north-east and east; and to decide +how far it might be advisable to trace the river, which it is my present +inclination to do as long as its course continues to the eastward of +north. From Mr. Evans's Journal, it will be perceived that the waters of +the Macquarie have flowed to the north-east, and still continued flowing +among the reeds, which forced him to alter his course. The circumstance +of the river and other large bodies of water crossed by Mr. Evans all +flowing to the north, seems to bear out the conclusion that these waters +have but one common reservoir. + +July 19.--A tempestuous night, with thunder, lightning, and rain. +Impressed with the important use we should be able to make of our boats, +it was determined to construct a carriage for the small one, which we +did by the afternoon. Our labour was wasted; for we were altogether +unable to contrive any harness by which the horses could draw it: we +were therefore reluctantly obliged to relinquish our intention. + +July 20.--The morning was fine; and after much contrivance, we succeeded +in taking with us whatever was essential to our future security, and the +whole of the provisions except two casks or flour. The horses were, +however, very heavily laden, carrying at least three hundred and fifty +pounds each; a weight which I was fearful the description of country we +had to pass over would render still more burthensome. We had, however, +relinquished every thing that was not indispensable, and the saddle +horses were equally laden with the others. Mount Harris, under +which we had remained for the last fortnight, is in lat. 31. 18. S., +long. 147. 31. E. and variation 7. 48. On the summit of the hill we +buried +a bottle, containing a written scheme of our purposed route and +intentions, with some silver coin. Our course during the day was east by +north, by compass, over a level country intersected with marshes, over +which the horses travelled with the utmost difficulty, and not without +repeated falls. Considering how heavily they were laden, I was unwilling +to press them at this early period of our journey, and halted after +going seven miles on the above course. From Mount Harris, bearings were +taken to the most remarkable elevations in Arbuthnot's Range, as +follows: + +Mount Exmouth, (northern extreme of the range) N. 79. E. +Mount Harrison, (centre) N. 85. E. +Vernon's Peake N. 88. E. + +July 21--Proceeded on the same course, through a country of alternate +brush and marsh: whatever obstacles the former opposed to the progress +of the horses, were nothing to the distress occasioned by the latter, in +which they sank up to their knees at every step; I could not suffer them +to proceed farther than seven miles, which, indeed, was not accomplished +without severe labour. It is a singular feature in this remarkable +country, that the botany and soil are in all respects the same as two +hundred and fifty miles farther to the south-west, presenting nothing +new to our researches. Passed a very large chain of ponds now running to +the north-east, and named them Wallis's Ponds, after my friend, Captain +Wallis, of the 46th regiment. + +July 22.--We passed over much the same country as yesterday, but having +a large proportion of cypress forest. After travelling nearly ten miles, +we halted on the edge of a very extensive flat, from three to four miles +in diameter, covered with water. From this plain we had an excellent +view of Arbuthnot's Range, which, from so low and level a country, +appears of vast height. The horses failed much during the day, and +several of them were severely wrung with their burthens. + +July 23.--The weather continues remarkably fine and favourable to our +progress over these plains. Our course to-day was chiefly through a +thick brush of acacia and cypresses; a few trees of the eucalyptus and +casuarina were intermixed. The marshy ground was not so frequent, and we +effected between eight and nine miles, when we stopped on a small chain +of ponds but now a running strean, doubtless having its rise in the +marshy grounds a few miles south of us: its course was to the north. We +saw and shot several unknown birds within these few days, but the +botanical sameness continues. These ponds were named Morrissett's Ponds, +after Capt. Morrissett, of the 48th regiment. + +July 24.--About a mile and a half from last night's station, we crossed +another small stream similar in all respects to Morrissett's Ponds. Our +course was alternately over wet flats and dry brushes; but in the latter +we met with difficulties which we did not anticipate, namely, dry bogs +of a most dangerous description; they are from thirty to forty yards +broad, and the apparent firmness of their surface treacherously conceals +the danger beneath. One was discovered before the horses were too far +advanced to retreat, and by unlading them, we passed safely over. + +The horses were upon the other before we discovered the extent of our +danger, and it was only by instantly cutting away their loads and +harness, and by the exertion of all hands, that they were dragged out; +but they were so exhausted by the struggles they had themselves made, +that I found it would be highly imprudent to proceed farther, though we +had only gone five miles and a half. Such of the horses as had not come +up, their loads being carried over, crossed the bog half a mile higher, +where the ground was somewhat firmer. We had this day the misfortune to +find two of our horses much strained in their hind quarters. The soil of +the brushes is in general a light, sandy loam; on the plains it is an +alluvial mould, on a substratum of clay: the water on these plains is +seldom deeper than the ankles, but travelling over them is very +wearisome. Arbuthnot's Range was in sight during the whole day. The +country was so generally level, that it was impossible to discern any +inequality in it. The waters however, ran with a pretty brisk stream +northerly. + +July 25.--At nine o'clock we set forward with anxious hopes of reaching +Castlereagh River in the course of the day; we struggled for nine miles +through a line of country that baffles all description: we were +literally up to the middle in water the whole way, and two of the horses +were obliged to be unladen to get them over quicksand bogs. Finding a +place sufficiently dry to pitch our tent on, though surrounded by water, +we halted, both men and horses being too much exhausted to proceed +farther. Mr. Evans thinking we could not be very far from the river, +went forwards a couple of miles, when he came upon its banks. This same +river, which last Wednesday week had been crossed without any +difficulty, was now nearly on a level with its first or inner bank: and +its width and rapidity precluded all hope of our being able to cross it +until its subsidence. This was most perplexing intelligence, our +situation being such that we could neither retreat nor advance beyond +the bank of the river, which Mr. Evans represented as being both higher +and drier ground, and to all appearance sufficiently elevated to protect +us from the flood should it increase: thither I determined to remove in +the morning, and to take such further measures as might be deemed +advisable in our present hazardous situation. Since Mr. Evans re-crossed +the river, we have had no rain in our immediate neighbourhood +sufficient to cause the sudden rise, which therefore must be attributed +to heavy falls among the mountains to the east-south-east, from whence I +have no doubt it derives its source. It was most providential that +Mr. Evans and his companions crossed the river when they did; a single +day might have proved fatal to them. We would fain lessen to our own +imagination the dangers which surround us, and eagerly grasp at every +circumstance that tends in any way to enliven our future prospects. That +Providence, whose protection has hitherto been so beneficently extended +to us, will, we confidently hope, continue that protection, and lead us +in safety to our journey's end. + +Owing most probably to the violent motion it experienced, my chronometer +stopped: this accident was the more to be lamented, as the watch with +which I was furnished by the crown had also stopped, and we had now +nothing to regulate our time by. + +July 26.--We passed a dreadful night; the elements seemed to be bursting +asunder, and we were almost deluged with rain. Towards noon the weather +partially cleared tip. Our design of moving was however rendered +abortive: we found it impossible to bring the horses near the tents to +lade them, and the rain recommencing with great violence, continued +throughout the day. An inmate of an alarming description took up its +lodging in our tent during the last night, probably washed out of its +hole +by the rain: a large diamond snake was discovered coiled up among the +flour bags, four or five feet from the doctor's bed. + +July 27.--This morning the weather cleared up just in time to enable us +to retreat to the river banks in safety, for we were washed out of the +tent. The provisions and heavy baggage were carried by the people to a +firmer spot of ground, at which place the horses being lightly laden, we +got every thing transported to the river by one o'clock. Castlereagh +River is certainly a stream of great magnitude; its channel is divided +by numerous islands covered with trees: it measured in its narrowest +part one hundred and eighty yards, and the flood that had now risen in +it was such as to preclude any attempt to cross it. The outer banks were +good firm land, apparently free from floods, and extending not more on +this side than a quarter of a mile, when it became wet and marshy: the +banks were from twelve to seventeen feet high, and gradually sloped to +the water. The trees on this firm margin of land were a species of +eucalyptus, cypresses, and the sterculia heterophylla, with a few +casuarinae. This river doubtless discharges itself into that interior +gulf, in which the waters of the Macquarie are merged: to that river it +is in no respect inferior, and when the banks are full, the body of +water in it must be even still more considerable. Towards evening I +thought the waters were falling, which was an event we anxiously looked +for, to enable us to proceed to Arbuthnot's Range, from the heights of +which we hoped for an interesting view. Natives appear to be numerous; +their guniahs (or bark-huts) are in every direction, and by their +fire-places several muscle-shells of the same kind as those found on the +Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers were seen. Game (kangaroos and emus), +frequenting the dry banks of the river, were procured in abundance. + +July 28.--The river during the night had risen upwards of eight feet; +and still continued rising with surprising rapidity, running at the rate +of from five to six miles per hour, bringing down with it great +quantities of driftwood and other wreck. The islands were all deeply +covered, and the whole scene was peculiarly grand and interesting. The +sudden rise probably was caused by the heavy rains of the preceding +days; but great must be the sources from whence so stupendous a body of +water is supplied, and equally grand must be that reservoir, which is +capable of containing such an accumulation of water as is derived from +this and the Macquarie Rivers; not to mention the supplies from the +occasional streams which had their sources in the marshes which we have +crossed. The water was so extremely thick and turbid, that we could not +use it; but were forced to send back to the marshes for what we wanted. +At night, the river seemed at its greatest height. + +July 29.--The waters this day subsided rapidly. It is evident that there +has been no flood in the river for a very considerable period prior to +the present one, there being no marks of wreck or rubbish on the trees +or banks. Now the quantity of matter is astonishing, and, such as must +take some years to remove. The rapid rise and fall in the water would +seem to indicate that neither its source nor its embouchure can be at +any great distance. The former is probably not far east of Arbuthnot's +Range. + +August 2.--It was not until this morning that the river had fallen +sufficiently to allow us to ford it. Though the morning was unpromising +with slight rain, it was not deemed prudent to lose a moment in passing +it, while in our power; and by one o'clock every thing was safely over, +to our great satisfaction. Before this, it had begun to rain hard, and +it continued to do so throughout the day, and great part of the +night. Our observations place this part of Castlereagh River in +lat. 31. 14. 14. S., long. 148. 18. E., variation 8. 14. E. + +August 3.--A dark cloudy morning. At nine o'clock proceeded on our +eastern course towards Arbuthnot's Range. The river had risen in the +night so considerably, that had we delayed until this morning, we should +have been unable to pass it. The rain had rendered the ground so +extremely soft and boggy, that we found it impossible to proceed above +three-quarters of a mile on our eastern course. We therefore returned, +resolving to keep close to the river's edge, until we should be enabled +to sound the vein of quagmire, with which we appeared to be hemmed in. +In this attempt we were equally unfortunate, the horses falling +repeatedly: one rolled into the river, and it was with difficulty we +saved him: my baggage was on him, and was entirely spoiled; the +chart case and charts were materially damaged, and our spare thermometer +broken: we therefore unladed the horses where they stood, and the men +carried the provisions to a firmer spot, where they were reladen. We +again proceeded easterly, and for upwards of a mile we travelled up to +our knees in water and mud: the horses were here stopped by running +waters from the marshes, encircling a spot of comparatively dry ground; +they were again unladen, and with the utmost difficulty we got every +thing safe over. Both men and horses were so much exhausted by the +constant labour they had undergone, that I determined to halt, in order +to restore our baggage to some order. Our ardent hopes are fixed upon +the high lands of Arbuthnot's Range, which I estimate to be about twenty +miles off. The intermediate country, we fear, will be one continued +morass. + +August 4.--Proceeded on our journey. In the seven miles and a half which +we accomplished to-day, the water and bog were pretty equally divided; +and a plain covered with the former was a great relief both to men and +horses, since an apparently dry brush, or forest, was found a certain +forerunner of quicksands and bogs. The natives appear pretty numerous: +one was very daring, maintaining his ground at a distance armed with a +formidable jagged spear and club, which he kept beating against each +other, making the most singular gestures and noises that can be +imagined: he followed us upwards of a mile, when he left us, joining +several companions to the right of us. Emus and kangaroos abound, and +there is a great diversity of birds, some of which have the most +delightful notes, particularly the thrush. + +August 5.--At three o'clock we were obliged to give up all attempts to +proceed farther this day; it was with the utmost difficulty we +accomplished six miles: for the last half mile, the horses were not on +their legs for twenty yards together. This, too, was in the middle of an +apparently dry forest of iron bark and cypress trees: the surface gave +way but little to the human tread, but the horses were scarcely on it +before the water sprang at every step, and the ground sank with them to +their girths. In this dilemma, it was agreed to rest for the night, and +in the morning endeavour to proceed to the nearest hill, which appeared +to be distant about two miles and a half, with very light loads upon the +best track we could find, and then return for the remainder of the +baggage and stores. A foreknowledge of the difficulties we should have +to encounter would certainly have prevented me from attempting to reach +these mountains; the nature of this country baffles all reasonable +expectation and conjecture, and that which appears one thing at a +distance, has a quite different form and aspect when more nearly +approached. Neither rivers, brushes, nor marshes, seem to make the least +difference in the vegetation of this singular tract: a dreary uniformity +pervades alike its geology and its botany. + +August 6.--At eight o'clock the horses set forward with half the +baggage; with considerable difficulty they at length reached the hill, +and were immediately sent back for the remainder of the stores. The hill +was about three miles from our camp, and from it a view of Arbuthnot's +Range was obtained, distant nine or ten miles: its elevated points were +extremely lofty, and of a dark, barren, and gloomy appearance; the rocks +were of a dark grey, approaching to black, and from their crevices, a +few stunted trees protruded themselves. It was half past three o'clock +before every thing was removed to the foot of the hill, when it was much +too late to think of proceeding, anxious as we were to arrive at the +main range itself. We killed this day one of the largest kangaroos we +had seen in any part of New South Wales, being from one hundred and +fifty to one hundred and eighty pounds weight. These animals live in +flocks like sheep; and I do not exaggerate, when I say that some +hundreds were seen in the vicinity of this hill; it was consequently +named Kangaroo Hill: several beautiful little rills of water have their +source in it, but are soon lost in the immeasurable morass at its base. + +August 7.--About a mile from Kangaroo Hill, after crossing a marshy +plain, we came to a limestone rock, spreading in smaller pieces over a +low hill. It is somewhat remarkable, that this stone should again be +found precisely under the same meridian as seen on the Lachlan and +Macquarie Rivers: the same stratum appears to have run from south to +north, upwards of two hundred miles. This hill is certainly its northern +termination, since beyond it the low and marshy plains of the interior +commence. At one o'clock we arrived under the hill which Mr. Evans had +previously ascended: at this spot I intended to remain a couple of days, +as well to refresh the horses, as for the purpose of ascending Mount +Exmouth, from whence I promised myself an extensive view of the country +over which our intended route lay. On ascending the hill before +mentioned, I was surprised with the remarkable effect which the +situation appeared to have on the compass. The station I had chosen was +the highest part, and nearly the centre of the hill; placing the compass +on the rock before me, the card flew round with extreme velocity, and +then suddenly settled at opposite points, the north point becoming the +south. Astonished at such a phenomenon, I made the following +observations. The compass on the rock, Mount Exmouth, bore S. 60. W. +(its true bearing being N. 75. E.), and on raising it gradually to the +eye, the card was violently agitated, and the same point now bore +N. 67. E. About one hundred yards farther south, the compass was again +placed on the rock; the effect on the compass was very different, Mount +Exmouth bore E. 48. S., and the tent in the valley beneath S. 74. W. The +card on raising the compass was rather less agitated than before, and +from +the eye, Mount Exmouth bore N. 77. E., and the tent S. 15. W., the true +bearing of the latter being S. 13 1/2. W. Thus the magnetic fluid seemed +on this spot to have less influence on the needle, than on the spot where +its power was first observed; and at a short distance from the base of +the hill the needle regained its natural position. The rocks, when +broken, were of a dark iron grey: they did not appear to contain any +iron, for when tried at the tent, the magnet had no power over them. +I could not discern any regular stratum of rock, the hill being covered +with large detached stones, many of which formed figures of five and six +sides: the evening was too far advanced to permit any farther +observations to be made. [Note: The island of Cannay, one of the +Hebrides, affects the needle in a nearly similar manner. A rock in it is +named The Loadstone Rock.] Observed the variation of the needle by +azimuth, to be 6. 22. E. + +August 8.--We set off early this morning to ascend Mount Exmouth, +distant four or five miles: at its base we crossed a pretty stream of +water, having its source in the Mount; it took us nearly two hours of +hard labour to ascend its rugged summits: we were however amply +gratified for our trouble by the extensive prospect we had of the +surrounding country. Directing our view to the west, Mount Harris and +Mount Forster, whose elevations do not exceed from two to three hundred +feet, were distinctly seen at a distance of eighty-nine miles. These two +spots excepted, from the south to the north it was a vast level, +resembling the ocean in extent and appearance. From east-north-east to +south, the country was broken and irregular; lofty hills arising from +the midst of lesser elevations, their summits crowned with perpendicular +rocks, in every variety of shape and form that the wildest imagination +could paint. To this grand and picturesque scenery, Mount Exmouth +presented a perpendicular front of at least one thousand feet high, when +its descent became more gradual to its base in the valley beneath, its +total elevation being little less than three thousand feet. To the +north-east commencing at N. 33. E., and extending to N. 51. E., a lofty +and magnificent range of hills was seen lifting their blue heads above +the +horizon. This range was honoured with the name of the Earl of Hardwicke, +and was distant on a medium from one hundred to one hundred and twenty +miles: its highest elevations were named respectively Mount Apsley, and +Mount Shirley. The country between Mount Exmouth and this bounding range +was broken into rugged hills, and apparently deep valleys, and several +minor ranges of hills also appeared. The high lands from the east and +south-east gradually lessened to the north-west, when they were lost in +the immense levels, which bound the interior abyss of this singular +country; the gulf in which both water and mountain seem to be as +nothing. Mount Exmouth seems principally composed of iron-stone; and +some of the richest ore I had yet seen was found upon it. On its sides +were many different stones; but its perpendicular cliffs were of a dark +bluish grey colour, shining when broken, very heavy, and close grained. +Mount Harris, and Mount Exmouth, are composed of distinct materials, and +in their formation bear not the slightest resemblance to each other; +the granite of the former being more allied to the hills to the +south-south-east of it, from which however it is distant at least one +hundred miles, a perfect level filling up the intermediate space. Many +new, and otherwise interesting subjects of the indigenous botany were +discovered on the hills: among which were a species of persoonia, not +previously observed, some xanthorrhaeae or grass trees, and two or three +coast plants. The heteromorphous sterculia of the interior, and some +species of eucalyptus of very stunted growth covered its sides, which +however for a considerable distance were not deficient in grass. +Sandstone +was found in large masses in the rivulet at its base, with pebbles of +various colours, and of species none of which was found on the mount +itself. It was near four o'clock before we returned to the tent, highly +gratified with our excursion. + +August 9.--In the course of the day, I again ascended Loadstone Hill, +and repeated the experiments made on Friday, with the same results. +Several different stations on the summit were tried, and the needle was +variously affected; the spot where the phenomenon was first observed +seemed to have the greatest effect on the needle. A common sewing needle +was strongly rubbed with a magnet, and balanced on the point of the +rock, when it was much agitated, and the point flew round from the +north to the south. The needle of the circumferenter, taken out of the +box, was affected in a similar manner, only that when balanced on the +rock, the fluid did not possess sufficient power to turn the point more +than one point of the circle instead of quite round, as when balanced in +the compass box. A compound magnet was laid on the rock, and applied to +it in different ways, but it did not seem in any manner affected by the +power which had so surprised us with its effect on the compass. The +weather within the last week has become perceptibly warmer: the +thermometer being seldom under 70 degrees at noon. The fires of the +natives were seen at no great distance from us; and they seem to attend +upon our motions pretty closely. The observations made here placed us in +lat. 31. 13. S., long. 148. 41. 30. E., and I estimate the mean variation +to be about 7 1/2 easterly. We found that no reliance could be placed on +bearings taken with the compass on heights in this vicinity, and I am +fearful that the bearings taken from Mount Exmouth will require +verification, a difference of 4 degrees being observed in some, when +compared with other bearings, which could not be supposed to be affected +by the magnetic fluid. + +August 10.--Proceeded on our journey: our course for the first six or +seven miles being to the north-north-east, and afterwards north-east half +east, which latter course I intended to steer for some time. It was the +best day's travelling we had experienced since quitting the Macquarie +River, being generally over low strong ridges, the sides and summits of +some of which were very thick brush of cypress trees, and small shrubs, +particularly the last two miles. We stopped for the evening in an +extensive low valley north of Mount Exmouth, and running under its base, +bounded on the north-east by low forest hills. To the south the hills +were rocky, abrupt, and precipitous. On the whole we accomplished eleven +miles. + +August 11.--Our route lay over low valleys of considerable extent of +open forest ground, but so soft and boggy, that it was with difficulty +we made any progress: it would seem that much rain had fallen here +lately, and completely saturated the soil, which is a light, sandy +mould. In these valleys there are small streams of water, having their +origin in the surrounding hills; they all terminate northerly. We could +accomplish but seven miles on a north-east by east course. In the +evening we had an awful storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied with +torrents of rain. The reverberation of sound among the hills was +astonishing. The natives continue in our vicinity unheeded, and +unheeding: even the noise of their mogo upon the trees is a relief from +the otherwise utter loneliness of feeling we cannot help experiencing in +these desolate wilds. + +August 12.--We found that we could not maintain our direct course, as +the low ground was so boggy, that the horses were altogether unable to +move on it. Keeping therefore the banks of the little stream where the +ground was firmer, we reached the chain of hills bounding the valley to +the southward: we wound along the base of the hills on a variety of +courses, not being able to quit them twenty yards without being bogged. +Finding that the hills trended too much to the south-west, we kept down +the bed of a small stream for two or three miles, and halted on a fine +apple tree flat of rich land, watered by a very fine small stream, which +was joined by the one we came down. The main strewn ran to the +northward. The apple tree flats are uniformly of firm hard ground, while +the soil on which grow the iron-bark, pine, and box, is as invariably a +loose sand, rendered by the rain a perfect quicksand. These bogs are the +more provoking, as without such impediments the country is clear and +open, and as favourable for travelling over as could be wished: we have +had any thing but a dry season, and it is to the heavy rain which might +naturally be expected to fall near high mountains, that our present +difficulties must be ascribed. We travelled between nine and ten miles, +but our course made good was nearly south-east only five miles. A few +new plants were found: the hills were a mere bed of iron ore. + +August 13.--We proceeded at our usual hour; and did not halt till near +sunset, but accomplished no more than six miles, in the course of which +the horses were obliged to be unladen, and the men carried the loads +upwards of half a mile before the horses could be got across the +quicksands. They are indeed properly so termed, consisting of two or +three inches of light mould, on about eighteen inches of loose sand, the +whole covering a rocky or stony bottom. On treading on them, water would +fly up several inches; and it was with difficulty men could pass over +them, much less horses. Quicksands of a similar nature prevented our +reaching a small creek running under a high craggy ridge of hills; +we therefore stopped at the edges of them, every body completely +worn out. The appearance of the country passed over was most desolate +and forbidding, but quite open, interspersed with miserable rocky crags, +on which grew the cypress and eucalyptus. On the more level portions +of the country, a new and large species of eucalyptus, and another of +its genus (the iron bark), were the principal if not the only trees. +Many of the rocks were pointed and basaltic, but the general species +was a coarse sandstone. Miserable as the country was in other respects, +it was fruitful in new plants. + +August 14.