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diff --git a/9943-8.txt b/9943-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc1e8ff --- /dev/null +++ b/9943-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12438 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journal of an Expedition into the Interior +of Tropical Australia In Search of a Route from Sydney to the Gulf of +Carpentaria (1848) by Lt. Col. Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell Kt. D.C.L. +(1792-1855) Surveyor-General of New South Wales, by Thomas Mitchell + +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: Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia +In Search of a Route from Sydney to the Gulf of Carpentaria (1848) +by Lt. Col. Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell Kt. D.C.L. (1792-1855) +Surveyor-General of New South Wales + +Author: Thomas Mitchell + +Release Date: August 28, 2004 [EBook #9943] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat + + + + + +Notes in the book are shown in square brackets at the point referenced. + +Maps and plates not shown in the text version of this ebook + + +======================================================================= + + +Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia +In Search of a Route from Sydney to the Gulf of Carpentaria (1848) + +by + +Lt. Col. Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell Kt. D.C.L. (1792-1855) +Surveyor-General of New South Wales + + + + + + + +TO +THE HONOURABLE +THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS +OF THE +LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF NEW SOUTH WALES, +THIS JOURNAL +OF +AN EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY, +PETITIONED FOR BY THE COUNCIL, +AND +UNDERTAKEN AT THE EXPENSE OF THE COLONY, +IS +DEDICATED +BY +THEIR MOST OBEDIENT, +HUMBLE SERVANT, +T. L. MITCHELL + + + + + +PREFACE. + + + +"Admiring Nature in her wildest grace,"[* Burns.] it has ever been the +most attractive of the author's duties to explore the interior of +Australia. There the philosopher may look for facts; the painter and the +poet for original studies and ideas; the naturalist for additional +knowledge; and the historian might begin at a beginning. The traveller +there seeks in vain for the remains of cities, temples, or towers; but he +is amply compensated by objects that tell not of decay but of healthful +progress and hope;--of a wonderful past, and of a promising future. +Curiosity alone may attract us into the mysterious recesses of regions +still unknown; but a still deeper interest attaches to those regions, now +that the rapid increase of the most industrious and, may we add most +deserving people on earth, suggests that the land there has been reserved +by the Almighty for their use. + +In Australia, the great family of civilized man seems still at that early +period between history and fable, upon which, even in "the world as known +to the ancients," the Roman poet had to look very far back:-- + +"Communemque priùs, ceu lumina solis et auras, Cautus humum longo +signavit limite mensor." [* Ovid, Met. lib. i.] + +The Journey narrated in this work was undertaken for the extension of +arrangements depending on physical geography. It completes a series of +internal surveys, radiating from Sydney towards the west, the south, and +the north, which have occupied the author's chief attention during the +last twenty years; and, as on former occasions, it has enabled him to +bring under the notice of men of science some of the earth's productions +hitherto unknown. He cannot sufficiently express his sense of obligation +in this respect, to Mr. Bentham, Sir William Hooker, Dr. Lindley, and +Professor De Vriese, for supplying the botanical matter and notes +contained in this volume, and thus contributing to the general stock of +human knowledge. It is also his pleasing duty to state, that during the +long journey of upwards of a year, Captain P. P. King, R. N., kept a +register of the state of the barometer at the sea side; and, in the midst +of his important avocations, determined, by a very elaborate comparison +of minute details, all the heights of localities herein mentioned. + +The new geographical matter is presented to the public with confidence in +its accuracy, derived as it is from careful and frequent observations of +latitude; trigonometrical surveying with the theodolite, whereever +heights were available; and, by actual measurement of the line of route. +This route was connected, at its commencement and termination, with the +trigonometrical survey of the colony; and, in closing on Mount Riddell, a +survey extending two degrees within the tropics, the near coincidence of +his intersections with that summit, as fixed by his survey of 1830, could +not but be very satisfactory to the author. + +The geological specimens collected during this journey have been +deposited in the British Museum, and their original locality is shown on +the maps by the numbers marked upon the specimens, so that they may be +available to geologists; hence, in the progress of geological science, +the fossils now brought from these remote regions will be accessible at +any future time, and something known of the geology as well as of the +geography of the interior. As Professor Forbes most readily undertook to +describe the freshwater shells after the work had passed through the +press, that portion of the collection also has thus been brought under +the notice of geologists. + +CONTENTS. + +CHAPTER I. + +GENERAL MAP + +Objects of the expedition.--Unexpected delay--by reference to Lord +Stanley.--List of the Party.--Departure from Buree.--Sheep stations.-- +Scattered population.--Passage through Hervey's Range.--Encroachment of +sheep on cattle runs.--A tea-totaller.--Meet an old acquaintance.-- +Sulphureous springs.--Currandong--Necessity for damming up the Bogan. +Leave Bultje's country.--Ephemeral existence of Aborigines.--Line between +the squatters and the wild natives.--Velocity of the Bogan.--Supply of +young bullocks.--Richard Cunningham--Young cattle troublesome.--A night +without water.--Distress from heat and thirst.--Excessive heat.--Reunion +of the party.--Melancholy fate of the Bogan tribe.--Interesting plants +discovered.--Encampment at Mudaà.--Carry water forward.--Arrive at +Daròbal.--Nyingan.--Water at Canbelègo.--Discovery of a lagoon.--Encamp +near Canbelègo. Explore the Bogan in search of water.--Long ride.--Quit +the Bogan.--Party attacked with ophthalmia + +CHAPTER II. + +MAP OF THE RIVERS BOGAN AND MACQUARIE + +Move to the ponds of Cannonbà.--Set up our bivouac.--Hot wind.--Piper's +intention to quit the party.--Piper sent to Bathurst.--Change of +weather.--A day of rain.--Mr. Kennedy returns.--Salt made from the salt +plant.--Reconnoitre Duck Creek.--Ophthalmia still troublesome.--Approach +of a flood announced.--It arrives in clear moonlight.--(Frontispiece.)-- +Marshes of the Macquarie.--Difficulty of watering cattle.--(Plate 2. p. +61.) A new guide.--Cattle astray.--Yulliyally.--Docility of the +Aborigines.--Water insufficient for cattle.--Want of water.--Small ponds +destroyed by cattle.--At last find abundance.--Aboriginal preferable to +modern names.--Cattle again astray--and delay the journey.--Junction of +the Macquarie and Bàrwan.--The Darling as at present, and formerly.-- +Admirable distribution of water. The ford at Wyàbry.--The party crosses +the Darling + +CHAPTER III. + +MAP OF THE RIVERS NARRAN, CULGOA, AND BALONNE TO ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE,-- +SHOWING ALSO THE ROUTE HOMEWARD, AS DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER X. + +Plains and low hills.--The Caràwy ponds.--Delayed by weak cattle.--The +Narran.--Arrived at--encamp by:--Narran swamp.--A bridge required.-- +During the delay of drays take a ride forward.--Rich pastures on the +Narran.--New plants.--Arrival of drays.--Bridge laid down for their +passage.--The party fords the Narran.--Advances but slowly.--Low hills +examined.--Good grassy country.--Food of the natives.--Rising ground west +of the river.--Ride up.--Abodes and food of natives.--Rich grass.--Parley +with a native.--Gravelly ridges.--Two natives conduct us to the river.-- +Approach the assembled natives.--Interview with the tribes.--Cordial +reception.--Cross the Balonne.--Reach the Culgòa.--Cross that river.-- +Route beyond.--The Upper Balonne.--Explore its course.--Numerals cut on +trees.--A native scamp.--Fine country.--Splendid reaches of the river +(Plate 3. page 119.)--Lagoons near it.--Lake Parachute.--Seek a +position--for a depôt camp.--Ride to the north-west.--Character of the +country.--Search for water. Uncommon birds.--Return to the camp.--New +Acacia + +CHAPTER IV. + +MAP OF THE ADVANCE TO THE MARANÒA--SHOWING ALSO THE ROUTE BY WHICH THE +PARTY RETURNED TO ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE, AS DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER VII. + +Advance with a light party.--Fine river scenery.--Junction of rivers.-- +Trace one up, then cross to the other.--Mr. Kennedy instructed to explore +it.--Fine country for grazing.--Turanimga lagoon.--Trace up a small +tributary.--Mountains discovered.--Camp visited by three +natives.--"Cogoon" the name of tributary.--Charms of the Australian +climate.--Mount Minute.--Extreme cold.--Traces of high floods in the +Cnogoa.---Mount Inviting.--Mount Abundance.--Ascend that mountain.-- +Fitzroy Downs.--The Bottle Tree, or DELABECHEA.--Frosty Creek.--Travel +due north over open downs.--Advantages of mountains.--Ascend one.--Mount +Bingo.--Thenod Tagando tribe.--The party advances to the Amby--followed +by the tribe.--How we got rid of them.--Enter the country through the +pass.--Find one pond.--A large river discovered.--Position taken up on +its banks.--There await Mr. Kennedy's arrival.--Explore to the north- +west.--Ascend a hill and tree to take angles from.--Interior country +visited.--View of the western interior.--Its character.--Determine to +trace the river upwards.--Ascend Mount Kennedy.--Extensive prospect.-- +Native visit during my absence.--Arrival of Mr. Kennedy's party.--The +Tagando tribe again.--Their visit to Mr. Kennedy.--Prepare to advance +again with a light party.--Instructions left with Mr. Kennedy + +CHAPTER V. + + MAP OF THE COUNTRY AND THE ROUTES BETWEEN THE MARANOA AND MOUNT MUDGE, + AND THOSE ALONG THE RIVER VICTORIA AS DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER VII. + +My departure.--A team of bullocks sent back for.--Good grassy country.-- +Ride north-west during rain.--Hostile natives menace our camp.--The party +crosses Possession Creek.--A small river found.--Another ride to the +north-west.--Banks of the little river.--Mount Owen seen.--Travel towards +it.--Flank movement to the Maranòa for water.--None found in its bed.-- +View from Mount Owen.--Names of localities on the map.--Scarcity of water +impedes our progress.--Water found in rocky gullies.--Excursion +northward.--Mount Aquarius.--View from northern summit of Mount Owen.-- +Progress through a broken country.--Night without water.--Another route +explored amongst the gullies.--Plants found near Mount Owen.--Route for +the advance of the carts.--View of mountains--from Mount P. P. King.-- +View from western extremity of Table Land of Hope.--Mount Faraday.-- +Strange Hakea.--A running stream discovered.--Return towards the camp.-- +The party with the carts advances.--(Pyramids, Plate IV., page 222.)-- +Course of the new found river.--New plants.--A large lake receives the +river.--(Plate V., John Martin's Range, page 225.)--The outlet dry.-- +Enter a scrub.--Return to the Salvator.--Discovery of the Claude.--Rich +soil on the downs.--The party moves to the Claude.--Cross that river. +Fossil wood.--Again shut up in a rocky country.--Slow progress in a +gully.--Balmy Creek.--New plants.--Emerge from the ravines.--Tower +Almond.--(Pl. 6. page 237.)--View from Mount Kilsyth.--View from Mount +Mudge.--Two natives met.--Remarkable tree + +CHAPTER VI. + +MAP OF THE RIVER BELYANDO, + +Head of another river.--Water again scarce.--Abundance found.--Climate +and country--under the Tropic Line.--Plants.--Peculiar character of the +water-course.--One cause of open spaces in the woods.--New plants.-- +Causes of the outspread of channel.--Plains of wild indigo.--Large river +channel from the south.--Cross.--Novelties beyond.--The river much +increased.--Long journey through scrub.--New plants.--Journey along the +river bank.--Character of this river.--Distant prospect.--No water.-- +Fatiguing journey through scrubs. Reach the river by moonlight.--Large +lagoons.--New tributary--from the S. W.--Excursion to the N. W.--Night +without water.--Interview with natives.--Camp visited by natives during +my absence.--An affair at the camp.--The party crosses the river.-- +Conclusions.--The party returns.--Tilled ground of the natives.--The +shepherd astray.--Singular phenomenon.--Extraordinary vegetable +production.--Heavy rain comes on.--Probability of finding a river.-- +Singular meteor.--Intertropical temperature.--Effects of the rain.-- +Recross the Tropic.--Regain the higher land.--Remarkable +tree.--(Hakea?)--Dip of the strata.--Character of the Belyando.--How to +explore a river in brigalow.--A more direct way homewards.--Successful +passage with carts and drays.--Open downs.--Fossil wood.--Recross the +Claude.--Mantuan downs.--Natives of the Salvator.--Position taken up for +a depôt camp.--Interesting plants.--(View on the Salvator, Pl. 8.) + +CHAPTER VII. + +(Having reference to Map V., Page 189.) + +Preparations and departure.--Mount Pluto.--Route amongst the three +volcanic hills.--Interview with a female native.--Cross a range beyond.-- +The Nive and the Nivelle.--Burning of grass by the natives.--Water found, +after a night of thirst.--Pastures green, and quiet waters at sunset.-- +Morning view from a rock.--A new river followed down-over extensive open +downs.--Brigalow scrubs away from the river.--River much increased.-- +Security from natives--Thoughts in these solitudes.--The downs and the +river.--An emu shot there.--A river joins from the east.--Structure of +native's huts.--Two separate channels unite.--The river well filled.-- +Packhorse unserviceable.--Rare pigeon--numerous.--A wild tribe-- +surprised at a lagoon.--Recross the river--and return homewards.--The +savage compared--with the civilized.--Hills in the S. W.--Short cut along +the left bank of the river.--Name it the Victoria.--Privations in +exploring.--Return to the Nive and Nivelle.--Gallant charge by a snake.-- +Sources of the Salvator.--View from Mount Pluto.--Arrival at the camp of +the pyramids.--Rare and new plants collected there.--(View of Lindley's +Range, Pl. 9.) + +CHAPTER VIII. + +(Having reference to Map V., Page 189., and Map IV., Page 133.) + +Fossils and plants.--A new genus.--LINSCHOTENIA DISCOLOR.--Ascend Mount +Faraday.--Valley of the Warregò.--Meet an old native.--Return to the camp +over the gullies.--Encamp by the Maranòa.--The river found to be near our +former track--with water in abundance.--Loss of a horse.--Cattle +tracks.--Arrival at the camp of Mr. Kennedy.--Visits of the natives-- +during our absence.--(Pl. 7. ABORIGINAL DANCE, page 358).--Plants +gathered at the depôt camp.--New plants.--Fossils at Mount Sowerby.-- +Ascent of Mount Kennedy.--The party leaves the depôt camp following the +course of the Maranòa.--Discovery of a fine open country.--Numbered trees +at camps.--The country on the Maranòa.--Singular habits of a fish.--Name +of river obtained from good authority.--(Pl. 10. VIEW ON THE MARANÒA, +page 372).--The Acacia varians.--Water scarce again.--Some at length +discovered by a dog.--Country between the two routes.--Plants.--Arrive at +the Balonne.--Return to St. George's Bridge + +CHAPTER IX. + +(Having reference to Map III., Page 81.) + +(VIEW OF ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE, Pl. 11)--Despatches sent forward.-- +Acquisitions during the delay.--Mr. Kennedy's return and report.--The +party crosses the Balonne.--Arrives at the Mooni.--A white woman.--Cattle +stations.--Heavy rain.--The country impassable.--Camp removed to a +hill.--Dam thrown up.--The waters subside.--The party proceeds.--Arrival +at the Barwan.--A flood.--(Pl. 12. LAST USE OF THE BOATS, page 395).-- +Cross the Màal, also in boats.--Country between the rivers.--Mount +Riddell recognised.--The Gwydir crossed.--Termination of the journey.--A +stockman.--Night on the open plain.--The Nammoy.--First news + +CHAPTER X. + +Instructions to Mr. Kennedy for the survey of the river Victoria.--Of the +Aborigines.--Simple conditions of human existence.--Grass, fire, +kangaroos, and men.--Case of the aboriginal natives.--My native guides.-- +Experiment worth trying.--Of the Convicts.--Character of the men of the +party.--Of convicts generally.--Of the Colony of New South Wales,-- +capabilities of soil and climate.--Progress of colonization,--Division +and appropriation of the territory.--Capricornia and Austral-india + +MAP OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA Page 430 + +APPENDIX. + +The Colonial Secretary to the Surveyor General of New South Wales.-- +Letter, dated 28th October, 1830 + +Systematical List of Plants + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + +[Not included in the text-file version of this eBook] + +Flood coming down the Macquarie (pl. 1. p. 58) Map I. The Indian +Archipelago Portrait of Bultje Remnant of the Bogan tribe Map II. The +Rivers Bogan and Macquarie First use of the boats (pl. 2) Map III. The +Rivers Narran, Culgoa, and Balonne to St. George's Bridge, shewing also +the route thence homeward to Snodgrass Lagoon Separation of the Balonne +into the Culgoa, Narran, &c. The River Balonne, 7th April (pl. 3) Map IV. +Advance to the Maranòa, and route returning to St. George's Bridge The +Bottle tree, DELABECHEA The black awaiting the white Map V. The country +and the routes between the Maranòa and Mount Mudge, and those along the +River Victoria Tree without branches The Pyramids (pl. 4) Martin's Range +(pl. 5) Tower Almond (pl. 6) Map VI. The River Belyando Missile club of +natives of Central Australia Remarkable tree (HAKEA ?) The River +Salvator, 5th Sept. (pl. 8) Lindley's Range (pl. 9) Old native female +Aboriginal dance (pl. 7) View on the River Maranòa (pl. 10) Acacia +VARIANS St. Georgia's Bridge (pl. 11) Last use of the boats (pl. 12) Map +VII. Eastern Australia, with recent discoveries + +* * * * * + +JOURNEY INTO TROPICAL AUSTRALIA, ETC. + + + +Chapter I. + +OBJECTS OF THE EXPEDITION.--IT IS DELAYED BY A REFERENCE TO LORD +STANLEY.--LIST OF THE PARTY.--DEPARTURE FROM BUREE.--SCATTERED +POPULATION.--IRISH AMONGST THE SQUATTERS.--A TEA-TOTALLER FROM SYDNEY.--A +SHEPHERDESS IN AUSTRALIA. SHEEP WALK WHERE CATTLE RUN.--MEET AN OLD +ABORIGINAL ACQUAINTANCE.--CATTLE STATIONS ABANDONED.--THE BOGAN RIVER.-- +YOUNG BULLOCKS TROUBLESOME.--EXCESSIVE HEAT.--GREAT SCARCITY OF WATER.-- +THE PARTY MUCH DISTRESSED BY HEAT AND DROUGHT.--MELANCHOLY FATE OF THE +BOGAN TRIBE.--INTERESTING PLANTS DISCOVERED.--CARRY WATER FORWARD.-- +DESPERATE RIDE DOWN THE BOGAN.--FIND ITS CHANNEL DRY.--DOGS DIE FROM +THIRST.--THE PARTY ATTACKED WITH OPHTHALMIA.--QUIT THE BOGAN, BY MOVING +TO THE PONDS OF CANNONBÀ.--ENCAMP THERE TO REST AND REFRESH THE PARTY. + +The exploration of Northern Australia, which formed the object of my +first journey in 1831, has, consistently with the views I have always +entertained on the subject [* See London Geographical Journal, vol. vii. +part 2, p. 282.], been found equally essential in 1846 to the full +development of the geographical resources of New South Wales. The same +direction indicated on Mr. Arrowsmith's map, published by the Royal +Geographical Society in 1837, was, in 1846, considered, by a committee of +the Legislative Council of New South Wales, the most desirable to pursue +at a time when every plan likely to relieve the colony from distress +found favour with the public. + +At no great distance lay India and China, and still nearer, the rich +islands of the Indian Archipelago; all well-peopled countries, while the +industrious and enterprising colonists of the South were unable to avail +themselves of the exuberance of the soil and its productions, + +"Which mock'd their scant manurings, and requir'd MORE HANDS THAN THEIRS +to prune their wanton growth." + +The same attraction which drew the greatest of discoverers westward, "al +nacimiento de la especeria [* To the region where spices grew.]," seemed +to invite the Australian explorer northward; impelled by the wayward +fortunes of the Anglo-Saxon race already rooted at the southern extremity +of the land whose name had previously been "Terra Australis incognita." +The character of the interior of that country still remained unknown, the +largest portion of earth as yet unexplored. For the mere exploration, the +colonists of New South Wales might not have been very anxious just at +that time, but when the object of acquiring geographical knowledge could +be combined with that of exploring a route towards the nearest part of +the Indian Ocean, westward of a dangerous strait, it was easy to awaken +the attention of the Australian public to the importance of such an +enterprise. A trade in horses required to remount the Indian cavalry had +commenced, and the disadvantageous navigation of Torres Straits had been +injurious to it: that drawback was to be avoided by any overland route +from Sydney to the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +But other considerations, not less important to the colonists of New +South Wales, made it very desirable that a way should be opened to the +shores of the Indian Ocean. That sea was already connected with England +by steam navigation, and to render it accessible to Sydney by land, was +an object in itself worthy of an exploratory expedition. In short, the +commencement of such a journey seemed the first step in the direct road +home to England, for it was not to be doubted that on the discovery of a +good overland route between Sydney and the head of the Gulf of +Carpentaria, a line of steam communication would thereupon be introduced +from that point to meet the English line at Singapore. + +In this view of the subject, it seemed more desirable to open a way to +the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the nearest part of the sea, than to +the settlement at Port Essington, on a presque-île forming the furthest +point of the land; and, that the journey would terminate at the Gulf was +therefore most probable. The map of Australia, when compared with that of +the world, suggested reasonable grounds for believing that a considerable +river would be found to lead to the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +My department having been reduced to a state of inactivity in 1843, I +submitted a plan of exploration to Sir George Gipps, the Governor, when +His Excellency promised, that if the Legislative Council made such +reductions as they seemed disposed to make in the public expenditure, he +should be able to spare money for such an expedition. The Legislative +Council not only made reductions in the estimates to save much more money +than His Excellency had named, but even voted 1000L. towards the expense +of the journey, and petitioned the Governor to sanction it. His +Excellency, however, then thought it necessary to refer the subject to +the Secretary for the Colonies. Much time was thus lost, and, what was +still worse, the naturalist to whom I had explained my plan, and invited +to join my party, Dr. Leichardt. This gentleman, tempted by the general +interest taken by the colonists at the time in a journey of discovery, +which afforded a cheering prospect amid the general gloom and +despondency, raised and equipped a small party by public subscription, +and proceeded by water to Moreton Bay. Dr. Leichardt, and the six persons +who finally accompanied him thence to the northward, had not been heard +of, and were supposed to have either perished or been destroyed by +natives. [* Dr. Leichhardt returned afterwards to Sydney from Port +Essington by sea; and the journal of his journey, recently published, +shows what difficulties may be surmounted by energy and perseverance.] + +The reply of Lord Stanley was, as might have been anticipated, favourable +to the undertaking; but the Governor of the colony still declined to +allow the journey to be undertaken, without assigning any reason for +keeping it back. This was the more regretted by me, when it became known +in New South Wales that Captain Sturt was employed, with the express +sanction of Lord Stanley, to lead an exploring expedition from Adelaide +into the northern interior of Australia, and that he was actually then in +New South Wales. Sir George Gipps had expressed, in one of his early +despatches to the British Government, his readiness to encourage such an +undertaking as that, and stated that "no one came forward to claim the +honour of such an enterprise;" yet now that Lord Stanley had sanctioned +the plan of the Surveyor General, whose duty it was to survey the +country, he refused to allow this officer to proceed. The Legislative +Council, however, renewed the petition for this undertaking, to which the +Governor at length assented, in 1845; and the sum of 2000L. was +unanimously voted for the outfit of the party, but with the clear +understanding on the part of the Council, that the plan of the Surveyor +General should be adopted. + +The idea of a river flowing to the northward, was not, however, new. The +journey in 1831 was undertaken chiefly in consequence of a report that a +large river had been followed down to the coast by a bushranger, +accompanied by the natives: and the ultimate course of the Condamine, +still a question, was a subject of controversy in some of the first +papers published in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. My +suggestions on the subject are detailed at length in the London +Geographical Journal, Vol. VII., Part 2., page 282., and accompanied by a +map showing the line of exploration then recommended. + +In making preparations for this expedition, the means of conveyance by +land and water required the earliest consideration. These were strong +bullock-drays and portable boats. Horses and light carts had been +preferred by me: but the longer column of march, and necessity for a +greater number of men, were considered objections; while many experienced +persons suggested that the bullocks, though slow, were more enduring than +horses. [* The results of this journey proved quite the reverse.] Eight +drays were therefore ordered to be made of the best seasoned wood: four +of these by the best maker in the colony, and four by the prisoners in +Cockatoo Island. Two iron boats were made by Mr. Struth, each in two +parts, on a plan of my own, and on the 17th of November the whole party +moved off from Paramatta on their way to the proposed camp at Buree. + +I joined the party encamped at Buree on the 13th of December, having rode +there from Sydney in four and a half days, and on the following Monday, +15th of December, 1845, I put it in motion towards the interior. The +Exploring party now consisted of the following persons:-- + +SIR T. L. MITCHELL, Kt., Surveyor General, Chief of the Expedition. +EDMUND B. KENNEDY, Esq. Assistant Surveyor, Second in command. W. +STEPHENSON, M.R.C.S.L. Surgeon and Collector of objects of Natural +History. PETER M'AVOY, Mounted Videttes. Charles Niblett, William Graham, +ANTHONY BROWN, Tent-keeper. WILLIAM BALDOCK, In charge of the horses. +John Waugh Drysdale, Store-keeper. Allan Bond, Bullock-drivers. Edward +Taylor, William Bond, William Mortimer, George Allcot, John Slater, +Richard Horton, Felix Maguire, James Stephens, Carpenters. Job Stanley, +Edward Wilson, Blacksmith. George Fowkes, Shoemaker. John Douglas, +Barometer carrier. Isaac Reid, Sailor and Chainman. Andrew Higgs, +Chainman. William Hunter, With the horses. Thomas Smith, Patrick Travers, +Carter and Pioneer. Douglas Arnott, Shepherd and Butcher. Arthur Bristol, +Sailmaker and Sailor. + +8 drays, drawn by 80 bullocks; 2 boats; 13 horses; 4 private do.; and 3 +light carts, comprised the means of conveyance; and the party was +provided with provisions for a year:--250 sheep (to travel with the +party), constituting the chief part of the animal food. The rest +consisted of gelatine, and a small quantity of pork. + +With the exception of a few whose names are printed in italics, the party +consisted of prisoners of the Crown in different stages of probation, +with whom the prospect of additional liberty was an incentive so +powerful, that no money payment was asked by them or expected, while, +from experience, I knew that for such an enterprise as this I could rely +on their zealous services. The patience and resolution of such men in the +face of difficulties, I had already witnessed; and I had hired three of +the old hands, in order the more readily to introduce my accustomed camp +arrangements. Volunteers of all classes had certainly come eagerly +forward, offering their gratuitous services on this expedition of +discovery; but discipline and implicit obedience were necessary in such a +party to ensure the objects in view, as well as its own preservation; and +it was not judged expedient, where some prisoners were indispensable as +mechanics, to mix with them men of a different class, over whom the same +kind of authority could not be exercised. + +Following the same road by which I quitted Buree, in 1835, my former line +of route across Hervey's Range lay to the left. The party thus arrived at +Bramadura, a sheep station occupied by Mr. Boyd. It was on the same chain +of ponds crossed by me on the journey of 1835, and then named Dochendoras +Creek, but now known as the Mundadgery chain of ponds. These ponds had +been filled by heavy rains which fell on Tuesday the 9th December--the +day on which I left Sydney, where the weather had been clear and sultry. +A tornado or hurricane had, on the same day, levelled part of the forest +near this place, laying prostrate the largest trees, one side of which +was completely barked by the hailstones. Many branches of trees along the +line of route, showed that the wind had been very violent to a +considerable distance. + +16TH DECEMBER.--Some of the bullocks missing: the party could not, +therefore, quit the camp until 11 o'clock. The passage of the bed of the +chain of ponds (which we travelled up) was frequently necessary, and +difficult for heavily laden drays, which I found ours were, owing, +chiefly to a superabundance of flour, above the quantity I intended to +have taken, but supplied to my party, and brought forty miles by my drays +before my arrival at the camp. + +We halted at another sheep station of Mr. Boyd's. Here I perceived that +Horehound grew abundantly; and I was assured by Mr. Parkinson, a +gentleman in charge of these stations, that this plant springs up at all +sheep and cattle stations throughout the colony, a remarkable fact, which +may assist to explain another, namely, the appearance of the Couchgrass, +or Dog's-tooth-grass, wherever the white man sets his foot, although +previously unknown in these regions. + +17TH DECEMBER.