--As it rained hard during the night, and the rain still +continued to fall in thick showers, I thought it advisable to rest. + +August 15.--Cloudy, with strong winds from the south-east. We crossed +the creek about two miles from our resting-place, but soon found that +any attempt to advance in that quarter would be abortive, the morass and +quicksands extending into the very water, and denying all egress. We +therefore recrossed the rivulet about a mile more northerly with better +success, and succeeded in gaining some stony hills, which, with two or +three intervening marshy valleys, continued for the rest of the day's +route; the latter part being up very high, rocky, barren hills, with +narrow defiles. From these heights we descended into a pretty valley of +considerable extent, and, to our great joy, of sound, firm soil, with +plenty of good grass: the water however was strongly impregnated with +iron, so that we could hardly drink it. This valley, which we named +Wiltden Valley, was enclosed on all sides except the north, by lofty, +rocky hills of coarse sandstone, adorned with various species of acacia +in full bloom, with a vast variety of other flowering shrubs of the most +beautiful and delicate description, adding greatly to our botanical +collection. We accomplished in the whole twelve or thirteen miles, about +six of which were in the direction of our proper course. + +August 16.--We had hardly begun to lade the horses, when the rain +recommenced with greater violence than in the night, and effectually +prevented us from proceeding. The country presents sufficient +obstructions to our progress, not to render the delay caused by a day's +rain a matter of much inquietude. The loss of time is of little +consideration, when compared with the soft and boggy ground which such +heavy falls leave. A species of banksia was seen to-day under the same +meridian as on the Macquarie. It would seem that particular productions +of the vegetable as well as of the mineral kingdom run in veins nearly +north and south through the country. This peculiarity has been remarked +of other plants, besides the species of banksia. + +August 17.--Our course this day led us over a barren, rocky country, +consisting of low stony ranges, divided by valleys of pure sand, and +usually wet and marshy: latterly we appear to be descending from a +considerable height, to a lower country to the north-east. The whole was +a mere scrub covered with dwarf iron barks, apple trees, and small gums; +the soil scarcely any thing but sand, on which grass grew in single +detached roots. The horses fell repeatedly in the course of the day, +and they were now so weak that they sank at every soft place. Between +four and five o'clock, after travelling about ten hours, we stopped at a +small drain of water for the night, having accomplished nearly eleven +miles. In our track we saw no signs of natives, and the country seemed +abandoned of every living thing. Silence and desolation reigned around. + +August 18.--It is impossible to describe in adequate language the +different trying obstructions we encountered during this day's journey: +after meeting and overcoming many minor difficulties of bog and +quicksand, we had accomplished nearly eleven miles, and were looking out +for a place to rest, when we entered a very thick forest of small iron +barks which had been lately burnt; and their black stems and branches, +with the dull bluish colour of their foliage, gave the whole a +singularly dismal and gloomy appearance. So thick was the forest that we +could hardly turn our horses, nor could the sun's rays penetrate to the +sandy desert on which these trees grew. Without the usual appearances of +a bog, our horses were in an instant up to their bellies, and the +difficulties we had in extricating them would hardly obtain belief. In +this dilemma, scarcely able to see which way to turn, we traversed the +margin of this extensive quicksand for nearly three miles in a direction +contrary to our course, before we could find firm ground or water for +the horses, which we did not effect till sunset; and then (as for the +last three days) there was nothing for them to eat but prickly grass, +which possesses no nourishing qualities. This fare, after their hard +labour, reduces them daily. + +August 19.--After wandering about the whole day without gaining any +thing on our course, for the quicksands kept us revolving as it were in +a circle, the exhaustion of the horses obliged us to stop. It was +painful to behold them, after being disencumbered of their loads, lay +themselves down like dogs about us: it was the fourth day that they had +been without grass, and they preferred the tender branches of shrubs, +etc., to the prickly grass. The backs of the greater part of them were, +notwithstanding every care, dreadfully galled, so that they could, when +first saddled, scarcely stand under their burdens. These quicksands lie +in the hollows between the low irregular hills, which rise on this +otherwise level country: their point of discharge is uniformly +north-westerly. The union of many of these minor drains forms +occasionally a large one, and the points of the hills which meet upon +them afford the only means of crossing them. It was evident that the +early part of the winter had been very wet., and the late rains had +probably been the cause of these morasses, which still continued to +drain themselves off in running water. This region must at all times be +impassable from opposite causes: in wet seasons it is a bog; in dry +ones, there is no water. Finding, as above remarked, that northerly and +north-east the country declined as it were to nothing, it was resolved +to pursue a more easterly course than that hitherto followed; and +instead of attempting to go round the morasses which we might meet with +to the north, to follow them southerly, a course which in time must +certainly take us to a more elevated country. Such a road is rendered +now absolutely necessary by the condition of the horses. Our dogs, which +had so long contributed to our support, had been for the last four days +dependant upon us for theirs, and we were too much indebted to their +exertions not to share our meals with them with cheerfulness. These +woods abound with kangaroo rats, and it is singular that, pinched as the +dogs were, they would not touch them even when cooked. + +August 20.--This day after travelling upwards of nine miles, and having +pushed the horses at the risk of their lives through two minor branches +of the bog, what was our mortification to find, that we were within a +few hundred yards of the spot we set out from! We had first attempted +to cross the main bog northerly, and afterwards kept along its edge +southerly; and the result was, that we found it to extend in a complete +circle around us. From a slight rise in the centre of it, we could see +the country to the north-east, north, and north-west, low and uneven; +Hardwicke's Range distant about forty miles, bounding it between the +north and east. The result of this day's exertion quite subdued our +fortitude, and for a moment a feeling nearly allied to despair had +possession of our minds. We knew not which way to turn ourselves. To +return to Arbuthnot's Range, and again undergo what it had cost us so +much to overcome, could not be thought of for a moment; but upon that +mature reflection which our serious situation demanded, it was deemed +the most prudent plan to return so far back as would enable us to reach +the higher lands to the south-east. This we expected to do by Saturday +evening: twenty miles back we had left land of considerable elevation; +and we could only hope that in its vicinity we should find a dry ridge +on which to accomplish our purpose, and occasionally a patch of country +in which the horses might find subsistence; for they were at present +very much reduced. + +August 23.--We returned yesterday to Parry's Rivulet, within twelve +miles of Weltden Valley, which was the whole distance we had gone in the +direction of our course towards the coast, although we had travelled +during the week upwards of seventy miles. The weather for the last four +days has been extremely tempestuous, with slight showers of hail and +rain: the winds were chiefly from the west and north-west, the +temperature being extremely cold for the latitude and season. The +observations of to-day place this station in lat. 30. 57. 20., +long. 149. 20. E. Variation 8. 42. E. + +August 24.--We were a little surprised at finding that a severe frost +had taken place during the night, and that the thermometer was now as +low as 28 degrees. Ice lay within a few yards of our fire, of the +thickness of a dollar. Our course throughout the day was southerly, and +led us up the banks of Parry's Rivulet. We experienced fewer +difficulties than on any day since we had entered this desert, and +accomplished between nine and ten miles, at the end of which we entered +a small valley of good forest ground with tolerable grass; though early +in the day, the horses needed refreshment too much, not to induce me to +stop here for the remainder of it: as we could not at the utmost have +gone above two miles farther. This valley, and the appearance of forest +hills to the southward, gave us strong hopes that by continuing our +present course for a day or two longer we should get into a better line +of country, and be enabled to resume our easterly course. Parry's +Rivulet was here a series of large ponds, near which were traces of +natives, but of old date. In this desert, we have never met with any +signs that can lead us to believe it has ever been before crossed by any +human being. + +August 25.--A smart frost during the night: the morning fine and clear. +At eight o'clock we proceeded on our route, taking a more easterly +direction according to circumstances. Between three and four miles from +our camp, we had an extensive view to the east and south-east, and saw +with extreme satisfaction a lofty chain of fine forest hills thinly +timbered, bearing east-south-east of us; and distant fourteen or fifteen +miles. To the east were extensive flats, bare of timber, and apparently +either composed of white sand, or covered with dead grass; our distance +would not enable us to distinguish which: these flats were bounded by +remote rising hills seemingly clear and open. A high peak, bearing +north, was named Kerr's Peak; and a very lofty mount, under which the +west extremity of the plains lay, was named Mount Tetley: and the +westernmost remarkable hill in the chain first mentioned, Whitwell Hill. +The bogginess and ruggedness of our route, for the remainder of the day, +sufficiently tried our strength: we accomplished however thirteen miles, +and halted in a small valley about four miles south of Whitwell Hill. +This valley was bounded east and west by rocky hills, but the soil was +better, and the grass of good quality. The base of these hills was of +close-grained white-coloured granite, or whinstone: the summits of good +freestone: on the sides several good pieces of iron ore were picked up. + +August 26.--While Mr. Evans proceeded with the horses on an eastern +course for Mount Tetley, Dr. Harris and myself went towards the spacious +valley at the foot of Whitwell Hill. This we soon reached, and travelled +down its centre, along the banks of a beautiful stream of water which +fertilized and drained it. The extent of this valley towards the +south-west, we could not discover, as its windings were lost among the +forest hills in that direction. We went down to the east between seven +and eight miles, when we rejoined the horses at the base of an elevated +conical hill, standing detached at its east entrance, which was here +four or five miles wide. On ascending this hill, the view which was on +all sides presented to our delighted eyes was of the most varied and +exhilarating kind. Hills, dales, and plains of the richest description +lay before us, bounded to the east by fine hills, beyond which were seen +elevated mountains. To the north-east an extensive valley, from eight to +ten miles wide, led to Hardwicke's Range, being a distance of about +thirty-five miles. In this great valley were numerous low hills and +plains, thinly studded with timber, and watered by the stream, down the +banks of which we had travelled. From its eastern side, these low hills +gradually rose to a loftier elevation: but were still thinly timbered, +and covered with grass. To the east-south-east, and south-east, clear +plains extended to the foot of very lofty forest hills, at a medium +distance of from twenty-five to forty miles. These were the plains seen +on our yesterday's route, and which we feared were sand. We found them +to consist of a rich dry vegetable soil; and although, from their vast +extent, they may, as a whole, be properly denominated plains, yet their +surfaces were slightly broken into gentle eminences with occasional +clumps, and lines of timber. Their white appearance was occasioned by +the grass having been burnt early in the year, and the young growth +killed by the frosts. The little rivulet, that watered the north-west +side of this track of country, had overflowed within these few days; but +the ground left by the retreating waters was as firm and solid, as those +parts which had not been touched. The sides of the hills were of the +same black mould, stony towards their summits, and the higher eminences +rocky. The rocks were of a very hard whinstone, the stratum nearly +perpendicular, or rather standing up in regular basaltic figures, +similar to those on Loadstone Hill. These valleys and hills abound with +kangaroos, and on the plains numbers of emus were seen. We seemed to be +once more in the land of plenty, and the horses as well as men had cause +to rejoice at the change, from the miserable harassing deserts through +which we had been struggling for the last six weeks, to this beautiful +and fertile country. From the hill on which we stood, bearings were +taken to the most remarkable points and objects connected with the +survey; and the most distinguished, in point of beauty or singularity of +appearance, were honoured with distinctive appellations. The valley down +which we had travelled was called Lushington's Valley (after the +Secretary to His Majesty's Treasury); the extensive one to the +north-east, leading to Hardwicke's Range, Camden Valley (after the noble +Marquis); the plains to the east and south-east were honoured with the +name of Lord Liverpool; the hills bounding Lushington's Valley, on the +south side, Vansittart's Hills, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer; +while several less remarkable hills were designated after persons +endeared to our recollections by early friendship. A great variety of +new plants rewarded the exertions of our botanist, in ascending Mount +Tetley; and many, hitherto only known on the coast, were discovered on +the hills and in the valleys: the acacia pendula was also seen; it had +hitherto been the usual characteristic of wet lands, but it was here +growing on the most dry and elevated situations. The timber on the +plains and hills was chiefly those species of eucalyptus called apple +tree, box, and gum trees; and on the banks of the rivulet were a few +large casuarina. So much time was consumed in ascending hills and +examining the country, that we did not go more than ten miles on a +direct course: it was however time well bestowed. Three native fires +were seen in Lushington's Valley, but the whole of this part of the +country appears to be very thinly inhabited; a few wandering families +making up the total of its population. The small rivulet in Lushington's +Valley was named Yorke's Rivulet, in honour of Sir J. S. Yorke. + +August 27.--Pursuing our course to the eastward, towards the range of +low hills bordering the plains in that quarter, between five and six +miles, we came to a fine stream of water, crossing the plains from the +south to the north. There had been a flood in this rivulet within these +few days, marks of which were observed about fifteen feet high; but +still within the banks. It appears that the plains are chiefly flooded +from Yorke's Rivulet, the remaining waters of which, together with +rain-water, were in several places still standing on the surface; but +not to the extent that the horizontal level of these plains would have +led me to suppose would probably be the case. The far greater portion +was a rich dry soil, and that the water is never permanent on any part +of them is clearly demonstrated by the total absence of any aquatic or +bog plants. From this rivulet, the three main branches of these immense +plains were clearly visible to the east by south-south-east, and +north-east. Of the extent of the two former, we could only judge from +the lofty bounding chains of hills in those quarters; and which we could +not estimate to be nearer than from forty-five to fifty miles. +Hardwicke's Range bounded these to the north-east, with many intervening +beautiful hills and valleys. We found the distance across the plains to +the hill where we stopped, to be upwards of fourteen miles on an east +line. Chains and ridges of low forest hills, which gradually rise from the +horizontal level, are scattered over these plains, and stand for the most +part detached like islands; varying the scenery in a most picturesque +manner, as they are generally clothed with wood of apple tree, cypress, +and other species of eucalyptus, intermingled with various acacias in full +flower. Mr. Evans ascended Mount Tetley to take bearings from it. He found +the compass to be affected in a similar manner to that remarked on +Loadstone Hill; the north point of it when placed on the rock, becoming +the south. This remarkable alteration of the needle was also observed on +several other hills in this vicinity, but in a less degree; the bearings +generally varying from two to three points from the truth. On the hill +under which we stopped this evening, named View Hill, the needle varied +three points. In consequence of the heavy rains and recent floods, +travelling on many parts of these plains was very heavy; the soil being a +rick loose loam, of a dark red approaching to a black colour, but of +great apparent fertility and strength: some hundreds of kangaroos and +emus were seen in the course of the day. We killed several, the dogs +being absolutely fatigued with slaughter: the game was by no means shy, +but came close up to us, as if to examine us. Indeed I do not think they +are much disturbed by natives, of whom we have seen few signs in this +neighbourhood. The stream crossing the plains was named Bowen's Rivulet, +in honour of Commissioner Bowen, of the Navy Board. + +August 28.--The season continues to get warm and sultry. We pursued an +east-north-east course during our day's journey, leading us through a +fine open forest country generally level in the direction of our course, +but rising into forest hills to the north and south of us. At eight +miles, ascending from this level, we saw the great plains which extend +along the line of our course, and are separated from us by a rich open +country of hill and vale, distant four or five miles. A branch from these +plains led to the north-east across our course, and was distant five or +six miles. We proceeded in the whole ten miles, and stopped in a pretty +forest valley, with plenty of water and good grass. The stones composing +the hills were very various, sometimes different species of granite, then +sandstone, and on others loose slate. On View Hill we found particularly +rich iron stone. The soil was uniformly good, and covered with grass; the +country by no means thickly timbered, chiefly with box, and a few +cypresses. + +August 29.--On our departure we almost immediately descended a rocky +and steep hill, covered with cypress and small brush; from thence we +descended upon a level forest country, which continued for the remainder +of our journey (seven and a half miles), to the edge of the extensive +flat which we had seen yesterday. As we should not have been able to +cross it before nightfall, I thought it better to remain where there was +plenty of grass and water. From our tent we had a singularly picturesque +and pleasing prospect. To the north, Hardwicke's Range, distant between +forty and fifty miles: the country broken into low forest hills and +plains to its base. To the north-east, east, and south-east, our view was +bounded by beautiful forest hills seldom rising to any great elevation, +thinly wooded, and covered with grass. These hills bounded the plains, +and varied in distance from ten to thirty miles. To the north-east the +country was lowest, but appeared good and open: that part of the plain +near which we encamped was wet and marshy; and the horizontal level of +the whole appeared to warrant the supposition that at some (perhaps not +distant) period, these vast plains formed chains of inland lakes, which +the washings from the hills have now nearly filled up; as the water at +present does not exceed a few inches in depth, and is only partially +spread on the surface, forming but a moderate proportion of the whole. In +dry seasons there is evidently none: the hills passed over this day were +of a curious species of pudding-stone and freestone. The hills on the +opposite side of the plains were named Melville Hills, in honour of the +first Lord of the Admiralty; and the valley at the extremity of it +leading to Hardwicke's Range, Barrow's Valley, after one of the +secretaries of that board. + +August 30.--A day of rest and refreshment to ourselves and horses. Game +abounds, and our dogs abundantly supply us. The observations made here, +place our situation in lat. 31. 7., long. 150. 10. E. + +August 31.--We were agreeably disappointed, in finding that the wet +marshy ground did not extend above three quarters of a mile, the +remainder being dry firm land of the richest description: at six miles we +crossed a considerable stream, running to the north through Barrow's +Valley: this stream, divided the plain into nearly two equal parts, it +being ten miles and a half across. This stream had been very recently +flooded, and the water, yet muddy, had not subsided within its proper +level; the height of the banks from fifteen to twenty feet. On the east +side of the plain, we found the marsh extend about one mile and a quarter +from the forest ground which borders it; though wet, it was now strong +ground, and might easily be laid dry. On quitting the plains we entered a +very fine open forest flat, through which we proceeded a mile and a half, +and encamped for the evening under a lofty hill named Mount Dundas, by a +small spring of excellent water. Ascending this mountain, we found that +the country in the line of our course was high, broken forest land, the +easternmost ranges of which (distant from thirty-five to forty miles) +appeared to have a stream running under them, by reason of the thick +haze which rose from the valley beneath. To the north bending round to +the north-east, the country was beautifully picturesque, consisting of +low, open forest hills, bounded by higher chains of hills that formed the +southern side of the spacious valley under Hardwicke's Range; through +which I no longer doubted that a considerable stream had its course, +since all the waters we had hitherto crossed ran in that direction. A +great many smokes, arising from the fires of the natives, were seen to +the north-east and north. To the south-east, south, and south-west, our +view extended over that vast tract of level champaign country +intermingled with hills, sometimes rising into lofty peaks, as has +already been described. The abundance of game, such as emus, and +kangaroos, and of wild ducks on the stream, was wonderful: our dogs +after severe battles killed two emus, who however tore one of them very +dangerously. We called the river which divided and watered the plain +Field's River, in honour of the Judge of the Supreme Court. + +September 1.--We pursued our course to the east-north-east, winding +through rich valleys bounded by lofty forest hills for seven miles; when +by a gentle descent we entered a rich and spacious vale, bounded on the +east by very high hills, and on the west by others less elevated. At +twelve miles we stopped at some ponds near the centre of the vale. The +hills were very stony, of various species--granite, freestone, and +pudding-stone; they were however well covered with grass, and quite clear +and open; the valleys and levels excellent, with good timber, chiefly +apple tree, box, and gum. On the higher ridges of the hills, and +occasionally on their sides, were many fine cypresses: there was nothing +grand or imposing in the scenery; but it was simple and attractive from +its richness and extent: the hills sometimes rose into singular forms +which were continually changing in our progress, and appeared well +calculated to afford an ample range of sheep pasture. The extensive vale +in which we stopped was named Goulburn Vale, in honour of the under +Secretary of State for the colonies. + +September 2.--Our expectations of finding a river to the eastward, were +this day verified: after passing for eleven miles across this beautiful +vale, we came to a deep and rapid stream running to the north, through +the valley whose eastern side it waters: finding it too deep to be +forded, we constructed a bridge across a narrow part of it, by felling +such large trees as would meet, by which the baggage was taken over: the +horses were swum across. One of the men, foolishly attempting to swim +over on a horse, nearly paid for his imprudence with his life: as he +could not swim, he was carried down the stream near a quarter of a mile, +and was several minutes under water. His body being providentially washed +across a log, was the means of his preservation. It was late in the +afternoon before our passage across was effected, so that we halted on +the banks. This was the largest interior river (with the exception of the +Macquarie and Castlereagh), which we had yet seen. It would be impossible +to find a finer or more luxuriant country than it waters: north and +south, its extent is unknown, but it is certainly not less than sixty +miles, whilst the breadth of the vale is on a medium about twenty miles. +This space between the bounding hills is not altogether level, but rises +into gentle inequalities, and independently of the river is well watered; +the grass was most luxuriant; the timber good and not thick: in short, no +place in the world can afford more advantages to the industrious settler, +than this extensive vale. The river was named Peel's River, in honour of +the Right Hon. Robert Peel. A great many new plants were found to-day and +yesterday, chiefly of the orchis tribe [Note: Orchideae of Juss. and +BROWN.]: we saw numbers of the ornithorynchus, or water mole, in the +river, also a few turtle: we were not successful in obtaining any fish, +so that we were unable to decide whether it contained the same species as +the Macquarie. + +September 3.--After passing over a fine and gently rising country for +between four and five miles, we ascended a very lofty chain of hills, +being the eastern boundary of Goulburn Vale; these hills were of +good soil, and covered with excellent grass to their very summits. +Ascending two of the highest ridges, several circular orifices were +observed on them about twelve feet in diameter, and five feet deep. +Great quantities of small stones resembling basaltes were in heaps +round the edges, at a little distance from which the stones were +perpendicular, and firmly bedded in the earth; many of them regular +six-sided figures, and all fractured into laminae, from two to nine +inches in thickness. The rocks upon this range were of a peculiarly hard +quality, and of a deep blue colour, approaching to black when broken. The +country easterly appeared broken into a series of rocky detached hills: +and on descending this range, we found an immediate change in the quality +of the soil, being in the valleys of a light coarse sand, the surface +covered with gritty particles as from pulverised coarse granite. The +difference in the rocks composing the hills was here very remarkable, +being a very coarse granite of the same description as in the +neighbourhood of Bathurst, scattered in immense masses both in the +valleys and on the hills; and our astonishment was more than once +excited at the causes which could have effected their removal from their +primitive bed. On a hill near which we encamped, was a single mass of +granite apparently thrown up perpendicularly from the bosom of the earth: +it was twenty-six feet high and had six distinct sides, ending in an +irregular point at the summit, and was forty-eight feet in circumference. +The valleys, though sandy, afforded us plenty of good grass and water, +and the hills furnished abundant employment for the botanical collector. + +September 4.