--Set off about 7 A.M. and travelled along a good road, for +about 6 miles. Then, at a sheep station, we crossed the chain of ponds, +following a road leading to Dr. Ramsay's head station, called +Balderudgery. Leaving that road, and, at 7 miles, taking to the left, we +finally encamped on Spring Creek, after a journey of about 9 miles. We +had passed over what I should have called a poor sort of country, but +everywhere it was taken up for sheep; and these looked fat; yet not a +blade of grass could be seen; and, but for the late timely supply of +rain, it had been in contemplation to withdraw these flocks to the +Macquarie. + +Calling at a shepherd's hut to ask the way, an Irish woman appeared with +a child at her breast and another by her side: she was hut-keeper. She +had been there two years, and only complained that they had never been +able to get any potatoes to plant. She and her husband were about to +leave the place next day, and they seemed uncertain as to where they +should go. Two miles further on, a shoemaker came to the door of a hut, +and accompanied me to set me on the right road. I inquired how he found +work in these wild parts. He said, he could get plenty of work, but very +little money; that it was chiefly contract work he lived by: he supplied +sheep-owners with shoes for their men, at so much per pair. His +conversation was about the difficulty a poor man had in providing for his +family. He had once possessed about forty cows, which he had been obliged +to entrust to the care of another man, at 5S. per head. This man +neglected them: they were impounded and sold as unlicensed cattle under +the new regulations. + +"So you saw no more of them?" + +"Oh, yes, your honour, I saw some of them AFTER THEY HAD BEEN SOLD AT THE +POUND!--I wanted to have had something provided for a small family of +children, and if I had only had a few acres of ground, I could have kept +my cows." + +This was merely a passing remark made with a laugh as we walked along, +for he was one of the race-- + +"Who march to death with military glee." + +But the fate of a poor man's family was a serious subject: such was the +hopeless condition of a useful mechanic ready for work even in the +desolate forests skirting the haunts of the savage. So fares it with the +DISJECTA MEMBRA of towns and villages, when such arrangements are left to +the people themselves in a new colony. + +18TH DECEMBER.--The party moved off about 7 A.M., and continued along a +tolerable road, crossing what shepherds called Seven Mile Creek, in which +there was some water; and a little further on we quitted the good beaten +road leading to Balderudgery, and followed one to the left, which brought +us to another sheep station on the same chain of ponds, three miles +higher up than Balderudgery. Having directed the party to encamp here, I +pursued the road south-westward along the chain of ponds, anxious to +ascertain whether I could in that direction pass easily to the westward +of Hervey's Range, and so fall into my former line of route to the Bogan. +At about five miles I found an excellent opening through which the road +passed on ground almost level. Having ascended a small eminence on the +right, I fell in with some natives with spears, who seemed to recognise +me, by pointing to my old line of route, and saying, "Majy Majy" (Major +Mitchell). I little thought then that this was already an outlying +picquet of the Bogan Blacks, sent forward to observe my party. The day +was hot, therm. 97° in the shade. The chain of ponds, there called "the +Little River," contained water in abundance, and was said to flow into +the Macquarie, in which case the Bogan can have but few sources in +Hervey's Range. + +The station beside which we had encamped, comprised a stock yard, and had +been formerly a cattle station belonging to Mr. Kite. It was now a sheep +station of Dr. Ramsay's, and there was another sheep station a mile and a +half from it, along the road I had examined. Thus the country suitable +for either kind of stock is taken up by the gradual encroachment of sheep +on cattle runs, not properly such. This easily takes place--as where +sheep feed, cattle will not remain, and sheep will fatten where cattle +would lose flesh. Fortunately, however, for the holders of the latter +description of stock, there are limits to this kind of encroachment. The +plains to the westward of these ranges afford the most nutritive +pasturage in the world for cattle, and they are too flat and subject to +inundations to be desirable for sheep. A zone of country of this +description lies on the interior side of the ranges, as far as I have +examined them. It is watered by the sources of the rivers Goulburn, +Ovens, Murray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan, Bogan, Macquarie, Castlereagh, +Nammoy, Peel, Gwydir, and Darling; on which rivers the runs will always +make cattle fat. There are two shrubs palpably salt, and, perhaps, there +is something salsolaceous in the herbage also on which cattle thrive so +well; and the open plains and muddy waterholes are their delight. +Excessive drought, however, may occasionally reduce the owners of such +stock to great extremities, and subject them to serious loss. The Acacia +pendula, a tree whose HABITAT is limited and remarkable, is much relished +by the cattle. It is found only in clay soils, on the borders of plains, +which are occasionally so saturated with water as to be quite impassable; +never on higher ground nor on any lower than that limited sort of +locality, in the neighbourhood of rivers which at some seasons overflow. +In such situations, even where grass seems very scarce, cattle get fat; +and it is a practice of stockmen to cut down the Acacia pendula (or Myall +trees, as they call them) for the cattle to feed on. + +At this sheep station where we had encamped, I met with an individual who +had seen better days, and had lost his property amid the wreck of +colonial bankruptcies--a tea-totaller, with Pope's Essay on Man for his +consolation, in a bark hut. This "melancholy Jaques" lamented the state +of depravity to which the colony was reduced, and assured me that there +were shepherdesses in the bush! This startling fact should not be +startling, but for the disproportion of sexes, and the squatting system +which checks the spread of families. If pastoralisation were not one +thing, and colonisation another, the occupation of tending sheep should +be as fit and proper for women as for men. The pastoral life, so +favourable to love and the enjoyment of nature, has ever been a favourite +theme of the poet. Here it appears to be the antidote of all poetry and +propriety, only because man's better half is wanting. Under this +unfavourable aspect the white man first comes before the aboriginal +native; were the intruders accompanied by women and children, they could +not be half so unwelcome. One of the most striking differences between +squatting and settling in Australia consists in this. Indeed if it were +an object to uncivilise the human race, I know of no method more likely +to effect it than to isolate a man from the gentler sex and children; +remove afar off all courts of justice and means of redress of grievances, +all churches and schools, all shops where he can make use of money, then +place him in close contact with savages. "What better off am I than a +black native?" was the exclamation of a shepherd to me just before I +penned these remarks. + +19TH DECEMBER.--The party moved along the road I had previously examined. +On passing through to the western side, I recognised the trees, plants, +and birds of the interior regions. Granitic hills appeared on each side, +and the sweet-scented Callitris grew around, with many a curious shrub +never seen to the eastward of these ranges. On descending, grassy +valleys, with gullies containing little or no water, reminded me of +former difficulties in the same vicinity, and it was not until we had +travelled upwards of sixteen miles that I could encamp near water. This +consisted of some very muddy holes of the Goobang Creek, on which I had +formerly been pleasantly encamped with Mr. Cunningham. [* See Vol. I. of +Three Expeditions, etc., page 171.] Two or three natives soon made their +appearance, one of whom I immediately recognised to be my old friend +Bultje, who had guided me from thence to the Bené Rocks, on my former +journey along the Bogan. He brought an offering of honey. Ten years had +elapsed since I formerly met the same native in the same valley, and time +had made no alteration in his appearance. With the same readiness to +forward my views that he formerly evinced, he informed me where the water +was to be found; and how I should travel so as to fall in with my former +route, by the least possible DÉTOUR. Mount Laidley bore 23° E. of N. + +20TH DECEMBER.--This day I gave the cattle a rest, as the grass seemed +good, while I rode to look at my old line of marked trees. A cattle +station (of Mr. Kite) was within a mile and a half of our camp, and at +about three miles below it, I fell in with the former line. Where it +crossed the Goobang, a track still continued by them, but finally +diverged, leaving the line of marked trees, without the slightest trace +of the wheels or hoofs that had formerly passed by it. Reaching a hill +laid down on my former survey, and from which I recognised Mount Laidley, +I returned directly to the camp. We had encamped near those very springs +mentioned as seen on my former journey, but instead of being limpid and +surrounded by verdant grass, as they had been then, they were now trodden +by cattle into muddy holes, where the poor natives had been endeavouring +to protect a small portion from the cattle's feet, and keep it pure, by +laying over it trees they had cut down for the purpose. The change +produced in the aspect of this formerly happy secluded valley, by the +intrusion of cattle and the white man, was by no means favourable, and I +could easily conceive how I, had I been an aboriginal native, should have +felt and regretted that change. The springs which issue from the level +plains of clay, while the bed of the water-course some twenty feet lower +continues dry and dusty, are numerous. One had a strong taste of sulphur, +and might probably be as salubrious as other springs more celebrated. +They show that, in this country at least, the water-courses are not +supplied by springs, but depend wholly on heavy torrents of rain +descending from the mountains. Some holes in the bed of the Goobang Creek +did however retain some water which had fallen during the last rain. The +thermometer stood at 107° in the tent. + +21ST DECEMBER.--Guided by my old friend Bultje, we pursued a straight +line of route through the forest to Currandong, which was half way to the +Bogan. We passed over a very open, gently undulating country, just +heading a gully called Brotherba--showing how well our guide knew the +country--and we reached Currandong at 2 o'clock. Here also were two +flocks belonging to Dr. Ramsay; Balderudgery, the head station, being +fifteen miles distant, by a mountain road through a gap. While travelling +this day, Corporal Graham overtook me with letters from Buree, and a cart +had also been sent after us by Mr. Barton with a small supply of corn. +That country is considered excellent as a fattening run for sheep; the +shepherd told me they there find a salt plant, which keeps them in +excellent condition and heart for feeding. The scarcity of water at some +seasons occasions a conversion here of cattle runs into sheep runs, and +VICE VERSÂ, a contingency which seems to render these lands of Hervey's +range of temporary and uncertain value. + +22D DECEMBER.--Guided by Bultje we continued to follow down the little +chain of ponds which, as he said, led to the Bogan. The road was good-- +the Currandong ponds running in a general direction about N. N. W. It was +the first of the sources of the Bogan we had reached. Crossing at length +to its left bank, near an old lambing station of Dr. Ramsay's, we further +on came to a large plain with the Yarra trees of the Bogan upon its +western skirts. Some large lagoons on the eastern side of the plains had +been filled by the late rains, and cattle lay beside them. We at length +arrived in sight of a cattle station of Mr. Templar's, called Ganànaguy, +and encamped on the margin of a plain opposite to it. The cattle here +looked very fat, and although the herd comprised about 2000 head, there +was abundance of grass. The Bogan thus first appeared on our left hand, +and must have its sources in the comparatively low hills, about the +country crossed by my former line of route, rather than in Hervey's or +Croker's ranges, as formerly supposed. The water in the ponds of the +Bogan seemed low. + +This fine grazing country had been abandoned more than once from the +failure of the water, and yet these ponds seemed capable of holding an +almost inexhaustible supply. A single dam would have retained the water +for miles, the Bogan always flowing through clay in a bed of uniform +width and depth like a canal. No doubt a little art and labour would be +sufficient to render the land permanently habitable: but on an uncertain +tenure this remedy was not likely to be applied, and therefore the +sovereignty of art's dominion remained unasserted there. The incursions +of the savage, who is learning to "bide his time" on the Darling, are +greatly encouraged by the hardships of the colonists when water is +scarce; and I was shown where no less than 800 head of fat bullocks had +been run together by them when water was too abundant. Then horses cannot +travel, and cattle stick fast in the soft earth and are thus at the mercy +of the natives. The stone ovens, such as they prepare for cooking +kangaroos, had been used for the consumption of about twenty head of +cattle a day, by the wild tribes who had assembled from the Darling and +lower Bogan on that occasion. Thermometer in tent 109° at noon, wind +W.N.W. + +23D DECEMBER.--We crossed the Bogan (flowing eastward) at Mr. Templar's +station at Ganànaguy, and the overseer most hospitably stood by the party +as it passed with a bucket of milk, of which he gave a drink to each of +the men. Bultje put us on the right road to the next nearest water-holes +(Mr. Gilmore's station), and having rendered me the service he promised, +I gave him the tomahawk, pipe, and two figs of tobacco promised him, and +also took a sketch of his singularly Socratic face. This native got a bad +name from various stockmen, as having been implicated in the murder of +Mr. Cunningham. Nothing could be more unfounded; and it must indeed +require in a man so situated the wisdom of a Socrates to maintain his +footing, or indeed his life, between the ignorant stockmen or shepherds +on one hand, and the savage tribes on the other. These latter savages +naturally regard those who are half civilised, in the same light as we +should look on deserters to the enemy, and are extremely hostile to them, +while perhaps even his very usefulness to our party had most unjustly +connected this native's name with the murder of one of our number. His +laconic manner and want of language would not admit of any clear +explanation of how much he had done to serve our race--and the +difficulties he had to encounter with his own; while the circumstance of +his having been met with at an interval of ten years in the same valley +in a domesticated state, if it did not establish any claim to the soil, +at least proved his strong attachment to it, and a settled disposition. +Much tact must be necessary on his part to avoid those savages coming by +stealth to carry off his gins; and to escape the wrath of white men, when +aroused by the aggressions of wild tribes to get up a sort of foray to +save or recover their own. How Bultje has survived through all this, +without having nine lives like a cat, still to gather honey in his own +valley, "surpasseth me to know." + +We encamped at two large water-holes of the Bogan near Mr. Gilmore's +station, and the overseer sent to the men two buckets of milk. At the +station a well had been made to the depth of eighty feet, but a flood had +come, and risen so high as to wash in the sides and so fill up the well. +The workmen had passed through yellow clay chiefly, and the clay was wet +and soft when the further sinking was interrupted. Thermometer in my tent +109°, wind W. N. W. + +24TH DECEMBER. A lurid haze hung among the trees as the earliest sunbeams +shot down amongst them. The party were ready to move off early, but the +progress was slow from various impediments. A hot wind blew like a blast +furnace. A bullock dropt down dead at the yoke. We encamped on the +Currandong, or Back Creek, near a small plain, after travelling about ten +miles. Thermometer in tent, 103.° Hot wind from the west. + +25TH DECEMBER. Halted to rest the cattle. The wind blew this day more +from the northward, and was cooler. Thermometer in tent, 107°. + +26TH DECEMBER.--Proceeded to Graddle, a cattle station belonging to Mr. +Coss, 2½ miles. Thermometer, 109°. + +27TH DECEMBER.--The bullock-drivers having allowed twenty-two of the +bullocks to stray, it was impossible to proceed. + +At early morning the sky was overcast, the weather calm, a slight wind +from the west carried off these clouds, and at about eleven a very hot +wind set in. The thermometer in my tent stood at 117°, and when exposed +to the wind rose rapidly to 129°, when I feared the thermometer would +break as it only reached to 132°. + +28TH DECEMBER.--All the cattle having been recovered, we set off early, +accompanied by a stockman from Graddle, Mr. Coss's station. The day was +excessively warm, a hot wind blowing from the west. We finally encamped +on the Bogan, at a very muddy water-hole, after travelling eleven miles. +Thermometer in tent, 115°. At half past five, the sky became overcast, +and the hot wind increased to a violent gust, and suddenly fell. I found +that tartaric acid would precipitate the mud, leaving a jug of the water +tolerably clear, but then the acid remained. Towards evening the sky was +overcast, and a few drops of rain fell. The night was uncommonly hot. At +ten the thermometer stood at 102°, and at day-break at 90°. + +29TH DECEMBER.--The remaining water was so muddy that the cattle would no +longer drink it. The sky was overcast, with the wind from south. Finding +a cart road near our camp, I lost no time in conducting the lighter +portion of our equipment to Mr. Kerr's station at Derribong. In the +hollows I saw, for the first time on this journey, the POLYGONUM JUNCEUM, +reminding me of the river Darling, and on the plains a SOLANUM in flower, +of which I had only seen the apple formerly. At length, greener grass +indicated that the late rains had fallen more heavily there, and at about +twelve miles I reached the station situated on a rather clear and +elevated part of the right bank of the Bogan. Here the stock of water had +been augmented by a small dam, and a channel cut from a hollow part of +the clay surface conducted any rain water into the principal pool, where +the water was very good. We had now arrived at the lowest station on the +Bogan. The line of demarcation between the squatter and the savage had +been once much lower down, at Mudà, and even at Nyingan (see INFRA), but +the incursions of the blacks had rendered these lower stations untenable, +without more support than the Colonial government was able to afford. +There, at least, the squatter is not only not the real discoverer of the +country, but not even the occupier of what had been discovered. The map +will illustrate how it happens that the colonists cannot keep their +ground here from the marauding disposition of the savage tribes. [* See +map of Eastern Australia--INFRA.] The Darling is peopled more permanently +by these natives, than perhaps any other part of Australia: affording as +it does a more certain supply of food. It is only in seasons of very high +flood that this food, the fish, cannot be got at, and that they are +obliged to resort to the higher country at such seasons, between the +Darling, the Lachlan, and the Bogan. It also happens that the cattle of +the squatter are most accessible from the soft state of the ground; the +stockmen cannot even ride to protect them. The tribes from the Lachlan +and Macquarie meet on these higher lands, and when tribes assemble they +are generally ready for any mischief. The Bogan is particularly within +their reach, and when wet seasons do occur the cattle of squatters must +be very much at the mercy of the savages. The tribes from the Darling are +extremely hostile, even to the more peaceably disposed hilltribes near +the colony, and several stations have already been abandoned in +consequence of the outrages of the aborigines from the Darling and +Lachlan. Nothing is so likely to increase these evils as the precarious +or temporary occupation of such a country. The supply of water must +continue uncertain so long as there is no inducement from actual +possession to form dams, and by means of art to secure the full benefit +of the natural supply. Hence it is that half a million of acres, covered +with the finest grass, have been abandoned, and even savages smile at the +want of generalship by which they have been allowed to burn the white +man's dairy station and stockyards on the banks of the Bogan. The +establishment of a police station near the junction of the Bogan with the +Darling, or the formation of an inland township about Fort Bourke, had +been sufficient to have secured the stations along the Bogan and +Macquarie, and to have protected the Bogan natives as well as our own +countrymen from frequent robbery, murder, and insult. Such are the +results where SQUATTING has been permitted to supersede settling. With +possession, deficiency of water in dry seasons had been remedied, and no +such debateable land had remained on the borders of a British colony. + +The part of the Bogan where least water can be found, has always been +that between our present camp and Mudà, a very large lagoon about 50 +miles lower down. I found by the barometer that there is a fall of 206 +feet in that distance of 50 miles; whereas the fall in the bed of the +Bogan is only 50 feet between Mudà and New Year's Range, in a distance of +upwards of 100 miles. The general course of the Bogan changes at Mudà +from N.W. to north, the former being nearly in the direction of the +general declination of the country, the latter rather across it, of which +the overflowings of the parallel river Macquarie into Duck Creek, and +other channels to the westward, seemed to afford sufficient proofs. Where +the declination is least, the water is most likely to remain in ponds in +the channel of the river after floods, the water of which can neither +flow with so much velocity, nor bear down any of the obstructions by +which ponds are formed. Mr. Dixon found the velocity of the Bogan at this +part, during a flood in 1833, to be four miles in an hour; which is about +double the average rate of the larger rivers of Australia. + +I had an order from Mr. Kerr, the proprietor of this station of +Derribong, to his superintendant, for such fat cattle as I might require +to take with me as live stock. Finding that the sheep answered very well, +having lost none, and that they rather improved in travelling, whereas +the working oxen had been much jaded and impoverished by the long +journey, heavy loads, and warm weather; I determined to take as many +young bullocks as might suffice to relieve and assist the others, and +break them in as we proceeded. + +30TH DECEMBER.--The wind changed to S.E., and brought a cool morning. +Thermometer, 68°. This day we selected from the herds of Mr. Kerr 32 +young bullocks, and they were immediately yoked up in the stockyard. + +Received letters from Sydney, by Corporal Graham. + +31ST DECEMBER, 1845.--Thermometer at 5 A. M., 62°: at noon, 109°. Wind +S.E. At noon a whirlwind passed over the camp, fortunately avoiding the +tents in its course; but it carried a heavy tarpaulin into the air, also +some of the men's hats, and broke a half-hour sand-glass, much wanted for +the men on watch at night. The sky overcast from the west in the evening. + +1ST JANUARY, 1846.--A strong wind from N.E. blew during the day, and was +very high at 11 A. M. The party were chiefly employed breaking in the +young bullocks. At noon, nimbus, and some rain, tantalised us with the +hope of a change; but the sky drew up into clouds of cumulus by the +evening. The vegetation of the Bogan now recalled former labours: the +ATRIPLEX SEMIBACCATA of Brown was a common straggling plant. + +2D JANUARY.--The young cattle still occasioned delay. The morning was +cloudy and promised rain; but a N.W. wind broke through the clouds, which +resolved themselves into cirrostratus, and we had heat again. Besides the +SALSOLA AUSTRALIS, we found a HALGANIA with lilac flowers, probably +distinct from the species hitherto described, which are natives of the +south-west coast. + +3D JANUARY.--This morning the young cattle were yoked up with the old; +and, after considerable delay, the party proceeded to some ponds in the +Bogan about five miles lower down. We were now nearly opposite to the +scene of Mr. Cunningham's disasters: I had recognised, amongst the first +hills I saw when on the Goobang Creek, the hill which I had named Mount +Juson, at his request, after the maiden name of his mother. The little +pyramid of bushes was no longer there, but the name of Cunningham was so +identified with the botanical history of almost all the shrubs in the +very peculiar scenery of that part of the country, that no other monument +seemed necessary. Other recollections recalled Cunningham to my mind; his +barbarous murder, and the uncertainty which still hung over the actual +circumstances attending it. The shrubs told indeed of Cunningham; of both +brothers, both now dead; but neither the shrubs named by the one, nor the +gloomy CASUARINOE trees that had witnessed the bloody deed, could tell +more. There the ACACIA PENDULA, first discovered and described by Allan, +could only + +"Like a weeping mourner stooping stand, For ever silent, and for ever +sad." + +4TH JANUARY.--The early cooler part of the morning was taken up with the +young cattle. It was now but too obvious that this means of conveyance +was likely to retard the journey to an extent that no pecuniary saving +would compensate, as compared with light carts and horses. I proceeded +forward in search of a deserted stockyard, called Tabbaratong, where some +water was said still to remain. We found some mud and water only; +although some that was excellent was found about two miles lower down the +Bogan, late in the evening. + +We had crossed the neutral ground between the savage and the squatter. +The advanced posts of an army are not better kept, and humiliating proofs +that the white man had given way, were visible in the remains of dairies +burnt down, stockyards in ruins, untrodden roads. We hoped to find within +the territory of the native, ponds of clear water, unsoiled by cattle, +and a surface on which we might track our own stray animals, without +their being confused by the traces of others. + +5TH JANUARY.--Three of the young cattle having escaped during the night, +retarded us in the morning until 8 o'clock, at which hour they were +brought into the camp, having been tracked by Yuranigh, a most useful +native who had come with us from Buree. I proceeded with the light carts, +guided by a very young native boy, not more than ten years old, who had +come with the party from Kerr's station, and who, being a native of the +lower Bogan, could tell us where water was likely to be found. Our route +was rather circuitous, chiefly to avoid a thick scrub of CALLITRIS and +other trees, which, having been recently burnt, presented spikes so +thickly set together, that any way round them seemed preferable to going +through. We reached plains, and came upon an old track of the squatters. +The grass in parts was green and rich. I could see no traces of my former +route, but we arrived at length at an open spot which Dicky, the young +native, said was "Cadduldury." Leaving Dr. Stephenson with the people +driving the light carts there, I proceeded towards the bed of the Bogan, +which was near, to see what water was there, and following the channel +downwards, I met with none. Still I rode on, accompanied by Piper (also +on horseback), and the dryness of the bed had forbidden further search, +but that I remembered the large ponds we had formerly seen at Bugabadà +and Mudà, which could not be far distant. But it was only after threading +the windings of the Bogan, in a ride of at least twelve miles, that we +arrived at the most eastern of the Bugabadà ponds. The water was however +excellent, purer indeed than any we had seen for many days, and we +hastened back to the party at Cadduldury, which place we only arrived at +as darkness came on, so that Piper had nearly lost his way. The drays +with Mr. Kennedy had not come up, and I sent William Baldock and Yuranigh +back in haste to inform him that I was encamped without water, and that I +wished him, if still EN ROUTE, immediately to unyoke the cattle, encamp +on a grassy spot, and have them watched in their yokes during the night, +and to come forward at earliest dawn to the water-holes I had found near +Bugabadà. We passed a miserable night without water at Cadduldury. + +6TH JANUARY.