--After leaving the valley in which we encamped, we entered +one much more extensive, and communicating with Goulburn Vale. Between +five and six miles on our route, we reached a beautiful small river +coming from the eastward and joining Peel's River, of which it appears to +be a principal branch. For the remainder of the day's journey, we +proceeded up the fine valley which this stream watered, bounded on the +north and south by lofty and fertile hills covered with rich herbage, +having numerous smaller valleys and streams terminating in this principal +valley. The whole scenery was thinly clothed with wood, and occasionally +a bold craggy promontory terminating at the river gave it a diversity, +which its general softness of feature or outline required: there were no +principal ranges of hills, but they broke in and upon each other, forming +the utmost variety of shape. The rocks and stones which composed the +bases and summits of these hills, were not less various than their form: +scarcely two were alike. Granite, coarse porphyry, freestone, and +whinstone were frequently found on the same hill, and the beds of the +streams were of every variety of pebble. This fine stream received the +name of Cockburn River. + +September 5.--Our course this day sometimes led us over very elevated +ridges, and at other times through deep and rich valleys. Some of these +hills were at least three thousand feet in height, and clothed with grass +to their summits. Others of the less elevated were entirely free from +rocks, and of the finest soil. The timber chiefly box, with some few +trees of another species of eucalyptus called stringy bark, and cypress. +A number of small streams watered the deep valleys to the north and +south, falling into Cockburn River. Large quantities of quartz were in +various places, as also good flint, which was found in large masses in +the bed of Cockburn River, and also in small pieces on the hills. This +was the second flint that has been discovered in New South Wales. We +halted in a small and beautiful valley near Cockburn River, after having +accomplished nine miles. + +September 6.--A day of rest. The observations place this station in lat. +31. 04. 35 S., long. 151. 05. 30. E., variation 9. 58. E. + +September 7.--The morning clear and fine. At half past seven o'clock we +proceeded on our journey: in the whole course of it, we never experienced +more precipitous travelling than during the first six miles. Travellers, +less accustomed to meet difficulties, might perhaps have been a little +alarmed at traversing such steep and shelving hills, the loose stones on +which added to the insecurity of our footing. Nevertheless we found it +extremely pleasant, from the romantic beauty of the scenery and the +freshness of the verdure. We had been ascending an extremely elevated +country for the last thirty miles; and I was in great hopes of soon +reaching the point of division between the eastern and western waters. By +a tolerably easy acclivity, we gained that which I took to be the highest +of these congregated hills, in hopes it might possibly lead into a main +range. From its summit we had a very extensive prospect over the country +we had left, and also to the southward, in which direction the land +appeared broken and hilly, and but thinly clothed with timber. To the +east and north-east it appeared far less broken, and certainly less +elevated than the ridge we were on. This ridge soon expanded to a broad +surface of open forest land, and proceeding on it to the east about a +mile, we perceived in the valley beneath us a considerable and rapid +stream running to the north, and afterwards apparently taking a more +easterly direction. A more remarkable change in the outward appearance of +a country was perhaps never before witnessed. In less than a mile, the +timber had entirely changed from the bastard box to another kind of +eucalyptus, called common blue gum, which grew in great luxuriance in the +country before us. Until now this species had never been seen except on +the immediate banks of running streams. In the course of the day, great +quantities of fine stringy bark were also seen. The soil, instead of the +light black mould, which had been the general covering of the country, +was now changed to a stiff tenacious clay; and although well clothed with +grass, its less luxuriant growth evidently showed the difference of soil +not to be favourable. From this hill or range we descended very gradually +for nearly two miles to the river before seen, and up the banks of which +we proceeded about a mile farther, when we halted for the evening. The +country was perfectly open, though much covered with fallen timber; the +banks of the river sloping and quite clear of timber; and being within +one hundred miles of the sea coast, I had a strong belief that we had +descended from the highest land, and that we should meet with no dividing +ranges in the course of our future progress. It is impossible to form any +certain conclusion at present, as to the course taken by this stream. +Whether it finds its way to the coast, or is lost like the other streams +of this country, will, I think, in a great measure depend upon the fact +of our having crossed the highest ranges of the country. One of the men +who had taken the dogs out after kangaroos fell in with a party of +natives, among whom were some women and children. Two of the men +accompanied him to the tent. It was evident from the whole tenor of their +behaviour that they had previously heard of white people (most probably +from the settlement at New Castle); their appearance was most miserable, +their features approached deformity, and their persons were disgustingly +filthy: their small attenuated limbs seemed scarcely able to support +their bodies; and their entire person formed a marked contrast to the +fine and manly figures of their brethren in the interior. We gave them a +small turtle which we had just caught in the river, and they sat down to +dress it instantly. In fact, their cooking was very simple; the fire soon +separated the shell from the meat, which with the entrails was devoured +in a few minutes. Some of the people went to visit their camp, where they +found eight or ten men, but the women and children were sent away. The +same jealousy of women exists throughout the interior. The great number +of fallen trees was in some measure accounted for by the men observing +about a dozen trees on fire near this camp, no doubt the more easily to +expel the opossums, rats, and other vermin which inhabit their hollows. +We were not successful with our lines, though the depth and breadth of +the river had made us a little sanguine. There did not appear any great +marks of flood; none was seen exceeding five feet in height, which led us +to conclude its source was not very distant. This river was named Sydney, +as we this day crossed the meridian of that town. + +September 8.--We proceeded up Sydney River to the south-east about three +miles before we could find a convenient Place to Cross, as the stream +ran with great rapidity over a rocky bottom. The country on either side +sloped to the river with gradual declension, and was an open forest +country. On crossing the river, we passed through some noble forests of +stringy bark, growing generally on the sides and ridges of stony barren +hills: thew forests extended above two miles from the east of the river., +after which the country became perfectly open, and of a level, or rather +alternately rising surface. To the north and north-east the river was +beautiful, the same description of country extending as far as the eye +could reach, with no elevated points or ridges to obstruct it. Indeed I +am clearly of opinion, that if we had kept a more northerly course from +Lushington Valley, we should have avoided the rugged though fine country +we have passed through for the last two days. The determination of all +the hills and slopes is northerly, and the rivers which we have crossed +have also taken the same direction. We proceeded about nine miles farther +through the finest open country, or rather park, imaginable; the general +quality of the soil excellent, though of a strong and more tenacious +description than farther westerly. We halted in a fine and spacious +valley, where art, so far as it is an auxiliary of beauty, would have +been detrimental to the fresher and simpler garb of nature. This valley +was watered by a fine brook, and at a a distance of a mile we saw several +fires, at which appeared many natives: upon discovering us, however, they +immediately departed. I think that the most fastidious sportsman would +have derived ample amusement during our days journey. He might without +moving have seen the finest coursing, from the commencement of the chase +to the death of the game: and when tired of killing kangaroos, he might +have seen emus hunted with equal success. We numbered swans and ducks +among our acquisitions, which in truth were caught without much exertion +on our part, or deviating, in the least from our course. Granite and a +hard whinstone were the most predominant among the stones; small pieces +of quartz, and loose rotten slates covered the tracks, on which grew +some of the finest stringy bark trees I ever saw. Indeed the other timber, +which consisted chiefly of common blue gum, was far larger than usually +seen on forest lands. That species of casuarina called the beef wood +(or she oak), was also seen to-day for the first time: it is in part +a coast tree, and sufficiently denoted that we were approaching the sea. +Observed the variation of the compass to be 8. 51. E. + +September 9.--In the night we had a severe frost, which in the morning +was succeeded by a dense fog. We found however that it was confined to +the valley, for on ascending the hills, the prospect was clear and open. +We passed over a beautiful and well-watered country for about six miles, +when we came on the rivulet which we had quitted in the morning; but +now, by the addition of several brooks from the valleys, increased to a +considerable stream. Its banks were quite clear of timber, and expanded +into extensive sheets of water, which added greatly to the beauty of the +scenery. This stream running to the east southeast verified the +conjecture that we had passed the dividing range of hills, and that this +and most probably Sydney River (much superior in magnitude) were coast +streams. Crossing the former, we ascended a hill on the opposite side, +from whence the river's course was seen to the south-east, running +through a fine and open country. To the northward and north-east the +prospect was equally satisfactory, the hills being connected by long and +easy slopes, which would have rendered their ascent a matter of little +difficulty had our course lain over them. After crossing the river, the +country still continued open, but the soil was not so good, and we found +that we were ascending in a gradual manner. For the last five miles the +country was thickly timbered with stringy bark and gum trees, the soil +bad, and crossed by numerous wet hollows, which showed we were nearly on +the summit of a level and extensive range of hills. We accomplished +fourteen miles with much ease, and halted for the evening in a thick +stringy bark forest, where there was worse entertainment for both man and +horse than we had experienced for some weeks. + +September 10.--A tempestuous morning, with occasional showers of small +rain, prevented us from quitting our camp. In the intervals of fair +weather, I walked to a hill about one mile off, being the highest part of +the range we were upon. Our prospect from it was exceedingly grand and +picturesque. The country from north to south-east was broken into +perpendicular rocky ridges, and divided longitudinally by deep and +apparently impassable glens. The rocks were covered with climbing plants, +and the glens abounded with new and beautiful ones. Our collector +descended one of those nearest to us, and was amply repaid by the +acquisition of nearly sixty most desirable plants, some of which appeared +even to constitute new genera. The rocks were covered with epidendra +[Note: Of the genera cymbidium and dendrobium of Swartz.], bignoniae, or +trumpet-flowers, and clematides, or virgin's bower, of which last genus +three species apparently new were discovered. Far different was the +character of these glens from the rugged and barren blue mountain ranges: +fine open forest land ended abruptly on the precipices. The bottoms were +of the richest soil, the rocks instead of being of a coarse sandstone +were of a hard texture, and of a blue shining appearance when broken. The +country eastward of these glens appeared very lofty, and much broken; but +as in the direction of our course, we should have some miles of good open +country to travel over, we had strong hopes that our difficulties would +prove greater in contemplation than reality. Among the timber in these +glens were some of the stateliest stringy bark trees that we had ever +beheld: in fact, the timber altogether is unusually good. To the +south-west and north-west, the country is low and beautifully diversified +by long sloping hills. + +September 11.--Our course for near eight miles led us along a broad and +very elevated ridge of poor forest land, intermixed with brush; when we +were stopped from proceeding farther eastward by the deep chasm or glen, +which we had seen at a distance yesterday. This tremendous ravine runs +near north and south, its breadth at the bottom does not apparently +exceed one hundred or two hundred feet, whilst the separation of the +outer edges is from two to three miles. I am certain that in +perpendicular depth it exceeds three thousand feet. The slopes from the +edges were so steep and covered with loose stones, that any attempt to +descend even on foot was impracticable. From either side of this abyss, +smaller ravines of similar character diverged, the distance between which +seldom exceeded half a mile. Down them trickled rills of water, derived +from the range on which we were. We could not however discern which way +the water in the main valley ran, as the bottom was concealed by a thicket +of vines and creeping plants. From the range on which we were, we could +distinctly see the coast line of hills. The country between us and the +coast was of an equal elevation, and appeared broken and divided by +ravines and steep precipices. We continued along the edge of this ravine +southerly for about four miles, when we halted for the day. Our only hope +of being enabled to cross this barrier depends upon our pursuing a +southerly course, when if the waters run northerly, the dividing range +between them and Hunters River will permit us again to turn easterly. If +on the contrary they run southerly, their junction with Hunter's River +will equally (it is to be hoped) facilitate that object. + +September 12.--We were obliged during the whole of this day's journey, to +keep along the ridge bordering on the glen. It is impossible to form a +correct idea of the wild magnificence of the scenery without the pencil +of a Salvator. Such a painter would here find an ample field for the +exercise of his genius. How dreadful must the convulsion have been that +formed these glens! The principal glen led us to the westward: there were +others that fell into it from the southward; but we perceived that the +waters in it ran north-easterly, which gave us strong hopes of soon +being enabled to head it. Several times in the course of the day we +attempted to descend on foot; but after getting with much difficulty a +few hundred yards, we were always stopped by perpendicular precipices. +Scarcely a quarter of a mile elapsed without a spring from the top of the +ridge crossing our track, forming at its entrance into the main glen a +vast ravine. The ridge along which we travelled was, as might be +expected, very stony. It was otherwise open forest land, thickly timbered +with large, stringy bark trees, casuarinae, and a large species of +eucalyptus. Kangaroos abounded on it, and the tracks of emus were +also seen. + +September 13.--We were too anxious to find a passage across this river +(for such we now perceived it to be), to permit us to rest this day. We +proceeded on a variety of courses to avoid the deep ravines or glens +which conducted numerous small streams of water to the principal one. Our +road was very rugged, and our elevation sometimes very considerable, +every part heavily timbered. Our course, which led us chiefly west, now +terminated at one of the most magnificent waterfalls we had ever seen. +The water was precipitated over a perpendicular rock at least one hundred +and fifty feet in height in one unbroken sheet, falling into a large +reservoir about one third down the whole declivity: hence it wound its +way through the glen for about half a mile farther, when it joined the +main stream. This grand fall was called Beckett's Cataract, in honour of +the Judge Advocate General. It now commenced raining so heavily that we +were obliged to stop on the spot, though by no means an eligible +situation. We had not seen any place where there had been the slightest +possibility of descending; but as we were not many miles from the river +which we crossed on Wednesday last, we knew that this rugged country must +soon end. + +September 14.--The weather preventing us from proceeding, parties were +sent out to search the banks of the glen, for a place by which to descend +and cross it. Two of the people traced it up so far as to ascertain that +the river which we had crossed on Wednesday was the same which had so +embarrassed us. It entered the glen in a fall of vast height: above, +there was no difficulty in crossing it, the country being clear and open, +and of moderate height. A kangaroo was chased to this fall, down which he +leapt and was dashed to pieces; like the hero of Wordsworth's "Hartleap +Well." It is wonderful that the dogs escaped the same fate. We had +been also successful in finding a passage nearer to the tent. About a +mile above Beckett's Cataract, a pass was discovered by which we might +descend, and the opposite side appeared equally favourable. It appears +that we have been hitherto deceived respecting the magnitude of the river +which runs through the glen, owing to the vast height from which it was +viewed, and to our being seldom within a mile of it. The geologist would +here have a most interesting field for research, and would doubtless be +enabled to account for those natural phenomena, which, from their +defiance of all rule, perplex us so greatly. These mountains abound with +coal and slate. The dip of the rocks on this side (the north) of the +glen, is about twenty degrees to the west. + +September 15.--We first attempted the pass nearest to us, and which was +reported to be practicable. The horses with tolerable ease descended the +first ridge, which was about one third down; but it was impossible to +proceed a step farther with them: indeed we had the utmost difficulty to +get them back again. Three of them actually rolled over, and were saved +only by the trees from being precipitated to the bottom. Quitting this +place, we proceeded up the glen, into which many small streams fell from +the most awful heights, forming so many beautiful cascades. After +travelling five or six miles, we arrived at that part of the river at +which, after passing through a beautiful and level though elevated +country, it is first received into the glen. We had seen many fine and +magnificent falls, each of which had excited our admiration in no small +degree, but the present one so far surpassed any thing which we had +previously conceived even to be possible, that we were lost in +astonishment at the sight of this wonderful natural sublimity, which +perhaps is scarcely to be exceeded in any part of the eastern world. The +river, after passing through an apparently gentle rising and fine +country, is here divided into two streams, the whole width of which is +about seventy yards. At this spot, the country seems cleft in twain, and +divided to its very foundation: a ledge of rocks, two or three feet +higher than the level on either side, divides the waters in two, which, +falling over a perpendicular rock two hundred and thirty-five feet in +height, forms this grand cascade. At a distance of three hundred yards, +and an elevation of as many feet, we were wetted with the spray which +arose like small rain from the bottom: the noise was deafening; and if +the river had been full, so as to cover its entire bed, it would have +been perhaps more awfully grand, but certainly not so beautiful. After +winding through the cleft rocks about four hundred yards, it again falls +in one single sheet upwards of one hundred feet, and continues in a +succession of smaller falls about a quarter of a mile lower, where the +cliffs are of a perpendicular height, on each side exceeding one thousand +two hundred feet, the width at the edges about two hundred yards. From +thence it descends as before described until all sight of it is lost, +from the vast elevation of the rocky hills which it divides and runs +through. The different points of this deep glen seem as if they would fit +into the opposite fissures which form the smaller glens alternately on +either side. The whole is indeed a grand natural spectacle, and is an +indubitable mark of the vast convulsions which this country must at one +period have undergone. The rocks are all slate, the upper romanae of +which are of a light brown colour, rotten, and easily separated. Nearer +the base or surface of the water they are of a dark blue, and of a firmer +texture. The waters are quite discoloured, owing to the nature of the bed +over which they run, the soluble particles of coal among the slate +tinging them a dark brown. This fine fall is not more than five miles +below the place where we crossed the river on the 9th instant, and we +were doubtless prevented from hearing the noise of the waters, by the +numerous smaller falls in the vicinity. This most magnificent fall and +the river itself were respectively named Bathurst and Apsley, in honour +of the Noble Secretary of State for the colonies. Although a week had +elapsed in effecting the passage of this river, we could not consider +it as entirely lost, especially as it enabled us to ascertain that its +direction was to the coast; and we hoped that the nature of the country +would permit us to fix its embouchure. + +September 16.--The weather for some days past has been very unseasonable, +cold and tempestuous, with frequent heavy and continued showers of rain: +this remarkable coldness of temperature in such a latitude (31 degrees,) +I cannot but attribute to the considerable elevation of the country above +the sea, being certainly between four and five thousand feet. We +proceeded to the south-east during this day's journey, on purpose to +avoid the broken land in the vicinity of the river. It was good +travelling though hilly: the soil, for the most part, a poor clay; and +the timber not so good or large as usual. There was however much good +land, particularly in the valleys, through every one of which a stream of +water took its course to the river. At twelve miles, we halted on the +banks of a considerable and rapid stream watering an extensive and wide +valley. The many waters which fall into Apsley River must very +considerably increase its magnitude; and I am in hopes after it has +cleared this mountainous tract and we again fall in with it, that we +shall find it a useful as well as fine stream. The river on which we +encamped was named Croker's River, in honour of the First Secretary of +the Admiralty. + +September 17.--We proceeded on an easterly course during this day's +journey; and seven miles from Croker's River crossed a smaller stream +running to the north-east. For the first ten miles the country was +very poor and badly timbered, with barren stony hills; but from the +last mentioned stream to our halting-place, at the end of twelve +miles, though the land was hilly the soil was excellent, consisting +of a rich, dark mould. The hills were particularly rich and thickly +clothed with fine timber, blue gum, and stringy bark. We halted +on the side of a hill, from the top of which we could see a great +distance to the north and east. In the first quarter, lofty hills were +seen from eighty to one hundred miles off, and generally very irregular. +To the east the land was elevated, but more divided by sloping valleys, +and we augured that at least for thirty miles in the direction of our +course, we should not meet with any such serious obstruction as the last: +indeed we imagined we could trace the course of the river nearly on a +parallel line with us. We this day saw a solitary native, but I believe +we were indebted for the sight rather to the circumstance of his being +deprived of the use of his limbs than to his boldness or curiosity. Two +or three families had been encamped on the spot where we found him, but +they had all departed. He seemed more astonished than alarmed at the +sight of our cavalcade, and expressed his wonder in a singular succession +of sounds, resembling snatches of a song. His countenance was mild and +pleasing, and was entirely divested of the ferocity we had seen expressed +in the visages of some of his countrymen: he had lost the upper front +tooth, and I think it was probable that he had heard of such beings as +ourselves before. He was a miserable object: several ribs on his left +side had been broken; his back was twisted, which apparently had been +the means of depriving him of the use of his limbs, as no injury could +be discovered about them. + +September 18.--During the night and this morning it has continued to blow +a perfect equinoctial storm. We were in constant dread that some of the +branches of the trees which surrounded us would fall on the tent. +Proceeding on our course to the east-north-east, we did not advance above +a mile and a half before a small stream running to the north-east through +a very steep and narrow valley obliged us to alter our course more +southerly, which we did, and soon entered a forest of stringy bark and +blue gum trees of immense size and great beauty. The soil on which they +grew was a rich vegetable mould covered with fern trees [Note: Alsophila +australis of Brown.] and small shrubs. We found that this part of the +country was intersected by deep valleys, the sides of which were clothed +with stately trees, but of what kind we were ignorant: creepers and +smaller timber trees, all of species not previously noticed by us, grew so +extremely thick that we found it impossible to penetrate through them. +We therefore continued along the edge of those valleys, our progress +much impeded by the vast trunks of fallen trees in a state of decay, +some of which were upwards of one hundred and fifty feet long, without +a branch, as straight as an arrow, and from three to eight and ten +feet in diameter. The forest through which we travelled appeared to +be an elevated level or plain, and at three o'clock in the afternoon, +after proceeding three or four miles to the westward, we cleared this +truly primeval forest, and descended into a small valley of open +ground, through which ran the stream we had crossed in the morning. +Indeed we were not more than two miles south of the place we had +quitted. Our hope of proceeding without much interruption was thus +disappointed: the gloominess of the weather, and the constant showers +that fell, so impeded our view and distorted its objects, that what +appeared plain and practicable at a distance of two or three miles, when +approached was found impassable. I think it probable, however, that our +most serious obstructions will be the thickness of the timber, rotten +trees, and creeping plants; the soil is so rich and free from rocks, that +I do not think the steepness of the descents will greatly endanger us. +The wind, which had been extremely violent all day, was now accompanied +by heavy showers; and we thought ourselves extremely fortunate in not +being obliged to encamp in the forest. The storm as the evening advanced +increased to almost a hurricane, with torrents of rain. Since Apsley +River had been ascertained to take a direction coast-wise, the principle +which governed the direction of our course had been to endeavour to make +a port on the coast laid down in lat. 30. 45. S., and which I had an idea +might probably receive this river, now increased by a multitude of smaller +streams, and if so, that it might serve as a point of communication with +the fine country in the interior. It is true this port is marked as a bar +harbour; but I knew that it had never been examined, and I was aware how +possible it was for a harbour to appear closed by a reef from a ship +sailing at a distance along the coast. At all events the point was worth +ascertaining; and notwithstanding the repeated disappointments we had +experienced in attempting a north-easterly course, I shall, if we are +enabled to clear the deep valleys we are at present embarrassed with, +persevere for some time longer. I consider it every way important to know +into what part of the coast these waters are discharged. + +September 19.