--William Baldock returned at daybreak, bringing a message +from Mr. Kennedy, saying he should do as I had requested. I went forward +with the light party, and reached the water-holes by 8 A. M.. The morning +happened to be extremely hot, which, under the want of water and food the +preceding evening, made Drysdale very ill, and John Douglas and Isaac +Reid were scarcely able to walk when we arrived at the first water-hole. +But how the jaded bullocks were to draw the heavy loads thus far in the +extreme heat, was a subject of anxious thought to me. William Baldock +again returned to Mr. Kennedy with two barrels of water on a horse, a +horn full of tea, etc. On his way he met six of the drays, the drivers of +which were almost frantic and unable to do their work from thirst. He +brought me back intelligence that Mr. Kennedy still remained at his +encampment, with the two remaining drays, whereof the drivers (Mortimer +and Bond) had allowed their teams, with bows, yokes, and chains, to +escape, although each driver had been expressly ordered to watch his own +team during the night. This was a most serious misfortune to the whole +party. The rest of the drays could not be brought as far as my camp, but +I ordered the cattle to be released and driven forward to the water, +which they reached by the evening, sufficient guards being left with the +drays. The shepherd with the sheep could not get so far as the water, and +the poor fellow had almost lost his senses, when Mr. Stephenson, who had +hastened back with several bottles, relieved his thirst, and, as the man +said, "saved his life." + +Our position might indeed have been critical, had the natives been +hostile, or as numerous as I had formerly seen them at that very part of +the Bogan. Separated into three parties, and exhausted with thirst and +heat, the men and the drays might have been easily assailed. No natives, +however, molested us; and I subsequently found that the tribe, with which +I was on very friendly terms there formerly, were still amicably disposed +towards us. + +7TH JANUARY.--Early this morning, M'Avoy brought in the spare bullocks, +having been sent forward by Mr. Kennedy to travel on during the night. +The shoemaker also brought in one of the lost teams and part of the +other. I sent back, by Baldock, this morning, water for the men in charge +of the drays, and some tea and bread for Mr. Kennedy. He would also have +gone in search of the four bullocks still missing, but Mr. Kennedy sent +him again to me to procure something to eat. The drays carrying the +provisions had not come up, and my party too was short. The day surpassed +in heat any I had ever seen: the thermometer at noon in the shade stood +at 109°, a gentle hot wind blowing. The camp of Mr. Kennedy was distant +at least 16 miles from mine near Bugabadà. + +The six drays came in about 4 P. M.; the sheep not until long after dark. +Bread, gelatine, and ten gallons of water were sent back to Mr. Kennedy, +and a memorandum from me apprising him of my arrangement for drawing +forward the two drays, which he had taken such good care of, and which +was as follows: Two teams to leave my camp on the evening of next day, to +be attached on their arrival to the two drays with which they were to +come forward, travelling by moonlight during the rest of the night, until +they should be met by two other fresh teams, destined to meet them early +next morning. Also I informed Mr. Kennedy that it was not my intention to +send after the four stray bullocks until the drays came in, and the party +could be again united. Thermometer again 109° in the shade all day. + +The CALOTIS CUNEIFOLIA was conspicuous amongst the grass. This was the +common BURR, so detrimental to the Australian wool. Small as are the +capitula of this flower, its seeds or achenia are armed with awns having +reflexed hooks scarcely visible to the naked eye; it is these that are +found so troublesome among the wool. + +8TH JANUARY.--The messenger returned from Mr. Kennedy saying he had found +him and the men with him, in a state of great distress from want of +water, having given great part of what had formerly been sent to a young +dying bullock, in hopes thereby to save its life. He also stated that a +tribe of natives were on their track about three miles behind. Baldock +had seen several bullocks dead on the way. In the evening the two first +teams were sent off as arranged. This day had also been very sultry, +especially towards evening. + +9TH JANUARY.--Early this morning, the two relieving teams were despatched +as arranged, and at noon Mr. Kennedy and the whole entered the camp. We +had been very fortunate, under such trying circumstances, to suffer so +little loss, and I determined never to move the party again, until I +could ascertain where the water was at which it should encamp. I had been +previously assured by the young native that water was still to be found +at Cadduldury, and the disappointment had nearly proved fatal to the +whole party. + +On the banks of the Bogan, the ATRIPLEX HAGNOIDES formed a round white- +looking bush. + +I rode forward to Mudà, accompanied by Dr. Stephenson and by Piper, and +had an interview with some of the heads of the old tribe, who remembered +my former visit, and very civilly accompanied me to show me my old track +and marked trees, which I found passed a little to the northward of my +present encampment. The chief, my old friend, had been killed in a fight +with the natives of the Macquarie, not long before. Two old grey-haired +men sitting silent in a gunya behind, were pointed out to me as his +brothers, one of whom so very much resembled him, that I had at first +imagined he was the man himself. These sat doubled up on their hams +opposite to each other, under the withered bushes, naked, and grey, and +melancholy--sad and hopeless types of their fading race! + +The chief who formerly guided us so kindly had fallen in a hopeless +struggle for the existence of his tribe with the natives of the river +Macquarie, allied with the border police, on one side; and the wild +natives of the Darling on the other. All I could learn about the rest of +the tribe was, that the men were almost all dead, and that their wives +were chiefly servants at stock stations along the Macquarie. + +The natives of Mudà assured me there was no water nearer than Nyingan, a +large pond which I knew was 22 1/3 miles distant, in a direct line lower +down the Bogan. The ponds of Mudà, their great store of water, and known +to white men as the largest on the Bogan, were alarmingly low, and it +became evident that our progress under such a scarcity of water would be +attended with difficulty. These natives gave us also a friendly hint that +"GENTLEMEN" should be careful of the spears of the natives of Nyingan, as +many natives of Nyingan had been shot lately by white men from Wellington +Valley. + +Among the woods we observed the white-flowered TEUCRIUM RACEMOSUM, the +JUSTICIA MEDIA, a small herbaceous plant with deep pink flowers; also a +STENOCHILUS and FUSANUS (the Quandang), although not in fruit; a new +species of STIPA, remarkable for its fine silky ears and coarse rough +herbage.[*] This place produced also a fine new species of Chloris in the +way of C. TRUNCATA, but with upright ears, and hard three-ribbed +pales,[**] and we here observed, for the first time, a fine new +EREMOPHILA with white flowers, forming a tree fifteen feet high.[***] The +beautiful DAMASONIUM OVALIFOLIUM, with white flowers red in the centre, +still existed in the water. + +[* S. SCABRA (Lindl. MS.), aristis nudis, paleis pubescentibus basi +villosis, glumis setaceo-acuminatis glabris, foliis scabropilosis +involutis culmis brevioribus, geniculis pubescentibus, ligulâ oblongâ +subciliatâ.] + +[** C. SCLERANTHA (Lindl. MS.), culmo stricto, foliis planis glabris +tactu scabris, spicis 4--7-strictis, spiculis bifloris, flore utroque +breviaristato cartilagineo truncato 3-nervi glabro supremo sterili +vacuo.] + +[*** E. MITCHELLI (Benth. MS.), glabra viscidula, foliis alternis +linearibus planis, corolla alba extus glabra fauce amplo laciniis 4 +superioribus subaequalibus infima majore retusa, staminibus inclusis.] + +In the evening it was discovered that no one had seen the shepherd and +the sheep since the morning, and Piper and Yuranigh went in search. It +was night ere they returned with the intelligence that they had found his +track ten miles off to the S. W. when darkness prevented them from +following it further. + +I ascertained, by observations of the stars Aldebaran and Orionis, that +out present camp near Bugabadà was in latitude 31° 56', and thus very +near the place where Mr. Dixon's journey down the Bogan in 1833 had +terminated. Thermometer at noon, 90°; at 9 P. M., 70°; with wet bulb, +63°. + +10TH JANUARY.--Early this morning Mr. Kennedy and Piper went to the S. W. +in search of the shepherd and sheep, while at the same time I sent +William Baldock and Yaranigh back along our track in search of the stray +bullocks. Meanwhile I conducted the party along my former track to Mudà, +where we met Mr. Kennedy and Piper with the shepherd and sheep, already +arrived there. The shepherd stated that the fatigue of having been on +watch the previous night had overcome him; that he fell asleep, and that +the sheep went astray; that he followed and found them, but lost himself. +He had met one or two natives who offered him honey, etc. which he +declined. + +We encamped beside the old stock-yard and the ruins of a dairy, only +visible in the remaining excavation. But a paddock was still in such a +state of preservation, that in one day we completed the enclosure. We had +passed near Bugabadà similar remains of a cattle station. This position +of Mudà was a fine place for such an establishment; a high bank nearly +clear of timber, overlooking a noble reach of great capacity, and +surrounded by an open forest country, covered with luxuriant grass. The +last crop stood up yellow, like a neglected field of oats, in the way of +a young crop shooting up amongst it. + +11TH JANUARY, 1846.--Sunday. Prayers were read to the men, and the cattle +and party rested. The day was cool and cloudy. + +12TH JANUARY.--Still I halted at Mudà for the lost bullocks. To-day I +noticed the KOCHIA BREVIFOLIA, a little salt-bush, with greenish yellow +fruit, edged with pink. + +13TH JANUARY.--Baldock and Yuranigh arrived early in the morning (by +moonlight) with five of the stray bullocks. Two others (young ones) could +not be driven along, and one old bullock was still astray at Mr. Kerr's +station (to which they had returned) and could not even then be found. We +had now in all 106 bullocks, and, considering the great scarcity of +water, heat, and consequent drought, I was most thankful that our loss +had been so slight. + +I proceeded to reconnoitre the country in a straight line towards +Nyingan, which bore 353°--and having found a tolerably open country for +about six miles, I returned and took the party on so far, and encamped, +sending back all the cattle and horses to the water at Mudà. Enough had +been carried forward for the men who were to remain at the camp. To +ensure the early return of the cattle, I had repaired, as already stated, +the paddock at Mudà, in which during this night, they could be secured, +having also sufficient grass,--likewise the horses. In my ride I found a +new grass of the genus CHLORIS[*], something like CHL. TRUNCATA in habit, +some starved specimens of TRICHINIUM LANATUM; amongst the grasses I also +found the ARISTIDA CALYCINA of Brown, the curious NEURACHNE MITCHELLIANA +Nees, discovered originally by me in 1836, and also a new PAPPOPHORUM +with the aspect of our European Anthoxanthum.[**] A smart shower fell +during the evening. + +[* C. ACICULARIS (Lindl. MS.); culmo stricto, foliis involutis glabris +tactu scabris, spicis 8--9 subacutis, spiculis bifloris, flore utroque +setaceo aristato, supremo sterili angustissimo, paleis dorso scabris.] + +[** P. FLAVESCENS (Lindl. MS.); aristis 9 rigidis pallidis plumosis, +spicâ compositâ densissimâ oblongâ, paleis lanatis, glumis ovatis +pilosis, foliis vaginisque pubescentibus tactu scabris, geniculis +villosis.] + +14TH JANUARY.--The cattle arrived early from Mudà, and were immediately +yoked to the drays. I proceeded with the light carts, still on the same +bearing, until arriving near Dar, where I had formerly been encamped, I +turned to the left to ascertain if there really was no water there. I +found two excellent ponds, and encamped beside them after a journey of +about ten miles. The drays arrived early and I subsequently found I had +encamped near my old ground of 9th May, 1835, when I was guided by the +friendly chief of the Bogan tribe to the best water holes his country +afforded. By the route I had selected from my former surveys, I had cut +off the great bend described by the Bogan in changing from a north- +westerly to a northerly course, and the track now left by our wheels will +probably continue to be used as a road, when the banks of the Bogan may +be again occupied by the colonists. At Darwere still most substantial +stock-yards, and, as usual, the deep dug foundations of a dairy that had +been burnt down. + +15TH JANUARY.--Eight bullocks were missing, and although the day was +fine, not too hot, I could not think of moving until these cattle were +found. Accordingly, at earliest dawn, I despatched William Baldock and +the native to look for them. In the course of the day six were found by +Baldock in one direction, and the remaining two, afterwards, in another. +An inconspicuous blue-flowered Erigeron grew here, also the JASMINUM +LINEARE, with its sweet-scented white flowers--and, near the water, I saw +the ALTERNANTHERA NODIFLORA. + +16TH JANUARY.--At a good early hour the party moved from Dar, crossing +the Bogan and falling into my former track and line of marked trees. We +lost these, however, on crossing the Bogan at Murgabà, and made a slight +détour to the eastward before we found Nyingan, where we encamped, and +were joined by the drays by twelve o'clock. During this day's journey +Piper and Yuranigh discovered fresh traces of horsemen with those of the +feet of a native guide, come from the East to my old track, and +returning, apparently, as our natives thought, looking for traces of our +party. + +At Nyingan we found many recent huts and other indications of the +natives, but saw none. Large stock-yards and a paddock remained, but a +house and garden fences had been burnt down. The great ponds were sunken +very low and covered with aquatic weeds. As soon as the camp had been +established with the usual attention to defence, I set out to look for +the next water, and after riding twelve miles nearly in the direction of +my former route, I reached the dry channel of the Bogan, and tracing it +thence upwards, I sought in every hollow at all its turnings for water, +but in vain, and I reached the camp only at dusk, without having seen, +during the day, any other ponds than those of Nyingan. + +17TH JANUARY.--Early this morning, I sent Mr. Kennedy with the native +Yuranigh, also on horseback, to run back my track of yesterday to the +Bogan where I had commenced its examination upwards, and from that point +to examine the channel downwards to the nearest water, provided this did +not take Mr. Kennedy too far to admit of his return by sunset. Two old +women came to the ponds of Nyingan for water, by whom Piper was told that +the nearest permanent water was "NIMINÉ," where white men had attempted +to form a cattle-station, and been prevented by natives from the Darling, +many of whom had since been shot by the white men. They said the place +was far beyond Canbelego, the next stage of my former journey, and where +these women also said little or no water remained. + +Mr. Kennedy returned at eleven A.M., having found water at Canbelego. +Yuranigh brought with him a large green specimen of the fruit of the +CAPPARIS MITCHELLII, which he called an apple, being new to him, but +which Dicky, the younger native from the Lower Bogan, knew, and said was +called "MOGUILE;" he also said that it was eaten by the natives. + +18TH JANUARY.--The party moved to Canbelego where one or two small ponds +remained, but on the plains adjacent there was better grass than we had +hitherto found near those places where, for the sake of water, we had +been obliged to encamp. I sent Mr. Kennedy again forward looking for +water, but he returned sooner than I expected, and after following the +river down twelve miles, without finding any. I was now within the same +distance of Duck Creek, in which Mr. Larmer had found abundance of water +when I sent him to survey it upwards during my last return journey up the +Bogan. It also seemed, from the direction in which Piper pointed, that +the old gins referred to Duck Creek, as containing water; and as the +course of that creek, so far as shown on maps, led even more directly to +the Darling than did the Bogan, I was willing in such a season of extreme +drought, to avail myself of its waters. My eye had been much injured by +straining at stars while at the camp near Walwadyer, and I was obliged to +send Mr. Kennedy on one of my own horses, followed by Graham, to examine +the water in Duck Creek. I instructed him to proceed on a bearing of 35° +E. of North, until he should reach the creek, and if he found water in it +to return direct to the camp, but that if water was not found on first +making the creek, then he was to follow Duck Creek up to its junction +with an eastern branch, surveyed also by Mr. Larmer, and to return thence +to the camp on a bearing of 240°. I also sent Corporal Macavoy with +Yuranigh down the Bogan, to ascertain if the channel contained any pond +between our camp and the part previously examined by Mr. Kennedy. + +This officer returned from Duck Creek after an absence of twelve hours, +and reported that he had found no water in Duck Creek after examining its +bed twelve miles; but that he had found a fine lagoon on the plains near +the head of the eastern branch, but around which there was no grass, all +having been recently burnt. + +20TH JANUARY.--Macavoy returned at seven A.M., saying he had been twenty- +four miles down the Bogan without finding any water. About the same time +Sergeant Niblett, in charge of the bullocks, came to inform me that these +animals were looking very ill, and could not drink the mud remaining in +the pond. At the same time intelligence was brought me that four of the +horses had broken their tether ropes during the night, and that William +Baldock had been absent in search of them on foot, from an early hour in +the morning. I immediately sent back the whole of the bullocks to +Nyingan, with a dray containing the empty harness casks, also the horses, +and a cart carrying all our other empty casks; and the whole of the +cattle and horses returned in the evening with all the casks filled. + +21ST JANUARY.--Having again despatched the bullocks back to Nyingan, I +conducted the light carts forward along my old track (of 1835), having on +two of these carts two of the half-boats, and in the carts under them all +the water-kegs that had been filled. My object was to use the iron boat +as a tank, at which we might water the bullocks at one stage forward; +that by so gaining that point and proceeding onwards towards the water I +hoped to find next day, we might encamp at least at such a convenient +distance from it, as would admit of the cattle being driven forward to +return next day and draw the drays to it. This I considered possible, +even if it might be found necessary to go as far for water as the fine +reach described in my journal as the place of my encampment on the 14th +May, 1835, beyond Mount Hopeless, and which I concluded from the gin's +description, must have been what she called Nimine, or the disputed +station of Lee. I encamped this party on a plain about twelve miles from +Canbelego, where I had left Mr. Kennedy, with instructions to bring the +drays on with the spare cattle and horses early next morning. I had sent +thence Corporal Macavoy and Yuranigh to follow the track of Baldock and +the horses; but it was obvious that we could remain no longer at +Canbelego. As soon as we could set up one of the half-boats, the contents +of the water-kegs were emptied into it, and the cart was immediately sent +back with the empty kegs to Canbelego, where fresh horses had been left, +to continue with the same cart and empty kegs to Nyingan during the +night, so as to arrive in time to admit of the dray--already there with +the harness casks--bringing an additional supply back in the kegs, when +the bullocks returned next day. + +It was now necessary that I should ascertain as soon as possible the +state of the ponds lower down the Bogan, and thereupon determine at once, +whether to follow that dry channel further in such a season, or to cross +to the pond in Duck Creek, and await more favourable weather. I +accordingly set out at 3 P.M., from where the water had been placed in +the half-boat, accompanied by Dr. Stephenson, and followed by Corporal +Graham and Dicky the native boy. By the advice of the latter, I rode from +the camp in the direction of 30° E. of N., and, crossing the Bogan, we +reached at about 3½ miles beyond it, a channel like it, which I supposed +was Duck Creek; and in it, just where we made it, there was a small pond +of water. Having refreshed our horses, we followed this channel +downwards, without meeting with more water. To my surprise, I found the +general direction was westward, until it JOINED THE BOGAN. We next +followed the course of the Bogan as long as daylight allowed us to do so, +without discovering any indication that water had recently lodged in any +of the hollows, and we finally tied up our horses and lay down to sleep, +in hopes that next day might enable us to be more successful. + +22D JANUARY.--Having proceeded some miles along the western bends of the +Bogan, hastily--being desirous to see that day the great pond beyond +Mount Hopeless--I observed that the clay was very shining and compact in +a hollow sloping into an angle of the river-bed, that the grass was green +as from recent rain, and that there was more chirping of birds; I was +tempted once more by these indications, to look for water in the Bogan's +almost hopeless channel, and there we found a pond, at sight of which +poor Dicky shouted for joy; then drank, and fell asleep almost in the +water. It was small, but being sufficient for our immediate wants, we +thankfully refreshed our horses and ourselves, and proceeded on our +eventful journey. Almost immediately after leaving this pond I discovered +my old track, which we continued to follow across those large plains, +whence I had formerly discovered Mount Hopeless. These plains I soon +again recognized from the old tracks of my draywheels, distinctly visible +in many places after a lapse of nearly eleven years. Arriving at length +near the debateable land of Lee's old station, we resumed our examination +of the Bogan. There we perceived old cattle tracks; the ovens in which +the natives had roasted whole bullocks, and about their old encampments +many heaps of bones; but in none of the deep beds of former ponds or +lagoons could we discover any water. The grass was nevertheless excellent +and abundant; and its waste, added to the distress the want of water +occasioned us, made us doubly lament the absence of civilised +inhabitants, by whose industry that rich pasture and fine soil could have +been turned to good account. We saw no natives; nor were even kangaroos +or emus to be seen, as formerly, any longer inhabitants of these parts. I +turned at length, reluctantly, convinced that it would have been unsafe +to venture with cattle and drays into these regions before rain fell. In +returning, we at first found it difficult to find our old track, by which +alone we could hope that night to reach the small pond of the morning; +but Dr. Stephenson very fortunately found it, and we had also the good +fortune, for so we considered it, to arrive at the pond before sunset. +There we tied up our horses and lay down, glad indeed to have even that +water before our eyes. Dicky, the native boy, had repeatedly thrown +himself from his horse during the afternoon, quite ill from thirst. + +23D JANUARY.--After our horses had drank, we left no water in the pond; +but they had fed on good grass, and we were well refreshed, although with +water only, for our ride back to the camp. Setting off from an old marked +tree of mine near the Bogan, on a bearing of 160°, I several times during +our ride fell in with the old track, and finally reached the camp after a +rapid ride of four hours. I found the whole party had arrived the +previous evening with the water, as arranged; but that Mr. Kennedy was +absent, having set off that morning in search of water to the N. E. with +Corporal Macavoy, on two government horses, leaving word that he should +return by twelve o'clock. He did not return at that hour, however, and at +two I moved the party across the Bogan, and proceeded along open plains +towards the ponds at Duck Creek, with the intention of there refreshing +the cattle and horses, and awaiting more favourable weather. I previously +watered out of the half-boat, 106 bullocks, and gave a quart to each of +the horses. On the way, the heat was so intense that our three best and +strongest kangaroo dogs died, and it was not until 10 P. M. that the +drays reached the ponds where I had proposed to encamp. About an hour and +a half before, Mr. Kennedy also came in, having galloped the two horses +66 miles, and hurt both their backs, Macavoy being a heavy man. At 9 P. +M., therm. 80°, wet bulb, 68°. + +24TH JANUARY.--This morning I awoke completely blind, from ophthalmia, +and was obliged to have poultices laid on my eyes; several of the men +were also affected in the same manner. The exciting cause of this malady +in an organ presenting a moist surface was, obviously, the warm air +wholly devoid of moisture, and likely to produce the same effect until +the weather changed. At 9 P. M., therm. 84°, with wet bulb, 68°. + + + +Chapter II. + +SEND TO NYINGAN FOR LEECHES.--BETTER PONDS FOUND TO THE NORTHEAST.--MOVE +TO THE PONDS OF CANNONBÀ AND SET UP OUR BIVOUAC.--HOT WIND.--HEAT GREATER +THAN MY TABLE FOR EXPANSION OF MERCURY WAS CALCULATED FOR.--PIPER'S +INTENTION TO QUIT THE PARTY.--HIS SENT TO BATHURST.--WEATHER CHANGES.-- +RAIN.--MR. KENNEDY RETURNS FROM THE MACQUARIE.--SALT MADE FROM THE SALT +PLANT.--RECONNOITRE "DUCK CREEK."--THE PARTY QUITS CANNONBÀ--CROSSES +PLAINS TO MARRA CREEK--AND THENCE TO THE RIVER MACQUARIE.--OPHTHALMIA +STILL TROUBLESOME.--APPROACH OF A FLOOD ANNOUNCED.--ITS ARRIVAL IN CLEAR +MOONLIGHT.--MR. KINGHORNE GUIDES THE PARTY ALONG THE REEDY BANKS.--NO +WATER FOUND IN "DUCK CREEK."--DIFFICULTY OF WATERING THE CATTLE FROM +SOFTNESS OF THE BANKS OF PONDS AMONGST THE REEDS.--"YULLIYALLY," A +NATIVE, GUIDES THE PARTY.--NEW PLANTS DISCOVERED.--DESCRIPTION OF OUR +NATIVE GUIDE.--CONDITION OF HIS COUNTRYMEN.--HOW AFFECTED BY THE +INTRUSION OF THE WHITE RACE.--AT LENGTH EMERGE FROM THE REEDS.--WATER +SCARCE.--NECESSITY FOR PRESERVING ABORIGINAL NAMES OF RIVERS.--DELAYED BY +STRAY BULLOCKS SEVERAL DAYS.--AT LENGTH ARRIVE AT THE JUNCTION OF THE +RIVER WITH THE DARLING.--CROSS THE MACQUARIE NEAR ITS JUNCTION--AND FORD +THE DARLING AT WYÀBRY. + +25TH JANUARY.--Dr. Stephenson having recommended the application of +leeches, and having observed them in the ponds at Nyingan, I sent William +Baldock and Yuranigh there in search of some, and they brought back +enough. Fourteen were applied to my eyes the same afternoon. The ground +here was quite naked; it was, in fact, the blue clay of the Darling, with +the same sterile looking plants; and no time was to be lost in seeking +some ponds where there might be also good grass for the cattle. Therm. at +sunrise, 97°; at noon, 100°; at 9 P.M. 90°; with wet bulb, 71°. + +26TH JANUARY.--I sent Corporal Graham with Piper, in a N. E. direction to +where we had observed the light of burning woods reflected from a cloudy +sky last evening; considering that a sure indication that water was near, +as natives are seldom found where there is none. He returned early with +the welcome tidings that he had found abundance of water in a creek about +five miles off, and excellent grass upon its banks. My eyes were so far +recovered that I could observe the altitude of a star, thus ascertaining +the latitude of this camp to be 31° 20' 20" S. Therm. at sunrise, 85°; at +noon, 112°; at 9 P.M. 84°; with wet bulb, 70°. + +27TH JANUARY.--The whole party moved to the ponds called "Cannonbà" by +the natives. There we found greater abundance of water and better grass +than we had seen near water during the whole journey, and I determined to +halt for at least two weeks, as part of the time I had previously +intended to devote to the repose and refreshment of the cattle, when we +should have reached the Darling. The cattle and their drivers had been +much harassed, and both needed and deserved rest. The horses had got out +of condition, and I considered that when we arrived at the Darling their +services would be more required. I was also to try the experiment here, +whether I might prosecute the journey without danger of losing my +eyesight; to have abandoned the undertaking at that point, had been +almost as painful to me as the other alternative. There were no hostile +natives here, the fire having been set up by some solitary gins; rain was +daily to be expected, at least cooler weather would certainly come in a +short time; the wheels of the drays had been long represented to me as +needing a thorough repair, from the effect of the heat on the wheels;-- +and, upon the whole, I considered it very fortunate that we could encamp +under such circumstances on so favourable a spot. We placed our tents +amongst shady bushes--set up the blacksmith's forge, and soon all hands +were at work in their various avocations, whilst the cattle and horses +enjoyed the fresh grass, leisure to eat it, and abundance of water. + +Amongst the bushes here, a HAKEA, with simple filiform mucronulate leaves +without flower, occurred, loaded with oblong hard galls resembling dry +plums. Also the SENECIO CUNNINGHAMI (D.C.), found by Allan Cunningham on +the shores of Lake George. Mr. Stephenson discovered here a very pretty +new TRICHINIUM, with heads of hoary pink flowers. [* T. SEMILANATUM +(Lindl. MS.); ramosa, pubescens, ramulis, angulatis, foliis linearibus +acutis noveillis villosis, capitulis paucifloris hemisphericis, rachi +densè bracteis uninerviis acutis scpalisque angustis plumosis parcè +lanatis.] + +I learnt from the natives that this creek also joined the Bogan, +consequently that the real Duck Creek must either be still to the N. E. +of us, or be a branch out of this. At all events, the creek surveyed by +Larmer is thus proved to have been a discovery of his, and a most useful +one it has thus proved to us on this emergency. That chain of ponds +(whence we had just come) was called Bellaringa; this "Cannonbà;" and to +what I suppose must be Duck Creek, water to which the natives point +northward, they give the name of "Marra." Therm. at sunrise, 78°; at +noon, 115°; at 4 P.M. 96°; at 9, 88°; with wet bulb, 73°. + +28TH JANUARY.--Several kettles, a good spade, a Roman balance with large +chain complete, barrels, and other articles, were found at the bottom of +one of the ponds; and old tracks of cattle were numerous about the banks. +Thus it was clear that this favourable spot for a cattle station had not +been unheeded by the white man. It was vaguely asserted by some old gins +seen by Piper, that three men had been killed here when the place was +abandoned. We were about twelve or fourteen miles to the W.N.W. of Mount +Harris; and certainly the general bed of this watercourse was broader +than that of the Bogan, and moreover contained much granitic sand, all +but identifying its sources with those of the Macquarie. This day was +very hot; a thunder cloud passed over us, and a shower fell about 3 P.M. +Thermometer at sunrise, 78°; at noon, 115°; at 4 P.M. 108°; at 9, 84°; +with wet bulb, 63°. + +29TH JANUARY.--A more than usually hot wind raised the thermometer to +115° in the shade; but distant thunder was soon heard, and the horizon +became clouded. The day was very sultry, and although no rain fell near +us, it was evident that other parts to the north-east were receiving a +heavy shower. Thermometer at sunset, 102°. + +30TH JANUARY.--An easterly wind brought a refreshing air from the quarter +where the thunder-cloud had exhausted itself last evening. This day the +doctor found the tree mentioned as bearing a nondescript fruit in my +former journal, Vol. I. page 82., but this tree bore neither flower nor +fruit. Thermometer at sunrise, 80°; at noon, 103°; at 4 P.M., 108°; at 9, +100 ½°; with wet bulb, 79°. + +31ST JANUARY.--The weather still very sultry. I commenced a series of +observations with a syphon barometer (made by Bunten of Paris). The table +for expansion of mercury and mean dilatation of glass, sent me by my +friend Captain P. P. King, came but to 88° of Fahrenheit, whereas at 4 +P.M., the centigrade thermometer stood at 44½°, which is equal to 112° of +Fahrenheit. + +This day I was apprised of Piper's intention to leave the party, taking +with him the two younger and more useful natives. He had recently made +some very unreasonable demands. It was now obvious from various sayings +and doings thus brought to my recollection, that he had never any serious +intention of accompanying this expedition throughout its progress. The +services of other more intelligent natives might easily have been +obtained, having been proffered by many in the settled districts, but +Piper from having been with me before, was preferred as a matter of +course. He had not improved in speech or manners during the long interval +of ten years that had elapsed since our former acquaintance, although +during that time he had visited Adelaide, Sydney, Moreton Bay, the river +Hunter, etc., etc. From the day on which he had joined the party on this +last occasion, he had been allowed a horse, saddle, doublebarrelled gun, +clothing, and the same rations as the other men, blankets, place in a +tent with the men, etc. Unlike most other natives, he was a very bad +shot, and very awkward about a horse; it was impossible to obtain any +clear intelligence from his countrymen through him as interpreter; he +went very unwillingly about doing anything. He had drawn his rations and +those of the two young natives separately from the men's mess the week +before this, on the plea that they did not obtain their fair share; he +was thus premeditately preparing for his clandestine departure, +foreseeing that on the Saturday, when rations were issued, he could thus +obtain a week's provisions in advance, without suspicion. He also had it +in his power, like a true savage, to take the lion's share from the other +two, in thus drawing rations apart from the men's mess. He had heard of +the gins who had made the conflagration having retired towards the +cattle-stations on the Macquarie. Here, then, while other men were +actively at their work,--blacksmiths, carpenters, bullock-drivers,--this +man, who was as well fed and clothed as they, carried on a horse to boot, +and doing no work, was the only dissatisfied person. Me, whom he called +his "old master," he would heartlessly leave, without a native guide, +just at the time when such guides were most required. The only difficulty +I felt on this occasion was how to secure the services of the two others, +and yet dismiss him. He had just received a week's ration in advance, and +he was baking the whole of the flour into bread. I sent to have him +instantly seized, and brought with the dough and the other native, +Yuranigh, before Mr. Kennedy and myself, as magistrates. He denied the +intention to decamp. The other declared he had proposed to him to leave +the party and go in search of gins, and that he could not understand him; +that he was afraid to accompany Piper in a country so far from his own +home (Buree). On this I ordered Piper to be sent to Bathurst, and the +rations he was about to carry off, to be given to the other two, and that +he should be kept apart from them during the night. Thermometer at +sunrise, 85°; at noon, 111°; at 4 P.M., 112°; at 9, 101°;--with wet bulb, +78°. + +1ST FEBRUARY.--This morning Piper was sent off with Corporal Graham. Mr. +Kennedy rode on also in order to find out the nearest police station, and +make arrangements, if possible, there, for forwarding Piper to Bathurst, +his own district, which would put it out of his power to molest the party +by endeavouring to induce the other natives to leave it. On them this +measure appeared to have a salutary effect, Yuranigh calmly observing +that Piper had only himself to blame for what had befallen him, and that +he had acted like a fool. Mr. Kennedy undertook also to obtain, if he +could, some more kangaroo dogs to replace those which had died from +excessive heat. By that loss our party was left almost without dogs; and +dogs were useful not only to kill kangaroos and emus, but to afford +protection from, or to give notice of, nightly attacks by the natives, in +which attacks those on that part of the Darling we were approaching, had +been rather too successful against various armed parties of whites. +Thermometer at sunrise, 88°; at noon, 104°; at 4 P.M., 106°; at 9 P.M., +88°;--with wet bulb, 76°. + +2ND FEBRUARY.--The setting sun descended on a blue stratus cloud which +appeared along the edge of all other parts of the horizon, and eagerly +watching any indication of a change, I drew even from this a presage of +rain. Thermometer at sunrise, 88°; at noon, 104°; at 4 P.M., 106; at 9, +88°;--with wet bulb, 72°. + +3RD FEBRUARY.--High winds whistled among the trees this morning, and dark +clouds of stratus appeared in the sky. A substantial shower fell about 9 +A.M., and the horizon was gradually shut in by clouds of nimbus. The high +wind had blown steadily from north both yesterday and this morning, and +in the same quarter a thunder cloud seemed busy. But when the rain began +to fall, the wind shifted to the S.W., from which quarter the rain seemed +to come. With it came a very peculiar smell, which I had noticed near +Mount Arapiles in 1836, about the time of the commencement of the rainy +weather there; and nothing could have been more welcome to us now, than +the prospect of rain, and the decided change in the temperature from 115° +to 73°. This was almost the first day during a month in which the air had +not been warmer than our blood; often had it been greater than fever +heat, so that 73° felt to us as cool as 50° would have been to a resident +of Sydney. Much rain did not fall at our camp, but it seemed that rain +was falling about the sources of the Bogan and other places at which a +supply of water was indispensable to enable us to proceed. At sunset, +glimpses of a clear sky appeared about the horizon, and during the night +the moon and stars came forth, and destroyed all hopes of more rain. We +were thankful, however, for the relief afforded by what had fallen, which +had lowered the temperature about 40 degrees, and enabled us to enjoy a +night of refreshing rest. Thermometer at sunrise, 85°; at noon, 80°; at 4 +P.M., 73°; at 9, 68°;--with wet bulb, 67°. + +4TH FEBRUARY.--The morning dawned in a most serene sky, with refreshing +breezes from the south, and the thermometer at 61°. This day we had +completed the repair of the wheels of half the drays. Many of the tire- +rings had been cut, rewelded, and again fixed and bolted on the wheels; +the wood of these having contracted so much in the intense heat, as to +have rendered these repairs indispensable. The same repairs were required +by the wheels of the remaining drays and those of the light carts, and +the smith and wheelwright continued their work with activity and zeal. +Meanwhile the cattle were daily regaining strength and vigour for another +effort. Thermometer at sunrise, 61°; at noon, 89°; at 4 P.M., 89°; at 9, +72°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +5TH FEBRUARY.--This morning the mercurial column stood higher than I had +yet observed it here, and clouds of cirrus lay in long streaks across the +sky, ranging from east to west, but these were most abundant towards the +northern horizon. The day was comparatively cool and pleasant, the +thermometer never having risen above 96°. By 6 P.M., the barometer had +fallen nearly four millimetres, and even upon this apparently trivial +circumstance, I could build some hope of rain; such was my anxiety for a +change of weather at that time, when the earth was so parched as not only +to preclude our travelling, but almost to deprive us of sight. +Thermometer at sunrise, 60°; at noon, 94°; at 4 P.M., 96°; at 9, 73°; +with wet bulb, 64°. + +6TH FEBRUARY.--Dark stratus-shaped clouds wholly covered the sky, and +shut out the sun, to my unspeakable delight. A most decided change seemed +to have taken place; still the barometer remained as low as on the +previous evening. A slight breeze from south-east changed to north, and +at about 7 A.M. the rain began to fall. Clouds of nimbus closed on the +woody horizon, and we had a day of rain. In the evening the barometer had +fallen still lower, and it was probable that the rain might continue +through the night. Range of thermometer from 74° to 72°. + +7TH FEBRUARY.--Some heavy showers fell during the night, and the +mercurial column stood exactly at the same point as on the last evening. +About 10 A.M. a very heavy shower fell, after which the sun broke +through, and the mass of vapour separated into vast clouds of nimbus. +Much rain seemed to be still falling in the east, where the Macquarie, +Bogan, and other rivers had their sources. At noon, the barometer had +risen one millimetre. The rain had penetrated the clay soil of the plains +about five inches. + +Mr. Kennedy returned in the afternoon, having duly provided for Piper's +conveyance by the mounted police to Bathurst, and brought back a good +bull-dog, and also some useful information respecting the various water- +courses, and the river Macquarie, which he had gathered from the natives +about the stations along the banks of that river. Thermometer at sunrise, +74°; at noon, 86°; at 4 P.M., 90°; at 9, 80°;--with wet bulb, 75°. + +8TH FEBRUARY.--The moisture recently imbibed by the earth and air made us +much more sensible of the high temperature in which we had been living, +although it had been reduced by the late rains. The night air, +especially, breathed no refreshing coolness as heretofore during the dry +heat. The drier earth below seemed to be steaming the wet soil above it +(as Brown, our cook, justly observed). Thermometer at sunrise, 80°; at +noon, 96°; at 4 P.M., 95°; at 9, 80°;--with wet bulb, 75°. + +9TH FEBRUARY.--The leisure we enjoyed at this camp, enabled us to bestow +more attention on the vegetable and animal productions of these +remarkable plains, than had been given during my former journey. It +appeared that the saltwort plants, which were numerous, were not only +efficacious in keeping the cattle that fed on them in the best possible +condition; but as wholly preventing cattle and sheep from licking clay, a +vicious habit to which they are so prone, that grassy runs in the higher +country nearer Sydney are sometimes abandoned only on account of the +"licking holes" they contain. It is chiefly to take off that taste for +licking the saline clay, that rock-salt is in such request for sheep, +lumps of it being laid in their pens for this purpose. At all events, it +is certain that by this licking of clay both sheep and cattle are much +injured in health and condition, losing their appetite for grass, and +finally passing clay only, as may be seen near such places. In the salt +plants on these plains, nature has amply provided for this taste of these +large herbivora for salt. Our sheep nibbled at the mesembryanthemum, and +the cattle ate greedily of various bushes whereof the leaf was sensibly +salt to the taste. The colour of the leaves of such bushes is usually a +very light bluish green, and there are many species. That with the +largest leaves, called salt-bush by stockmen, and by Dr. Brown RHAGODIA +PARABOLICA, was very useful as a vegetable after extracting the salt +sufficiently from it. This we accidentally discovered from some +experiments made by Mr. Stephenson, for the purpose of ascertaining the +proportion of salt contained in the leaves. The leaves contained as much +as a twentieth part of salt, nearly two ounces having been obtained from +two pounds of the leaves.[*] We also found that after twice boiling the +leaves a few minutes in water to extract the salt, and then an hour in a +third water, the leaves formed a tender and palatable vegetable, somewhat +resembling spinach. As the superior excellence of these runs for +fattening cattle is admitted on all hands, as compared with others more +abundant in grass on the eastern side of the great range, would it not be +advisable for the colonists to cultivate this salt-supplying bush, and +thereby to produce a vegetable substitute for the rock salt, which is not +only expensive, but only a very imperfect remedy for the clay-licking +propensities of sheep and cattle on many runs? Thermometer at sunrise, +70°; at noon, 94°; at 4 P.M., 98°; at 9, 86°;--with wet bulb, 75°. + +[* The process of Mr. Stephenson was as follows:--"Two pounds of the +green leaf were boiled in eight quarts of water for half an hour, then +strained and evaporated nearly to dryness. The mass was then submitted to +a red heat for half an hour. The residuum was next digested in one pint +of water, filtered, and again evaporated to six ounces. It was then +exposed to the sun's rays, which completed the desiccation; crystals of a +cubic shape having previously been formed."] + +10TH FEBRUARY.--This morning the natives caught, in a hollow tree, an +animal apparently of the same genus as the DIPUS MITCHELLII, and which +seemed to live solely on vegetables. The barometer had fallen three +millimetres last evening, and by noon this day it had declined three +more. A fresh breeze blew from N. N. E., and at 2 P.M. a dark thunder +cloud came from the S. S. W. and passed over the camp. The thunder was +very loud, the lightning close and vivid; the wind for some time high, +and rain heavy. The sky was, however, clear by 4 P.M., except in the N. +E. where the thunder continued. Thermometer at sunrise, 75°. + +11TH FEBRUARY.--The real "Duck Creek" was still to the northeastward of +our camp, as Mr. Kennedy had ascertained when on the Macquarie. I hoped +to find in it water sufficient at least to serve the party halting on it +one night, on its way to the Macquarie, by which line alone I was now +convinced water enough might be obtained to supply the party until it +could arrive at the Darling; I therefore rode this day to examine it, +with the elder native. I followed the bearing of N. N. E. from our camp, +a direction in which it was likely to be met with, so as equally to +divide the journey of the drays to the Macquarie, into two days. I +crossed plains covered with luxuriant crops of very rich grass, and at +length obtained a sight of Mount Foster bearing east. I reached Duck +Creek (that of Sturt), or the "Marra" of the natives, ascertained by the +bearing of Mount Foster, the native name of which is Narrab. I examined +the bed of the Marra downwards for about two miles, without seeing +therein the least indication of water, and returned to the camp fully +resolved to proceed next day to the Macquarie, so as to reach it a little +way below Mount Foster, a distance in that direction rather too great for +the cattle to travel over in one day. Thermometer at sunrise, 59°; at +noon, 73°; at 4 P.M., 76°; at 9, 61°;--with wet bulb, 57°. From an +average of twenty-five observations of the mercurial column, the height +of this station has been determined to be 566 English feet above the +level of the sea. + +12TH FEBRUARY.--We broke up our encampment on Cannonbà ponds, where we +had greatly recruited ourselves, both men and cattle, and crossing the +channel of the water-course near our camping ground, we travelled over +open grassy plains towards the river Macquarie. At thirteen miles we +reached the western branch of Duck Creek, or "Marra," a name by which it +is universally known to natives and stockmen. Of this we crossed several +branches, from which it would appear as if the name was derived from that +of the hand, which is the same, especially as natives sometimes hold up +the hand and extend the fingers, when they would express that a river has +various branches or sources. I went on with an advanced party towards the +Macquarie, and encamped on the bank of that river at 5 P. M. The thick +grass, low forests of yarra trees, and finally the majestic blue gum +trees along the river margin, reminded me of the northern rivers seen +during my journey of 1831. Still even the bed of this was dry, and I +found only two water holes on examining the channel for two miles. One of +these was, however, deep, and we encamped near it, surrounded by +excellent grass in great abundance. The Macquarie, like other Australian +rivers, has a peculiar character, and this was soon apparent in the reeds +and lofty yarra trees growing on reedy plats, and not, as usual in other +rivers, on the edge of water-worn banks. The channel was here deep and +dry. We found this day, in the scrubs by Marra Creek, the ACACIA +SALICINA, whereof the wood has a strong perfume resembling violets, also +a new small-leaved KOCHIA with intricate branches.[*] Thermometer at +sunrise, 47°; at 4 P. M., 77°; at 9, 57°;--with wet bulb, 56°. + +[* K. THYMIFOLIA (Lindl. MS.); fruticosa, ramosissima, ramulis intricatis +pubescentibus, foliis carnosis obtusis teretibus fructibusque glabris.] + +13TH FEBRUARY.--I was again laid up with the MALADIE DU PAYS--sore eyes. +Mr. Stephenson took a ride for me to the summit of Mount Foster, and to +various cattle stations about its base, with some questions to which I +required answers, about the river and stations on it lower down. But no +one could tell what the western side of the marshes was like, as no +person had passed that way; the country being more open on the eastern +side, where only the stations were situated; Mr. Kinghorne's at Gràway, +about five miles from our camp, being the lowest down on the west bank. +Mr. Stephenson returned early, having met two of the mounted police. To +my most important question--what water was to be found lower down in the +river--the reply was very satisfactory; namely, "plenty, and a FLOOD +COMING DOWN from the Turmountains." The two policemen said they had +travelled twenty miles with it, on the day previous, and that it would +still take some time to arrive near our camp. About noon the drays +arrived in good order, having been encamped where there was no water +about six miles short of our camp, the whole distance travelled, from +Cannonbà to the Macquarie, having been about nineteen miles. In the +afternoon two of the men taking a walk up the river, reported on their +return, that the flood poured in upon them when in the river bed, so +suddenly, that they narrowly escaped it. Still the bed of the Macquarie +before our camp continued so dry and silent, that I could scarcely +believe the flood coming to be real, and so near to us, who had been put +to so many shifts for want of water. Towards evening, I stationed a man +with a gun a little way up the river, with orders to fire on the flood's +appearance, that I might have time to run to the part of the channel +nearest to our camp, and witness what I had so much wished to see, as +well from curiosity as urgent need. The shades of evening came, however, +but no flood, and the man on the look-out returned to the camp. Some +hours later, and after the moon had risen, a murmuring sound like that of +a distant waterfall, mingled with occasional cracks as of breaking +timber, drew our attention, and I hastened to the river bank. By very +slow degrees the sound grew louder, and at length, so audible as to draw +various persons besides from the camp to the river-side. Still no flood +appeared, although its approach was indicated by the occasional rending +of trees with a loud noise. Such a phenomenon in a most serene moonlight +night was quite new to us all. At length, the rushing sound of waters and +loud cracking of timber, announced that the flood was in the next bend. +It rushed into our sight, glittering in the moonbeams, a moving cataract, +tossing before it ancient trees, and snapping them against its banks. It +was preceded by a point of meandering water, picking its way, like a +thing of life, through the deepest parts of the dark, dry, and shady bed, +of what thus again became a flowing river. By my party, situated as we +were at that time, beating about the country, and impeded in our journey, +solely by the almost total absence of water--suffering excessively from +thirst and extreme heat,--I am convinced the scene never can be +forgotten. Here came at once abundance, the product of storms in the far +off mountains, that overlooked our homes. My first impulse was to have +welcomed this flood on our knees, for the scene was sublime in itself, +while the subject--an abundance of water sent to us in a desert--greatly +heightened the effect to our eyes. Suffice it to say, I had witnessed +nothing of such interest in all my Australian travels. Even the heavens +presented something new, at least uncommon, and therefore in harmony with +this scene; the variable star ARGUS had increased to the first magnitude, +just above the beautiful constellation of the southern cross, which +slightly inclined over the river, in the only portion of sky seen through +the trees. That very red star, thus rapidly increasing in magnitude, +might, as characteristic of her rivers, be recognized as the star of +Australia, when Europeans cross the Line. The river gradually filled up +the channel nearly bank high, while the living cataract travelled onward, +much slower than I had expected to see it; so slowly, indeed, that more +than an hour after its first arrival, the sweet music of the head of the +flood was distinctly audible from my tent, as the murmur of waters, and +the diapason crash of logs, travelled slowly through the tortuous +windings of the river bed. I was finally lulled to sleep by that melody +of living waters, so grateful to my ear, and evidently so unwonted in the +dry bed of the thirsty Macquarie. Thermometer, at sunrise, 47°; at noon, +79°; at 4 P. M., 88°; at 9, 63°;--with wet bulb, 57°. + +14TH FEBRUARY.--The river had risen to within six feet of the top of the +banks, and poured its turbid waters along in fulness and strength, but no +longer with noise. All night that body of water had been in motion +downwards, and seemed to me enough to deluge the whole country to the +Darling, and correct at least any saltness in its waters, if stagnant; a +probability which had greatly reconciled me to the necessity for changing +the line of my intended route, as the waters above the junction of the +Castlereagh had never been known to become salt. We proceeded, falling +soon into a cart track which led us to Gràway, Mr. Kinghorne's +cattlestation, and we encamped about five miles beyond it, near a bend of +the river. We were already in the midst of reeds, but these had been so +generally burnt, that we had little difficulty in crossing those parts of +the marshes. The IMPERATA ARUNDINACEA, with its long head of white silky +flowers, was common, and a straggling naked branched species of dock, on +the parts unburnt. Thermometer at sunrise, 54°; at noon, 91°; at 4 P. M., +82°; at 9, 72°;--with wet bulb, 60°. Height above the level of the sea, +475 feet. + +15TH FEBRUARY.--Mr. Kinghorne obligingly accompanied me this day, and +guided us across arms of the marshy ground. I was very glad to have his +assistance, for I saw no line of trees as on other rivers, nor other +objects by which I could pursue its course or keep near its waters; trees +of the aquatic sort and reeds grew together. At one time nothing was +visible to the eastward but a vast sea of reeds extending to the horizon. +Where the long reeds remained unburnt, they presented a most formidable +impediment, especially to men on foot and sheep, and twenty of these got +astray as the party passed through. We encamped on a bank of rather firm +ground, in lat. 30° 53' 55" S. The grass was very rich on some parts of +open plains near the marshes, and the best was the PANICUM LOEVINODE of +Dr. Lindley, mentioned in my former journals[*] as having been found +pulled, and laid up in heaps for some purpose we could not then discover. +Mr. Kinghorne now informed me that it was called by the natives "coolly," +and that the gins gather it in great quantities, and pound the seeds +between stones with water, forming a kind of paste or bread; thus was +clearly explained the object of those heaps of this grass which we had +formerly seen on the banks of the Darling. There they had formed the +native's harvest field. There also I observed a brome grass, probably not +distinct from the BROODS AUSTRALIS of Brown; it called to mind the +squarrose brome grass of Europe. Thermometer at sunrise, 59°; at noon, +87°; at 4, 89°; at 9, 73°;--with wet bulb, 66°. + +[* Vol. i. p. 237.] + +16TH FEBRUARY.--Mr. Kinghorne set out with a man of our party to examine +Duck Creek, a native boy having told him that water was to be found in it +lower down. I sent back early this morning, our native, with the store- +keeper, some of the men, and the shepherd, to look for the lost sheep in +the reeds, and Yuranigh fortunately found them out, still not very far +from the spot where they had been separated from the rest of the flock. +Our greatest difficulty in these marshes was the watering of the cattle. +We had still the Macquarie at hand--deep, muddy, and stagnant--not above +thirty feet wide, the banks so very soft that men could scarcely approach +the water without sinking to the knees. We could water the horses with +buckets, but not the bullocks. The great labour of filling one of the +half-boats, and giving the cattle water by that means, was inevitable, +and this operation took up three hours of the morning; a wheel required +repair, the box having been broken yesterday. I for these reasons found +it advisable to halt this day, which I did very reluctantly. At sunset, +Mr. Kinghorne returned, having found no water in the "Marra," (Duck +Creek). + +Among the grasses growing among the reeds, we perceived the ANDROPOGON +SERICEUS and an ERIANTHUS, which appeared to differ from E. FULVUS in +having no hair upon the knees. The smooth variety of the European LYTHRUM +SALICARIA, raised its crimson spikes of flowers among the reeds of the +Macquarie, as it does in England on the banks of the Thames. We saw also +MORGANIA FLORIBUNDA, SENECIO BRACHYLOENUS (D. C.), a variety with toothed +leaves, also a BRACHYCOME resembling B. HETERODONTA, only the leaves were +entire. A new species of LOTUS appeared among the reeds, very near the +narrow-leaved form of L. AUSTRALIS on the one hand, and the South +European narrow-leaved form of L. CORNICULATUS on the other; the flowers +were pink, and smaller than in L. AUSTRALIS.[*] Also an ETHULIA [**], +which may, on further examination, constitute a new genus; it was found +by Allan Cunningham on the Lachlan. Thermometer at sunrise, 54°; at noon, +86°; at 4 P.M., 84°; at 9, 61°;--with wet bulb, 54°. + +[* L. LAEVIGATUS (Benth. MS.); subglaber glaucescens, foliolis linearibus +v. lineari-cuneatis vix acutatis, pedunculis folio longioribus 3--6- +floris, calycis subsessilis appresse pubescentis dentibus setaceo- +acuminatis tubo suo paullo longioribus, legumine recto tereti glabro.] + +[** ETHULIA CUNNINGHAMI (Hooker MS.); glaberrima, caule dichotomo, foliis +oblongis sessilibus dentato-serratis, capitulis paucis corymbosis +globosis, involucri squamis oblongis imbricatis viridibus, pappo e setis +paucis brevibus.] + +17TH FEBRUARY.--The party moved off early, and Mr. Kinghorne having shown +me a few miles more of the best ground between the scrubs and reeds, went +towards a cattle station beyond the Macquarie, where a belt of open +forest separated the reeds and enabled him to pass. He prevailed on a +native whom he met with there to come with him to me, and to guide me to +water until I reached the Bàrwan. This native at first seemed rather +afraid of our numerous party, but our own native, Yuranigh, endeavoured +by every means to make him at ease, and to induce him to remain with us. +He guided us this day by fine open ground westward of the marshes, to a +part of the Macquarie where the banks were solid enough to admit of the +cattle drinking. The name was Bilgawàngara; I reached the spot early, but +at sunset no drays had come up. At length I was informed that such was +the softness of the soil, that the drays had sank frequently, that two +were fast in one place, four in another, and that two of the bullocks +were astray. The marshes were said to be just then occupied by some angry +tribes, of whom Mr. Kinghorne had warned me to be on my guard. The +patience necessary to any traveller depending on bullocks and bullock +drivers, I then thought ought to exceed that of Job. Our native guide was +very shy, and Yuranigh feared he meant to "bolt." We depended on him for +finding water--on our own native for finding bullocks; but it would not +have done then to have sent him away. The weather might change, and these +marshes become impassable; indeed, we were as much at the mercy of +Providence in this respect as the Israelites were in the bed of the Red +Sea. It depended on the weather whether we should deserve to be +considered Jews or Egyptians. The teams came in about midnight, after the +moon had risen, by which the drivers were enabled to see my track. Lat. +30° 45' 55" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 48°; at noon, 85°; at 4 P.M., 88°; +at 9, 60°;--with wet bulb, 54°. + +18TH FEBRUARY.