--The storm continued to rage with unabated violence +throughout the night and the whole of this day, accompanied by torrents +of rain and hail: the weather was also extremely cold and bleak; the +thermometer in the mornings and evenings being not more than 5 or 6 +degrees above the freezing point: indeed, the season much nearer +resembles the winter of a far more southern latitude than the spring +of lat. 31. + +September 20.--Towards the morning the storm abated, but throughout +the day it was dark and gloomy, with passing showers. In the present +state of the weather we did not think it prudent to attempt penetrating +through the thick forests which we knew were before us, and our +horses would be the better for rest. The botanical collector descended +into one of the valleys nearest to us, and found the sides of it +clothed with the timber before mentioned: it was quite new to us. Some +of the flower and seed were procured, as it was generally found in full +flower, which gave these stately trees a richness and beauty I had never +seen equalled. A great variety of other equally interesting plants was +also found, some of them new species of timber. The valleys were of the +richest soil, having a small run of water in their bottoms. Observed the +variation by evening azimuth to be 10. 39. E. + +September 21.--With a severe frost, the morning and day were finer than +usual, though the weather was very unsettled. We accomplished seven miles +on a south-east by east course, through a very heavily wooded country; +the timber generally of the best description, and the soil, with some +partial exceptions, was equally good and rich. It was, however, so +thickly covered with ferns and bushes among the trees, with vines running +from them, that in many places we found it difficult to pass. Our course +was accidentally such as to avoid all the deep valleys but two, the +descents of which were extremely difficult. In them strong streams of +water ran to the north-east, no doubt joining the main river. From +the hill over one of the streams near which we halted the coast +line of hills was plainly seen; and we appeared to have but a +rugged journey before us. Our horses too were so extremely weak and +crippled, that the short distance we are enabled to travel is +accomplished with pain and difficulty. We were forced to leave one of +them about a mile and a half from our resting-place, as he was utterly +unable even to walk without his load. which was distributed among the +others. Some natives' fires were seen about two miles to the north-east +of us in the same valley. + +September 22.--A dark tempestuous morning. Sent back for the horse we +left yesterday afternoon: he was somewhat recovered, and may perhaps live +to reach the coast, the point whither our hopes have long pointed, and +where I trust the horses will experience some relaxation from their +present incessant but necessary labour. We had no choice in the route we +pursued this day, taking that which appeared most practicable for men and +horses: it was a continued ascending and descending of the most frightful +precipices, so covered with trees and shrubs and creeping vines, that we +frequently were obliged to cut our way through: at the bottom of one of +these, we left the sick horse in a dying state. To add to our +perplexities, it rained incessantly, and was so thick and dark, that +towards evening it was with difficulty we could see sufficient of our way +to avoid being dashed to pieces. About two hours before sunset, after a +descent of upwards of five thousand feet, we found ourselves at the +bottom of the glen, through which ran a small stream; but a passage down +it was impossible, as it fell over rocky precipices to a still greater +depth. The opposite side was a mountain equally steep with the one we had +just descended. The horses were also so weak that it was impossible they +could take their loads up it, and there was no possibility of remaining +on the spot, since there was neither grass nor room even to lie down. All +the heavy baggage was therefore obliged to be left behind, and by +unremitted exertion we were enabled to gain a small spot of ground, +formed by the mountains retiring from the immediate descent to the gulf +below. It was, however, near eight o'clock before this was accomplished; +and we were after all obliged to leave two of the horses below, as all +our attempts to move them were fruitless, even when unladen; a +circumstance which we lamented the more, as they were on a spot that did +not afford a blade of grass. The rain ceasing, was succeeded about nine +o'clock by one of the severest storms of wind I ever remember to have +witnessed; and for the first time perhaps during the journey, we were +alarmed for our personal safety. The howling of the wind down the sides +of the mountain, the violent agitation of the trees, and the crash of +falling branches, made us every instant fear that we should be buried +under the ruins of some of the stupendous trees which surrounded us. + +September 23.--Towards midnight the storm abated, and allowed us to pass +the remainder of the night in comparative comfort. The morning broke +fair, and as the state of the horses would not permit us to attempt +ascending the mountain with the baggage to-day, I contented myself with +dispatching them for the provisions left last night at the bottom of the +precipice, and to get up if possible the two remaining horses, whilst Mr. +Evans and myself should explore the range, and endeavour to find out a +somewhat more practicable route. We proceeded to ascend the mountain, the +summit of which was near two miles distant, and in many places extremely +difficult and abrupt. We however remarked on our road seven native huts, +which increased our hopes that these mountains would lead by a +comparatively easy descent to the coast line of country. Bilboa's ecstasy +at the first sight of the South Sea could not have been greater than +ours, when on gaining the summit of this mountain, we beheld Old Ocean at +our feet: it inspired as with new life: every difficulty vanished, and in +imagination we were already at home. We proceeded sufficiently far to +discover, that although our descent would be both difficult and +dangerous, it would not be impracticable. The country between us and the +sea was broken into considerable forest hills and pleasing valleys, down +the principal of which we could distinguish a small stream taking its +course to the sea. To the north and south the country was mountainous and +broken beyond any thing we had seen. Indeed, some idea of those barrier +mountains may be formed from the circumstance, that although we could +distinctly see the ocean, and the waving of the coast line, (which within +the distance of ten or twelve miles from the beach appeared low), yet we +were still nearly fifty miles from it. I estimated the height of this +mountain at between six and seven thousand feet; and yet the country +north and south appeared equally elevated. Numerous smokes arising from +natives' fires announced a country well inhabited, and gave the whole +picture a cheerful aspect, which reflected itself on our minds; and we +returned to the tents with lighter hearts and better prospects. In +removing the baggage left at the bottom of the hill a short quarter of a +mile, a most distressing accident occurred. A mare, one of the strongest +we had, in bringing up a very light load, not a quarter of her usual +burden, and when within one hundred yards of the tent, literally burst +with the violent exertion which the ascent required. In this shocking +state, with her entrails on the ground, she arrived at the tent, when, to +put an end to her agonies, she was shot. This was a serious loss to us, +in addition to that which we suffered on the day before: and three more +horses were so worn, that I scarcely expected to force them along even +unladen. It must not be supposed that we attempted to climb these hills +in a direct line; it would have been scarcely possible for a man to do +it: we wound round them in every practicable direction; and the loose +rich soil of which they were generally composed, together with the +thickness of the timber, by preventing our falling, favoured our +progress. In the course of the afternoon I tried the angle of elevation +and depression on various parts, and found it to be from 30 to 35 and +even 40 degrees. By the same means we found that the mountain which we +had descended yesterday evening exceeded four thousand seven hundred feet +in height on those angles. The mountain we shall have to ascend to-morrow +is very considerably higher; but, with one or two exceptions, the ascents +are not so abrupt. After the provisions were brought up, all hands were +sent to cut a road for the horses through the brushes which surrounded +the bottoms of the steepest ascents, and without which it would have been +impossible for them to pass laden; the vines which crossed each other in +various directions forming an almost impenetrable barrier. It may seem +superfluous to speak of soil and timber among such mountains as these; +yet I will say that except where the rocks presented a perpendicular +face, and along the highest ridges, the soil was light and good. The +timber consisted of blue gum and stringy bark, and forest oak +[Note: Casuarina torulosa.] of the largest dimensions: the gorges of the +valleys were covered with loose small stones, and in those gorges all the +trees which are usually found in places of a similar description +in the district of the Five Islands (with the exception of the red +cedar), were to be met with. The stones and rocks were mixed with +a considerable portion of quartz, and were generally in loose detached +masses of various sizes. The mountain from whence we first saw the ocean +was named Sea View Mount, and I should think might be distinctly seen by +ships at some distance from the coast. + +September 24.--At eight o'clock the horses began to ascend the mountain, +and it was twelve before we reached the summit, a distance of exactly two +miles. How the horses descended I scarcely know; and the bare +recollection of the imminent dangers which they escaped, makes me +tremble. At one period of the descent, I would willingly have compromised +for a loss of one third of them, to ensure the safety Of the remainder. +It is to the exertions and steadiness of the men, under Providence, that +their safety must be ascribed. The thick tufts of grass and the loose +soil also gave them a surer footing, of which the men skillfully availed +themselves. The length of the descent was two measured miles and three +quarters, and upon first, an angle of depression of 40 degrees for one +thousand two hundred and fifty-four feet: we then slightly ascended 4 or +6 degrees for four thousand six hundred and twenty, and from thence the +descent, in a continued straight line, to the run of water at the base, +was on the various angles of 28, 32, 35, 40, and 46 degrees, eight +thousand five hundred and eighty feet; from whence I deduce the +perpendicular height to be nearly six thousand feet, which is certainly +underrated. The descent terminated in a very narrow steep valley, down +which we proceeded for near three quarters of a mile, when the small +stream before mentioned joined a very considerable one seen yesterday from +Sea View Mount; and the valley opening, we halted on the banks of the +river on a spot which afforded us plenty of excellent grass, and was in +other respects favourable for that rest which the horses required before +they could resume their journey. One of the horses when about a third down +the mountain was quite incapable of proceeding, we therefore were obliged +to leave him for the night, with the loads of two other horses. It was +past four o'clock before we arrived at our halting-place, having been +exactly three hours and a half in descending. + +September 25.--Despatched the men to bring down the horse and the baggage +left on the mountain yesterday. They returned in the afternoon with both, +but the horse was scarcely able to stand. In the course of the day +examined the valley a few miles, when we found that it opened +considerably four or five miles down; the hills previously thereto being +very steep, but covered with grass, and abounding with kangaroos. It was +therefore determined to move farther down the river to-morrow, instead of +remaining here two days as originally proposed. In the present +reduced state of the horses, we were obliged to make short stages with +frequent halts, in hopes of sufficiently recruiting their strength so as +to proceed with greater expedition along the coast. + +September 26.--We proceeded between four and five miles down the river, +which was named Hastings River, in honour of the Governor General of +India; the vale gradually opening to a greater width between steep and +lofty hills, the soil on which was very stony, but rich, and covered with +fine grass two or three feet high. At the place where we stopped, small +rich flats began to extend on either side, and confirmed our hopes that +we should find a more regular country as we approached the sea. The route +which we had travelled lay over steep and sharp points of mountains +ending on the river, but did not offer any great obstruction. Yet we were +obliged to leave the horse which had failed the day before, half-way, as +he dropped through utter weakness, though unladen. These valleys and +hills are astonishingly rich in timber of various kinds, many new, and +their botanic supplies were inexhaustible. Indeed our cargo now +principally consists of plants. + +September 27.--The morning fine and clear. Sent back for the horse left +yesterday, which with some difficulty was brought to the tent. Observed +our latitude to be 31. 23. 10. S., longitude by estimation 152. 8. E., +variation 8. 22. E. We this day cleaned all the arms, and put our +military appointments in order to guard against any hostile attempts that +might be made by the natives, who are reported to be in this quarter +numerous and treacherous. + +September 28.--As we proceeded down the river, the vale still continued +to open on either hand, the hills receding from each bank of the stream +from two to three miles. The land on the more elevated spots, and +irregular low hills, was strong but of good soil, covered with grass: the +flats which occurred alternately on both sides of the river were very +rich, the grass long and coarse; the timber, blue gum and apple tree. As +the points of the higher hills sometimes closed on the river, we found it +convenient to cross it, which in the course of the day we did no less +than three times. In the hollows of the higher hills were thick brushes +of the same description as those at the Five Islands. About six miles and +a half down the river it was joined by a considerable stream from the +northward, running through a fine and spacious valley. The accession of +this water materially altered the appearance of the river, as it began to +form long and wide reaches, with alternate rapids over a shingly bottom. +The northern stream was named Forbes's River, in honour of the Marquis of +Hastings' nephew. Although our proximity to the sea seemed to preclude +the probability of Hastings River being joined by any other considerable +waters; yet its present size made us a little anxious to find that it had +a serviceable discharge into the ocean. The ground over which we travelled +being very favourable to the weak state of the horses, we accomplished +between eight and nine miles. Kangaroos abounded; four were this day +killed. Marks of flood were observed to the height of sixteen feet, +but the river appeared now to be in its lowest state, and the sides of +the barren mountains showed that there had been no rain of any consequence +for a considerable time. + +September 29.--The country we passed through is what is generally known +in New South Wales as open forest land, with occasionally small flats on +the river: steep hills sometimes ended on the river, and north and south +of us were detached ranges of a similar description. The whole face of +the country was abundantly covered with good grass, which, having been +burnt some time, now bore the appearance of young wheat. Six miles down +the river it was joined by a fine stream from the southward, apparently +watering a spacious valley. We crossed this, and named it Ellenborough +River, in honour of the Chief Justice of England. We proceeded about +three miles farther before we halted at the edge of a thick detached +brush [Note: Many very beautiful shrubs inhabit these shaded thickets, +of which the following may serve as a specimen. Tetranthera dealbata, +BROWN'S PRODR.; Cryptocarya glaucescens, BR., genera of laurinae. +The Australian sapota fruit, Achras australis, BR.; Cargillia australis, +a date plum. Myrtus trinervia of Smith, and Ripogonum album, BR.], +which came nearly down to the water's edge. In this brush was a +quantity of fine red cedar trees, affording us reason to hope, that this +valuable wood might, as we advanced to the coast, be found in yet greater +abundance. The timber generally might be termed heavy, consisting of blue +gum, stringy bark, and iron bark, with fine forest oaks. The stones on +the surface of the land were hard and splintery, being principally of +coarse quartz; some hard sandstone was also seen: the rocks in the river +were of a fine dark blue colour, singularly hard and slippery. Although +we had seen no natives, there were abundant signs of them. This season +probably is better calculated for them to procure their food on the coast +than in the woods. + +September 30.--Our progress this day was greatly impeded by thick +brushes, which, covering the sides of the hills, ended on the river: some +of them were upwards of a mile in extent, and we were obliged to cut a +road to enable the horses to pass through them. There were several rich +flats on both sides of the river; the hilly projections ending +alternately at the several bends of the stream. The obstruction offered +by the brushes excepted, the road was no wise difficult: the hills were +stony, with rocky summits: the river's course was over large rocks and +pebbles; it was fordable in several places, with intervening deep +reaches. It was late in the afternoon before we had accomplished six +miles, and halting on a flat bounded easterly by extensive brush, I +resolved to cross the river. There appears to be plenty of fish +in it; we caught six fine perch, weighing above two pounds each, in a +very short time. The timber continues heavy and good: we saw however but +little cedar after passing the first brush. + +October 1.--Our travelling to-day was nearly the same as yesterday. The +windings of the river were very sudden, and its banks were most generally +covered with a thick brush, which in some places extended back a +considerable distance. Between those brushes the ground was open forest +with good grass, casuarina or beefwood, and large timber: the hills as +usual stony. Near our halting-place a remarkable rocky range of hills was +seen to the east-south-east of great height, and presenting nearly a +perpendicular front to the north-west. Between east-north-east and east by +south, with the imperfect view which we could obtain from the low hills +we were traversing, it appeared but slightly broken, the higher ranges +breaking off to the north-east and south-east, leaving a spacious valley +through which we conjectured the river flowed. Near us were a few cedar +trees, and marks of flood exceeding twenty feet, but confined to the bed +of the river. On the whole we accomplished near eight miles, but scarcely +five were in the direction of the sea, which we still estimate to be from +twenty to twenty-five miles distant in a direct line. + +October 2.--In order to avoid the brushes, which lined the banks of the +river, we kept at some distance from it to the south, which led us under +the high rocky peaked hill mentioned yesterday. Our road was however +by no means bettered, and I afterwards regretted that I did not keep +close to the river. It is proper to mention that the brush land +is of the richest description, being composed entirely of vegetable +mould, the produce of decayed trees for ages: it is singularly well +watered; every little valley has its run to the river. A great deal of +cedar was seen to-day, and the more common timber was very large and +good; the forest ridges between the brushes were well clothed with grass. +We have hitherto seen no natives, though they are certainly numerous, as +their frequent recently deserted camps witness: we are not very anxious +for better proof. The leeches in the bushes were very troublesome, and +made many plentiful meals at our expense: this would probably have done +us no great harm, but the wounds which they made usually festered and +became painful sores. Our botanical collector ascended the peaked hill on +our left, and had a most extensive prospect. The river, winding a +few miles below our station of this evening, was distinctly seen to the +coast, which he did not estimate to be above fifteen or eighteen miles +off. The account which he gave of the interesting prospect, and the +circumstance of its being the only eminence between us and the coast from +whence any object could be distinguished, determined me to ascend it the +ensuing morning, and ascertain the principal points in this beautiful +country. We travelled this day in the whole near six miles in an +east-south-east course, the horses being very weak, and a road needing to +be cut for them nearly the whole way, the last mile excepted, which was +open forest land. + +October 3.--Soon after daylight, accompanied by the botanist, I returned +to the peaked hill, leaving the horses with Mr. Evans to proceed to the +north-east. Certainly a more beautiful and interesting view is not often +seen. The spacious valley, through which the river flowed, extends along +the coast from Smoaky Cape to the Three Brothers, and its width north of +me was above eight miles, gradually narrowing to the base of Sea View +Mount where we first entered it, and which bore west by north. Wide and +extensive valleys stretched to the west-south-west, and south-south-west, +under its base on either side, the hills in which were of moderate +height, and of open forest land. To the north by east, though high land +was seen at a distance of near sixty miles, the general face of the +country was low with moderate and regular elevations, the highest lands +being immediately behind the capes and projecting points into the sea. +But the object that most interested me in this extensive survey was the +appearance of the river: at a distance of seven or eight miles north-east +of me, it opened into wide reaches extending to the sea, which it seemed +after a winding course to enter nearly east, or in about the situation +assigned by Captain Flinders to a lake across the entrance of which +there appears to be a bar. The country on its banks, and within the +limits before mentioned, appeared very brushy and low; the banks +themselves seeming to be the highest ground. I conjectured that +the river's extending itself to such a considerable breadth, was +probably caused by the tide-water; and I could not help entertaining the +strongest hope from its appearance that it would prove navigable, +whatever its entrance might be. To the north of the river, a few miles +from it, appeared lagoons, or swamps, probably having some beach +communication with the sea. Another large lake was also seen to the +south-east, under the Three Brothers. Several other small patches I +thought might possibly prove to be marshes between my station and the +coast; the country in its immediate vicinity appearing too low to afford +drainage. Descending the hill, I proceeded after the horses, passing for +nearly three miles through a good open forest country; the timber large, +with numerous casuarinae. At the entrance of a brush I met the horses +returning, having been prevented from continuing their easterly course by +a large tea-tree swamp, full of water. We therefore pursued a more +northerly course, with the hope and intention of making the river near +the wide reaches, which I had seen from the hill. From the forest land we +immediately entered a thick brush, and after cutting our way for near two +miles, the evening advancing, I thought it best to send back the horses +to the forest land, where there was plenty of grass, and proceeded myself +with some men to cut the road to the river; an object, which in about +another mile we effected. We happened to make it near the spot wished for. +The tide was going out, the water having fallen near three feet; though +not perfectly good it was drinkable, and would doubtless be sweet at +low-water. A small island here divides the river into two branches: below +the island the water appeared very deep, as did also the north side of the +island. Its breadth might be nearly a quarter of a mile; both banks were +very thick of brush, and the soil rich. About three quarters of a mile +down the reach, the bank on the southern side appears to become a little +more open, and, as I intended halting tomorrow, I determined to cut a road +to it, and clear the way as far as possible down the banks before we +proceeded on Monday. Our distance from this spot to the coast line did +not exceed eight or ten miles. It was nearly dark before we returned to +the place which we had fixed to encamp on, amidst abundance of fine grass +and good water. + +October 4.--We could distinctly hear, during the night, the murmurs of +the surf on the beach, and the sound was most grateful to our ears, as +the welcome harbinger of the point to which eighteen weeks of anxious +pilgrimage had been directed. I accompanied the men who had been +appointed to cut the road along the banks of the river. We had performed +about a mile when we were stopped by a large stream from the southward. It +was therefore necessary to carry the road along the banks, which we did +for nearly two miles, when we left of for the day and returned to our +tent. I caused the main branch of the river to be sounded near the +junction of the southern branch which I had named King's River, +(after my friend who is now surveying the coast of this continent), +and found, at one third ebb, four fathoms. King's River appeared equally +deep, and was about one hundred yards broad; the water at this time of the +tide brackish: the country covered with brush, the soil very rich; and a +few ceder trees were scattered among the other timber. The vines were of +enormous size, and in many instances had entirely enveloped the trees to +which they had attached themselves, a small part of their trunks only +being here and there visible. + +October 5.--Sent a party to cut the road up King's River. After advancing +between four and five miles, a small piece of forest ground was +discovered, which determined me to remove the horses and baggage thither, +since the distance which the people had to go to their work occasioned +much delay. A great many natives' canoes were seen on the river to-day +fishing, and as the use of these canoes to cross King's River would have +been very desirable, we endeavoured to tempt their owners to visit us, +but without success; it being out of our power to make them understand +our meaning. + +October 6.--We set out this morning with an intention of proceeding up +the west bank of King's River by the road already cut, but before we had +arrived at it, two natives in a canoe were induced to cross over to us. +Their vessel we detained, making them a present of a tomahawk. The moment +they saw one of the horses (which happened to be a white one), descending +the bank for the purpose of being unladen, they made signs expressive of +their idea, that we were going to put the horses in the canoe, +which they immediately quitted and swam to the opposite shore. As it was +extremely probable that many smaller branches would fall into King's +River, I determined to cross it at its mouth, and so proceed along the +banks of the main river. It was two o'clock before we had got every thing +over, when, upon examining the road which we had to travel, we found that +about half a mile lower down another small stream joined the river. To +this latter stream we therefore cut a road, keeping the canoe for farther +use. By its means we found that after we should cross this last stream, +we should get into an open forest country, with good grass: and we hoped +that we should meet with no farther obstructions in our progress, which +the thickness of the country and the intersection of streams rendered +extremely tedious. The river at low-water was sufficiently fresh for us +to drink. From the limited observations I was enabled to make, the depth +at that time of tide was from two to three fathoms, and the rise of tide +was five feet: but the tides appeared very irregular, being evidently +influenced by the great body of fresh water in the river. What land we saw +or passed over was a rich vegetable mould; the brush extremely thick on +both sides, with fine timber of various kinds. I do not think the higher +forest ground was more than a mile or two back from us. King's River, and +that which we shall cross tomorrow, are formed by numerous smaller runs +of water from the valleys in the higher grounds to the southward and +south-west. + +October 7.--We crossed the small stream mentioned yesterday, by the +help of our friendly canoe, in safety. The horses however having had +little or nothing to eat the night preceding, I halted for a couple of +hours to refresh them. The horse which had been so weakly, that nothing +but the short stages we were obliged to make enabled him to keep up with +us, in crossing the stream landed on a small muddy patch, dry at low +water: here he fell, and all our efforts were unavailing to carry him to +the forest-land, where I intended to leave him for the chance of +recovery. To prevent a more lingering death, I now caused him to be shot. +We afterwards proceeded near four miles, through an excellent open forest +country, with low rising hills well watered, and plenty of good grass and +timber. We halted near a large lagoon, deriving its source from springs +in the valleys southerly and south-west, having an outlet to the river, +which having bent considerably to the north-westward, we have not +seen since we quitted its banks this morning. The weather for some days +back has been remarkably fine, and we find the brushes a great protection +from the heat of the sun, which is now becoming very powerful. + +October 8.--We proceeded on our course, passing over for upwards of three +miles a good and open country: the river three or four miles north of us. +We soon afterwards came to a very large fresh water lagoon on our left, +several miles in circumference, with smaller branches from the valleys, +which emptied itself into the river: its point of discharge we could not +discern. At five miles we were stopped by a large run of fresh water, +which, from its proximity to the sea, we conjectured fell into the lower +part of the harbour. At this place we were obliged to construct a bridge, +which we did by two o'clock, sufficiently large and strong to take over +the laden horses. During the time we were thus employed, we heard the +natives' call close to us; and, on being answered, they immediately +presented themselves to the number of ten, taking great care to show us, +by lifting up their hands and clapping them together, that they were +perfectly unarmed. Seeing them not disposed to approach near us, I went +towards them, when they all retired to a greater distance except three or +four, among whom I recognised the young man from whom we had borrowed the +canoe. I made them several presents of fish hooks, and kangaroo skins, +but could not get them to approach within a hundred yards of us. After a +short interval I left them, and mounting a horse, they on seeing me +took to their heels and ran as for their lives. They were all handsome, +well-made men, stout in their persons, and showing evident signs of +good living. Crossing this run, we passed over an excellent and rich +country; alternately thick brush and clear forest, with small streams +of water for near four miles more, when, to our great joy and +satisfaction, we arrived on the sea-shore about half a mile from +the entrance of what we saw (with no small pleasure), formed a port +to the river which we had been tracing from Sea View Mount. Thus, +after twelve weeks travelling over a country exceeding three hundred +and fifty miles, in a direct line from the Macquarie River, without +a single serious fatality, we had the gratification to find that +neither our time nor our exertions had been uselessly bestowed; and we +trusted that the limited examination, which our means would allow us to +make of the entrance of this port, would ultimately throw open the whole +interior to the Macquarie River, for the benefit of British settlers. We +pitched our tent upon a beautiful point of land, having plenty of good +water and grass; and commanding a fine view of the interior of the port +and surrounding country. I purpose to remain here until Monday, by which +period I expect to be enabled to complete (as far as possible, without the +assistance of boats), the examination of the harbour's mouth. + +October 11.--Our time for these last two days has been occupied in +making a sketch of the entrance into the river, and, as far as our +limited means would permit, in ascertaining its capability to receive +small vessels. The entrance between the sand-rollers and over the +bay appeared sufficiently deep for vessels whose draught of water might +not exceed ten or twelve feet; and when within the bar, a deeper though +narrow channel seemed to afford safe means of communication with part of +the country traversed by us, on the 3rd and 4th inst. The nature of the +country in the immediate vicinity of this port and river has already been +described; and should the channel, which, as far as we are able to judge, +appears safe and sufficiently deep, hereafter prove to be so, I indulge +the hope, that the knowledge we have obtained will be beneficial to the +interests of the colony; and facilitate the settlement of a rich and +valuable tract of country. The natives in the vicinity of the port +appeared very numerous: they kept, however, on the other side of +the harbour, and seemed by no means inclined to have closer communication +with us. We however prevailed on four young men to come over; and by +making them small presents of hooks, lines, etc., this shyness has soon +worn off. They were evidently acquainted with the use of fire-arms; if +any of the people took up a musket they immediately ran off, and it was +only by laying it down that they could he prevailed upon to return, +showing by every simple means in their power their dread of its +appearance. + +The port abounds with fish: the sharks were larger and more numerous +than I ever before observed in any place. We caught one very large +one, which we offered to the natives, but they would not touch it. +making signs that it would make them ill: our people however found no +bad effects from eating it. + +The forest hills and other rising grounds in the neighbourhood are +covered with large kangaroos; and the marshes, which in some places +border on the port, afford shelter and support to innumerable wild fowl. +Independent of Hastings River, the whole country is generally +well-watered, and there is a fine spring at the very entrance into the +port. + +I named this inlet, Port Macquarie, in honour of His Excellency the +Governor, the original promoter of these expeditions. + +October 12.--We quitted Port Macquarie at an early hour on our course +homewards, with all those feelings which that word even in the wilds of +Australia can inspire. We kept at a distance from the sea shore for +nearly six miles; the country was exceedingly rich, the timber large +with frequent brushes. Just before we came on the beach, we observed an +extensive freshwater lagoon, running for several miles behind the beach, +bounded on the west by forest land of good appearance; a strip of sandy +land about three quarters of a mile wide dividing it from the sea. At the +back of Tacking Point rises a small stream of fresh water, which flows +into the lagoon. The country is of moderate height. After travelling near +fifteen miles, we stopped at the extremity of a sandy beach on a point +of good land, with an excellent spring of water rising on it, about four +miles north of the northernmost of the Three Brothers. Tacking Point, +bearing N. 25 1/4 E. Two of our remaining three dogs, had been for the +last two days deprived of the use of their limbs: one died this morning; +the other, we brought on horseback with us, willing, if possible, +to save the life of a valuable and faithful servant. We conjecture +that something they had eaten in the woods must have caused so universal +a paralysis. + +October 13.--Crossing the point of land on which we had been encamped, we +came to a sandy beach, on which we travelled three miles and a half. At +the end of it was an opening safe for boats, (and probably for small +craft at high water), into an extensive lake. As we had no canoe by which +to cross over, we were obliged to keep along its north shore with an +intention of going round it. The lake formed a large basin with a deep +channel, which as it approached the base of the northern Brother narrowed +into a river-like form, and in the course of a mile it again expanded +from the north-north-west to the south-west, to a very great extent. The +land on its eastern side was low and marshy (fresh water). To the north +and north-west, it was bounded by low forest hills covered with luxuriant +grass; and to the southward and south-west extended along apparently the +same description of country, nearly to the western base of the +Second Brother. The ranges of high, woody hills laid down by Captain +Flinders dwindle when approached into low unconnected forest hills. The +Northern Brother, the highest of the three, is a long hill of moderate +elevation, and is seen from such a distance in consequence of the other +parts of the country being comparatively low. The timber was chiefly +black butted gum [Note: Species of eucalyptus], stringy bark, turpentine +tree, and forest oak [Note: Casuarina torulosa]. The stones are chiefly +a hard sandstone. On the lake were great numbers of black swans, +ducks, etc. Various small inlets from the lake much impeded us, +and after travelling near seven miles along its shores, we halted for +the evening near a small spring of fresh water, in a good rising grass +country. The easternmost highest part of the North Brother was S. 4. W. +From the observed amplitude of the sun at rising this morning, the +variation was found to be 9. 33. E. + +October 14.--We were considerably delayed in our progress this day by +salt water inlets, which occasioned us much trouble to cross, and at +length we were altogether stopped by a very wide and deep one, near the +west end of the lake: it was too late in the day to take any measures +for crossing it this evening; we therefore pitched our tents on the banks +near a swamp of fresh water which borders on it and the lake, from which +we were distant about one mile and a half. The inlet was brackish, and +must have a considerable body of fresh water near its head. In our route +we had disturbed a large party of natives, some of whom were busily +employed in preparing bark for a new canoe. There were several canoes on +the lake, in which they all fled in great confusion; leaving their arms +and utensils of every description behind them. One of the canoes was +sufficiently large to hold nine men, and resembled a boat; of course we +left their property untouched, though we afterwards regretted we did not +seize one of their canoes, which we might easily have done. We however +determined to send back in the morning for the unfinished canoe, and try +our skill in completing it for use. The ground passed over for the last +six miles was hilly and very stony, but covered with excellent timber of +all descriptions, and also good grass. There were plenty of kangaroos, but +we had but one dog able to run; so that we succeeded in killing only a +small one. + +October 15.--A party was sent back early this morning to secure the +canoe, while we examined the river. The people returned in the course of +the forenoon unsuccessful, as the natives had removed it with all their +effects in the course of the night, throwing down and destroying their +guniahs or bark huts. We also found that about a mile higher up the +river, a branch from it joined that which we last crossed about two +miles back, making an island of the ground we were upon. The main +branch continued to run to the north-north-west, and north-west. +We therefore lost no time in returning part of the way to the entrance +into the haven, (which we named after Lord Camden), where we proposed +to construct a canoe. The natives seem very numerous, but are shy: +we saw many large canoes on the lake, one of which would be quite +sufficient for our purposes. + +October 18.--On Friday we returned to the entrance of the haven, and +immediately commenced our endeavours to construct a canoe: our first +essays were unsuccessful, but by Saturday night we had a bark one +completed, which we hoped would answer our purpose; though I think if the +natives saw it they would ridicule our rude attempts. This morning, the +ebb tide answering, we commenced transporting our luggage, and in three +hours every thing was safe over. A very serious misfortune however +occurred in swimming the horses across: two of them were seized with the +cramp near the middle of the channel, one with difficulty gained the +shore, the other sank instantly and was seen no more; he was one of our +best and strongest horses, and even now their weak state can ill afford a +diminution in their number. This haven appears to have a perfectly safe +entrance for boats and small craft at all times of tide, except at dead +low water with a strong surge from the eastward, when it slightly breaks, +but is still quite safe for boats if not for larger vessels. When we were +in it, there appeared a safe and deep channel through the sand shoals +which spread over it: the channel also appeared deep leading into the +inner haven. There is plenty of fresh water in swamps, on almost every +part of the shore on which we were. The higher lands abound with good +timber, the points nearest the sea being covered with Banksia +integrifolia, of large dimensions, fit for any kind of boat timber. It is +high water full and change at ten minutes after nine, and the tide +appears to rise between four and six feet. From a point near the +entrance, several bearings were taken; and we also saw another large +lake, or perhaps fresh water lagoon, Under the southernmost of the Three +Brothers. A sunken rock was also discovered off to sea, lying upwards of +two miles from the next point southerly of us, and bearing S. 5. W.: +a deep clear channel lies between it and the shore. At one o'clock we +departed, and by sunset had accomplished near fourteen miles of our +journey. We saw the large lake under the Brothers from a high point on +the coast very clearly, and found that on the north it was bounded by the +North Brother, and separated from the sea by a strip of low marshy land +about three quarters of a mile wide. This lake I think is a fresh water +one: it was named Watson Taylor's Lake. The country west and southerly of +the Brothers consisted of low forest hills; and a range of hills of +moderate height, the entrance of which bore west-south-west distant +twenty or twenty-five miles, ended near Cape Hawke, the country +being to that range very low with marshes. A strip of sandy land +half a mile wide bounds the shore, on which is good grass and water. +On the beach where we halted we found a small boat nearly buried in +the sand, but quite perfect. It had belonged to a Hawkesbury vessel, +belonging to one Mills, which had been lost some time ago, and the +crew of which perished. We halted on the beach, the South Brother +bearing W. 32. N., and the Reef N. 53 1/2. E., and which we now saw +extended near three quarters of a mile north and south, and lying two +marine miles from the shore. It appears dangerous, since in fine weather +(as to-day) the north part of the reef only breaks occasionally. + +October 19.--Proceeded on our journey up the coast: on attempting to cut +off a point of land which would have saved us a distance of some miles, +we found that the low part of the country was an entire fresh water +swamp, interspersed with thick barren brushes, in all respects resembling +the country between Sydney and Botany Bay. We therefore returned again on +the beach, and crossing nearer to the point in question found the remains +of a hut, which had evidently been constructed by Europeans, the saw and +axe having been employed on it. About four miles farther on the beach, +towards Cape Hawke, our progress was stopped by a very extensive inlet, +the mouth of which was nearly a mile wide. It was near high water, and the +sea broke right across with tremendous violence, affording us little hope, +circumstanced as we were, of being able to effect a passage. As we had +always experienced the difficulty, not to say impracticability of +attempting to go round such inlets as these. we stopped about half +a mile inside the entrance, on a spot affording good grass and water +for the horses, the greater part of which were entirely knocked up; +insomuch that I began to fear we would take very few of them to +Newcastle. It being early in the day, a party proceeded to explore +the shores of the inlet, to ascertain if it was possible for us to +proceed round it. After several hours' examination, and walking from +six to eight miles, we were obliged to give up all intention of +proceeding circuitously; and found that our efforts must be directed +to effect a passage near the entrance, since numerous fresh water +runs having their source in deep and impassable swamps or lagoons, +presented an insurmountable barrier to the horses. The main inlet +extended in two wide and extensive branches to the south-west and west, +the termination of which could not be seen, the water being apparently +deep; and the country to the westward rising into forest hills. In this +perplexing situation, with no other prospect before us but that of +effecting our own passage in a bark canoe, and being obliged to leave the +horses behind us; since the width of the channel (which at low water we +had the satisfaction to perceive did not exceed a quarter of a mile) +and the extreme rapidity of the tide, which ran at the rate of at +least three miles per hour, precluded all reasonable hope that, +in their present weak state, they would have strength to swim over. +In this state, the boat which had been washed on the beach suddenly +occurred to us. It was true that we were twelve or fourteen miles +distant from it, and that we should have to carry her that distance +on men's shoulders, but to persons in our situation such difficulties +were as nothing. It was therefore determined that twelve men should +depart before day, and use their efforts to bring her to the tent, +whilst those that remained to take care of the horses and baggage should +be preparing materials to give her such repair as must necessarily be +required. We had now fully experienced how little dependance can be +placed on the best marine charts, to show all the inlets and openings +upon an extensive line of coast. Perhaps no charts can be more accurate +than those published by Captain Flinders, the situation of the principal +headlands and capes, with the direction of the coast, being laid down +with the most minute attention to truth; but the distance at which he was +obliged to keep, although it did not prevent him from laying the coast +line down with an accuracy of outline sufficient for all nautical +purposes, did not allow him to perceive openings which, though doubtless +of little consequence to shipping, yet present the most serious obstacles +to travellers by land; and of which, if they had been laid down in the +chart, I should have hesitated to have attempted the passage without +some assistance from the seaward, or means wherewith to have constructed +boats. From our station on the north shore of the inlet, the extreme +of Cape Hawke bore south 7 1/2. W., and the highest part of the +Southern Brother, north 161. W.: a break in the land between high +ranges of hills bore west, and was distant from seventeen to twenty +miles. Black swans are very numerous on this inlet: few marks of +the natives having remained here for any time were observed, at least on +this side; recent marks of two men having traversed the shore being all +that were seen. + +October 20.--At four o'clock the people set out to bring the boat, and at +two o'clock they had brought her safely to the tent, having gone in that +time upwards of twenty-six miles, thirteen of which they carried a twelve +feet boat on their shoulders; a proof how much may be effected by a +steady perseverance. In fact, I had no occasion to be anxious for the +result of any measure which at all depended on their personal exertions. +We had the satisfaction to find that the boat would be easily repaired, +wanting little besides caulking and oars, and we did not lose a moment in +commencing the necessary operations. It has blown a gale of wind from the +south all day, the surge breaking across the inlet with extreme violence: +within the bar the water is very deep, and in moderate weather at flood +tides there is doubtless a boat passage over the bar; for, notwithstanding +the break, there appears a sufficient depth of water. Whatever channel +there may be is on the north side of the entrance. I think, from the +height of the rise of tide (between four and seven feet), and the +rapidity with which it runs, that this inlet must penetrate a very +considerable distance into the country; and probably the lake which +we took to be fresh water under the two Southern Brothers, may be a +principal branch of this lake. It appears to be high water at the full +and change at about forty minutes after nine. + +October 22.--Yesterday was employed in giving the boat such repairs as +our means permitted. Before six o'clock this morning we had transported a +good part of the baggage, when, the tide answering, we began towing the +horses over, which we safely effected by half past eight. I consider the +discovery of this boat most providential, for without its assistance we +should never have been able to transport the horses: being obliged to +cross near the entrance, the force of the tide and their own weakness +would have swept them among the breakers, and they would consequently +have perished. We lost no time in pursuing our journey up the coast, and +had by four o'clock accomplished six miles, when, to our great +mortification, another inlet barred our progress. The southerly gale. +attended with incessant rain, had by this time increased to such a +degree, that we could take no steps this evening to cross it. By the time +the tents were pitched every thing was drenched with rain; and I think +we felt the cold it occasioned more severely than on any similar +occasion. I should be of opinion that this inlet communicated with +the one we last crossed, as branches from each take such courses +as would, I think, cause them to unite. The last inlet was named +Harrington Lake, in honour of the noble earl of that title. + +October 23.--The storm continued through the night. Late in the morning +we had intervals of fine weather, when all our strength was immediately +despatched to bring up our little boat, as we found that we could not +cross without its aid. When the people returned with the boat, it blew +with such violence that we dared not venture to cross in her. We however +moved a little nearer the point of entrance, to be more conveniently +situated when the weather should clear up. The men voluntarily undertook +to carry the boat on their shoulders until we should pass Port +Stephens--a service, reduced as their strength was by constant exertion, +I should have been unwilling to impose on them, however it might +facilitate our future progress. + +October 24.--The weather was so extremely unfavourable (blowing in +violent squalls with almost constant rain), that it was near dark before +we got every thing safely over. I had sent on in the morning to examine +the beach for a few miles, and another inlet was discovered about four +miles in advance. We named this lake Farquhar's Lake, after Sir Walter. + +October 25.--From the southern point of entrance into this lake the +following bearings were taken. The highest part of the South Brother, +north 6. E.; ditto North Brother, north 18. E.; Cape Hawke, south 3. E. +We set forward at our usual hour. At a mile along the beach we found the +wreck of a small vessel, which was recognised to be the Jane, of Sydney, +belonging to Mills, before mentioned as the owner of the boat in our +possession. It being low water when we arrived at the lagoon seen +yesterday, we crossed it at the mouth, without unlading the horses. We +proceeded along the beach for six or seven miles farther, when we turned +off to the westward to cut off a point of land, and entered an excellent +rising forest country, with rich thick brushes, bordering the coast line. +We travelled in the whole about nine miles and a half, and halted about +three quarters of a mile from the beach, from a point of which (one mile +south-south-east of us), we saw Cape Hawke bearing east 73. S., distant +six or eight miles; and at the extremity of a long curving sandy beach, +about six miles west of the same point, there was an opening which, from +the appearance of the country, we thought might probably form a lake. + +October 26.--Two miles and a half farther travelling brought us again on +the beach, along which we went for near seven miles more, when the +opening or lake seen from the point yesterday obliged us to make use of +our boat. On the opposite side to us we saw the wreck of the brig +Governor Hunter, now nearly covered with sand, at high water the +tide washing over her. We had got the horses and great part of the +luggage safely over, and I was on the point of setting out to look +for a place to turn the horses on (the immediate margin of the bay +being a swampy brush); when an alarm was given, that the natives +had speared one of the people. Previous to crossing, we had seen them in +great numbers on the side opposite to us, probably to the amount of +seventy of all ages; but on seeing us launch our boat, they got into +canoes and went two or three miles farther up the lake, still keeping on +the south side. On the north side we did not see any natives, and +although on both sides of the lake we were prepared for them, had they +shown themselves in numbers on the beach, yet all were not on their guard +against individual treachery. One of the men, William Blake, had entered +the brushes about a hundred yards from the rest of the people on the +north side, with the design of cutting a cabbage palm: he had cut one +about half through, when he received a spear through his back, the point +of it sticking against his breast bone. On turning his head round to see +from whence he was attacked, he received another, which passed several +inches through the lower part of his body: he let fall the axe with which +he was cutting, and which was instantly seized by a native, the only one +he saw; and it was probably the temptation of the axe that was the +principal incitement to the attack. Blake was immediately put into +the boat and sent over to the south side, where the doctor was, +who fortunately succeeded in extracting both the spears; but from +the nature of the wounds, his chance of recovery was considered +very doubtful. It was so late before every thing was got over, +that we were obliged to remain on the spot close to the wreck of +the Governor Hunter. The natives before dark had assembled in great +numbers, and we could count twelve or fourteen fires from their +camps. United as we were, we had little to fear from their attacks, +particularly in the night; and we remained so short a time at any place, +that we did not give them time to make any concerted attack. The country +west and south-west of this lagoon is rising forest land of pleasant +appearance; but the shores are flat, with thick brushes and steep fresh +water swamps. The lagoon itself is at low water nothing but a sand shoal, +with narrow and shallow channels. The surf beats quite across the +entrance, and though at high water a small vessel might beat over the +bar, it would be a mere chance if she escaped being lost upon the +sand-rollers inside, the surf breaking with a flood tide and easterly +wind full half a mile within the outer bar. The tides run near four miles +per hour, and the rise is from five to eight feet. From the south side of +the entrance into the lake the highest part of the North Brother bore +north 15. E.; ditto of the South Brother, north 8. 10. E. The point of +land of the bay northerly, distant seven or eight miles north 8. 30. E.; +and a high bluff point or projection southerly, north 163. 30. E. + +October 27.--We did not make much progress this day, being greatly +embarrassed by the thick brushes which border on the coast in the +vicinity of Cape Hawke, and fresh water swamps near the edge of the lake. +There was, however, a good deal of forest land, and the brushes grew in +good soil. We halted in the afternoon, having gone only four miles (Cape +Hawke bearing east distant two miles and a half), on a piece of forest +land surrounded by brush, through which, however, in the course of the +evening we cut a road to the beach, to the southward of Cape Hawke. From +a hill on that line we saw that the lake was much more extensive than it +was first supposed to be, reaching in a southerly direction to the base +of the forest hills, which run a north-west line from the next point of +south of Cape Hawke, and within a quarter of a mile of the beach. To the +north-west we could trace it upwards of twenty miles, winding among +forest hills and a generally fine looking country. The lake was studded +with numerous islands of forest lands, the interior of the lake being +apparently deep water with sandy beaches to the main and islands. The +whole appearance of the lake was extremely picturesque and beautiful. + +October 28.