--Two bullocks were still astray some miles behind, and the +iron axle of one of the drays having got bent, required repair. The +cattle, I was told, were so jaded, as to be unable to make a day's +journey without more rest, and I was again obliged to halt. One only of +the two lost bullocks was found, and for this one we were indebted to +little Dicky, a native only ten years of age, whom the big fool who had +lost them was at some trouble to coax to go and assist him in the search, +as Yuranigh could not be spared from the more important duty of +entertaining our less civilised guide, and preventing him from making his +escape. It must, indeed, appear strange to these people of the soil, that +the white man who brought such large animals as oxen with them into the +country, should be unable to find them without the assistance of a mere +child of their own race. Dicky had soon found both, but one of them being +young and wild, escaped again amongst the tall reeds. + +In the rich soil near the river bed, we saw the yellowish flowers of the +native tobacco, NICOTIANA SUAVEOLEUS, the MINURIA HETEROPHYLLA (D.C.), +found by Allan Cunningham near the Lachlan, and a FUGOSIA near F. +DIGITATA of Senegambia. In the scrub we found a fine new silvery ATRIPLEX +with broad rounded leaves and strings of circular toothed fruits.[*] +Thermometer at sunrise, 53°; at noon, 93°; at 4 P.M., 96°; at 9, 67°;-- +with wet bulb 59°. + +[* A. NUMMULARIA (Lindl. MS.); caule suffruticoso glabro ramoso, foliis +alternis ovato-subrotundis integerrimis petiolatis basi cuneatis utrinque +argenteis, floribus monoïcis, spicis longis pendulis, bracteis +subrotundis dentatis basi connatis.] + +19TH FEBRUARY.--We set off early, guided by our native friend. He was a +very perfect specimen of the GENUS HOMO, and such as never is to be seen, +except in the precincts of savage life, undegraded by any scale of +graduated classes, and the countless bars these present to the free +enjoyment of existence. His motions in walking were more graceful than +can be imagined by any who have only seen those of the draped and shod +animal. The deeply set yet flexible spine; the taper form of the limbs; +the fulness yet perfect elasticity of the GLUTEI muscles. The hollowness +of the back, and symmetrical balance of the upper part of the torso, +ornamented as it was, like a piece of fine carving, with raised +scarifications most tastefully placed; such were some of the +characteristics of this perfect "piece of work." Compared with it, the +civilised animal, when considered merely in the light of a specimen in +natural history, how inferior! In vain might we look amongst thousands of +that class, for such teeth; such digestive powers; for such organs of +sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling; for such powers of running, +climbing, or walking; for such full enjoyment of the limpid water, and of +all that nature provides for her children of the woods. Such health and +exemption from disease; such intensity of existence, in short, must be +far beyond the enjoyments of civilised men, with all that art can do for +them; and the proof of this is to be found in the failure of all attempts +to persuade these free denizens of uncultivated earth to forsake it for +the tilled ground. They prefer the land unbroken and free from the +earliest curse pronounced against the first banished and first created +man. The only kindness we could do for them, would be to let them and +their wide range of territory alone; to act otherwise and profess good- +will is but hypocrisy. We cannot occupy the land without producing a +change, fully as great to the aborigines, as that which took place on +man's fall and expulsion from Eden. They have hitherto lived utterly +ignorant of the necessity for wearing fig leaves, or the utility of +ploughs; and in this blissful state of ignorance they would, no doubt, +prefer to remain. We bring upon them the punishments due to original sin, +even before they know the shame of nakedness. Such were the reflections +suggested to my mind by the young savage as he tripped on lightly before +me by the side of his two half-civilised brethren of our party, who, +muffled up in clothes, presented a contrast by no means in favour of our +pretensions to improve and benefit their race. Yet our faithful Yuranigh +was all that could be wished. He was assiduously making to the stranger +such explanations of our wants and purposes, as induced him to conduct us +in the direction these required. He led us, thus admonished, over those +parts of the country most favourable for the passage of wheels. The +rosewood acacia was abundant, but many parts were covered with most +luxuriant grass. We encamped on the edge of a salt-bush plain, where +there was a small pond of water left by the last rains on a clay surface. +There was certainly enough for ourselves and horses, but it appeared that +our guide had greatly underrated the capacity for water, of our hundred +bullocks. For these, however, there was superb grass to the westward, and +a little dew fell on it during the night. Thermometer at sunrise, 59°; at +noon, 102°; at 4 P. M., 104°; at 9, 77°;--with wet bulb, 65°. + +20TH FEBRUARY.--From the necessity for obtaining water as soon as +possible for the bullocks, we travelled over ground which was rather +soft, otherwise our guide would have pursued a course more to the +westward, and over a firmer surface. We, at length, crossed two narrow +belts of reeds not more than twenty feet across, and had the great +satisfaction to learn from him that these were the last of the reeds. A +shallow creek appeared soon thereafter on our right, in which our guide +had expected to find water, but was disappointed; cattle having recently +drank up there, what had been a large pond when he was there formerly. He +showed us the recent prints of numerous cloven feet, and thus we were +made to feel, in common with the aborigines, those privations to which +they are exposed by the white man's access to their country. On +proceeding some miles further, our guide following down the channel, he +at length appeared at a distance making the motions of stooping to bathe, +on which Yuranigh immediately said "He has found plenty of water;" and +there, in fact, our guide had found two large ponds. They were still in +the attenuated channel of the Macquarie, here called by them Wámmerawá, +the course of which river is continuous throughout the marshes; and +marked by some high reeds greener than the rest, even when the reeds may +have been generally burnt. These reeds are distinctly different from the +"balyan," growing on the marshy parts of the rivers Lachlan, +Murrumbidgee, and Millewà; the former being a cane or bamboo, the latter +a bulrush, affording, in its root, much nutritious gluten. We found good +grass for the cattle on both sides of the water-course, which was fringed +with a few tall reeds, near which the pretty little KOCHIA BREVIFOLIA +observed at Mudá on the Bogan, again occurred. The native name of the +spot was "Warranb." The soft earth had again impeded the drays; the teams +of two came in at twilight, an axle of one dray having been damaged; the +six others were brought up in the course of the evening. Thermometer at +sunrise, 60°; at 4 P. M., 103°; at 9, 78°;--with wet bulb, 68°. + +21ST FEBRUARY.--The first thing done this morning was to send back cattle +to draw forward the dray with a bent axle, to the camp, that it might be +repaired. This was done so as to enable the party to continue the journey +by 1 P. M. The barometer was going down at a rate which was alarming +enough, considering what our position must have been there in a flood, or +even after a heavy fall of rain. I therefore pressed forward with the +light carts, and guided by the native. He brought us at 5 P. M. to +"Willery," the place where he had expected to find water; but here again, +he had been anticipated by cattle, which had drunk up all, and trodden +the ponds as dry as a market-place. He gave us no hopes of finding water +that night, nor until we could reach the Bàrwan, then distant, I was +quite sure, at least twenty-four miles, according to the latitude +observed (30° 19' 54" South). We encamped here, and I sent back +directions that the drays should at once halt, taking their places beside +the leading dray, and that the cattle should be driven back in the +morning to be watered at the last camp (Warranb), and then to return and +follow in my track. Mr. Drysdale, the storekeeper, had also to go back to +serve out a week's rations to the party with the drays, and he returned +to my camp by 2 A. M., in the moonlight, bringing, on the horse of the +former messenger, rations for my party. Here we found the KERAUDRENIA +INTEGRIFOLIA. Thermometer at sunrise, 70°; at noon, 105°; at 9, 83°;-- +with wet bulb, 57°. + +22D FEBRUARY.--My guide was now desirous that I should cross the +Macquarie, to open plains which he represented to be much more favourable +for wheel carriages; but I endeavoured to explain to him, by drawing +lines in the clay surface, how the various rivers beyond would cross and +impede my journey to the Bàrwan. There were the Castlereagh, Morissett's +Ponds, and the Nammoy.[* If Arrowsmith's map had been correct, which it +was not, for the Nammoy joins the Darling separately, at least fifty +miles higher than the junction of the Castlereagh.] + +An instance occurred here of the uselessness of new names, and the +necessity for preserving the native names of Rivers. I could refer, in +communicating with our guide, to the Nammoy only, and to the hills which +partly supplied the Castlereagh, whereof the native name was +Wallambangle. I wanted to make them understand the probability that some +flood had come down the channel of the Castlereagh, and that we might +therefore hope to find water below its junction with the Macquarie. This, +with the aid of Yuranigh, our own native, was at length made intelligible +to our Bàrwan guide, and he shaped his course accordingly. He took us +through scrubs, having in the centre those holes where water usually +lodges for some time after rain, where some substratum of clay happens to +be retentive enough to impede the common absorption. But the water in +these holes had been recently drunk, and the mud trampled into hard clay +by the hoofs of cattle. Thus it is, that the aborigines first become +sensible of the approach of the white man. These retired spots, where +nature was wont to supply enough for their own little wants, are well +known to the denizens of the bush. Each locality has a name, and such +places are frequented by helpless females with their children, or by the +most peaceably disposed natives with their families. There they can exist +apart from belligerent tribes, such as assemble on large rivers. Cattle +find these places and come from stations often many miles distant, +attracted by the rich verdure usually growing about them, and by thus +treading the water into mud, or by drinking it up, they literally destroy +the whole country for the aborigines, and thereby also banish from it the +kangaroos, emus, and other animals on which they live. I felt much more +disgusted than the poor natives, while they were thus exploring in vain +every hollow in search of water for our use, that our "cloven foot" +should appear everywhere. The day was extremely hot, which usually +happened to be the case whenever we were obliged to experience the want +of water. The thermometer under a tree stood at 110°. The store-keeper +was taken ill with vertigo. Our bull-dog perished in the heat, and the +fate of the cattle, still a day's journey behind us, and of the sheep, +which had not drunk for two days, were subjects of much anxiety to me at +that time. It may, therefore, be imagined with what pleasure I at length +saw before me large basins of water in the channel of the Macquarie, when +I next approached the banks, after a journey at a good pace for six hours +and a half. We had made it below the junction of Morissett's Ponds, and +found that a recent flood had filled its channel with water. The natives +dived into it to cure their headaches, as they said, and seemed to go +completely under water, in order to take a cool drink. We had reached the +united channel of the Macquarie and Morissett's Ponds, and were at an +easy day's journey only distant from the junction with the BÀRWAN or +"Darling." The use of the aboriginal name of this river is indispensable +amongst the squatters along its banks, who do not appear to know it to be +the "Darling." It is most desirable to restore to such rivers their +proper names as early as possible after they have been ascertained, were +it only to enable strangers thereby to avail themselves of the +intelligence and assistance of the natives, in identifying the country by +means of the published maps. The river Castlereagh is known to the +natives as the Barr; Morissett's Ponds, as the Wàwill; and the lower part +of the Macquarie, as the Wammerawà. The squatting system of occupation +requires still more that the native names of rivers should be known to +commissioners empowered to parcel out unsurveyed regions of vast extent, +whereof the western limits would be, indeed, beyond their reach or +control, but for the line of an angry savage population, which line the +squatter dares not to cross unsupported by an armed mounted police. +Thermometer at sunrise, 59°; at noon, 110°; at 4 P. M., 107°; at 9, 89°; +--with wet bulb 72°. + +23RD FEBRUARY.--The drays did not come up, nor was any intelligence of +them received at our camp until late in the afternoon, when a man I had +sent back in the morning to tell the drivers to halt in good time to send +forward the cattle by daylight along my track to the water, brought me +word that he left them on the way ten miles off about eleven in the +morning. This man (Smith) also brought forward the sheep with him. They +had not drank for two nights, and ran skipping and baaing to the water, +as soon as they saw it. The heat of this day and yesterday was excessive, +a hot wind blowing hard all the time. Among the scrub on the banks of the +Macquarie, a salt plant belonging to the genus SCLEROLOENA was remarked; +it was perhaps not distinct from S. UNIFLORA. The GOODENIA GENICULATA +overran the ground, with its strawberry-like runners, and yellow flowers. +Latitude, 30° 12' 56" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 75°; at noon, 105°; at 4 +P.M., 94°; at 9, 73°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +24TH FEBRUARY.--Some of the teams came up, having been out all night. The +drivers brought me word that they had been detached at twilight to come +six miles; the night was very dark; of course they could not see my +track, and as a matter equally of course, the spare bullocks had strayed +from them. Such were the almost daily recurring causes of delay by the +bullock drivers on this journey. Here, within a day's journey (thirteen +miles) of the Bàrwan, I was compelled to halt thus several days, and +really the prospect of performing so long a journey with such drivers +seemed almost hopeless. Thermometer at sunrise, 59°; at noon, 80°; at 4 +P.M., 85°; at 9, 64°;--with wet bulb, 59°. + +25TH FEBRUARY.--In the evening, the carpenter brought in ten of the stray +bullocks; four were still wanting, and I dispatched Mortimer, a bullock +driver, and the carpenter to show him where he had last left the track of +the animals still astray; both were mounted. Thermometer at sunrise, 53°; +at noon, 90°; at 4 P.M., 94°; at 9, 79°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +26TH FEBRUARY.--Mortimer came in early, saying he had found only one of +the bullocks, that the others had gone back to the last wateringplace +twenty-two miles distant. His companion did not arrive during the day; he +said he had left him bringing on the animal they had fallen in with. I +blamed him for leaving him, and ordered him to find him forthwith on +foot. I could not afford to lose horses. Here, it seemed, we were doomed +to remain. I endeavoured to make the most of the time by carrying on the +mapping of our survey, in order to make good our longitude at crossing +the Bàrwan. Thermometer at sunrise, 60°; at noon, 94°; at 4 P.M., 101°; +at 9, 72°;--with wet bulb, 62.° + +27TH FEBRUARY.--When the teams were about to be put to the drays this +morning, I was informed that five bullocks were astray. This delayed the +party until 10 A.M., and then we left one lame bullock still missing. I +reduced the men's rations by one pound per week, and declared that a +proportional reduction should be regularly made to correspond with such +unlooked-for delays in the journey. We proceeded over firmer ground, +having the river almost always in sight, until, after travelling about +six miles, our guide showed me the river, much increased in width, and +said they called that the "Bàrwan." As it was still a mere chain of +ponds, though these were large, I was sure this was not the main channel; +he also said this joined the main channel a good way lower down. I was +convinced that it was only the Castlereagh that had thus augmented the +channel of the Macquarie, which I found afterwards to be the case, the +junction taking place two miles higher. I willingly encamped on it, +however, to afford more time for the lost man, and the man sent after +him, to rejoin the party. + +I this day gave "Yulliyàlly," our guide, the promised tomahawk, a pipe, +tobacco; and, in addition, a shirt; also a few lines to Mr. Kinghorne, +certifying that this native had done what he had engaged to do. +Thermometer at sunrise, 62°; at noon, 94°; at 4 P.M., 97°; at 9, 70°;-- +with wet bulb, 57°. + +28TH FEBRUARY.--The wheelwright and Mortimer came into the camp at 6 +A.M., bringing back the horse of the former, and one of the lost +bullocks. We set out early, and after travelling about six miles I came +upon a cart-track, which I followed to the westward until overtaken by a +stockman, who informed me that the Wammerawà, on which I had been +encamped, joined the Bàrwan, then on my right, within two miles of the +spot on which we stood; that he belonged to the cattle station of Mr. +Parnell, Jun., which was distant from my last camp about five miles, and +on the main river; also that the track I was following led to Mohanna, +Mr. Lawson's station, seventy-five miles lower down the Bàrwan. I turned +with him towards the junction of the Macquarie and Bàrwan, and encamped +thereby, right glad to reach at length, the river beyond which our +exploratory tour was to commence. The river looked well, with a good +current of muddy water in it, of considerable width, and really like a +river. I understood from my guide to this point, that there was a good +ford across the river at his station; also that Commissioner Mitchell had +been down the river a short time back, making a map to show all the +cattle stations on both banks. We had neither seen nor heard anything of +Mr. Wright, the commissioner of the Macquarie district through which we +had just passed, except that he "might visit the district when the hot +weather was over." Here we found a new species of CALOTIS.[*] Thermometer +at sunrise, 61°; at noon, 101°; at 4 P.M., 100°; at 9, with wet bulb, +62°. + +[* Calotis SCAPIGERA (Hook. MSS.); stolonifera glaberrima, foliis omnibus +radicalibus lineari-spathulatis, scapo nudo monocephalo, achenii aristis +robustis subulatis retrorsum pilosis apice rectis vel uncinatis.--A very +distinct species. Habit of BRACHYSTEPHIUM SCAPIGERUM D. C.: but that +ought to have no aristae to the achenium: here the awns are very stout in +proportion to the size of the capitulum.] + +1ST MARCH.--When, fifteen years before, I visited this river at a higher +point where it was called the Karaula [*], no trace of hoofs of horses or +bullocks had been previously imprinted on the clayey banks. Now, we found +it to be the last resource of numerous herds in a dry and very hot +season, and so thickly studded were the banks of this river with cattle +stations, that we felt comparatively at home. The ordinary precautionary +arrangements of my camp against surprise by savage natives seemed quite +unnecessary, and, to stockmen, almost ridiculous. We had at length +arrived at the lowest drain of that vast basin of clay absorbing many +rivers, so that they lose themselves as in the ocean. Here the final +outlet or channel of the waters of the Macquarie, was but a muddy ditch +one might step across, which the magnificent flood we had seen in the +same river above the marshes was not at all likely to reach. That flood +had gone to fill thousands of lagoons, without which supply, those vast +regions had been unfit for animal existence. Here we discover another +instance of that wonderful wisdom which becomes more and more apparent to +man, when he either looks as far as he can into space, or attentively +examines the arrangement of any matter more accessible to him. The very +slight inclination of the surface of these extensive plains seems finely +adapted to the extremely dry and warm climate over this part of the +earth. If the interior slope of the land from the eastern coastranges +were as great as that in other countries supplying rivers of sustained +current, it is obvious that no water would remain in such inclined +channels here; but the slope is so gentle that the waters spread into a +net-work of reservoirs, that serve to irrigate vast plains, and fill +lagoons with those floods that, when confined in any one continuous +channel, would at once run off into the ocean. + +[* We then understood the natives very imperfectly and might have been +wrong about the name, which is the more likely, as CARÀWY, which the name +resembles, means any deep water-hole.] + +In a wet season, the country through which we had traced out a route with +our wheels had been impassable. The direction I should have preferred, +and in which I had endeavoured to proceed, was along the known limits of +this basin, and formed a curved line, or an arc, to which the route +necessity had obliged us to follow was the chord; thus we had not lost +time; but had, in fact, shortened the distance to be travelled over very +considerably. A permanent route had, however, seemed to me more desirable +to any country we might discover, than one liable to be interrupted by +flooded rivers and soft impassable ground. The track of our drays, along +the western side of the Macquarie marshes opened a new and direct route +from Sydney to the banks of the river Darling, by way of Bathurst; and +afforded access to a vast extent of excellent pasturage on the Macquarie, +along the western margin of the marshes, which land would, no doubt, be +soon taken up by squatters. In so dry a climate, and where water is so +frequently scarce, it may, indeed, be found that the shortest line of +route with such advantages would be more frequented than any longer line, +possessing only the remote advantage of security from interruption by too +much water. Thermometer at sunrise, 64°; at noon, 100°; at 4 P.M., 101°; +at 9, 81°; with wet bulb, 61°. + +2ND MARCH--MONDAY. I took a ride to examine the ford at Wyàbry, (Mr. +Parnell, Jun.'s station,) which I found practicable for our drays, +although, for their descent and ascent, it was necessary to cut better +approaches on each side. The Macquarie, although the channel was so +attenuated and ditch-like, was likely to prove also an obstacle without +some work of the same kind. Accordingly, on my return to the camp, I sent +some men to the last-mentioned work. + +I learnt from natives whom I met at Mr. Parnell's station, that the +rivers Bolloon, Culgoa, and Biree were then flowing, some abundant rains +having fallen about their sources. Also, from the stockman, that the +Narran was thirty-five miles distant, but that a native could be found to +guide me to water only ten miles off. Water was also to be obtained at a +distance of only seven miles beyond the Bàrwan there at the "Morella +Ridges," to which the natives were in the habit of resorting at certain +seasons, by a path of their own, to gather a fruit of which they were +very fond, named by them "Moguile," and which I had previously +ascertained to be that formerly discovered by me, and named by Dr. +Lindley CAPPARIS MITCHELLII.[*] We found back from this camp the +RUTIDOSIS HELYCHRYSOIDES of De Candolle. Thermometer at sunrise, 72°; at +noon, 101°; at 4 P.M.; 100°; at 9, 78°; and with wet bulb, 62°. + +[* See "Three Expeditions," etc., vol. i. page 315.] + +3D MARCH.--Early this morning a party of men were sent to cut better +approaches to the ford across the Bàrwan at Mr. Parnell's station. +Ascertained the longitude of the junction of the rivers Macquarie and +Darling at our present camp to be 147° 33' 45" E., by actual measurements +connected with my former surveys of the colony. Mr. Kennedy had chained +the whole of the route from Bellaringa, and I had connected his work with +latitudes observed at almost every encampment, and after determining at +various points the magnetic variation, which appeared to be very steady, +I made the latitude of this camp 30° 6' 11" south. Thermometer at +sunrise, 72°; at noon, 99°; at 4 P.M., 97°; at 9, 72°; and with wet bulb, +65°. The height above the sea level of the bed of the river here, the +average result of eight observations, as calculated by Capt. King, was +415 feet. + +4TH MARCH.--The party moved off towards the ford over the Bàrwan at +Wyàbry, crossing the bed of the Macquarie about half a mile above its +junction with the Bàrwan; there, although the approaches had been well +enough cut, we found the bottom too soft for our heavy vehicles, one of +which dipped its wheel to near the axle. We were obliged to pave the soft +and muddy bed with logs, and to cover these with branches, on which earth +was thrown, ere the rest could be got across. The party arrived about +noon at Wyàbry, and by 2 P.M. the whole was safely encamped on the right +bank of the Bàrwan. I had received this morning a dispatch from my son, +commissioner of this district, in which he gave me a most favourable +account of several rivers he had explored in the direction of my proposed +route. These dispatches came to me at the last camp by the hands of a +native, in forty-four hours after the superintendent of Mr. Lawson, being +then on his way down the river, had promised to send them to me, from a +station forty-five miles off, towards Fort Bourke, where it had been +supposed my party would pass. Lat. of this camp, 30° 5' 41" S. On this +northern bank of the Darling we looked for novelty in botany, and found +some interesting plants, such as a toothed variety of SENERIO +BRACHYLOENUS D. C., a kind of groundsel; MORGANIA FLORIBUNDA, loaded with +purple blossoms, and a variety of HELICHRYSUM BRACTEATUM, somewhat +different in the leaves from the usual state of the species. Thermometer +at sunrise, 70°; at 4 P.M., 98°; at 9, 72°;--with wet bulb, 61°. + + + +Chapter III. + +THE PARTY ADVANCES INTO THE UNKNOWN REGION BEYOND THE DARLING,--GUIDED BY +TWO ABORIGINAL NATIVES.--PLAINS AND LOW HILLS.--ARRIVE AT PONDS OR +SPRINGS CALLED "CARÀWY."--DELAYED BY THE WEAKNESS OF THE CATTLE.--REACH +THE NARRAN SWAMP SOONER THAN EXPECTED.--BRIDGE MADE TO CROSS SOFT PART OF +SWAMP,--WHILE AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF TIRED BULLOCKS.--SWAMP VERY +EXTENSIVE TO THE EASTWARD.--NEW PLANTS.--RIDE ACROSS THE SWAMP AND +RECONNOITRE THE RIVER NARRAN THIRTY MILES UPWARDS.--THE SWAMP THE LAST +RECEPTACLE OF THE RIVER.--BRIDGE LAID DOWN BY MOONLIGHT.--THE WHOLE PARTY +CROSSES IT, AND AFTERWARDS FORD THE NARRAN,--CROSSING TO THE LEFT BANK.-- +ADVANCE BY VERY SHORT STAGES FROM WEAKNESS OF THE CATTLE.--RICH GRASS ON +THE NARRAN.--ELEVATED STONY GROUND TO THE WESTWARD.--AGAIN RECONNOITRE +THE RIVER IN ADVANCE WHILE THE CATTLE REST.--PARLEY WITH A NATIVE.--TWO +NATIVES OF THE BALONNE GUIDE ME TO THAT RIVER.--APPROACH THE ASSEMBLED +POPULATION OF ITS BANKS.--INTERVIEW WITH THE TRIBES.--CORDIAL +RECEPTION.--CROSS THE BALONNE,--AND REACH THE CULG.--CIVILITY OF THE +NATIVES.--CROSS THE CULG.--TRAVEL UP ALONG THE RIGHT BANK OF THE +BALONNE.--GRASSY PLAINS ALONG ITS BANKS.--THE OLD DELAY, CATTLE +MISSING.--A NATIVE SCAMP.--SPLENDID REACHES OF THE RIVER.--DÉPÔT CAMP AT +A NATURAL BRIDGE.--RIDE TO THE NORTHWEST.--RECEIVE DISPATCHES FROM +SYDNEY.--RETURN TO THE CAMP AT ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE. + +5TH MARCH.--Early this morning the stockman brought over two natives, +brothers, who were to guide us to water ten miles on towards the Narran, +which was said to be thirty-five miles off. In the first two miles we +passed over some soft ground. Further on, hills were visible to the left, +which our native guides called Goodeingora. Fragments of conglomerate +rocks appeared in the soil of the plains, pebbles and grains of quartz +cemented by felspar. These plains appeared to become undulating ground as +we proceeded northward, and the surface became firmer. At length the +country opened into slight undulations, well clothed with grass, and good +for travelling over, the soil being full of the same hard rock found on +the rising grounds nearest to the Darling, in the lowest parts of that +river explored formerly by me. The red earth seemed to be but the +decomposed matrix of that rock, as the water-worn pebbles of quartz so +thickly set therein, here covered the ground in some places so thickly as +to resemble snow. Much Anthistiria and other good grasses grew on those +plains. I was, indeed, most agreeably surprised at the firm undulating +stony surface and open character of the country, where I had expected to +see soft clay, and holes and scrubs. At six miles, other slight +elevations appeared to the N. E. which the natives called Toolowly, a +name well calculated to fix in white men's memory elevations TOO LOW to +be called hills. They were quite high enough, however, along a line of +route for such heavy drays as those following us. There appeared much +novelty in the trees on this side the Darling. The ANGOPHORA LANCEOLATA +was every where; Callitris grew about the base of the hills, and some +very singular acacias, a long-leaved grey kind of wattle, the ACACIA +STENOPHYLLA of Cunningham. On one tree large pods hung in such profusion +as to bend the branches to the ground. From this abundance I supposed it +was not good to be eaten; nevertheless, I found in another place many of +the same pods roasted at some fires of the natives, and learnt from our +guides that they eat the pea. The pod somewhat resembled that of the +Cachou nut of the Brazils,--Mùnumulà is the native name. The grasses +comprised a great variety, and amongst the plants a beautiful little +BRUNONIA, not more than four inches high, with smaller flower-heads than +those of BR. SERICEA, quite simple or scarcely at all lobed, and a hairy +indusium.[*] The tree, still a nondescript, although the fruit had been +gathered by me in 1831, and then sent to Mr. Brown, was also here; and I +saw one or two trees of a species of CAPPARIS. Mr. Stephenson found a +great variety of new insects also. + +[* B. SIMPLEX (Lindl. MSS.); pumila, foliis undique scapisque +longitudinaliter sericeis, villis appressis, capitulis subsimplicibus, +bracteis majoribus oblongis, indusio extus piloso.] + +Our guides brought us at length to some waterholes, amongst some verdant +grass on a plain, where no stranger would have looked for water; and here +we encamped fifteen good miles from the Barwan. The ponds were called +"Caràwy," and were vitally important to us, enabling us to pass on +towards the Narran, which was still, as we had been informed, twenty-five +miles off. As we approached these springs, I saw some natives running +off, and I sent one of the guides after them to say we should do them no +harm, and beg them to stop, but he could not overtake them. The +undulations crossed by us this day seemed to extend east and west in +their elongations, and were probably parallel to the general course of +the main channel of drainage. The same felspathic rock seen in other +parts of this great basin, seems the basis of the clay, although the +fragments imbedded are very hard. The earth is reddish, and much +resembles in this respect the matrix of the conglomerate. Near these +springs we found a new HELICHRYSUM.[*] Thermometer at sunrise, 61°; at +noon, 100°; at 4 P. M., 102°; at 9, 79°;--with wet bulb, 65°. + +[* HELICHRYSUM RAMOSISSIMUM (Hook. MSS.); suffruticosum valde ramosum +arachnoideo-tomentosum, foliis lineari-spathulatis subflaccidis acutis, +capitulis in racemis terminalibus parvis globosis flavis, involucri +squamis lineari-subulatis undulatis fimbriato-ciliatis.] + +6TH MARCH.--The drays not having come up, in consequence of the excessive +length of yesterday's journey, and very hot weather--(16½ miles by +latitude alone)--we were obliged to remain inactive here on a beautiful +cool morning. I found near the ponds, several huts made of fresh branches +of trees and the remains of fires, doubtless the deserted home of the +fugitives of yesterday. At these fires I found the roasted pods of the +acacia already mentioned (Mùnumulà). The water was surrounded by fresh +herbage, and such was the simple fare of those aborigines, such the home +whence they fled. As I looked at it in the presence of my sable guides, I +could not but reflect that the white man's cattle would soon trample +these holes into a quagmire of mud, and destroy the surrounding verdure +and pleasant freshness for ever. I feared that my good-natured but acute +guides thought as much, and I blushed inwardly [*] for our pallid race. + +[* The author of Waverley maintains that one may LAUGH inwardly-- +conscience may, I suppose, make us also blush inwardly sometimes.] + +All day we sat still in anxious suspense about the non-arrival of our +drays--the ground having been so good. With a country so interesting +before us, this delay was doubly irksome, and as the cattle could only be +watered by coming forward, why they did not come was the question; and +this was not solved until evening, when a messenger came forward to ask +if they might come, and to inform me that they were nearly exhausted. The +fatal alternative of endeavouring to make them work in the morning, after +passing a night without water, had been adopted, and as, on the day +before, they had been worked until dusk in expectation of reaching my +camp, they could not draw on the morning after; I instantly directed them +to be brought forward; but the consequence of this derangement was the +death of one, and much injury to many others. This contretemps arose +wholly from the guides not having been understood at the Barwan as to the +real distance, and this we had calculated too surely upon. Latitude 29° +52' 26" south. Thermometer at sunrise, 68°; at noon, 96°; at 4 P. M., +102°; at 9, 83°;--with wet bulb, 68°. + +7TH MARCH, 1846.--The bullocks having been sent back after they had been +watered last evening, the drays came up about 9 A. M. I left them in Mr. +Kennedy's charge, and proceeded with the light carts followed by all the +bullocks yoked up. They had trodden into mud the little water that had +been left at that camp, and could not live much longer without more. The +guides assured us the Narran was not far off, although we had understood +when at the Barwan that the distance was twenty-five miles from these +springs. We passed over very good ground, and found the country to +improve as we advanced. We were conducted through the most open parts of +scrubs by our guides, who were made to comprehend clearly how desirable +that was for our "wheelbarrows;" and after travelling about seven miles, +they pointed to a line of trees as the "Narran," beyond an extensive open +country, which had a singular appearance from being higher than that we +were upon. We crossed one or two slight elevations wholly composed of +compact felspar in blocks--forming ridges resembling an outcrop of +strata, whereof the strike always pointed N. W. and S. E. Various curious +new plants and fruits appeared; amongst others a solanum, the berry of +which was a very pleasant-tasted fruit. The plant was a runner and spread +over several yards from one root. There was also a fruit shaped like an +elongated egg; it appeared to be some Asclepiad, and was called by the +natives "Doobàh." They ate it, seeds and all, but said it was best +roasted. As we approached the elevated country between us and the distant +line of trees, we perceived that the vast level was covered with +POLYGONUM JUNCEUM in a verdant state. The colour was dark green, such as +I had never seen elsewhere in this "leafless bramble," as Sturt called +it, which looks ever quite dry and withered along the margins of the +Darling. We had good reason to love and admire its verdure now, when we +found amongst it pure water in great abundance, into which all our native +companions immediately plunged, and rolled about like porpoises. This, +they said, was the "Narran," but to the vast swampy plain they gave the +name of Keegur, a name quite useless for white men's memories or maps. +They seemed to say it was wholly an emanation from the Narran, and +pointed to the nearest part of the trees beyond, saying the river Narran +was there. I still endeavoured to proceed, as they wished, towards the +nearest trees beyond, until a winding narrow pond of water, in very soft +mud, precluded all hopes of crossing with our drays, without some sort of +bridge; I therefore immediately counter-marched the party with me, now +far advanced in that sea of dark green polygonum, and conducted it into a +position on open stony ground to the westward of our route, with the +intention to await there the arrival of the drays, and to prepare +materials for a bridge to be laid across the muddy pond, as I had seen a +small clump of pines (Callitris) at no great distance back. My guides did +not encourage a hope I entertained, that this swamp might be turned by +the westward, in which direction the open country extended to the +horizon. The man who travels with bullocks must expect to be impeded by +wet ground, as well as by the scarcity of water, in many situations where +horses could pass without difficulty. I directed the bullocks, that had +been driven forward with me, to be allowed to graze beside the water +until sunset, and then to be taken slowly back by moonlight to Mr. +Kennedy. Five had dropped down on the way, and had not come forward to +the water. Those sent back were also ordered to be allowed to feed all +the next day at Mr. Kennedy's camp, and only to start with the drays +there next evening, to come on by moonlight, thus avoiding the intense +heat, so oppressive under extreme thirst. The thermometer during the day, +rose to 103° in the shade. Latitude of the camp on Narran swamp, 29° 45' +51" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 47°; at noon, 97°; at 4 P. M., 97°; at 9, +69°; ditto with wet bulb, 57°. The height of this camp above the sea, the +average of five registered observations, is 442 feet. + +8TH MARCH.--The view northward from our present camp was most extensive. +Far in the northeast a yellow slope presented the unusual appearance +there, of a cultivated country. It was doubtless ripe grass, yet still +the earth there had not even been imprinted with any hoof. Between that +slope and our camp, lay the element, in abundance, which had been so +scarce on the other side of the Darling. To the northward, at no great +distance, was the river, where, as our guides informed us, we should no +longer be ill off for water in pursuing our journey along its banks. I +set the carpenter to cut sleepers and slabbing to enable us to bridge the +muddy creek, for I had examined it early in the morning, and had crossed +it with my horse; although I found several watercourses almost as soft, +beyond. The natives maintained that the water in this extensive swamp +came neither from the east nor west, but from the river directly before +us, which came from the northward. Just behind our camp, to the +southward, was a gentle elevation, almost a hill, consisting of the usual +rock, felspar; and it seemed to me that this stony ground alone impeded +the further progress of the water towards the Barwan. The ridge trended +north-west, as most others did in this extensive basin; and this +direction being nearly parallel to that of the coast ranges further +northward, seemed to afford additional reason for expecting to find +anticlinal and synclinal lines, and, consequently, rivers, much in the +same direction. D'Urban's group, distant 150 miles lower down the +Darling, consisted of a quartzose rock, exactly similar to this, +exhibiting a tendency, like it, to break into irregular polygons, some of +the faces being curved. This rock is most extensively distributed in the +interior of New South Wales. It was not until the evening of this day +that the approach of the drays was announced, and then prematurely, the +teams only having been brought forward to the water without them. So weak +were the unfortunate animals, that not even by night, nor by doubling the +numbers, could they be made to draw the drays forward, for the short +distance of eight miles; a distance which we had been given to understand +was so much greater. Forward, all was most promising, and it may be +imagined how bitterly I regretted the alteration of my original plan of +equipment, which had reference to horses and light carts alone. A new +species of ANTHISTIRIA occurred here, perfectly distinct from the +kangaroo grass of the colony, very like APLUDA MUTICA, and remarkable for +the smooth shining appearance of the thin involucral leaves.[*] The +TRICHINIUM ALOPECUROIDEUM, in great abundance, was conspicuous, with its +long silky ears of green flowers. On the stony ground occurred a very +curious new woolly KOCHIA [**], also a species of CYPERUS; the TRICHINIUM +LANATUM in great perfection; a grass resembling the close reed +(CALAMAGROSTIS of England), and which proved to be the little-known +TRIRAPHIS MOLLIS. On the margin of the morass the DACTYLOCTENIUM +RADULANS, spreading over the interstices, reminded the traveller of the +grasses of Egypt; and, in stony ground near the morass, we observed the +JUSTICIA MEDIA of Brown. Thermometer at sunrise, 66°; at noon, 98°; at 4 +P. M. 102°; at 9, 81°; ditto with wet bulb, 74°. + +[* A. MEMBRANACEA (Lindl. MSS); involucris carinatis margine membranaceis +foliis vaginisque glaberrimis, floribus verticillatis pedicellatis +(masculis?), glumis omnibus scabris, aristâ glaberrimâ glumâ 3plo +longiore.] + +[** K. LANOSA (Lindl. MSS); ramis strictis foliisque linearibus acutis +cinereis tomentosis, fructibus lanatis, calycis laciniis elongatis.] + +9TH MARCH.--My native guides, tired of the delay, were anxious to return, +and as the assistance they could afford me was likely to be extremely +useful, and the arrival of the drays was most uncertain, I went forward +this morning with one of them, two men, and Youranigh, our interpreter, +all mounted. Amongst the trees, beyond the swamp, fine reaches of water +appeared in a river channel, apparently continuous to the northward, but +which, in the other direction, or towards the swamp, abruptly terminated +like a cul-de-sac. On my asking the natives where it went to, they +pointed to the various narrow water courses and the swamp as the final +depositories of the water. Admirable distribution of the contents of a +river in a country where water is so scarce, and the climate so hot and +dry! We proceeded along the margin of the "Narran," which led us nearly +due north, until we forded it, at the desire of our guides, on a good +gravelly bottom, the water reaching to our saddle-flaps. Crossing a +slight elevation where the soil was gravelly, and in which grew the +shrubs of the ordinary scrubs with several interesting novelties, we +again came upon an angle of the Narran, and continued along its banks for +about thirty miles, until near sunset, when we tethered our horses, and +lay down for the night. The Narran was full of water every where, and +with this abundance of water there was also plenty of most excellent +grass. The PANICUM LOEVINODE of Dr. Lindley seemed to predominate, a +grass whereof the seed ("Cooly") is made by the natives into a kind of +paste or bread. Dry heaps of this grass, that had been pulled expressly +for the purpose of gathering the seed, lay along our path for many miles. +I counted nine miles along the river, in which we rode through this grass +only, reaching to our saddle-girths, and the same grass seemed to grow +back from the river, at least as far as the eye could reach through a +very open forest. I had never seen such rich natural pasturage in any +other part of New South Wales. Still it was what supplied the bread of +the natives; and these children of the soil were doing every thing in +their power to assist me, whose wheel tracks would probably bring the +white man's cattle into it. We had followed well-beaten paths of natives +during the whole of this day's ride, and most anxious were my guides and +I to see them; but they avoided us. Our guide was of that country, and +not at all unwilling or timid; but evidently very desirous to introduce +us to the inhabitants, and procure amongst them other guides to lead us +further. The night was very hot, and flies and mosquitos did their utmost +to prevent us from sleeping. Thermometer at sunrise, 75°; at noon, 99°; +at 4 P. M., 105°; at 9, 83°; ditto with wet bulb, 75°. + +10TH MARCH.--Anxious for an interview with some of the natives, I +continued the pursuit of the Narran's course about five miles higher, but +with no better success. I then turned, after obtaining from our guide, +through Youranigh, what information could be gathered thus, as to the +river's further course, the best bank for the passage of our drays, etc. +We were still, he said, a long way from the "Culgoa." There was no +perceptible change in the aspect of the "Narran" as far as we had +examined it, except that where we turned, there were flood-marks, and the +dead logs and river wreck, deposited on the upper side of trees and +banks, showing a current and high floods. The last of these, our guide +said, had occurred about five moons before. In riding back to the camp we +kept the castern bank, that the track might be available for our drays. +This ride along a river where we could, when we pleased, either water our +horses, or take a drink ourselves, was quite new and delightful to us, +under a temperature of 105° in the shade. Our guide, aged apparently +about fifty, walked frequently into the river, while in a state of +perspiration; dipped quite under water, or drank a little with his lip on +the level of its surface, and then walked on again. He was at last very +tired, however, and pointed to the large muscles of the RECTUS FEMORIS as +if they pained him. We found at the camp, on our return, five of the +drays that had come up, the other three being still behind, and requiring +double teams of exhausted cattle to bring them forward. In the vicinity +of our camp we found the TRICHINIUM ALOPECUROIDEUM, with heads of flowers +nearly five inches long; an eucalyptus near E. PULVERULENTA, but having +more slender peduncles; a sort of Iron-bark. We found also a tall +glaucous new HALORAGIS [*], and a curious new shaggy KOCHIA was +intermingled with the grass.[**] Thermometer at sunrise, 77°; at noon, +102°; at 4, 107°; at 9, 76°;--with wet bulb, 71°. + +[* H. GLAUCA (Lindl. MSS.); annua, stricta, glaberrima, glauca, foliis +oppositis lineari-oblongis obtusis petiolatis grossè serratis, racemis +apice aphyllis, fructu globoso tuberculato laevi.] + +[** K. VILLOSA (Lindl. MSS.); ramis erectis foliisque linearibus +villosissimis, fructibus glabris.] + +11TH MARCH.--All the drays came in early. I gave to the two natives, the +tomahawks, tobacco, and pipes, as promised; also a note to the stockman +on the Barwan, who had provided me with them, saying that they had been +very useful. I this morning examined the country to the westward of the +swamp, and found a narrow place at which we could pass, and so avoid much +soft heavy ground. The ramifications of the watery Narran penetrated into +the hollows of the stony ridge, presenting there little hollows full of +rich verdure and pools of water, a sight so unwonted amongst rocks +characteristic of D'Urban's arid group. In one little hollow, to the +westward of our camp, it seemed possible for two men with a pickaxe and +shovel to have continued it through, and so to have opened a new channel +for the passage of the waters of the Narran swamp, into the dry country +between it and the Barwan. Thermometer at sunrise, 55°; at noon, 105°; at +4 P. M., 102°; at 9, 75°;--with wet bulb, 59°. + +12TH MARCH.--I found it necessary to sit still here and refresh the jaded +bullocks; thus days and months passed away, in which with horses I might +have continued the journey. The very extensive country before us, which +appeared to absorb these waters, was quite clear of timber, and irrigated +by little canals winding amongst POLYGONUM JUNCEUM. This open country +appeared to extend north-eastward about eight miles, thence to turn +eastward, as if these waters found some outlet that way to the Barwan. I +regretted that this swamp led too far out of our way, to admit of our +tracing its limits to the eastward. + +This day I received letters from Commissioner Mitchell, in which he +strongly recommended to my attention the rivers Biree, Bokhara, and +Narran, as waters emanating from, and leading to, the Balonne, a river +which he said might supply our party with water, in this very dry season, +almost to the tropic. I was able to inform him in reply, that I was +already on the Narran, and that I had already availed myself of his +account of the rivers formerly sent me, on which I must have been obliged +to depend, even if the party had passed by Fort Bourke. + +This evening, by moonlight, I conducted a dray, carrying two platforms, +to the place where the narrow channel, feeding the swamp, could be passed +without our meeting beyond any other impediment to the drays. The +sleepers used for this purpose were made of pine (CALLITRIS PYRAMIDALIS), +found half a mile back from our camp. They were fourteen feet long, two +feet wide, being composed of cross-pieces, two feet long, fixed at each +end between two sleepers, so that they somewhat resembled a wooden +railway. These, when laid at the proper distance apart to carry both +wheels, were bedded on the soft earth, and the interval between was +filled to a level with them, by layers of polygonum and long grass, +alternate with earth, forming together a mass of sufficient resistance to +support the feet of the draught oxen. The whole formed a compact bridge +or gangway. Thermometer at sunrise, 51°; at noon, 95°; at 4 P. M., 107°; +at 9, 70°;--with wet bulb, 61°. + +13TH MARCH.--The party once more moved onward, and the drays trundled +across the swampy arm by means of our bridge, which, even in the event of +an accession of water there, might have proved serviceable on our return. +Three miles beyond it we had to ford the Narran, passing over a gravelly +bottom to the eastern bank, and encamping there. The drays were slow in +arriving at this ford and camp, as the ground was soft and hollow, but by +sunset all had crossed, and our camp established on the Narran. +Thermometer at sunrise, 71°; at noon, 100°; at 4 P. M., 100°; at 9, +71°;--with wet bulb, 65°. The height of this camp above the sea, +according to ten registered observations, is 487 feet. + +14TH MARCH.--We now had before us water and grass in abundance, to a +distance as unlimited and indefinite, as our hopes of discovery. I +intended to set out early each morning, and travel only four or five +miles, that the jaded animals, exhausted by want of water and hard work, +might have time to feed and refresh. One old cause of delay, however, +again occurred to impede us,--three bullocks were reported missing. Now +it was nearly full moon, and two men had been on watch all night. It +really seemed that delay and disappointment must attend all who depend on +bullocks and bullock-drivers. The stray cattle were not brought up until +9 A. M., when we proceeded, and encamped on an angle of the Narran, after +travelling about five miles. In the scrubs passed through, we found the +fragrant JASMINUM LINEARE in fruit, the flowers being nearly past; a bulb +which proved to be the ANTHERICUM BULBOSUM of Brown; a shrub ten feet +high, in fruit, the CANTHIUM OLEIFOLIUM of Sir William Hooker; a fine new +CHENOPODIUM, with long naked spikes of woolly yellow flowers [*]; and a +hoary variety of ACACIA LEPTOCLADA, or perhaps a distinct species, having +a good deal of the aspect of A. DEALBATA, but the leaves and glands +nearer those of A. LEPTOCLADA, according to Mr. Bentham. Thermometer at +sunrise, 70°; at noon, 103°; at 4 P. M., 102°; at 9, 81°;--with wet bulb, +75°. + +[* C. AURICOMUM (Lindl. MSS.); totum glaucum farinosum, caule stricto, +foliis petiolatis oblongis subhastatis lobisque posticis obtusis supremis +lanceolatis, spicis compositis nudis aphyllis glomeratis multifloris +tomentosis.] + +15TH MARCH.--The sand amongst the scrubs was so soft and yielding, that +the draught animals could not draw the drays through it without great +difficulty; indeed, it was only possible by double-backing, as the +drivers termed their practice of alternately assisting one another, a +process to which all had had recourse with one exception. It was not +until 1 A. M. of this morning, therefore, that the last dray was brought +to the camp. Another bullock died on the way, and thus I felt, when the +field of discovery lay open before me, that my means of conveyance were +unsuited to the task. Overloading at Boree, unskilful driving, excessive +heat, and want of water, had contributed to render the bullocks +unserviceable, and I already contemplated the organization of a lighter +party and fewer men, with which I might go forward at a better rate, +leaving the heavy articles of equipment and tired cattle in a depôt, on +some good grassy spot. The latitude of this camp was 29° 38' 21" south. +Thermometer at sunrise, 73°; at noon, 84°; at 4 P. M., 86°; at 9, 65°;-- +with wet bulb, 60°. + +16TH MARCH.--I proceeded six miles, and chose a camp beside a bend of the +Narran, full of deep water, and in the midst of most luxuriant grass. The +drays arrived by 11 A. M. in such good order, that I was induced to try +whether, by early starting, good feeding, and short journeys, the party +could not be got forward to the Balonne, where I could leave the whole in +one depôt, to rest and refresh, while I took my intended ride forward. +Latitude, 29° 34' 11" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 43°; at noon, 86°; at 4 +P. M., 87°; at 9, 62°;--with wet bulb, 55°. + +17TH MARCH.--I proceeded seven miles, and the drays came forward as well +as they did yesterday, so that I again entertained hopes of the progress +of the united party, which was very desirable, as these plains were +evidently sometimes so saturated with water as to be rendered wholly +impassable for wheel-carriages or even horses. Latitude, 29° 29' 11" S. +Thermometer at sunrise, 47°; at noon, 87°; at 4 P. M., 91°; at 9, 62°;-- +with wet bulb, 52°. + +18TH MARCH.--Again we made out a short journey over rather soft ground; +all the drays coming in, although slowly. I rode to a gently rising +ground, a great novelty, which appeared bearing E. N. E. from our camp, +at a distance of 2½ miles. I found it consisted of gravel of the usual +conglomerate decomposed--of rounded fragments of about a cubic inch in +bulk. The grass was good there, and I perceived that the same gravelly +ridge extended back from the river in a north and south direction. +Graceful groups of trees grew about this stony ground, which looked, upon +the whole, better than the red sandy soil of the scrubs and callitris +forest. This seemed the dividing ridge between the Narran and Barwan. +From this elevation, I saw that the course of the former ran still in a +good direction for us, to a great distance northward. On that stony +ground I found a new PITTOSPORUM five feet high, with long narrow leaves, +in the way of P. ROEANUM and ANGUSTIFOLIUM, but distinct from both in the +form of its fruit.[*] Latitude of camp 29° 25' 21". Thermometer at +sunrise, 53°; at noon, 90°; at 4 P. M., 96°; at 9, 69°;--with wet bulb, +61°. + +[* P. SALICINUM (Lindl. MS.); foliis lineari-lanceolatis coriaccis +acutissimis aveniis, pedunculis unifloris aggregatis axillaribus, +fructibus subglobosis vix compressis.] + +19TH MARCH.--Pursuing the Narran, keeping its eastern or left bank, our +course this day was more to the northward. I encamped after travelling +six miles, not only because the ground was soft and heavy for the drays, +but because I saw that the Narran turned much to the eastward, and I +contemplated the passage across it, intending to look for it again, by +travelling northward. Accordingly, as soon as our ground had been marked +out, I crossed to reconnoitre the country in that direction. I found a +fine, open, grassy country, but no signs of the river at the end of five +miles, nor even until I had ridden as far eastward. There, recrossing it, +I returned to the camp through some fine open forest country. Latitude +observed, 29° 21' 51", S. Thermometer at sunrise, 57°; at 4 P. M., 96°; +at 9, 71°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +20TH MARCH.--Retracing my homeward tracks of yesterday, we proceeded in a +nearly E. N. E. direction, along much firmer ground than we had recently +traversed. The great eastern bend of the river was found amongst much +excellent grass and amidst much fine timber. A species of Anthistiria +appeared here, which seemed different from the ordinary sort, although +this was no stranger to me, when exploring the waterless plains westward +of the Lachlan, where it looked as if stunted for want of moisture. Here, +however, this variety presented the same knotty head, where other grasses +grew luxuriantly. After getting round the extreme eastern turn of the +Narran we encamped. Near the spot large rocks appeared in the bed, as if +the river was passing through the stock of the gravelly ridge I had +visited on the 18th. The rock consisted of that found about the basin of +the Darling; a quartzose conglomerate with much felspar, and having +pebbles of quartz imbedded. The large fragments of the conglomerate in +the river bed were angular, and not at all rounded at the edges. Here the +poor natives had been very industrious, as was evident from heaps of the +grass PANICUM LOEVINODE, and of the same redstalked coral-like plant, +also mentioned as having been observed in similar heaps, on the banks of +the Darling, during my journey of 1835 (vol. i. p. 238). I now +ascertained that the seed of the latter is also collected by the natives +and made into a paste. This seed was black and small, resembling fine +gunpowder when shaken out. Nevertheless it was sweet and pleasant to the +taste, possessing a nutty flavour. + +The human inhabitants were few, and as invisible as other animals in +these forests--the prints of whose feet were also plain in the soft +smooth surface. As faithless as the snows of the North [*], this soil +bore the impressions of all animals obliged to go to the water, and +amongst them those of the naked feet of men, women, and children, with +the prints likewise of other BIPEDS, such as emus and kangaroos, and also +those of the native dog. Here still was our own race amongst other +animals all new and strange to Europeans. The prints of the foot of man +alone were familiar to us. But here he was living in common with other +animals, simply on the bounty of nature; artless, and apparently as much +afraid of us, and as shy, as other animals of the forest. It seemed +strange, that in a climate the most resembling that of Milton's paradise, +the circumstances of man's existence should be the most degrading. +Latitude of our camp, 29° 19' 26" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 55°; at +noon, 100°; at 4 P. M., 101°; at 9, 70°;--with wet bulb, 65°. The mean +elevation above the sea of our camps thus far on the Narran, seven in +number, was 477 feet; the bed of the river being about 15 feet lower. + +[* "And hungry Maukin's ta'en her way To kailyards green, While faithless + snaws ilk step betray Whar she has been." BURNS.] + +21ST MARCH.--Proceeded as usual through fine grass, the river coming +favourably round towards the north. At about two miles I found some +traces of horses, and I looked at the river bank for Commissioner +Mitchell's initials, supposing this might be "Congo," where he had forded +the Narran. But we had not reached the latitude of Congo according to his +map. Nevertheless we found here such an excellent dry ford, with gently +sloping banks to a stony bottom, that the two circumstances induced me to +cross the Narran with the party. I travelled west-ward, until meeting +with a dense scrub, I turned towards the friendly Narran, where we +encamped in latitude 29° 15' 31" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 56°; at +noon, 97°; at 4 P. M., 101°; at 9, 72°; ditto with wet bulb, 66°. + +22D MARCH.