--This day's journey afforded tolerably good travelling, +with the exception of the last two miles, when, quitting the beach, +we ascended a high hill over the lake, and again descended to a +small bay under a point of land south of Cape Hawke, where we halted for +the evening: having accomplished ten miles. Although we were obliged to +halt the greater part of the day, the extreme heat of the weather, +combined with the motion of the horse, rendered it impossible for our +poor wounded man to proceed. From this point Cape Hawke bore North Peak +on Ditto 357., highest part of the South Brother, N. 1. E.; North Brother, +N. 7. E.; line of coast westerly, N. 306.; a point N. 328 1/2 mile; +ditto N. 136 1/2. E.; ten or twelve chains islet of Sugarloaf Point, +N. 168. The rocks off ditto, N. 173. Sugarloaf Point, 174 1/2. + +October 29.--The coast projecting into bold and perpendicular headlands +obliged us to keep at a distance from it, and travel over an elevated +range, from whence we saw that an extensive series of lakes, probably +forming one large one, continued at the back of the coast line nearly +as far as Blackhead. At five miles we descended from the range on a +small beach which terminated our day's journey; the nature of the +coast line preventing us from travelling along it. I therefore went +with two men to mark out a road for the horses to the beach on the +south-west side of Sugarloaf Point. The line we were obliged to pursue, +led us through a most miserable scrubby country, formed into irregular +steep hills of white sand, without a blade of grass, or herbage of any +kind; but with abundance of small black butted gums, red gums, etc. We +found the road across, to be too far for us to attempt this evening. +Indeed it was near sunset when I returned to the tent. The natives +are extremely numerous along this part of the coast; these extensive +lakes, which abound with fish, being extremely favourable to their +easy subsistence: large troops of them appear on the beaches, whilst +their canoes on the lakes are equally numerous. In the morning their +fires are to be observed in every direction: they evidently appear +to shun us, and we have no wish for a farther acquaintance. When we +stopped for the night, the lake was only separated from the sea by +a narrow neck of sand, and at spring tides, with an easterly wind, +it must be forced over it. This neck of sand appears likely to be +occasionally washed away, and to form a shallow opening into this +portion of the lake. Its principal entrance I expect to find southerly; +we however observed no tides in it, which makes us conclude it will +have but a shoal entrance. From this point, the Sugarloaf Point, +and island of it in one, bore N. 14 1/2, and the direction of the +lake was N. 275. + +October 30.--We passed for five miles and a half through the country +described yesterday, when we arrived on the beach south-west of the +Sugarloaf Point. The rock off ditto bearing N. 88. E.; Shoal of ditto, +120., and Blackhead, N. 212 1/2; we went nearly six miles farther +on the beach, and halted near a rocky point for the evening. This +beach was a peculiarly productive one to us; a great number of fine +fish resembling salmon, had been pursued through the surf by larger +fish, and were left dry by the retiring tide: we picked up thirty-six, +and a welcome prize they proved to us. We had just got the tents +pitched, when a number of unarmed natives appeared upon the hill +near us, and among them a woman and a child. As they came in peace, so in +peace were they received. They approached the tents without any +hesitation, and in the course of an hour, their numbers amounted to +upwards of thirty, men, women, and children. Most of these people seemed +to have been at Newcastle, and appeared a friendly and peaceable set. We +did all in our power to continue these good dispositions by shaving the +men, cutting the hair of the children, and bestowing on them such little +articles as we could spare; not without a hope, that our kindness might +be of service to others, who might under different circumstances be +thrown among them. They were so far from showing the least jealousy of +their women, that every circumstance indicated that their favours might +be purchased: however that may be, we did not avail ourselves of this +privilege. Kindling their fires close to our tents, they seemed to have +taken up their quarters for the night. The weather had appeared to +threaten rain, and as they all departed about ten o'clock, it was +attributed to the circumstance of their being without shelter; and we +expected a friendly visit from them in the morning. From this station, +Blackhead bore N. 197.; and the island off Sugarloaf Point, N. 70. E. +The peak over the north entrance into Port Stephens, N. 211. + +October 31.--The rain of the night still continuing in the morning, +and the tide not being sufficiently low to let us pass round the head, +we did not set off so early as usual. Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans had +gone to bathe near the point, and within one hundred and fifty yards +of the tent. Mr. Evans had already bathed and had began to dress +himself, when four natives, whom we recognised as being among those +whom we had treated so kindly yesterday, made their appearance with +their spears in their hands, in the attitude of throwing them from +the cliffs above. There was scarcely time to parley with them, when +a spear was thrown at Mr. Evans, Dr. Harris having leaped down the +rock into the sea, and escaped to the tent under its shelter. The +spear fortunately missed Mr. Evans, and he likewise escaped with the +loss of his clothes, by following the doctor's example. On the alarm +being given they were pursued, but they had disappeared among the +brush on the hill. This instance of their treachery redoubled our +circumspection, and our situation here being favourable for their +attacks, I determined to pass over the brow of the hill with the +horses--a road which from its extreme steepness, I had been willing +to avoid by waiting for the tide; and orders were given to collect +the horses and proceed on our route. Whilst this was doing, and as +I was sitting in the tent with Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans writing +this Journal, a shower of spears from the height above was thrown at the +tent, one of which passed directly over my shoulder, and entered the +ground at my feet: the others lodged around the tent, and among the +people who were getting ready the baggage, but providentially without +doing any harm. We had stationed men to watch the hill, but the +appearance of the natives and the flight of their spears was so +instantaneous, that they had not time to alarm us. To enable us therefore +to proceed in safety it was necessary to clear the hill, which was soon +done; for on our ascending that hill, they took their station on another +more distant. We travelled unmolested along the beach for upwards of +twelve miles, when we halted for the evening on a small point of clear +land, which at high water was an island. Here we found ourselves secure: +we had however but just unladen, when three natives were seen coming +along the beach from the side of Port Stephens. We knew that the party +which had behaved so treacherously had gone that way, and we suspected +that these men were sent to see whether we were disposed to resent their +conduct: they appeared unarmed, each holding up a fish as a peace +offering to us: but when they were within three hundred yards of us, they +stopped, and not receiving any encouragement from us to advance, +after halting a few minutes, they returned with all speed along +the beach to their companions. I had determined if they had approached +nearer to have made an example of them: and for the future, never to +suffer them to come near us at all. I was very much surprised to +find that Blackhead proved to be an island, with a good passage, at +least a mile and a half wide, between it and the main. There appears +excellent anchorage and shelter under it, and indeed it seems a far +better and more convenient roadstead than Port Stephens, being safe +from all winds, with a passage either from north or south. The relative +positions of the points and islands on this part of the coast, by no +means correspond with, nor does the longitude of Port Stephens +agree with that assigned to Sugarloaf Point by Captain Flinders, who +commenced at that point; Port Stephens, and this part, of the coast, +being laid down from other authorities. From this point, the north head +of Port Stephens bore N. 199.; Sugarloaf Point N. 45. E; and several +other bearings were taken for a sketch of the channel between Blackhead +Island, and the main. + +November 1.--We departed early in the morning, and at three O'clock +arrived at Port Stephens. The natives had assembled in considerable +numbers at the back of the beach, and being armed, we suspected their +intention to be, to throw at us from the bank and brush as we passed. On +the advance of four men who were sent to clear the bank of them, +they quickly retired, and did not show themselves again until we +had passed. They appeared to be as cowardly as treacherous: and I +am convinced, that all the mischief they do, arises from a misplaced +confidence in their seeming friendly dispositions. A single person +of his guard is sure to fall a sacrifice to their thirst for plunder. +As we were unable to pass this port without the assistance of a +large boat, it was determined that Mr. Evans and three men should +cross the port in our own boat and proceed to Newcastle, from which +settlement we were distant about thirty-six miles; and procure such aid +as the commandant could afford us, together with a supply of provisions, +our own being nearly exhausted. + +November 5.--Mr. Evans and party set forward at day-light on Monday +morning, and arrived the same evening at Newcastle. The commandant, +Captain Wallis of the 46th regiment, lost not a moment in dispatching a +large boat with an abundance of every comfort that could be acceptable to +travellers in our situation. We had also the satisfaction to learn +generally the welfare of our friends in Sydney. + + + + +APPENDIX + + + +PART I. + + +No. I. + +By His Excellency, Lachlan Macquarie, Esq., Captain General, and Governor +in Chief of the Territory of New South Wales, and its dependencies, etc. +etc. + +INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOIN OXLEY, ESQ., SURVEYOR GENERAL OF LANDS. + +Sir, + +The Right Honourable Earl Bathurst, His Majesty's principal Secretary of +State for the Colonies, having in a recent despatch authorised and +directed me to select and employ a properly qualified and competent +officer belonging to this government, for conducting and leading an +expedition for the purpose of prosecuting the discoveries made some time +since to the westward of the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, by Mr. +George William Evans, deputy surveyor of lands; and reposing especial +trust and confidence in your abilities, zeal and diligence, for +conducting and leading such an expedition: I do hereby constitute and +appoint you in virtue of the powers in me vested, to be chief of the +expedition now fitting out to prosecute the discoveries to the westward +of the Blue Mountains in the interior of the continent of Australia. You +are accordingly to be obeyed and respected as chief of this expedition, +and to be governed generally during the continuance of it, by the +following instructions. + +First.--With the view of facilitating the objects of the present +expedition, and in justice to his former zealous and successful exertions +in making the original discoveries in the interior, to the westward of the +Blue Mountains; the Right Honourable the Secretary of State has directed, +that in the farther prosecution of these discoveries, Mr. George William +Evans, deputy surveyor of lands, should be associated with the person +appointed to head and direct the expedition; and to be considered the +second in command of it. You are therefore to consider Mr. Evans as next +in command to yourself during the progress of the expedition, and to +consult with him on all operations and points connected therewith; it +being presumed from his local experience in the interior, he will be able +to afford you very useful information and assistance. + +Second.--Exclusive of yourself and Mr. Evans, I have deemed it advisable +to permit Mr. Allan Cunningham, one of the King's botanists, (lately sent +out to this country, for the purpose of collecting plants and seeds for +His Majesty's gardens at Kew), to accompany the expedition. I have also +ordered ten other persons to accompany you on the expedition in the +various capacities of assistants, or servants; and herewith you will +receive a schedule of their names, and respective designations, or +employments. + +Third.--In order to give every facility to the objects of the expedition +now fitting out, and to afford you the means of prolonging your absence +from headquarters, and consequently extending the range of your +discoveries, I have deemed it advisable to furnish yourself and party +with a sufficient supply of good wholesome provisions for five months; in +which space of time, it is concluded, you will be able to ascertain all +the important objects of the expedition. And in order that this five +months supply of provisions may remain untouched, until you shall have +taken your final departure from the last discovered point on the Lachlan +River, I have had a depot lately established there for the purpose of +lodging the five months provisions, till your arrival at that point; the +necessary number of BAT horses having been provided for conveying the +provisions thither; and it has been lately reported to me, that almost +the whole of the five months provisions have already been conveyed to the +depot on the Lachlan River, and that the remaining part thereof will he +deposited there in the course of seven days from this date. You will +herewith receive a schedule, or account of the provisions, together +with a list of the BAT horses, and other various equipments furnished +and sent to the depot on the banks of the Lachlan River, for the use +of the expedition. I hope it is unnecessary for me to point out or +recommend to a person of your experience, the absolute necessity of +observing every possible economy in the expenditure of your provisions, +and preventing every possible waste thereof, so as to make them hold +out for the full space of time they are intended to last. There is +an ample and liberal daily ration of provisions allowed and sent for +each person sufficient for five months; and you must make it your +particular business to see that there shall be no waste or loss in +the issuing, or carriage of your stock of provisions. + +Fourth.--Having been informed, first from the reports of Mr. Evans, the +original discoverer of the Lachlan River, and subsequently from those of +William Cox, Esq., who went thither lately at my particular request, that +there was every reason from its appearance to conclude that that river +would be found to be navigable for small boats; I some time since sent a +boat builder for the purpose of constructing two light boats for +navigating this river, and conveying the provisions and stores for the +expedition along it, to its junction with the sea, in case it should be +found to fall into it, which there is every reason to hope it does. In +the event of this hope being realized, it will greatly facilitate the +objects of the expedition to be able thus to transport all your +provisions, and other equipments, by water, instead of the tedious +process of carrying them by land on the backs of horses, through a woody +and intricate country. + +Fifth.--The three grand and principal objects of the present expedition +are:--First, to ascertain the real course or general direction of the +Lachlan River, and its final termination, and whether it falls into the +sea, or into some inland lake. Secondly, if the river falls into the sea, +to ascertain the exact place of its embouchure, and whether such place +would answer as a safe and good port for shipping: and thirdly, the +general face of the country, nature of the soil, woods, and animal and +natural productions of the country through which this river passes; +carefully examining and noting down each of these particulars, and adding +thereto the nature of the climate, and description of such natives or +aborigines of the country as you may happen to see, or fall in with in +your progress through it. + +For your farther information and guidance, you will receive herewith a +paper marked A, which is a copy of one lately received by me from Earl +Bathurst, His Majesty's principal Secretary of State for the colonies, +and which I am directed by his lordship to make the groundwork of my +instructions to the officer whom I might think proper to select for, and +entrust with the due execution of the services therein required. And I +therefore refer you for all farther instructions to the paper thus +alluded to; persuaded you will do every thing in your power to comply +with and execute, as far as your means will allow, the several orders and +directions therein contained; communicating these instructions to the +several persons employed with you on the expedition, in as far as they +are severally concerned in making the observations and collections +pointed out in the said instructions from the Secretary of State. + +Sixth.--It will of course be necessary in order to ascertain the exact +distance and direction of your journies, whilst prosecuting your +discoveries, that the country through which you travel shall be regularly +chained and laid down upon a chart; but I leave it optional with yourself +to do this either during your outward or homeward bound journey; and as +it is expected that the Lachlan River will be found to empty itself into +that part of the sea on the south-west coast of Australia, between +Spencer's Gulf and Cape Otway, it is hoped you will he able to make all +the necessary discoveries, and return again to Bathurst considerably +within five months; as the greatest distance from thence to that part of +the coast, where the river is supposed to fall into it, cannot exceed six +hundred miles. It is also hoped and expected, that the Lachlan and +Macquarie Rivers unite at some distant point from where Mr. Evans +terminated his trace of the Lachlan River; and in case these two rivers +are found to form a junction, the exact place of their confluence must be +clearly and exactly ascertained in regard to latitude and longitude, and +noted down accordingly. The latitude and longitude of the junction of +both or either of these rivers with the sea, or inland lake, must also be +accurately ascertained and marked down in the chart to be made of your +entire tour and discoveries. + +Seventh.--On your return from your journey to the sea-coast to Bathurst, +you are to direct all the journals or other written documents belonging +to, and curiosities collected by the several individuals composing the +expedition, to be carefully sealed up with your own seal, and kept in +that state until after you have made your report in writing to me at +Sydney, of the result of the expedition. + +Eighth.--I have only to add, that I wish you to set out from Sydney on +the present service, on Monday, the 31st of this present month, so as to +arrive at Bathurst, on or before the 8th of the ensuing month. + +On your arrival at Bathurst, you will find William Cox, Esq., there, and +to him I beg leave to refer you for every information relative to the +provisions, stores, horses for carriage, and other equipments ordered to +be forwarded to the depot on the Lachlan River, for the use of the +expedition; the arrangement and conveyance of all which has been wholly +entrusted to him. Mr. Cox having promised to accompany you as far as the +depot on the Lachlan River, he will be able to remove any unforeseen +difficulties that may arise on your arrival there, in getting the +provisions and stores for the use of the expedition forwarded. + +Wishing every success may attend the expedition under your command, and a +safe return to all the individuals composing it; + +I remain, Sir, +Your most obedient servant, +(Signed,) L. MACQUARIE, +Governor in chief of New South Wales. +Government House, Sydney, +March 24, 1817. + +* * * * * + +--A.-- + +COPY OF INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY OF STATE. + +Downing Street, April 18, 1816. + +It is most desirable that any person travelling into the interior should +keep a detailed Journal of his proceedings. In this Journal all +observations and occurrences of every kind, with all their circumstances, +however minute, and however familiar they may have been rendered by +custom, should be carefully noted down; and it is also desirable that he +should be as circumstantial as possible in describing the general +appearance of the country, its surface, soil, animals, vegetables and +minerals, every thing that relates to the population, the peculiar +manners, customs, language, etc., of the individual natives, or the +tribes of them that he may meet with. + +The following however will be among the most important subjects, on which +it will be more immediately the province of a traveller to endeavour to +obtain information. + +The general nature of the climate, as to the heat, cold, moisture, winds, +rains, etc.; the temperature regularly registered from Fahrenheit's +thermometer, as observed at two or three periods of the day. + +The direction of the mountains; their general appearance as to shape, +whether detached, or continuous in ranges. + +The rivers, and their several branches, their direction, velocity, +breadth and depth. + +The animals, whether birds, beasts, or fishes, reptiles, insects, etc., +distinguishing those animals, if any, which appear to have been +domesticated by the natives. + +The vegetables, and particularly those that are applicable to any useful +purpose, whether in medicine, dyeing, etc.; any scented woods, or such as +may be adapted for cabinet work, or furniture, and more particularly such +woods as may appear to be useful in ship-building; of all which it +would be desirable to procure small specimens, labelled and numbered, +so that an easy reference may be made to them in the Journal, to +ascertain the quantities in which they are found, and the situations +in which they grow. + +Minerals, any of the precious metals, or stones, if used or valued by the +natives. + +With respect to the animals, vegetables, and minerals, it is desirable +that specimens of the most remarkable should be preserved as far as the +means of the traveller will admit, and especially the seeds of any plants +not hitherto known: when the preservation of specimens is impossible, +drawings or detailed accounts of them are most desirable. + +The description, and characteristic difference, of the several people +whom he way meet; the extent of the population, their occupation, and +means of subsistence; whether chiefly, or to what extent, by fishing, +hunting, or agriculture, and the principal objects of their several +pursuits. + +A circumstantial account of such articles, if any, as might be +advantageously imported into Great Britain. + +A vocabulary of the language spoken by the natives whom he may meet, +using in the compilation of each the same English words. + +If the people are sufficiently numerous to form tribes, it is important +to ascertain their condition, and rules of the society; their genius and +disposition; the nature of their amusements; their diseases and remedies, +etc.; their objects of worship, religious ceremonies; and the influence +of those ceremonies on their moral character and conduct. + +(Signed) JOHN THOMAS CAMPBELL, Sec. +(True copy.) + +* * * * * + +No. Ia. + +LIST OF THE NAMES AND DESIGNATIONS OF THE SEVERAL PERSONS PROCEEDING ON +THE EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY, UNDER THE COMMAND OF JOHN OXLEY, ESQ., +SURVEYOR GENERAL OF LANDS. + +1 John Oxley, Esq., chief of the expedition. +2 Mr. George William Evans, second in command. +3 Mr. Allan Cunningham, King's botanist. +4 Charles Fraser, colonial botanist. +5 William Parr, mineralogist. +6 George Hubbard, boat-builder. +7 James King, 1st boatman, and sailor. +8 James King, 2nd horse-shoer. +9 William Meggs, butcher. +10 Patrick Byrne, guide and horse leader. +11 William Blake, harness-mender. +12 George Simpson, for chaining with surveyors. +13 William Warner, servant to Mr. Oxley. + +(Signed,) L. MACQUARIE. +Sydney, +March 2,1, 1817. + +* * * * * + +No. II + +Government House, Sydney, +June 10, 1815. + +Mr. Cox having reported the road as completed on the 21st of January, the +governor, accompanied by Mr. Macquarie, and that gentleman, commenced his +tour on the 25th of April last, over the Blue Mountains, and was joined +by Sir John Jamison, at the Nepean, who accompanied him during the entire +tour. The following gentlemen composed the governor's suite: Mr. +Campbell, secretary; Captain Antill, major of brigade; Lieutenant Watts, +aid-de-camp; Mr. Redfern, assistant surgeon; Mr. Oxley, surveyor general; +Mr. Meehan, deputy surveyor general; Mr. Lewin, painter, and naturalist; +and Mr. G. W. Evans, deputy surveyor of lands, who had been sent forward +for the purpose of making farther discoveries, and rejoined the party on +the day of arrival at Bathurst Plains. + +The commencement of the ascent from Emu Plains, to the first depot, and +then to a resting-place, now called Spring Wood, distant twelve miles +from Emu Ford, was through a very handsome forest of lofty trees, and +much more practicable and easy than was expected. The facility of the +ascent for this distance excited surprise, and is certainly not well +calculated to give the traveller a just idea of the difficulties he has +afterwards to encounter. + +At a farther distance of four miles, a sudden change is perceived in the +appearance of the timber, and the quality of the soil; the former +becoming stunted, and the latter barren and rocky. At this place the +fatigues of the journey may be said to commence; here the country became +altogether mountainous, and extremely rugged. Near to the eighteenth mile +mark (it is to be observed the measure commences from Emu Ford), a pile +of stones attracted attention; it is close to the line of road, on the +top of a rugged and abrupt ascent, and is supposed to have been placed +by Mr. Caley, as the extreme limit of his tour; hence the governor +gave that part of the mountain the name of Caley's Repulse. To have +penetrated even so far, was an effort of no small difficulty. From +hence forward to the twenty-sixth mile is a succession of steep and +rugged hills, some of which are almost so abrupt as to deny a passage +altogether; but at this place a considerably extensive plain is arrived +at, which constitutes the summit of the western mountains, and from +thence a most extensive and beautiful prospect presents itself on all +sides to the eye. The town of Windsor, the River Hawkesbury, Prospect +Hill, and other objects within that part of the colony now inhabited, of +equal interest, are distinctly seen from hence. The majestic grandeur of +the situation, combined with the various objects to be seen from this +place, induced the governor to give it the appellation of the King's +Table Land. On the south-west side of the King's Table Land, the mountain +terminates in abrupt precipices of immense depth; at the bottom of which +is seen a glen, as romantically beautiful as can be imagined, bounded on +the farther side by mountains of great magnitude, terminating equally +abruptly as the others; and the whole whole thickly covered with timber. +The length of this picturesque and remarkable tract of country is +about twenty-four miles, to which the governor gave the name of +the Prince Regent's Glen. Proceeding hence to the thirty-third mile, +on the top of a hill an opening presents itself on the south-west +side of the Prince Regent's Glen, from whence a view obtained +particularly beautiful and grand: mountains rising beyond mountains, +with stupendous masses of rock in the fore ground, here strike +the eye with admiration and astonishment. The circular form in which the +whole is so wonderfully disposed, induced the governor to give the name +of Pitt's Amphitheatre to this offset or branch from the Prince Regent's +Glen. The road continues from hence for the space of seventeen miles, on +the ridge of the mountain which forms one side of the Prince Regent's +Glen, and there it suddenly terminates in nearly a perpendicular +precipice of six hundred and seventy-six feet high, as ascertained by +measurement. The road constructed by Mr. Cox down this rugged and +tremendous descent, through all its windings, is no less than three +fourths of a mile in length, and has been executed with such skill and +dexterity as reflects much credit to him: the labour here undergone, and +the difficulties surmounted can only be appreciated by those who view +this scene. In order to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Cox's services, the +governor deemed it a tribute justly due to him to give his name to this +grand and extraordinary pass, and he accordingly called it Cox's Pass. +Having descended into the valley at the bottom of this pass, the +retrospective view of the overhanging mountain is magnificently grand. + +Although the present pass is the only practicable point yet discovered +for descending by, yet the mountain is much higher than those on either +side of it, from