--Gave the party a day's rest, prayers being read by the +surgeon, as was usual whenever circumstances admitted of our halting on +Sunday. The bed of the Narran presented in several places the denuded +rock, which seems the basis of all the soil and gravel of the country. At +one place irregular concretions of milk-white quartz, cemented by a +ferruginous basis, was predominant; at another, the rough surface of +compact felspar weathering white presented merely the cavities in which +large rounded pebbles had been imbedded, until the partial decomposition +of the felspar, under the river floods, had exposed them once more to the +action of water. The force of those waters, however, had not been +sufficient to cut a channel through very soft rocks extending right +across their course--a circumstance rather characteristic, perhaps, of a +river like the Narran, watering a nearly level country, and terminating +in a swamp. Thermometer at sunrise, 53°; at noon, 95°; at 4 P. M., 98°; +at 9, 72°;--with wet bulb, 66°. Height above the sea, 515 feet, from +eight observations. + +23RD MARCH.--All hands were bent on an early start this morning, and, +soon after seven, the party moved off. We crossed much grassy land, +almost approaching to the character of scrub as to bushes; but we pursued +a tolerably straight course to the N.W., until we again made the Narran +at 8½ miles. Various new plants attracted my attention this day, +especially a beautiful Loranthus on the rosewood Acacia, and a small bush +bearing a green pod resembling a small capsicum in shape. Among the +sedges by the river we found the KYLLINGA MONOCEPHALA; and, on the rich +black clayed soil near it, a species of bindweed out of flower, with +large sagittate leaves: in the scrubs back from the river, grew a small +bush, about four feet high, which has been considered either a variety of +Brown's SANTALUM OBLONGATUM, or a new species distinguished by its narrow +sharp-pointed leaves. The LORANTHUS LINEARI. FOLIUS was growing on the +rosewood Acacia, and the branches of Eucalypti were inhabited by the +parasitical ORANGE LORANTH.[*] Lat., 29°1 0' 6" S. Therm. at sunrise, +51°; at noon, 95°; at 4 P. M., 99°; at 9, 70°;--wet bulb, 63°. + +[* L. AURANTIACUS (All. Cunn. MS.); ramis elongatis laxis gracilibus, +foliis oppositis longe petiolatis oblongis obtusis lanceolatisve +acuminatis glabris 3-5-nerviis tenui-marginatis, paniculis folio +brevioribus ditrichotomis, floribus erectis, calycibus subcylindraceis +superne latioribus truncatis, petalis linearibus 6, stylo infra apicem +geniculato, stigmate dilatato truncato.--W. J. H.] + +24TH MARCH.--We set off still earlier this morning. I hoped to reach the +Bokhara, on the West, a river shown on the map sent me by the +Commissioner of the district, but after travelling about seven miles to +the northward, I saw rising ground before me, which induced me to turn +towards our own friendly river the Narran; but it proved to be very far +from us, while in my search for it, to my surprise, I found it necessary +to descend several considerable declivities, covered with waterworn +pebbles. At length a slight opening in the dense scrubs through which we +had forced our way, afforded a view towards the south-east of the low +range we were upon, which trended very continuously to the north-west, +covered thickly with the "Malga" tree of the natives; to the traveller +the most formidable of scrubs. After several other descents, we reached +the Narran, but only at half-past three in the afternoon, when we had +travelled nearly twenty miles. How the teams were to accomplish this, it +was painful to consider. I sent back a messenger to desire that the +cattle should be detached and brought forward to the water; content to +lose one day, if that indeed would suffice to recover the jaded animals. +Casuarinae now grew amongst the river trees, and reminded me of the banks +of the Karaula in 1831. We had also noticed another novelty in the woods +we passed through this day; a small clump of trees of iron-bark with a +different kind of leaf from that of the tree known by that name in the +colony. On the higher stony land, a bush was common, and proved to be a +broad-leaved variety of EREMOPHILA MITCHELLII, if not a distinct species. +We there met with a new species of the rare and little-known genus, +GEIJERA; forming a strong-scented shrub, about ten feet high, and having +long, narrow, drooping leaves. Its fruit had a weak, peppery taste.[*] +The rare ENCHYLOENA TOMENTOSA formed a shrub a foot high, loaded with +yellow berries: all the specimens were digynous, in which it differed +from the description of Brown. The CAPPARIS LASIANTHA was observed +amongst the climbing shrubs still in fruit; and a beautiful new LORANTH, +with red flowers tipped with green, was parasitical on trees.[**] On the +bank of the Narran we found the AMARANTHUS UNDULATUS of Brown. + +[* G. PARVIFLORA (Lindl. MS.); ramis erectis, foliis longis linearibus +pendulis in petiolum sensim angustatis 4 unc. longis.] + +[** Loranthus LINEARIFOLIUS (Hook. MS.); foliis lineari-filiformibus +acutis carnosis glabris teretibus, pedunculis axillaribus brevibus +bifloris, calycibus cylindraceis truncatis contractis, petalis 6 +linearibus supra basin coalitis.] + +The cattle arrived in the dark, and were watered in the muddy-banked +Narran, by the light of burning boughs; then set to feed. Lat. 29° 6' 33" +S.; therm. at sunrise, 48°; at 4 P. M., 101°; at 9, 74°; ditto with wet +bulb, 62°. + +25TH MARCH.--The cattle had now to return to bring forward the drays. +Meanwhile I took a ride up the river, in order to ensure a moderate +journey for these exhausted animals. Proceeding along the right bank, I +found gravelly slopes almost closing upon the river. The direction of its +course for four miles, was nearly southward. Then I saw gravelly ridges +on the left, and a line of wood before me, while the river evidently came +from the East round the margin of an extensive plain. I continued +northward; found a rosewood scrub: then saw the Malga tree; passed +through scrubs thereof; found myself on stony ridges, whence descending +in a N. E. direction, again passed through rosewood scrubs, and only +reached the river after riding 2½ miles in that direction. I saw a +continuous ridge, bare and distant, beyond what I considered the river +bed, and a similar ridge to the westward. I crossed a native camp where +the newly deserted fires still smoked. We saw one man at a distance, who +did not mind us much; I could not have obtained any information from him, +and therefore did not seek a parley. Crossing the Narran there, by a +beaten track, beside a native fishing fence, I returned to the camp, on +the bearing of S. S. W., and found a grassy plain the whole way back, +until within sight of the tents, and a good rocky ford for the passage of +the party next day. On the stony ridge I found a remarkable shrub, a +species of Sida (ABUTILON), allied to S. GRAVEOLENS, Roxb., but distinct. +The teams brought the drays in, about 5 P. M.; one animal of all being +missing. Therm. at sunrise, 72°; at noon, 89°; at 4 P. M., 91°; at 9, +60°;--with wet bulb, 53°. + +26TH MARCH.--Early this morning, William Baldock was sent back in search +of the stray bullock, while the party crossed the Narran, and proceeded +along my horse's track of yesterday. Baldock over took the party, having +found the bullock on the river, four miles below our late encampment. The +natives seen yesterday had disappeared, having previously set fire to the +grass. We proceeded two miles beyond their fires, and encamped on the +river bank in lat. 29° 1' 57" S. + +A small path along the river margin; marks on trees, where hollow +portions of bark had been taken off; some ancient, some recent, huts of +withered boughs and dry grass; freshwater muscle shells, beside the ashes +of small fires; and, in some places, a small heap of pulled grass +(PANICUM LOEVINODE), or of the coral plant; such were the slight but +constant indications of the existence of man on the Narran. Such was the +only home of our fellow-beings in these parts, and from it they retired +on our approach. Ducks, which were rather numerous, and emus (coming to +drink), probably constituted their chief food, as nets to ensnare both +these kinds of birds, were found about their huts. Youranigh brought me +one of their chisels, a small bit of iron fastened to a stick with gum, +and tied with a piece of striped shirting. I directed him to place it +carefully where he had found it. Thermometer at sunrise, 47°; at noon, +90°; at 4 P. M., 95°; at 9, 69°;--with wet bulb, 60°. The mean height +above the sea of the camps of 23d, 24th, and 26th March, was 461 feet. + +27TH MARCH.--Pursuing, as well as we could, the course of the Narran, +which came more from the northward, we again encamped on its banks after +a journey of seven miles, without recognising any indication of the +vicinity of the larger stream, which, according to our latitude, we ought +by this to have reached. The current here had evidently been more +decided, and dry trunks and other FLUVIATILE DEBRIS lay more in masses +against whatever had lain in the water's way. Excellent grass clothed the +plains over which we had passed during the two last days, and grew +abundantly also about the banks of the river; but, in general, a belt of +the POLYGONUM JUNCEUM, about 400 or 500 yards wide, grew between the +immediate margin and the grassy plains. This shrub was found an +infallible guide to the vicinity of the river, when, as sometimes +happened, other lines of trees, resembling those on its banks, had led me +to a distance from it. The day was cool and rather cloudy, a great +novelty to us; for every day had been clear and unclouded, since long +before we crossed the Barwan. Abundance of the stones of the quandang +fruit (FUSANUS ACUMINATUS) lay at an old fire of the natives, and showed +that we were not far from the northern limit of the great clay basin, as +the quandang bush grows only upon the lowest slopes of hilly land. Lat. +28° 55' 13" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 70°; at noon, 90°; at 4 P. M., 89; +at 9, 70°;--with wet bulb, 61°. + +28TH MARCH.--At 2 A. M., loud thunder was heard in the south-west, where +a dark cloud arose and passed round to the northward; a few drops of rain +fell. The morning was otherwise clear, with a cooling breeze from S. W. +Thermometer at sunrise, 56°. We proceeded, travelling chiefly amongst +very luxuriant grass. The river now disappeared as far to the westward of +my northerly course on this left bank, as it had left me when on the +other bank by unexpected turns to the eastward. I came upon its banks +after travelling about eight miles. At the spot where I wished to place +the camp I perceived a native, and with Youranigh's assistance, managed +to prevent him from running away. He spoke only "Jerwoolleroy," a dialect +which my native did not understand at all well. He told us, however, that +this was still the Narran, and pointed N. W. to the Balonne. Upon the +whole we gathered from him that neither that river nor the Bokhara was +far from us. I endeavoured to convince him, by Youranigh's assurances, +and our own civility to him, that we meant no harm to any natives, and +were only passing through the country. He did not seem afraid, although +he had never, until then, seen white men. We encamped near him. The river +channel was very narrow, and contained but little water here-abouts. I +understood from the native (through Youranigh) that the river here spread +into various channels, and that "BARRO" was the name of a river beyond +the Culg, which falls into it from the northward; "TOORINGORRA," the +lagoon on which we encamped after meeting natives on the 31st March. Near +this camp we found a PHYLLANTHUS, scarcely different from P. SIMPLEX; a +SESBANIA near S. ACULEATA, but with smaller flowers; and the CHENOPODIUM +AURICOMUM, formed a white-leaved shrub, three or four feet high. +Thermometer at sunrise, 56°; at noon, 78°; at 4 P. M., 82°; at 9, 61°;-- +with wet bulb, 56°. + +29TH MARCH.--After prayers (the day being Sunday) I sent Mr. Kennedy +forward to explore the course of the river, in order to ensure a more +direct line for to-morrow's route. Mr. Kennedy was accompanied by one of +the men armed, and also by Youranigh, all being mounted. He returned in +about four hours, having found the river coming from the northward, and +he also reported favourably of the ground. Thermometer at sunrise, 48°; +at 4 P. M., 81°; at 9, 51°;--with wet bulb, 47°. + +30TH MARCH.--The night had been cool and pleasant, Thermometer at sunrise +only 42°. The cattle were yoked up early, and we travelled on over fine +grassy plains, and with open gravelly ridges on our right. At length, +about the sixth mile, these ridges closed on the river, where there was +one hill almost clear of trees or bushes. I ascended it, but could only +see plains to the westward, and a dense line of river-trees running +north. We at length encamped on what appeared to be still the Narran, +after a journey of about eight miles. + +We this day passed a small group of trees of the yellow gum, a species of +eucalyptus growing only on the poor sandy soil near Botany Bay, and other +parts of the sea-coast near Sydney. Thermometer at sunrise, 42°; at 4 P. +M., 83°; at 9, 61°;--with wet bulb, 57°. Mean height of the camps of the +27th, 28th, and 30th, above the level of the sea, 509 feet. + +31ST MARCH.--The various lines of trees were now so much dispersed across +the country, that to follow the line of the Narran, it was necessary to +see its ponds and channel as frequently as possible. The course, if not +of the river, at least of its ana-branches; and there were besides those, +branches of another kind, namely, true branches coming from the main +channel, as branches leave the stem of a tree, never to unite with it +again. Some of those of this description, so closely resembled in every +respect the Narran, that the difference was only to be distinguished by +observing the marks of flood on trees, and ascertaining the direction of +the current. We had crossed several such, and were rather in a "fix" with +some lagoons, when I perceived several native children in one of them. I +wished here to intercept some natives who might tell us where was the +ford of "Congo," where white men had crossed the Balonne, or where was +the river Balonne. The children fled, but two manly voices were heard +immediately, and two natives came confidently up to Youranigh and then to +me. The eldest seemed about fifty-five years of age; the other was a lad +of about twenty. They spoke of "Congo," and the Balonne (BALONGO) as +quite at hand, and undertook to conduct us to both. It was quite evident +from their pronunciation, that "Baloon" was not the proper native name, +but Bal, the termination they gave it of "GO," being an article they very +often use, Bal-go being equivalent to THE Balonne; as in speaking of the +Barwan, they say "Barwàngo." I had nearly completed the usual short +journey when we fell in with these natives, but I was unwilling to lose +the advantage of their assistance, and so travelled on under their +guidance, full five miles further, before I fixed on a spot for the camp. +This was by a splendid piece of water, named by them Tooningora, nearly +on a level with the adjacent plains, and covered with ducks. We had +passed other fine sheets of water guided by our native friends, and over +a rich grassy country remarkably level and free from scrub. It was +evidently changed by the vicinity of the larger river. I continued to +follow our new friends beyond where I had directed the party to encamp, +in expectation of seeing the marked tree at Congo, and the river Balonne. +After going forward thus about four miles, we saw five gins running off +at a great distance across some open plains, apparently near the river. +The eldest of our guides ran after them, and I requested him to assure +them that the white men would do no harm, and to tell them not to run +away. At length he overtook them. Two appeared to carry unseemly loads +across their backs, dangling under large opossum-skin cloaks, and it was +evident that these were mummied bodies. I had heard of such a custom, but +had not before seen it. I had then but a distant view of these females, +as they resumed their flight, and continued it until they reached woods +bounding the plain on the westward. The line of Yarra trees of the great +Balonne river ran parallel to our march westward, and there also, +according to my guides, was "Congo," the ford marked out by my son, and +which spot I most anxiously desired to see and identify by his initials. +Still my guides led westward towards the woods, and as we approached +them, the shout or scream of little Dicky, a native child of the Bogan, +follower of my camp, first drew my attention to a black phalanx within +the forest, of natives presenting a front like a battalion. Youranigh my +interpreter halted and remonstrated: our elder guide ran forward, and on +his reaching that body, the sound of gruff voices that arose from it +strongly reminded me of Milton's description of Satan's army: + +"Their rising all at once was as the sound Of thunder heard remote." + +Youranigh would not advance another step, although much pressed by the +other native remaining with us to do so, but declared that "those fellows +were murry coola," (very angry). We therefore retraced our footsteps to +the camp, without having seen either the Balongo or Congo. Our guide soon +overtook us, accompanied by fourteen of the strange natives, who, all +curiosity, passed the night at our camp, and they brought with them a lad +named "Jemmy," who spoke a little English, and had visited many of our +cattle-stations. He was very intelligible to Youranigh, who but very +imperfectly understood the language of the rest. They seemed upon the +whole a frank and inoffensive race. Their food consisted of the fish of +the river, ducks, and the small indigenous melon, CUCUMIS PUBESCENS, +which grew in such abundance, that the whole country seemed strewed with +the fruit, then ripe, and of which the natives eat great quantities, and +were very fond. It is about the size of a plum only, and in the journal +of my first interior journey (in 1831), is mentioned as a cucumber we +were afraid to eat. (Vol. I. p. 88.) Latitude of camp, 28° 38' 47" S. +Thermometer at sunrise, 42°; at 4 P. M., 83°; at 9, 61°;--with wet bulb, +57°. + +1ST APRIL.--The whole party moved off about the usual hour, 7 A. M., +still under the guidance of our new acquaintance, towards the Balonne. On +our way the natives were very careful to point out how muddy hollows +could best be avoided by our drays. I saw seated at a distance, in due +form, the tribe to which they belonged; and having directed the party to +halt, went up to them. They were seated in three groups; old men on the +right, painted red; old women in the centre, painted white; and other +women and children on the left. The few strong men who appeared, formed a +circle around me, and told me their names as they came up to me. I +desired Youranigh to tell them that we were passing that way across the +Balonne to a very far-off country, and did not wish to disturb them, etc. +When all was said that could be said, and I was about to return, one of +the chiefs, "Yarree," said "good night," words which he must have learnt +at some cattle station. Although it was only morning, I returned the +compliment with all possible gravity, and took my leave. Soon after, we +arrived on the bank of the Balonne, as fine a looking river as I have +seen in the colony, excepting only the Murray. There was a slight +current, and the waters lay in broad reaches, under banks less elevated +above the bed than those of the Darling. In breadth the channel surpassed +that of the last named river in any part, I believe, of its course. + +We encamped near a shallow place, which the natives at first said was +"Congo," but where we found no marks on the trees. The curiosity of the +natives having been gratified, they disappeared; but I must mention that, +having missed the elder of the two men who had guided us here since the +first evening, I learnt, on inquiring what had become of him, that he had +gone back to his little boys, whom he had left at the water-holes where +he first met us, six miles back, and for whom he had apparently gathered +his little net of melons. Nothing could have been finer than this man's +conduct. He had at once come on with us to guide us where we wanted to +go; took great pains to make us known to his own tribe, and, I believe, +to other assembled tribes at some risk to himself; and then, without +claiming my promised gifts, he had returned to his little family, left at +such a distance, only that he might do that which was civil, to us +strangers. Yet we call these men savages! I fear such disinterested acts +of civility on the part of the civilised portion of mankind are rather +rare. He had rendered to us, at all events, a very great service; for the +danger of sudden collision with the natives was at an end, after our +introduction by him to the tribes. In the afternoon, Slater, one of the +bullock-drivers, found a good fording-place; and I sent a few men to cut +the banks, and fill up a soft part of the river bed with logs, branches, +and earth, for the better passage of the drays; a work they completed +before night. I rode about five miles beyond the river to the north-west, +and met, first with a very broad lagoon full of water, nearly on a level +with the plains, and apparently permanent; secondly, I found beyond this, +a river or chain of ponds somewhat like the Narran. This I ascertained +was called the Càwan by the natives, and that it meandered very much. The +country was rather fine. These waters were bordered by well-grown trees, +and the plains were covered with good grass. Lat. of our camp, on the +Balonne, 28° 25' 38" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 44°; at noon, 75°; at 4 +P.M., 79°; at 9, 60;--with wet bulb, 54°. Height of the bed of the +Balonne above the level of the sea, 494 feet; an average of three +observations. + +2D APRIL.--All the drays and the party crossed the river this morning in +good order, and without any accident or much delay, by the little bridge +we had made in its bed. While they were crossing, the place seemed to me +so favorable for a ford that it might still be possible to find some of +the marked trees said to be at "Congo." I again questioned the natives on +this point, and one youth undertook to point out some marks made by white +men. Mr. Kennedy ran with him on foot up the left bank of the river, and +was shown two trees marked, the one with "J. Towns," the other with +"Bagot, 1845." Being thus convinced that this ford was really at or near +the place called "Congo," where Commissioner Mitchell had crossed, and +found the Culgoa, at a distance of only seven miles north-west, I +determined to go forward, in the same direction, to that river, taking my +track of yesterday, which enabled me to avoid the broad lagoon. + +On arriving at the "Cawan" we saw two natives fishing in a pond with hoop +nets, and Yuranigh went to ask them about the "Culgoa." He returned +accompanied by a tall athletic man; the other was this man's gin, who had +been fishing with him. There he had left her to take care of his nets, +and, without once looking at me or the party, proceeded to conduct us to +the Culgoa. I never saw a Spanish or Portuguese guide go with a +detachment half so willingly. Yuranigh and he scarcely understood a word +of what each other said, and yet the former had the address to overcome +the usual difficulties to intercourse between strange natives, and their +shyness to white men, and to induce this native thus to become our guide. +He took us to the Culgoa, which we made at about seven miles from the +Balonne, and I was so much pleased with the willing service and true +civility of this native, that I presented him with an iron tomahawk, and +I heard him twice ask Yuranigh if it really was meant for him to keep. He +then hastened back to his gin, whom he had left five miles off. This +river presented as deep a section as, but a narrower bed than, the one we +had just left. It had all the characteristics, however, of a principal +river, and really looked more important than the Barwan, except that its +waters were not then fluent. Gigantic blue gum trees overhang the banks, +and the Mimosa grew near the bed of the current. I should say that these +and much sand were the chief characteristics of the Culgoa. There were no +recent marks of natives' fires, and I was informed that they did not much +frequent that part of the river. The grass along the banks was very +luxuriant. Latitude 28° 31' 19" south. Thermometer at sunrise, 39°; at +noon, 75°; at 4 P.M., 76°; at 9, 50°;--with wet bulb, 46°. The height of +this camp above the level of the sea, being forty feet above the bed of +the river, 543 feet; from the mean of four observations. + +3RD APRIL.--The section of this river being forty feet deep, and the +banks in general steep, the work necessary to render it passable to our +heavy drays could not be accomplished yesterday afternoon. This day, +however, our camp was established on the right bank of the Culgoa. +Thermometer at sunrise, 35°; at noon, 80°.; at 4 P.M., 77°; at 9, 49°; +and with wet bulb, 46°. + +4TH APRIL.--We were now to proceed along the right bank of the Culgoa +upwards to the United Balonne, and thence to continue ascending along the +right bank of that river also, as far as the direction was favourable to +our progress northward. This remained to be ascertained in exploring that +river upwards. In gaining the right bank of the Culgoa, we had crossed +the vast basin of clay extending from the Bogan on the south, to this +river on the north, and westward to New Year's Range and Fort Bourke. +That country was liable to be rendered quite impassable, had the rains +set in. But even in such seasons we could still travel over the dry, firm +ground bounding this basin of clay on the northward, as the left bank of +the Bogan was also passable, however rainy the season, indeed more +conveniently then than during a dry one. Rain, if it had fallen at this +time, had greatly facilitated our exploration of the northern interior; +but these rivers we had reached would supply us with water for some +degrees to the northward, as I had been informed by the Commissioner of +the district, and in our progress so far, I hoped we should arrive at a +better watered country. + +Taking a northerly course, we traversed fine grassy land, on which grew +luxuriantly the ACACIA PENDULA and other shrubs, that reminded us of the +banks of the Bogan, to which country we found here the exact counterpart, +only that this was better watered. The course of the Culgoa was more +easterly than I had calculated on, for, after going six miles northward, +I had to travel at least as many eastward before I again found the river. +We encamped on the acute north-western angle of an anabranch biting into +the firm soil, and it was evident that we had reached the Balonne Major, +or that part above the separation of the Culgoa from the Minor Balonne, +both of which we had already crossed, and which ran thus, as from our +camp the lines of trees along each of the minor channels were distinctly +visible. + +The character of these rivers had been described to me by Commissioner +Mitchell, the discoverer thereof. It was late before the drays came in, +and Mr. Kennedy was led into the camp quite blind, having been suddenly +attacked with purulent ophthalmia, when engaged in the survey of our +route, about four miles from the camp. The heat had somewhat abated, but +still this complaint, which we had attributed to it, had lately affected +many of the party suddenly, as in the case of Mr. Kennedy. Latitude, 28° +27' 11" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 33°; at noon, 83°; at 4 P.M., 88°; at +9, 53°; with wet bulb, 47°. + +5TH APRIL.--The party halted, and I took a ride to explore the course of +the river, proceeding first northward. In that direction I came upon an +angle of the Balonne, at about three miles from the camp. Beyond, after +passing through much ACACIA PENDULA, I crossed a small plain, bounded by +a Casuarina scrub. Partly to ascertain its extent and character, and +partly in the hope of falling in with the river beyond, I entered it. I +found this scrub full of holes, that obliged me to pursue a very tortuous +course, impeded as I was too by the rugged stems and branches. I got +through it, only after contending with these impediments for three miles. +The country beyond it looked not at all like that back from the river, +and I turned to the N.E., pursuing that course some miles; then eastward +two miles, and next two miles to the S.E., still without finding any +river; but, on the contrary, scrub in every direction. The sun was +declining, and I turned at last to the S.W., and in that direction +reached an extensive open forest, beyond which I saw at length the river +line of trees. I continued to ride S.S.W., and finally south, until I saw +our cattle grazing, and the tents, without having regained first, as I +wished, my outward track. On the bank of the Balonne we found an +apparently new species of ANDROPOGON with loose thin panicles of purplish +flowers, and in the scrub I passed through, in my ride, I found a +CASUARINA, indeterminable in the absence of flowers or fruit. It produces +a gall as large as a hazel nut. Thermometer at sunrise, 37°; at noon, +90°; at 4 P.M., 94°; at 9, 57°;--with wet bulb, 53°. + +6TH APRIL.--Mr. Kennedy's eyes being still very bad, I could not proceed, +as the survey of our route was very important, in order to keep our +account of longitude correctly. The necks of the cattle were much galled, +and I therefore the more willingly halted another day. It was not without +some impatience, however, that I did so, as we were approaching a point +whence I could set out with horses to the north-west, and leave the +cattle to refresh in a depôt on this fine river, which afforded an +excellent base for our exploratory operations, in the wholly unknown +regions immediately beyond it. This line of exploration I had anxiously +wished to pursue in 1831, when obliged to return from the Karaula or +Upper Barwan; and whatever had since been ascertained about that part of +the interior, confirmed me the more in my first opinion as to the +eligibility of that direction. It had occurred to me, on crossing the +Culgoa, that by marking deeply on a tree, at each camp, a number of +reference, our survey might be more practically useful and available to +the colonists, as connecting so many particular localities therewith. I +therefore marked that No. I. in Roman numerals; this II., and I shall add +in this journal, at the end of the narrative of each day's proceedings, +whatever number or mark may be made to distinguish the place of +encampment described. + +In the scrub near this, we observed an Acacia, apparently new, a +broadleaved, white-looking wattle. There was also a branching Composite, +which Sir W. Hooker has determined to be a very distinct and undoubted +species of FLAVERIA of which all the other species are natives of the New +World.