whence it is distinguished at a considerable distance: +when approaching it from the interior, and in this point of view, it has +the appearance of a very high distinct hill, although it is in fact only +the abrupt termination of a ridge. The governor gave the name of Mount +York to this termination of the ridge: on descending Cox's Pass, the +governor was much pleased by the appearance of good pasture land, and +soil fit for cultivation, which was the first he had met with since the +commencement of his tour. The valley at the base of Mount York he called +the Vale of Clwyd, in consequence of the strong resemblance it bore to +the vale of that name in North Wales: the grass in this vale is of a good +quality, and very abundant; and a rivulet of fine water runs along it +from the eastward, which unites itself at the western extremity of the +vale with another rivulet, containing still more water. The junction of +these two streams forms a very fine river, now called by the governor +Cox's River; which takes its course, as has since been re-ascertained, +through the Prince Regent's Glen, and empties itself into the River +Nepean; and it is conjectured from the nature of the country through +which it passes, that it must be one of the principal causes of the +floods which have been occasionally felt on the low banks of the River +Hawkesbury, into which the Nepean discharges itself. The Vale of Clwyd +from the base of Mount York, extends six miles in a westerly direction, +and has its termination at Cox's River. Westward of this river the +country again becomes hilly, but is generally open, forest land, and +very good pasturage. Three miles to the westward of the Vale of Clwyd, +Messrs. Blaxland, Wentworth, and Lawson, had formerly terminated their +excursion; and when the various difficulties are considered which they +had to contend with, especially until they had effected the descent from +Mount York, to which place they were obliged to pass through a thick +brushwood, where they were under the necessity of cutting a passage for +their baggage horses, the severity of which labour had seriously affected +their healths--their patient endurance of such fatigue cannot fail to +excite much surprise and admiration. In commemoration of their merits, +three beautiful high hills, joining each other at the end of their tour +at this place, have received their names in the following order, viz., +Mount Blaxland, Wentworth's Sugar Loaf, and Lawson's Sugar Loaf. + +A range of very lofty hills and narrow valleys alternately form the tract +from Cox's River, for a distance of sixteen miles, until the Fish River +is arrived at; and the stage between these rivers is consequently very +severe and oppressive to the cattle: to this range the governor gave the +name of Clarence's Hilly Range. Proceeding from the Fish River and a +short distance from it, a very singular and beautiful mountain attracts +the attention, its summit being crowned with a large and very +extraordinary looking rock, nearly circular in form, which gives to the +whole very much the appearance of a Hill Fort, such as are frequent in +India; to this lofty hill, Mr. Evans, who was the first European +discoverer, gave the name of Mount Evans. Passing on from hence the +country continues hilly, but affords good pasturage; gradually improving +to Sidmouth Valley, which is distant from the pass of the Fish River +eight miles. The land here is level, and the first met with unencumbered +with timber: it is not of very considerable extent, but abounds with a +great variety of herbs and plants, such as would probably highly interest +and gratify the scientific botanist. This beautiful little valley runs +north-west and south-east, between hills of easy ascent thinly covered +with timber. Leaving Sidmouth Valley the country again becomes hilly, +and in other respects resembles very much the country to the eastward of +the valley for some miles. + +Having reached Campbell River, distant thirteen miles from Sidmouth +Valley, the governor was highly gratified by the appearance of the +country, which there began to exhibit an open and extensive view of +gently rising grounds and fertile plains. Judging from the height of +the banks and its general width, the Campbell River must be on some +occasions of very considerable magnitude; but the extraordinary drought +which has apparently prevailed on the western side of the mountains, +equally as throughout this colony for the last three years, has reduced +this river so much, that it may be more properly called a chain of pools +than a running stream at the present time. In the reaches, or pools of the +Campbell River, the very curious animal called the water mole +(ornithorhynchus paradoxus), is seen in great numbers. The soil on both +banks is uncommonly rich, and the grass is consequently luxuriant. Two +miles to the southward of the line of road which crosses the Campbell +River, there is a very fine rich tract of low lands which has been named +Mitchel Plains. + +Wild flax was found here growing in considerable quantities. The Fish +River, which forms a junction with the Campbell River a few miles to the +northward of the road and bridge over the latter, has also two very +fertile plains on its banks, the one called O'Connell Plains, and the +other Macquarie Plains, both of considerable extent, and very capable of +yielding all the necessaries of life. At the distance of seven miles from +the bridge over the Campbell River, Bathurst Plains open to the view, +presenting a rich tract of champaign country of eleven miles in length, +bounded on both sides by gently rising and very beautiful hills, thinly +wooded. The Macquarie River, which is constituted by the junction of the +Fish and Campbell Rivers, takes a winding course through the plains, and +can be easily traced from the high lands adjoining, by the particular +verdure of the trees on its banks, which are likewise the only trees +throughout the extent of the plains. + +The level and clean surface of these plains gives them at first view very +much the appearance of lands in a state of cultivation. + +The governor and his suite arrived at these plains on Thursday, the 4th +of May, and encamped on the southern or left bank of the Macquarie River; +the situation being selected in consequence of its commanding a beautiful +and extensive prospect for many miles in every direction around it. At +this place the governor remained for a week, which time he occupied in +making excursions in different directions through the adjoining country, +on both sides of the river. + +On Sunday, the 7th of May, the governor fixed on a site suitable for the +erection of a town at some future period, to which he gave the name of +Bathurst, in honour of the present Secretary of State for the colonies. +The situation of Bathurst is elevated sufficiently beyond the reach of +any floods which may occur, and is at the same time so near the river on +its south bank, as to derive all the advantages of its clear and +beautiful stream. The mechanics, and settlers of whatever description, +who may be hereafter permitted to form permanent residences to themselves +at this place, will have the highly important advantages of a rich and +fertile soil, with a beautiful river flowing through it, for all the uses +of man. + +The governor must however add, that the hopes which were once so +sanguinely entertained of this river becoming navigable to the western +sea have ended in disappointment. During the week that the governor +remained at Bathurst, he made daily excursions in various directions: one +of these extended twenty-two miles in a south-west direction, and on that +occasion as well as on all the others, he found the country composed +chiefly of valleys and plains, separated occasionally by ranges of low +hills; the soil throughout being generally fertile, and well +circumstanced for the purpose of agriculture, or grazing. + +Within a distance of ten miles from the site of Bathurst, there is not +less than fifty thousand acres of land clear of timber, and fully one +half of that may be considered excellent soil, well calculated for +cultivation. It is a matter of regret, that in proportion as the land +improves the timber degenerates; and it is to be remarked, that every +where to the westward of the mountains it is much inferior, both in size +and quality, to that within the present colony: there is however a +sufficiency of timber of tolerable quality within the district around +Bathurst, for the purposes of house building, and husbandry. + +The governor has here to lament, that neither coals nor limestone have +been yet discovered in the western country; articles in themselves of so +much importance, that the want of them must be severely felt, whenever +that country shall be settled. + +Having enumerated the principal and most important features of this new +country, the governor has now to notice some of its live productions. All +around Bathurst abounds in a variety of game; and the two principal +rivers contain a great quantity of fish, but all of one denomination, +resembling the perch in appearance, and of a delicate and fine flavour, +not unlike that of a rock cod; this fish grows to a large size, and is +very voracious. Several of them were caught during the governor's stay at +Bathurst, and at the halting-place on the Fish River. One of those caught +weighed seventeen pounds, and the people stationed at Bathurst reported +they had caught some weighing twenty-five pounds. The field game are the +kangaroos, emus, black swans, wild geese, wild turkeys, bustards, ducks +of various kinds, quail, bronze-winged and other pigeons, etc. etc. The +water-mole also abounds in all the rivers and ponds. + +The site designed for the town of Bathurst by observation taken at the +flag-staff, which was erected on the day of Bathurst receiving that name, +is situated in latitude 33. 24. 30. S., and in longitude 149. 29. 30. E. +of Greenwich; being also twenty-seven miles and a half north of +Government House, in Sydney, and ninety-four and a half west of it, +bearing west 18. 20. N., eighty-three geographical miles, or ninety-five +and a half statute miles; the measured road distance from Sydney to +Bathurst being one hundred and forty English miles. + +The road constructed by Mr. Cox, and the party under him, commences at +Emu Ford, on the left bank of the Nepean, and is thence one hundred and +one miles and a half to the flag-staff at Bathurst: this road has been +carefully measured, and each mile regularly marked on the trees growing +on the left side of the road, proceeding towards Bathurst. + +The governor in his tour made the following stages, in which he was +principally regulated by the consideration of his having good pasturage +for the cattle and plenty of water: + +1st stage, Spring Wood, distant from Emu Ford, 12 miles. +2nd ditto, Jamison's Valley, or 2nd depot, distant from ditto, 28 miles. +3rd ditto, Blackheath, distant from ditto, 41 miles. +4th ditto, Cox's River, distant from ditto, 56 miles. +5th ditto, The Fish River, distant from ditto, 72 miles. +6th ditto, Sidmouth Valley, distant from ditto, 80 miles. +7th ditto, Campbell River, distant from ditto, 90 miles. +8th ditto, Bathurst, distant from ditto, 101 1/2 miles. + +At all of which places the traveller may assure himself of good grass, +and water in abundance. + +* * * * * + +No. III. + +Bathurst, August 30, 1817. +"Sir, + +"I have the honour to acquaint your excellency with my arrival at this +place last evening, together with the persons comprising the expedition +to the westward, which your excellency was pleased to place under my +direction. + +"Your excellency is already informed of my proceedings up to the 30th +of April. The limits of a letter will not permit me to enter at large +into the occurrences of nineteen weeks; and as I shall have the honour of +waiting on your excellency in a few days, I trust you will in the mean +time have the goodness to accept the summary account which I now offer. + +"I proceeded down the Lachlan in company with the boats until the 12th +of May, the country rapidly descending, until the waters of the river +rising to a level with it, and dividing themselves into numerous +branches, inundated the land to the west and north-west, and prevented +any farther progress in that direction, the river itself being lost among +the marshes. Up to this point, it had received no accession of waters +from either side; but on the contrary, was constantly dissipating itself +in lagoons and swamps. + +"The impossibility of proceeding farther in conjunction with the boats +being evident, I determined upon mature deliberation to haul them up; and +divesting ourselves of every thing that could possibly be spared, proceed +with the horses loaded with the additional provisions from the boats, on +such a course towards the coast as would intersect any stream that might +arise from the divided waters of the Lachlan. + +"In pursuance of this plan, I quitted the river on the 17th of May, +taking a south-west course towards Cape Northumberland, as the best +adapted to answer my intended purpose. I will not here detail the +difficulties and privations we experienced in passing through a barren +and desolate country, without any water but such rain as was found +remaining in holes and the crevices of rocks. I continued this course +until the 9th of June, when having lost two horses through fatigue and +want, and the others being in a deplorable condition, I changed our +course to north, along a range of lofty hills running in that direction, +as they afforded the only means of procuring water until we should fall +in with some stream. On this course I continued until the 23rd of June, +when we again fell in with a stream, which we had at first some +difficulty to recognise as the Lachlan, it being little larger than one +of the branches of it where we quitted it on the 17th of May. + +"I did not hesitate a moment to pursue the course of this stream, not +that the nature of the country or its own appearance in any manner +indicated that it would become navigable, or even permanent; but I was +unwilling that the smallest doubt should remain whether any navigable +waters fall westward into the sea, between the limits pointed out in my +instructions. + +"I continued along the banks of the stream until the 8th of July, it +having taken during this period a westerly direction, and passed through +a perfectly level country, barren in the extreme, and being evidently at +periods entirely under water. To this point the river had been gradually +diminishing, and spreading its waters over stagnated lagoons and +morasses, without receiving any tributary stream that we knew of, during +the whole extent of its course. The banks were not more than three feet +high, and the marks of flood on the shrubs and bushes showed that at +times it rose between two and three feet higher, causing the whole +country to become a marsh, and altogether uninhabitable. + +"Farther progress westward, had it been possible, was now useless, as +there was neither hill nor rising ground of any kind within the compass +of our view, which was bounded only by the horizon in every quarter, and +entirely devoid of timber, unless a few diminutive gum, trees on the very +edge of the stream might be so termed. The water in the bed of the +lagoon, as it might now be properly denominated, was stagnant, its +breadth about twenty feet, and the heads of grass growing in it showed it +to be about three feet deep. + +"This unlooked for and truly singular termination of a river, which +we had anxiously hoped, and reasonably expected, would have led to a far +different conclusion, filled us with the most painful sensations. We were +full five hundred miles west of Sydney, and nearly in its latitude; and +it had taken us ten weeks of unremitted exertion to proceed so far. The +nearest part of the coast about Cape Bernoulli, had it been accessible, +was distant above one hundred and eighty miles. We had demonstrated +beyond a doubt, that no river could fall into the sea between Cape Otway +and Spencer's Gulf, at least none deriving its waters from the eastern +coast; and that the country south of the parallel of 34 degrees, and west +of the meridian 147. 30. E. was uninhabitable, and useless for all the +purposes of civilized men. + +"It now became my duty to make our remaining resources as extensively +useful to the colony as our circumstances would allow; these were much +diminished: an accident which happened to one of the boats in the outset +of the expedition had deprived us of one third of our dry provisions, of +which we had originally a supply for only eighteen weeks, and we had been +consequently for some time living on a reduced ration of two quarts of +flour per man, per week. To return to the depot by the route we had come +would have been as useless as impossible; and, seriously considering +the spirit of your excellency's instructions, I determined, after the +most mature deliberation, to take such a route, on our return, as would I +hoped comport with your excellency's views, had our then situation ever +been contemplated. + +"Returning up the Lachlan, I recommenced the survey of it from the point +at which it was made on the 23rd of June, intending to continue up its +banks until its connection with the marshes where we quitted it on the +17th of May was satisfactorily established, as also to ascertain if any +streams might have escaped our research. The connection with all the +points of the survey previously determined, was completed between the +19th of July and the 3rd of August. In the space passed over within that +period, the river had divided itself into various branches, and formed +three fine lakes, which, with one near the termination of our journey +westward, were the only considerable pieces of water we had yet seen; and +I now estimated that the river, from the place where it was first made +by Mr. Evans, had run a course, including all its windings, of upwards of +one thousand two hundred miles; a length altogether unprecedented, when +the single nature of the river is considered, and that its original +source constitutes its only supply of water during that extent. + +"Crossing at this point, it was my intention to take a north-east course +to intersect the country, and if possible to ascertain what had become of +the Macquarie River, which it was clear had never joined the Lachlan. +This course led us through a country to the full as bad as any we had yet +seen, and equally devoid of water, the personal want of which again much +distressed us. On the 7th of August the scene began to change, and the +country to assume a very different aspect; we were now quitting the +neighbourhood of the Lachlan, and had passed to the north-east of the high +range of hills, which on this parallel bounds the low country to the +north of that river. To the north-west and north the country was high and +open, with good forest land; and on the 10th we had the satisfaction of +falling in with the first stream running northerly. This renewed our +hopes of soon falling in with the Macquarie, and we continued upon the +same course, occasionally inclining to the eastward until the 19th, +passing through a fine luxuriant country, well watered; crossing in that +space of time nine streams, having a northerly course through rich +valleys, the country in every direction being moderately high and open, +and generally as fine as can be imagined. + +"No doubt remained upon our minds that those streams fell into the +Macquarie, and to view it before it received such an accession, was our +first wish. On the 19th, we were gratified by failing in with a river +running through a most beautiful country, and which I should have been +well contented to have believed to be the river we were in search of. +Accident led us down this stream about a mile, when we were surprised by +its junction with a river coming from the south, of such width and +magnitude as to dispel all doubts as to this last being the river we had +so long anxiously looked for. Limited as our resources were, we could not +resist the temptation which this beautiful country offered us, to remain +two days upon the junction of these rivers, for the purpose of examining +its vicinity to as great an extent as possible. + +"Our examination increased the satisfaction we had previously felt; as +far as the eye could reach, in every direction, a rich and picturesque +country extended, abounding in limestone, slate, good timber, and every +other requisite which could render an uncultivated country desirable. + +"The soil cannot be excelled; whilst a noble river of the first magnitude +affords the means of conveying its productions from one part of the +country to the other. Where we quitted it, its course was northerly, and +we were then north of the parallel of Port Stephens, being in latitude +32. 32. 45. S., and 148. 52. E. longitude. + +"It appeared to me that the Macquarie had taken a north-north-west course +from Bathurst, and that it must have received immense accessions of water +in its course from that place. We viewed it at a period best calculated +to form an accurate judgment of its importance, when it was neither +swelled by floods beyond its natural and usual height, nor contracted +within its proper limits by summer droughts; of its magnitude when it +should have received the streams we had crossed, independently of any +which it may receive from the east (which, from the boldness and height +of the country, I presume must be at least as many as from the south), +some idea may be formed when I inform your excellency, that at this point +it exceeded in breadth and apparent depth the Hawkesbury at Windsor, and +that many of the reaches were of grander and more extended proportion +than the admired one on the Nepean River, from the Warragamba to Emu +Plains. + +"Resolving to keep as near the river as possible during the remainder +of our course to Bathurst, and endeavour to ascertain at least on the +west side what waters fall into it, on the 22nd we proceeded up the +river, and, between the point quitted and Bathurst, crossed the sources +of numberless streams all running into the Macquarie; two of them were +nearly as large as that river itself is at Bathurst. The country whence +all these streams derive their source was mountainous and irregular, and +appeared equally so on the east side of the Macquarie. + +"This description of country extended to the immediate vicinity of +Bathurst, but to the west of those lofty ranges the land was broken into +low grassy hills and fine valleys, watered by rivulets rising on the +western side of the mountains, which on their eastern side pour their +waters directly into the Macquarie. These westerly streams appeared to me +to join that which at first sight I had taken for the Macquarie, and, when +united, to fall into it at the point on which it was first discovered on +the 19th instant. We reached this place last evening, without a single +accident having occurred to any one of the party during the whole +progress of the expedition; which from this point has encircled within +the parallels of 34. 30. S. and 32. S., and between the meridians of +149. 29. 30. E. and 143. 30. E. a space of nearly one thousand miles. +I shall hasten to lay before your excellency the journals, charts, and +drawings, explanatory of the various occurrences of our diversified route; +amply gratified if our exertions should appear to your excellency +commensurate with your expectations, and the ample means which your care +and liberality placed at my disposal. + +"I feel the most particular pleasure in informing your excellency of the +obligations I am under to Mr. Evans, the deputy surveyor, for his able +advice and cordial co-operation throughout the expedition; and, as far as +his previous researches had extended, the accuracy and fidelity of his +narrative was fully established. + +"It would perhaps appear presumptuous in me to hazard an opinion upon +the merits of persons engaged in a pursuit in which I have little +knowledge; the extensive and valuable collection of plants found by +Mr. A. Cunningham, the King's botanist, and Mr. C. Frazer, the colonial +botanist, will best evince to your excellency the unwearied industry and +zeal bestowed in the discovery and preservation of them; in every other +respect they also merit the highest praise. + +"From the nature of the greater part of the country passed over, our +mineralogical collection is but small. Mr. S. Parr did as much as could +be done in that branch, and throughout endeavoured to render himself as +useful as possible. + +"Of the men on whom the chief care of the horses and baggage devolved, +it is impossible to speak in too high terms. Their conduct in periods of +considerable privation, was such as must redound to their credit; and +their orderly, regular, and obedient behaviour could not be exceeded. +It may principally be attributed to their care and attention, that +we lost only three horses; and that, with the exception of the loss +of the dry provisions already mentioned, no other accident happened +during the course of the expedition. I most respectfully beg leave to +recommend them to your excellency's favourable notice and consideration. + +"I trust your excellency will have the goodness to correct any +omissions or inaccuracies that may appear in this letter: the messenger +setting out immediately will not allow me to revise or correct it. + +"I have the honour to remain, with the greatest respect, +Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant, +(Signed), J. OXLEY, Surveyor General." + +To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc. + + +* * * * * + + +APPENDIX. + + + +PART II. + + +No. IV. + +DIARY OF MR. EVANS, DEPUTY SURVEYOR GENERAL, FROM THE 8TH, +TO THE 18TH OF JULY 1818. + +Wednesday, July 8.--Left Mount Harris about nine o'clock. For six miles +the country tolerably good; afterwards, to the end of my day's journey, +it was alternately acacia pendula scrubs, and cypress brushes; the soil +light, and full of holes; abundance of water, but, latterly, no grass. In +the evening halted on the bank of a gully, having gone about twelve +miles. Mount Harris bearing 8. 35. W. + +July 9.--Set forward at eight o'clock, and continued travelling until +five in the afternoon, chiefly through very thick brushes, consisting of +various shrubs, with casuarina and dwarf box trees; the country nearly a +marsh and almost impassable, so much so, that I had great difficulty in +keeping my course, being the greater part of the day up to our knees in +water. + +I estimate my distance this day to be about fifteen miles, on a +north-east course. + +July 10.--The country worse than yesterday, being exceeding low and +marshy, with many thick scrubs. About eleven o'clock it opened, being +more thinly clothed with the acacia pendula: having travelled about ten +miles, we arrived on the borders of a large apparent plain, on which I +had proceeded about two miles, when we were suddenly stopped by deep +water among reeds; from hence I could distinctly see Arbuthnot's Range, +the north end of which bore N. 101., and the other part connected by a +low range bore from N. 108 to N. 112. + +The country from north-west to north-east was open with the horizon, +being covered with water and reeds, as far as the eye could distinguish; +we saw immense numbers of wild ducks, many black swans, pelicans, and +birds resembling the sea gannet: I altered my course to east, and shortly +afterwards to south-east. + +I estimate the distance travelled this day to be eighteen miles. Being +rather late, we were much at a loss to find a place dry enough to sleep +on: the north end of Arbuthnot's Range bore N. 98. + +July 11.--Finding our efforts to travel in any direction north of east +useless, I altered my course for the north end of Arbuthnot's Range. The +country continuing nearly as yesterday, brushes and marshes alternately, +having gone about twelve miles, the last quarter of a mile of which was +at an almost imperceptible rise above the general level, I came to the +edge of a river, the stream of which was thirty or fort yards wide, but +the bed nearly one hundred yards, the banks being eight or nine feet +high: I forded it in the middle of a very long reach bearing north and +south, the stream clear, and running gently from the south, about three +feet deep, over a fine sandy bottom. After crossing this river, I +proceeded onwards about four miles, and halted on the edge of a brush, +having travelled sixteen or seventeen miles. + +July 12.--After proceeding about four miles, we crossed a small stream +from the south-east; the country perfectly level, not a perceptible rise +in any direction, save Arbuthnot's Range: the space travelled over to-day +was a complete marsh, the soil good, being clearly alluvial. It will be +impossible for heavy loaded horses to walk over the country, traversed by +us these last three days; the trouble we have had is more than can well +be imagined. Travelled fifteen miles. + +July 13.--A very cold morning, set off at sunrise: at the sixth mile +arrived on an open plain, over which was rather better travelling than we +had latterly experienced. Finding it unlikely that we should reach the +range, at least in time to view the country from it, I thought it best, +as I had no time to spare, to keep more southerly for a lofty eminence +about two miles distant, and apparently of easy ascent: this mount +afforded me a most extensive prospect. The south extreme of Arbuthnot's +Range bore south, the north extreme N. 20. E, then trends more easterly. +Westerly of the hill on which I stood and the range, the country is a +perfect level, without the slightest apparent rise or inequality; what I +could see of the country to the south-east, appeared to be very broken +and rugged, detached rocks projecting like pillars and pyramids, in +various parts of the ranges; there was a number of native fires about the +base of the range, and we saw plenty of kangaroos, for the first time +since quitting Mount Harris: I also this day shot a new species of +pigeon. The distance travelled, I suppose sixteen or seventeen miles. + +July 14.--Set forward on my return to the tents in a south-west +direction, and passed, for four or five miles, through a good open forest +country, abounding with kangaroos: after passing that, the country +altered for the worse, becoming low and wet: at twelve miles, we crossed +a chain of ponds leading to the north. + +Last evening we suspected that we had been watched by the natives. I saw +some of them, and our resting-place was surrounded by their smokes; they +however did not attempt to molest us. Stopped in an acacia pendula brush, +having travelled about twenty miles. + +July 15.--It came on to rain in the night, and continued all this day. +Our journey was dreadfully bad and marshy; yet on the whole the country +had a better aspect, not being so much overrun with the plant called +atriplex as usual. On my track out, plains, brushes, indeed almost the +entire surface was covered with it, until within a few miles of +Arbuthnot's Range. After going about three miles, we again fell in with +and forded the river crossed on the 11th instant: it was here not quite +so wide as when first seen, but deeper. Halted, having gone about ten +miles. + +July 16.--I altered my course from south-west to west, 80 degrees south, +and had an extremely tedious and unpleasant day's journey, through a wet +and dreary country; continued rain. Travelled fifteen miles. + +July 18.--Arrived at the hut about one o'clock, p.m., having travelled +yesterday and to-day about thirty-seven miles. + +(Signed) G. W. EVANS. + +* * * * * + +No. V. + + +GOVERNMENT, AND GENERAL ORDERS. + +Government House, Parramatta, +December 5, 1818. + +CIVIL DEPARTMENT. + +The sanguine hope which his excellency the governor was induced to +entertain, that, by pursuing the course of the Macquarie River, which had +been discovered running in a north-west direction by John Oxley, Esq., on +his return last year from tracing the course of the Lachlan to the +south-west, would have amply compensated for the disappointment sustained +on that occasion; and his excellency having in consequence accepted the +farther services of Mr. Oxley, on a second expedition; the party +consisting of John Oxley, Esq., surveyor general; John Harris, Esq., late +surgeon of the 102nd regiment, (who most liberally volunteered to +accompany the expedition); Mr. Evans, deputy surveyor general; and Mr. +Charles Fraser, colonial botanist; together with twelve men, having +eighteen horses and two boats, and provisions for twenty-four weeks, took +their final departure on the 4th of June last, from a depot prepared +for the occasion in the Wellington Valley, at about ninety miles west of +Bathurst; and those gentlemen, and the entire party, having a few days +since arrived at Port Jackson by sea, from the northward, his excellency +is happy in offering his most cordial congratulations to John Oxley, +Esq., the conductor of this expedition, and to John Harris, Esq., Mr. +Evans, and Mr. Fraser, on their safe return from this arduous +undertaking. + +The zeal, talent, and attention manifested by Mr. Oxley, considering the +perils and privations to which he and his party were exposed, in +exploring a tract of country so singularly circumstanced in its various +bearings, are no less honourable to Mr. Oxley than conducive to the +public interest; and although the principal object, namely, that of +tracing the Macquarie River to its embouchure, has not been so favourable +as was anticipated, yet the failure is in a great degree counterbalanced +by other important discoveries made in the course of this tour, which +promise, at no very remote period, to prove of material advantage to this +rising colony. + +Whilst his excellency thus offers this public tribute of congratulations, +he desires to accompany it with expressions of his high sense and +approbation of Mr. Oxley's meritorious services on this occasion; which +his excellency will not fail to represent to His Majesty's ministers, by +the earliest opportunity. + +The personal assistance and support so cheerfully and beneficially +afforded to Mr. Oxley by the gentlemen associated with him on this +expedition, demand his excellency's best acknowledgments, which be is +happy thus publicly to request them to accept. + +The following letter received from Mr. Oxley on his arrival at Port +Stephens, on the 1st of November last, is now published for general +information on the interesting subject of this tour. + +By his excellency the governor's command, + +J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary. + + +* * * + + +Port Stephens, November 1, 1818. + +Sir, + +I have the honour to inform your excellency, that I arrived at this port +to-day, and circumstances rendering it necessary that Mr. Evans should +proceed to Newcastle, I embrace the opportunity to make to your +excellency a brief report of the route pursued by the western expedition +entrusted to my direction. + +My letter, dated the 22nd of June last, will have made your excellency +acquainted with the sanguine hopes I entertained, from the appearance of +the river, that its termination would be either in interior waters, or +coastwise. When I wrote that letter to your excellency, I certainly did +not anticipate the possibility, that a very few days farther travelling +would lead us to its termination as an accessible river. + +On the 28th of June, having traced its course without the smallest +diminution or addition, about seventy miles farther to the +north-north-west, there being a slight fresh in the river, it overflowed +its banks, and although we were at the distance of near three miles from +it, the country was so perfectly level that the waters soon spread over +the ground on which we were. We had been for some days before travelling +over such very low ground, that the people in the boats finding the +country flooded, proceeded slowly; a circumstance which enabled me to +send them directions to return to the station we had quitted in the +morning, where the ground was a little more elevated. This spot being by +no means secure, it was arranged that the horses, with the provisions, +should return to the last high land we had quitted, a distance of sixteen +miles; and as it appeared to me that the body of water in the river was +too important to be much affected by the mere overflowing of its waters, +I determined to take the large boat, and in her to endeavour to discover +their point of discharge. + +On the 2nd of July I proceeded in the boat down the river, and in the +course of the day went near thirty miles in a north-north-west course, +for ten of which there had been, strictly speaking, no land, as the flood +made the surrounding country a perfect sea: the banks of the river were +heavily timbered, and many large spaces within our view, covered with the +common reed, were also encircled by large trees. On the third, the main +channel of the river was much contracted but very deep, the banks being +under water from a foot to eighteen inches; the stream continued for +about twenty miles on the same course as yesterday, when we lost sight of +land and trees, the channel of the river winding through reeds, among +which the water was about three feet deep, the current having the same +direction as the river. It continued in this manner for near four miles +more, when, without any previous change in the breadth, depth, and +rapidity of the stream, and when I was sanguine in my expectations of +soon entering the long-sought-for lake, it all at once eluded our farther +pursuit, by spreading at all points from north-west to north-east over +the plain of reeds which surrounded us; the river decreasing in depth +from upwards of twenty feet to less than five feet, and flowing over a +bottom of tenacious blue mud; and the current still running with nearly +the same rapidity, as when the water was confined within the banks of the +river. This point of junction with interior waters, or where the Macquarie +ceased to have the form of a river, is in lat. 30. 45. S., and +long. 147. 10. E. + +To assert positively that we were on the margin of the lake, or sea, into +which this great body of water is discharged, might reasonably be deemed +a conclusion that has nothing but conjecture for its basis; but if an +opinion may he hazarded from actual appearances, which our subsequent +route tended more strongly to confirm, I feel confident we were in the +immediate vicinity of an inland sea, most probably a shoal one, and +gradually decreasing, or being filled up by the immense depositions from +the waters flowing into it from the higher lands, which, on this singular +continent, seem not to extend beyond a few hundred miles from the +seacoast; as westward of these bounding ranges, (which from the +observations I have been enabled to make, appear to me to run parallel to +the direction of the coast), there is not a single hill or other eminence +discoverable on this apparently boundless space, those isolated points +excepted, on which we remained until the 28th of July; the rocks, and +stones composing which, are a distinct species from those found on the +above ranges. + +I trust your excellency will believe, that fully impressed with the +great importance of the question, as to the interior formation of this +great country, I was anxiously solicitous to remove all ground for farther +conjecture, by the most careful observations on the nature of the country; +which though it was to me a proof that the interior was covered with +water, yet I felt it my duty to leave no measure untried which would in +any way tend to a direct elucidation of the fact. + +It was physically impracticable to gain the edge of these waters by +making a detour round the flooded portion of the country on the south-west +side of the river, as we proved it to be a barren wet marsh, overrun with +a species of polygonum, and not offering a single dry spot to which our +course might be directed; and that there was no probability of finding +any in that direction, I had a certain knowledge from the observations +made during the former expedition. To circle the flooded country to the +north-east yet remained to be tried; and when on the 7th of July I +returned to the tents, which I found pitched on the high land before +mentioned, and from whence we could see mountains at the distance of +eighty miles to the eastward, the country between being a perfect level, +Mr. Evans was sent forward to explore the country to the north-east, that +being the point on which I purposed to set forward. + +On the 18th of July Mr. Evans returned, having been prevented from +continuing on a north-east course beyond two day's journey, by waters +running north-easterly through high reeds, and which were most probably +those of the Macquarie River; as during his absence it had swelled so +considerably as entirely to surround us, coming within a few yards of the +tent. Mr. Evans afterwards proceeded more easterly, and, at a distance of +fifty miles from the Macquarie River, crossed another much wider but not +so deep, running to the north: advancing still more easterly, he went +nearly to the base of the mountains seen from the tent, and returning a +more southerly route, found the country somewhat drier, but not in the +least more elevated. + +The discretionary instructions with which your excellency was pleased to +furnish me, leaving me at liberty as to the course to be pursued by the +expedition on its return to Port Jackson, I determined to attempt making +the sea-coast on an easterly course, first proceeding along the base of +the high range before mentioned, which I still indulged hopes might lead +me to the margin of these, or any other interior waters which this +portion of New South Wales might contain; and embracing a low line of +coast on which many small openings remained unexamined, at the same time +that the knowledge obtained of the country to be encircled, might +materially tend to the advantage of the colony, in the event of any +communication with the interior being discovered. + +We quitted this station on the 30th of July, being in latitude 31. 18. S., +and longitude 147. 31. E. on our route for the coast; and on the 8th +of August arrived at the lofty range of mountains to which our course had +been directed. From the highest point of this range we had the most +extended prospect. From south by the west to north, it was one vast level, +resembling the ocean in extent, but yet without water being discerned, +the range of high land extending to the north-east by north, elevated +points of which were distinguished upwards of one hundred and twenty +miles. + +From this point, in conformity to the resolution I had made on quitting +the Macquarie River, I pursued a north-east course; but after +encountering numerous difficulties from the country being an entire +marsh, interspersed with quicksands, until the 20th of August, and +finding I was surrounded by bogs, I was reluctantly compelled to take a +more easterly course, having practically proved that the country could +not be traversed on any point deviating from the main range of hills which +bound the interior; although partial dry portions of level alluvial land +extend from their base westerly to a distance which I estimate to exceed +one hundred and fifty miles, before it is gradually lost in the waters +which I am clearly convinced cover the interior. The alteration in our +course more easterly, soon brought us into a very different description +of country, forming a remarkable contrast to that which had so long +occupied us. Numerous fine streams, running northerly, watered a rich and +beautiful country, through which we passed until the 7th of September, +when we crossed the meridian of Sydney, as also the most elevated known +land in New South Wales, being, then in latitude 31. S. We were +afterwards considerably embarrassed and impeded by very lofty mountains. +On the 20th of September, we gained the summit of the most elevated +mountain in this extensive range, and from it we were gratified with a +view of the ocean, at a distance of fifty miles; the country beneath us +being formed into an immense triangular valley, the base of which +extended along the coast from the Three Brothers on the south, to the +high land north of Smoky Cape. We had the farther gratification to find +that we were near the source of a large stream running to the sea. On +descending the mountain, we followed the course of this river, increased +by many accessions, until the 8th of October, when we arrived on the +beach near the entrance of the port which received it; having passed +over, since the 18th of July, a tract of country near five hundred miles +in extent from west to east. + +This inlet is situated in lat. 31. 25. 45. S., and long. 162. 53. 54. E., +and had been previously noticed by Captain Flinders, but from the +distance at which he was necessarily obliged to keep from the coast, he +did not discover that it had a navigable entrance; of course our most +anxious attention was directed to this important point; and although the +want of a boat rendered the examination as to the depth of water in the +channel incomplete, yet there appeared to be at low water at least three +fathoms, with a safe though narrow entrance between the sand-rollers on +either hand. Having ascertained thus far, and that by its means the fine +country on the banks, and in the neighbourhood of the river, might be of +future service to the colony, I took the liberty to name it Port +Macquarie, in honour of your excellency, as the original promoter of +the expedition. + +On the 12th of October, we quitted Port Macquarie on our course for +Sydney; and although no charts can be more accurate in their outline and +principal points than those of Captain Flinders, we soon experienced how +little the best marine charts can he depended upon, to show all the +inlets and openings upon an extensive line of coast. The distance his +ship was generally at, from that portion of the coast we had to travel +over, did not allow him to perceive openings, which, though doubtless of +little consequence to shipping, yet presented the most serious +difficulties to travellers by land; and of which, if they had been laid +down in the chart, I should have hesitated to have attempted the passage +without assistance from the sea-ward: as it is, we are indebted for our +preservation, and that of the horses, to the providential discovery of a +small boat on the beach, which the men with the most cheerful alacrity +carried upwards of ninety miles on their shoulders, thereby enabling us +to overcome obstacles, otherwise insurmountable. + +Until within these few days, I hoped to have had the satisfaction to +report the return of the expedition without accident to any individual +composing it; but such is the ferocious treachery of the natives along +the coast to the northward, that our utmost circumspection could not save +us from having one man (William Blake), severely wounded by them; but by +the skillful care bestowed upon him by Dr. Harris, (who accompanied the +expedition as a volunteer, and to whom upon this occasion, and throughout +the whole course of it, we are indebted for much valuable assistance); I +trust his recovery is no longer doubtful. + +The general merits of Mr. Evans are so well known to your excellency, +that it will here be sufficient to observe, that by his zealous attention +to every point that could facilitate the progress of the expedition, he +has endeavoured to deserve a continuance of your excellency's +approbation. + +Mr. Charles Fraser, the colonial botanist, has added many new species to +the already extended catalogue of Australian plants, besides an extensive +collection of seeds, etc.; and in the collection, and preservation, he +has indefatigably endeavoured to obtain your excellency's approval of his +services. + +I confidently hope that the Journal of the expedition will amply evince +to your excellency the exemplary and praiseworthy conduct of the men +employed on it; and I feel the sincerest pleasure in earnestly soliciting +for them your excellency's favourable consideration. + +Respectfully hoping, that on a perusal and inspection of the journals and +charts of the expedition, that the course I have penned in the execution +of your excellency's instructions will be honoured by your approbation, + +I beg leave to subscribe myself, with the greatest respect, + +Sir, +Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant, +(Signed), JOHN OXLEY, Surveyor General. +To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc. + + + +No. VI. + + +GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS. + +Government House, Sydney, +Thursday, June 17, 1819. +CIVIL DEPARTMENT. + +It is with feelings of much gratification that his excellency The +Governor is at length enabled to announce, thus publicly, that a safe +capacious harbour has been discovered, and now accurately described, +situated to the north-east of Newcastle; from whence it is distant about +one hundred and forty miles, and consequently about two hundred and +twenty miles in the same direction from Port Jackson. + +This harbour, which was discovered by John Oxley, Esq., surveyor general, +on his reaching the coast last year from his tour of discovery in the +interior, then obtained from him the name of Port Macquarie; and +although, owing to his not having any boat or vessel at that time, he +could not then ascertain the soundings, and practicability of the +entrance into this harbour, yet the general appearances were sufficiently +favourable to induce him to form the opinion that it would prove safe; +and from the circumstances of the surrounding country being well watered, +and fertile, and the large River Hastings discharging itself into the sea +there, he concluded that a port so happily situated would be a valuable +acquisition to this colony. Impressed with this idea. he did not fail to +report his opinion in regard to it to his excellency, who was happy to +provide Mr. Oxley with a suitable vessel, to enable him to make the +necessary survey of the entrance and harbour of Port Macquarie. + +The result of this survey having been as satisfactory as could have been +expected, his excellency is pleased to give publicity to Mr. Oxley's own +clear and circumstantial report on this valuable acquisition; and his +excellency desires to express his full and entire approbation of Mr. +Oxley's intelligent, zealous, and indefatigable exertions on this arduous +occasion, which evince an earnest and well directed desire to promote the +public service, and to advance the interests of the colony. + +His excellency is also happy to add the expression of his approbation of +the liberal and judicious assistance rendered to Mr. Oxley, by +Lieutenant King, commander of His Majesty's colonial cutter, Mermaid, +whose exertions are so justly appreciated by Mr. Oxley, in the following +report; and his excellency desires both those gentlemen to accept his +thanks for the service thus rendered by their joint efforts to the +colony. + +By his excellency's command, +J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary. + + +* * * + + +Sydney, June 12, 1819. + +Sir, + +In obedience to your excellency's commands to proceed in the Lady Nelson, +for the purpose of examining the entrance into Port Macquarie, and how +far it would be practicable and safe for vessels of a certain description +to enter it, I beg leave to report to your excellency, that I arrived off +the entrance of the harbour, on the 11th of May, in company with His +Majesty's cutter, Mermaid, commanded by Lieutenant King, who expressed +his intention to forward, by the superior means possessed by his vessel, +the view of your excellency, relative to the harbour. + +Both vessels anchored off the bar, and the day was spent in sounding the +bar and channel; when we had the pleasure to find that we could enter +with safety. Accordingly the next morning they were warped into the +harbour, and moored alongside a natural wharf, on the south side of the +port. + +The examination of the harbour, and river falling therein, occupied us +until the 21st, when having completed the service directed by your +excellency, both vessels quitted the port with perfect ease; the Mermaid +pursuing her course to the northward on her ulterior destination. + +Port Macquarie is situated in latitude 31. 25. 45. S., and in longitude +152. 53. 54. E. It is a bar harbour, on which however there is at low +water spring tides, at least nine feet; the tide rising from three to +four feet. The true channel is perfectly straight, and the tides set so, +that no danger is to be apprehended from their operation. The chief +danger to be avoided on entering is a sunken rock on the south side, +having about three feet on it at low water; and it will he necessary, +should the port he settled, that this danger should he buoyed. The bar +extends about two hundred yards; the bottom a soft sand when the water +deepens to two fathoms and a half, and alternately to three fathoms, +when secure anchorage will be found inside the Beacon Rock. + +When vessels arrive off the bar, should the wind or tide be adverse to +entering the port, good anchorage will he found in from five to eight +fathoms outside the bar; Tacking Point being shut in by Peaked Hill +Point. When the winds are from the south, round by the west to north, the +bottom a clear sand. + +The winds from north-east and south-east, if blowing strong, cause the +water to break across: but as those winds are fair for entering, no +danger is to be apprehended to vessels whose draft of water does not +exceed nine or ten feet. Should however circumstances render it imprudent +or impracticable to enter, the coast may be cleared on either tack, the +indenture of the coast line not being such as to cause it ever to be a +dangerous lee shore. + +The port should be entered at or near high water, when, unless it blows +very hard, it seldom breaks on the bar. The tide of ebb runs with great +rapidity, sometimes nearly four miles per hour, owing to the great +quantity of fresh water in the Hastings River, and the narrowness of the +channel. The flood tide seldom exceeds one mile and three quarters per +hour. The tides are however very irregular in their operation, being +considerably influenced by local circumstances. The port is perfectly +capable to receive vessels of the class usually employed on the coasts of +this territory, and is in my opinion far better and safer than many +considerable bar harbours in Europe; and which are much frequented by +vessels adapted to their navigation. + +Within the port the water deepens to five and six fathoms, which depth +continues for nearly ten miles, when the rapids of the river render it +impracticable for craft drawing more than six or eight feet; which depth +continues for six or eight miles farther, when the falls commence; it may +however, when the river is ordinarily full, be navigable for boats +some little distance farther. + +My report to your excellency of the proceedings of the expedition of +discovery on its return in October, 1818, will have put your excellency +in possession of the nature and description of country watered by the +River Hastings from its source until it falls into the sea at Port +Macquarie. + +To that report I respectfully beg to refer your excellency, as my +opportunities of examining the country, at that period, were of course so +much more extensive. To the productions of the country as then reported, +may now be added great quantities of rose wood, the flooded gum, and +coal. Flint was before noticed lying in large masses on the beach. The +coal, as appears to me, may be worked without difficulty, as I think that +a stratum of it pervades the whole of the south side of the harbour, +which stratum is again seen southerly as far as Camden Haven. + +I herewith respectfully submit to your excellency a plan of the entrance +into the port, with a sketch of part of Hastings River, for which I am +principally indebted to the assistance rendered me on all occasions by +Lieutenant King, who, I am happy in reporting to your excellency, fully +coincides with me, as to the advantages that may he expected to result +from the knowledge that the port has a navigable and safe entrance; +thereby affording a communication with the fine country on both banks of +Hastings River. + +I have the honour to remain, with great respect, +Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant, +J. OXLEY, Surveyor General. + +To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc. + + +* * * * * + + +A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NOT +INCLUDING VAN DIEMEN'S LAND, FOR THE YEARS 1815, 1816, 1817, INCLUSIVE. + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- + | Souls at | + |-----------------------------------------------------------| +Year. | Sydney. Parramatta. Windsor. Liverpool. Newcastle.| Total. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- +1815 | 5668 2566 2749 1167 346 | 12,911 +1816 | 6882 3581 3164 1550 413 | 15,175 +1817 | 7409 4257 4257 1922 553 | 17,265 +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- + + +A STATEMENT OF THE LAND IN CULTIVATION ETC., QUANTITIES OF STOCK, ETC., +IN NEW SOUTH WALES, NOT INCLUDING VAN DIEMENS LAND, FOR THE FOLLOWING +FIVE YEARS, VIZ. 1813,1814,1815, 1816,1817, INCLUSIVE. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + | Acres in | + |---------------------------------------------------------------| + | Peas Garden | +Yr.| Bar- and Potat and Cleared Total Hor Horned| +18-|Wheat Maize ley Oats Bean -oes Orchard Ground held -ses Cattle|Sheep Hogs +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +13 7386 13814 694 299 68 308 960 52976 151057 1891 12543 45621 14641 +14 8571 5880 537 355 33 205 906 61679 181787 2197 23263 73230 10921 +15 10712 6089 708 610 51 333 901 67521 208547 2328 25279 62476 10106 +16 13238 7540 836 787 68 380 1102 88685 221657 2451 21116 55097 11372 +17 14446 11714 656 148 108 335 863 92894 224003 2851 33637 66684 15634 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals of Two Expeditions into the +Interior of New South Wales, by John Oxley + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS *** + +This file should be named xpnsw10.txt or xpnsw10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, xpnsw11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, xpnsw10a.txt + +Produced by: Col Choat colc@gutenberg.net.au + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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