[*] The CAPPARIS LASIANTHA was also found here growing on EXOCARPUS +APHYLLA of Brown; it was found by Allan Cunningham and Frazer on +Liverpool Plains, also, at Swan River. Thermometer, at sunrise, 44°; at +noon, 95°; at 4 P.M., 96°; at 9, 63°;--with wet bulb, 57°. Height above +the sea, 497 feet. + +[* FLAVERIA AUSTRALASICA (Hook. MSS.) foliis lineari-lanceolatis +integerrimis basi dilatatis, capitulis densissime globoso-fasciculatis, +fasciculis subinvolucratis, bracteis exterioribus praecipue fasciculos +superantibus omnibus late amplexantibus.] + +7TH APRIL.--When all were preparing to set off early this morning, I was +informed that two bullocks were missing, and a third fast in the mud on +the river bank. The two stray animals were soon found; but it was +impossible to bring on the other in the mud, for he was blown, from +having drunk too much water, after over-eating himself with grass. Our +journey was continued round one angle of the river in my horse's track. +Afterwards turning to the N. E., we crossed two miles of open forest +land, where the grass was good, and having the river in sight. At length, +even on an easterly course we could not keep it longer in view, but got +involved in a scrub on soft red sand. Emerging from this on a course of +E. S. E., we again got upon open ground, and soon saw the majestic trees +of the river in a line circling round to the northward. Coming upon it at +an angle where scrubs of rosewood and ACACIA PENDULA crowned the slopes, +we encamped on a beautiful spot. The river was magnificent, presenting a +body of water of such breadth, as I had only seen in one other river of +Australia, and the banks were grassy to the water's edge. + +This day, "Jemmy," a young native whom we had seen on the Minor Balonne, +came to our camp with another youth, and the voices of a tribe were heard +in the woods. As Jemmy had not kept his word formerly, having left us +suddenly, and was evidently a scamp, I peremptorily ordered him away. I +had heard of his having brought gins to my camp at night on the former +occasion, and he was very likely to be the cause of mischief, and could +not, or at least, would not, render us any service. We desired no further +intercourse, at that time, with the natives, as those with us did not +understand their language. The misfortunes of Mr. Finch arose through +that sort of intercourse with his men, and had arrested my journey +fifteen years ago, when I had advanced to within forty miles of this +camp, intent on those discoveries I hoped at length to make even now. I +had good reason, therefore, to keep the natives at a distance here, at a +time, too, when the bodies of six white men were said to be still +uninterred in this neighbourhood. A species of CYPERUS with panicled +globular heads of flowers was found here in the sloping bank. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 47°; at noon, 97°; at 4 P. M. 97°; at 9, 69°;-- +with wet bulb 57°. Height above the sea 634 feet. Latitude 28° 23' 59" S. +(Camp III.) + +8TH APRIL.--We continued our journey nearly northward, keeping the river +woods in sight, as much as the country permitted. An arm or anabranch, at +first containing much water, and coming from the north, was on our right +for some miles. In following it, our natives found the tracks of three +horses, one only having had shoes on, and two foals, as if proceeding +first towards our camp, then returning. The branch from the river became +dry and sandy, but still we followed its course. We saw about a mile to +the eastward, beyond this dry channel, a splendid sheet of water on a +level with the general surface, and having extensive tracts of emerald +green vegetation about it. The dry channel obliged me to make a longer +journey than I had intended. At length, on finding the requisite water in +its bed, I encamped. This was near a pond, on whose sandy margin we saw +still the tracks of the three horses that had been there to drink. The +scrubs came close to the river with intervals of grassy plain. The ACACIA +PENDULA, and its concomitant shrubs, the SANTALUM OBLONGATUM, and others, +gave beauty to the scenery, and with abundance of water about, all hands +considered this a very fine country. At sunset, thunder-clouds gathered +in the S. W., and at about 7 P. M. the storm reached our camp, +accompanied by a sudden, very strong gale from the S. E. The lightning +was very vivid, and for half an hour it rained heavily. By 8 P. M. it was +over, and the serene sky admitted of an observation of Regulus, by which +the latitude was found to be 28° 17' 8" S. (No. IV.) Thermometer at +sunrise, 61°; at noon, 91°; at 4 P. M. 94°; at 9, 66°;--with wet bulb +63°. + +9TH APRIL.--The branches of the river, and flats of Polygonum, obliged me +to follow a N. W. course. I did so most willingly, as we had already got +further to the eastward than I wished. The arm of the river spread into a +broad swamp, in which two of the drays sank, the drivers having taken no +notice of a tree I had laid across the track, to show where the carts had +been backed out. I made them unload the drays and carry the loads to firm +ground. Keeping afterwards along the margin of this swamp for many miles, +I perceived abundance of water in it, and passed the burning fires of +natives, where their water kids and net gear hung on trees about. At +length, upon turning to the eastward, I came upon the main river, where +it formed a noble reach, fully 120 yards wide, and sweeping round +majestically from N. E. to S. E. We here encamped, after a long journey. +The banks were grassy to the water's edge. We saw large fishes in it; +ducks swam on it, and, at some distance, a pair of black swans. This +surpassed even the reach at camp III., and I must add, that such an +enormous body of permanent water could be seen nowhere else in New South +Wales save in the river Murray during its floods. The Anthistiria grew +abundantly where we encamped, which was in latitude, 28° 13' 34" S. and +marked V. Thermometer, at sunrise, 63°; at noon, 94°; at 4 P. M., 97°; at +9, 63°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +10TH APRIL.--Pursuing a N. W. course, we crossed small grassy plains, +fringed with rosewood and other acacias; but, in order to keep near the +river, I was soon obliged to turn more towards the east, as Callitris +scrubs were before me. In avoiding these, I again came upon the more open +and firm ground adjacent to the river, and saw its course in the line of +large Yarra trees, which always point out its banks with their white and +gnarled arms. I may here state that the scrubs generally consist of a +soft red sandy soil; the land near the river, of clay, which last is by +far the best of the two soils for crossing with wheel carriages; the soft +red sand being almost as formidable an impediment in some situations as +mud. At length, in travelling N. eastward, we came upon a spacious +lagoon, extending westward, and covered with ducks. Perceiving, by drift +marks, that it came from the West, I kept along its margin, following it +as it trended round to N. E., where we arrived at the main channel, about +that part whence the waters of the lagoon emanate during high floods. +That lagoon presented an excellent place for a cattle-station. Water +could never fail, as the main stream was at hand, if even the lagoon +dried up, which seemed not at all likely. PSORALEA ERIANTHA was abundant +in the bed of the river, along with INDIGOFERA HIRSUTA, and CROTALARIA +MITCHELLII.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 44°; at noon, 99°; at 4 P. M., +97° at 9, 66°;--with wet bulb, 58°. + +[* C. MITCHELLII (Benth. MS.) erecta, ramulis flavescenti-tomentosis, +stipulis parvis subulatis, foliis ovali-ellipticis obtusis retusisve basi +angustatis supra glabris subtus calycibusque subsericeo- +pubescentitomentosis, bracteolis in pedicello brevissimo minutis +setaceis, legumine sessili glabro. Allied to C. RETUSA and SERICEA, but +flowers much smaller, in short dense spikes. It agrees in most respects +with the short character of C. NOVOE HOLLANDIOE, etc., but the leaf is +not articulated on the footstalk, and the stipules exist.] + +11TH APRIL.--Proceeding due north we had the river close on our right +hand, when two miles on. After making a slight detour to avoid a gully +falling into it, we continued the same course over open forest land, and, +at length, saw an immense sheet of water before us, with islands in it. +This was also a lagoon supplied by floods in the Balonne. It was covered +with ducks, pelicans, etc. I called it Lake Parachute, no natives being +near to give me their name for it. I must here add that the true +aboriginal name is not Baloon, however, but Balonne, and this I the more +readily adopt to avoid the introduction of a name so inappropriate +amongst rivers. I was obliged to turn this lagoon, by moving some way +about to my right, for it sent forth a deep arm to the S. W. which lay +across my intended route. Continuing to travel northward, we arrived upon +the banks of a lagoon, where they resembled those of the main channel, +having trees of the same kind and fully as large. The breadth was very +uniform, and as great as that of the river, so that it seemed this had +once been the bed of the Balonne. We crossed it at a dry part of the +swamp, the waters extending and increasing in it to the eastward. In the +opposite direction it was equally uniform and continuous, but apparently +dry. On crossing this old channel, I turned sharply to the N. E., aware +that it is usually at acute angles in a river's course that such +overflowings break out. I found it necessary in the present case to turn +eastward, and even to the southward of east before I could find the river +again. At length we came upon the channel divided amongst ridges of sand, +where the waters took a sharp turn and broke thus into separate currents. +I was now very desirous to select a camp where the cattle might remain to +rest and refresh while I proceeded with a small party to the N. W. This +place did not please me, having been too scrubby, the water not well +tasted, and the grass dry, therefore liable to be set on fire by the +natives, or by accident. A bulbous species of CYPERUS grew on the bank of +the Balonne, and in the river we found the common European reed, ARUNDO +PHRAGMITES: a Loranthus allied to L. LINEARIFOLIUS, but with broader +leaves, grew on some of the trees, and we saw a fine new species of +ADRIANIA.[*] (No. VII.) Thermometer, at sunrise, 47°; at noon, 102°; at 4 +P. M., 104°; at 9, 69°; with wet bulb, 62°. Average height above the sea, +of camps V. VI. and VII., 559 feet. + +[* A. HETEROPHYLLA (Hooker MSS.) foliis ovato-acuminatis grosse +sinuatoserratis integris cordatisve trifidis, utrinque bracteisque +glaberrimis.] + +12TH APRIL.--I accordingly put the party in motion at an early hour, and +soon came upon the river, where it formed a noble reach of water and came +from the westward, a new direction, which, with the sand that had for +some days appeared in shallow parts of its bed, raised my hopes that this +river might be found to come from the north-west, a direction it +maintained for five miles. The breadth was uniform, and the vast body of +water was a most cheering sight. The banks were 120 yards apart, the +course in general very straight, contributing much to the perspective of +the scenery upon it. At one turn, denuded rocks appeared in its bed, +consisting of ironstone in a whitish cement or matrix, which might have +been decomposed felspar. I at length arrived at a natural bridge of the +same sort of rock, affording easy and permanent access to the opposite +bank, and at once selected the spot for a dépôt camp, which we +established on a fine position commanding long vistas both up and down +the river. It was, in fact, a tête-de-pont overlooking the rocky passage +which connected the grass on both sides. This was No. VIII., and in +latitude 28° 1' 37''. Thermometer, at sunrise, 68°; at noon, 104°; at 4 +P. M., 101°; at 9, 74°;--with wet bulb, 64°. + +13TH APRIL.--Here I could leave the jaded cattle to refresh, while, with +a small party on horse-back, I could ascertain the farther course of the +river, and explore the country to the north-west where centred all my +hopes of discovery. I set on foot various preparations, such as the +stuffing of saddles, shoeing of horses, drying of mutton, and, first of +all in importance, though last likely to be accomplished, the making a +pair of new wheels for a cart to carry water. Thermometer, at sunrise, +47°; at noon, 100°; at 4 P. M., 101°; at 9, 67°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +15TH APRIL.--This day I sent Mr. Kennedy to examine the country in the +direction of 331½°, my intended route, and he returned about 10 P. M., +having seen what he considered indications of the river on his right when +about twelve miles from the camp, and plains to the left. Upon the whole, +I resolved, from what he said of the scrubs he had met with, to travel +north-west, that direction being perpendicular to the general course of +this river, and therefore the most likely to lead the soonest to higher +ground. Thermometer, at sunrise, 68°; at noon, 104°; at 4 P. M., 103°; at +9, 72°;--with wet bulb, 67°. + +16TH APRIL.--In order better to contend with the difficulty of wanting +water, and be better prepared for it, I formed my party rather of +infantry than cavalry, taking only two horses, drawing a cart loaded +chiefly with water, and six trusty men, almost all old soldiers. We were +thus prepared to pass several nights without requiring other water than +that we carried with us. I hoped thus to be enabled to penetrate the +scrubs, and reach, and perhaps cross, the higher land bounding this great +basin. Our first day's progress, being rather experimental, did not +extend above ten miles. I had been obliged to send back the shaft horse, +and exchange him for a better, as our load of water was heavy. The day +was very sultry. Thermometer 105° Fahrenheit, in the shade. We had passed +over ground more open than I expected, but by no means clear of scrubs. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 64°; at 4 P. M., 105°; at 9, 71°;--with wet +bulb, 67°. + +17TH APRIL.--The messenger returned early with two horses, one being my +own second charger, which I put as leader to the cart. We then got +forward on foot as fast as the men could walk, or rather as fast as they +could clear a way for the cart. We passed through much scrub, but none +was of the very worst sort. The natives' marks on trees were numerous, +and the ground seemed at first to fall westward as to some water-course; +and, after travelling about five miles, there appeared a similar +indication of water to the eastward of our route. At one place even the +white-barked gum trees appeared; but, although they had the character of +river trees, we found they grew on an elevated piece of clay soil. After +completing about ten miles, I halted for two hours to rest the horses, +where there was a patch of good grass, and we gave them some water from +our stock. The mercurial column afforded no indication that we were at +all higher than our camp overlooking the river, and it seemed, therefore, +not improbable that we might meet with some other channel or branch of +that prolific river. After resting two hours we continued, passing +through woods partly of open forest trees, and partly composed of scrub. +Towards the end of our day's journey, we crossed land covered with good +grass, and having only large trees on it, so thinly strewed as to be of +the character of the most open kind of forest land. Saw thereon some very +large kangaroos, and throughout the day we had found their tracks +numerous. We finally set up our bivouac a little before sunset, on a +grassy spot surrounded by scrub. In this scrub I found the CLEOME FLAVA +of Banks, and the strong-smelling AMBRINA CARINATA. A very remarkable +whiteness appeared on the leaves of the EUCALYPTUS POPULIFOLIUS, which, +on very close examination, appeared to be the work of an insect.[*] On +the plains the SALSOLA AUSTRALIS formed a round bush, which, when loose +from its very slight root, was liable to be blown about. Thermometer at +sunrise, 71°; at 9 P. M, 68°;--with wet bulb, 64°. + +[* The following letter from Mr. Westwood to Dr. Lindley relates to +specimens of this brought to England:-- + +"I am sorry that the state of the specimens from Sir Thomas Mitchell (or +rather, I should say, the time when they were gathered) does not allow me +to say much about the insect by which they are formed. It is an extremely +beautiful production, quite unlike any thing I have yet seen, and is, I +have no doubt, the scale of a coccus. It is of a very peculiar form, +resembling a very delicate, broad, and flattened valve of a bi-valve +shell, such as the genus Iridina, the part where the hinge is being a +little produced and raised, and forming the cover of the coccus which +secretes the beautiful material just in the same unexplained way as the +scale insects form the slender attenuated scales beneath which they are +born. I could not discover any insect beneath the specimens of Sir Thomas +Mitchell's production in a state sufficient to determine what it really +is, as I only found one or two exceedingly minute atoms of shrivelled up +insects. It is extremely brittle, and looks more like dried, white, +frothed sugar than any thing else."] + +18TH APRIL.--A pigeon had flown last evening over our camp in a N. N. E. +direction, and as the ground sloped that way, and the men believed that +water was there, I rode this morning in that direction, leaving the other +horses to feed in the meantime. At two miles from our bivouac I found +some hollows in a scrub where the surface consisted of clay, and which +evidently at some seasons contained water, although they were then dry. +Polygonum grew around them, and I doubt not that after a fall of rain +water would remain there some time. On riding two miles beyond, in the +same direction, I found open forest land only. The country was well +covered with good grass, very open, yet finely wooded. We again proceeded +north-west over some fine forest land. The soil was, however, only soft +red sand, and made it very heavy work for our horses drawing the +watercart. + +On passing through a Casuarina scrub, we entered upon a different kind of +country as to wood and grass, the soil being much the same, or still more +loose and sandy. The surface bore a sterile heathy appearance, and the +trees consisted chiefly of a stunted box, growing but thinly. Instead of +grass, black, half-burnt roots of a wiry plant appeared, which I +afterwards found in flower (SEE INFRÀ), and one small, shrubby, brown +bush, very much resembling heath; apparently a Chenopod with heathlike +leaves, and globular hairy heads of flowers. The roots of the +firstmentioned plant presented much obstruction to our cart-wheels in +passing over the soft sand. As I stood awaiting the cart's arrival, some +birds drew my attention, as I perceived I had attracted theirs. They +descended to the lowest branches of the tree in whose shade I stood, and +seemed to regard my horse with curiosity. On my imitating their chirp one +fluttered down, and attempted to alight on my horse's ears. On my +whistling to them, one whistled some beautifully varied notes, as soft as +those of an octave flute, although their common chirp was harsh and +dissonant. The male and female seemed to have very different plumage, +especially about the head; that on the one having the varying tint of the +Rifle bird, the head of the other more resembling in colour, that of the +DACELO GIGANTEUS. They were about the size of a thrush, and seemed the +sole residents of that particular spot, and I had not seen them +elsewhere. The carts came slowly forward, the horses being much +distressed. I continued to ride some miles ahead, and passed through a +scrub in a clay hollow, to which succeeded another open forest country +with more of the soft red sand. The people with the cart could not +overtake me, and I returned. Meeting them at a rather bad place, I +determined to encamp at some patches of grassy ground somewhat out of our +line, in latitude, 27° 43' S. It is remarkable that, according to the +barometer, we had not ascended higher than our depôt camp on the river, +at a distance of nearly forty miles from it. I had just quitted my +horse's back, and had resolved to return, when two horsemen were seen +approaching along our track. They were two of our party come from the +depôt to bring me a despatch, which had been forwarded by Commissioner +Wright, communicating the news of Dr. Leichardt's return from Port +Essington, and enclosing the Gazette with his own account of his journey. +Thus it became known to us that we could no longer hope to be the first +to reach the shores of the Indian Ocean by land. Thermometer, at sunrise, +62°; at 4 P. M., 93°; at 9, 71°;--with wet bulb, 64°. + +19TH APRIL,--I left the men with the cart, to follow while I rode forward +along its track, and sat down to peruse the newspapers sent me, until the +cart overtook me in the evening, the horses being quite exhausted by the +heat and the heavy sand. Thermometer, at sunrise, 61°; at noon, 86°; at +9, 63°;--with wet bulb, 59°. + +20TH APRIL.--The men who brought the despatches yesterday having been +ordered to bring fresh horses this day from the depôt, I sent our tired +animals on thither at once, as we could give them but a limited quantity +of water. I rode forward also to the camp, and met the fresh horses about +half-way. I immediately ordered the repair of the wheels of another light +cart, determined to lose no time in exploring a passage towards the head +of Carpentaria. Thermometer, at sunrise, 48°; at noon, 95; at 4 P. M., +93°; at 9, 63°;--with wet bulb, 58°. + +21ST APRIL.--The cart came in about 9 A. M. The morning was cloudy, for +the first time this month, and a slight shower fell. Had three or four +days' rain fallen at that time, it would have enabled me to have explored +by much less circuitous routes, than along the bank of this great river, +the country to the north-west. In this case, the tour from which I had +just returned might have been continued, as I wished and intended, had it +been possible to find water, to the mountains or higher ground, whatever +it might be that formed the limits to this basin on that side. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 65°; at noon, 76°; at 4 P. M., 77°; at 9, 60°; +--with wet bulb, 53°. + +22D APRIL.--The clouds continued to lower, and a great change in the +temperature accompanied this visible change in the sky, but the mercurial +column remained uncommonly steady. Arrangements for a concentrated party +engrossed my attention so fully this day, with the insertion also of our +late work on the general map, that even the newspapers from the colony +lay unread. Mr. Kennedy took a ride across the river in a S. S. E. +direction, and found a fine grazing country with open forest, as far as +he went, which was about twelve miles. On the banks of the Balonne, +during my absence, they had found, besides a small bearded CYPERUS, a new +creeping PSORALEA [*], and a new species of Acacia, which Mr. Bentham has +named A. VARIANS.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 41°; at noon, 76°; at 4 P. +M., 77°; at 9, 61°;--with wet bulb, 56°. Mean elevation of this camp +above the level of the sea, being 50 feet above the river, 623 feet. + +[* P. ERIANTHA (Benth. MS.) prostrata, canescenti-pubescens, foliis +pinnatim trifoliolatis, foliolis ovatis oblongisve dentatis, pedunculis +elongatis multifloris, floribus inferioribus remotis superioribus +approximatis, calycibus pube molli albida dense tomentosis, legumine +molliter villoso.] + +[* A. VARIANS (Benth. MS.) glabra, pallida v. glauca, ramulis +subangulatis, phyllodiis oblongo-lanceolatis v. inferioribus late +obovatis summisve linearibus, omnibus basi longe angustatis apice obtusis +v. oblique mucronatis subimmarginatis vix obscure glanduliferis +uninervibus tenuiter reticulato-penniveniis, capitulis sub 20-floris +solitariis subracemosis v. in racemos foliatos dispositis, calycibus +truncatis, legumine glabro crasso sublignoso. Very near A. SALICINA, and +possibly a mere variety; but the phyllodia are generally considerably +broader, and the inflorescence different.] + + + +Chapter IV. + +ADVANCE WITH A LIGHT PARTY--LEAVING THE REMAINDER WITH THE BULLOCKS AND +DRAYS TO REST THREE WEEKS AT ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE.--DISCOVER A RIVER +JOINING THE BALONNE FROM THE NORTH-WEST.--CROSS IT, AND STILL TRACE THE +BALONNE UPWARDS.--FINE RIVER SCENERY.--VAST PLAINS EXTENDING TO THE +EASTERN HORIZON DISCOVERED FROM A TREE.--TRIBUTARY FROM THE NORTH-WEST-- +AND RICH PLAINS.--TRACE THIS SMALL RIVER UPWARDS.--EXCELLENT COUNTRY FOR +GRAZING PURPOSES.--MOUNTAINS, SEEN AT LENGTH, TO THE NORTHWARD.--NATIVES +AT OUR CAMP.--ASCEND MOUNT FIRST VIEW.--MOUNT INVITING.--ASCEND MOUNT RED +CAP.--RIDE TO THE BORDERS OF FITZROY DOWNS, AND ASCEND MOUNT ABUNDANCE.-- +THE BOTTLE TREE.--ASCEND MOUNT BINDÀNGO.--DISCOVERY OF THE RIVER +"AMBY."--DANGEROUS FOLLOWERS OF A CAMP.--RECONNOISSANCE TO THE NORTH- +WEST.--ASCEND A TRAPITIC RANGE.--A GAP OR GOOD OPENING THROUGH IT FOUND +FOR THE CARTS.--SMALL RIVER DISCOVERED BEYOND, CONTAINING ONE POND OF +WATER.--THE CHANNEL DISAPPEARS ON OPEN FLATS.--DISCOVER THE RIVER +MARAN.--SELECT A POSITION FOR A DEPÔT.--RIDE OF RECONNOISSANCE TO THE +NORTHWARD.--RIDE INTO THE WESTERN INTERIOR.--ASCEND MOUNT LONSDALE.-- +EXTENSIVE VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT.--WATER NOT VERY PLENTIFUL.--RETURN TO THE +CAMP.--ASCEND A HIGH POINT TO THE EASTWARD.--VIEW THENCE OF THE SUMMITS +OF A RANGE TO THE NORTHWARD.--CAMP VISITED BY HOSTILE NATIVES DURING MY +ABSENCE.--ARRIVAL OF MR. KENNEDY WITH THE MAIN BODY OF THE PARTY.--HIS +ACCOUNT OF THE HOSTILITY OF THE CHIEF AND TRIBE AT "TAGANDO."--VARIOUS +PREPARATIONS MADE FOR AGAIN ADVANCING WITH A LIGHT PARTY.--DEPÔT CAMP +ESTABLISHED ON THE MARAN. + +23RD APRIL.--Our little party started at noon. I took with me eight men, +two native boys, twelve horses, besides my own two, and three light carts +with provisions for ten weeks--determined, if possible, to penetrate +northward, into the interior country, and ascertain where the division of +the waters was likely to be found. I intended, with this view, to trace +upwards the course of the Balonne, until I found mountains to the north- +westward of it; then, to endeavour to turn them by the west, and thus +acquire some knowledge on that most interesting point, the watershed +towards the Gulf. I left instructions with Mr. Kennedy to follow my track +with the drays and main body of the party, and to set out on Monday, the +4th of May, when the cattle would have had three weeks' rest. + +The first few miles of this day's journey were along a clayey flat or +hollow, which enabled me to avoid scrubby and sandy ground on each side. +I believed its direction (N. E.), to be about parallel to the river. +Leaving it at length to make the river, I met with rather a thick scrub; +but came upon the river where the banks were very rocky and picturesque. +Its course seemed to be from N. E.; but, following another flat of firm +clay, I got again into scrub so thick that I turned eastward towards the +river, and travelled along its bank until I encamped in lat. 27° 56' 12" +S. There was but little water in the bed of the river there; but long +islands of sand, water-worn banks, with sloping grassy bergs behind. The +bed, in most places, consisted of rock, the same ferruginous +conglomerate, or clay ironstone, seen in the same river lower down. Grass +was excellent and abundant on the bergs and near the river, but thick +scrub crowned these bergs on our side. It was too late to admit of my +examining the other. On our way through the scrub this day, we saw the +ENOCARPUS SPARTEA of Brown, a leaf-like wing-branched shrub; and the +beautiful parasite, LORANTHUS AURANTIACUS, occupied the branches of +Eucalyptus. Thermometer, at sunrise, 49°; at 9 P. M., 47°;--with wet +bulb, 41°. [* The dates on the map show my camps; the Roman numerals +those afterwards taken up by Mr. Kennedy, in following my track with the +main body.] + +24TH APRIL.--Set off early, travelling along the bank. The direction was +N. N. W. and N. W. For the first few miles, the scenery was wild and very +fine. Masses of rock, lofty trees, shining sands and patches of water, in +wild confusion, afforded evidence of the powerful current that sometimes +moved there and overwhelmed all. At this time, the outlines were wild, +the tints sublimely beautiful. Mighty trees of Casuarinae, still inclined +as they had been made to bend before the waters, contrasted finely with +erect Mimosae, with prostrate masses of driftwood, and with perpendicular +rocks. Then the hues of the Anthistiria grass, of a redbrown, contrasted +most harmoniously with the light green bushes, grey driftwood, blue +water, and verdure by its margin; all these again--grass, verdure, +driftwood, and water--were so opposed to the dark hues of the Casuarinae, +Mimosae, and rifted rocks, that a Ruysdael, or a Gains-borough, might +there have found an inexhaustible stock of subjects for their pencil. It +was, indeed, one continuous Ruysdael. + +"That artist lov'd the sternly savage air, And scarce a human image +plac'd he there." + +May the object of our journey be successful, thought I then; and we may +also hope that these beauties of nature may no longer "waste their +sweetness in the desert air;" and that more of her graces may thus be +brought within the reach of art. Noble reaches next extended in fine +perspective before us; each for several miles, presenting open grassy +margins along which we could travel on firm ground unimpeded by scrub. At +length I perceived before me a junction of rivers, and could see along +each of them nearly a mile. I had no alternative but to follow up that +nearest to me, and found upon its bank many recent encampments of +natives; at one of which the fires were still burning. The country was +grassy, and so open, as almost to deserve the colonial name of "plain." +This channel took me a long way northward, and to the N. N. E.; but +finally turned west, and at last south. Its bed was full of sand; and at +length we found it quite dry, so that, when I would have encamped, I +could find no water. Yet it bore all the character of a large river; +marks of high floods, Mimosae, sand, and river driftwood, like the other. +It might, and probably did, finally come out of the main channel; but +this seemed too remote a contingency for our wants then, and I crossed +it, to look for the other. In riding eastward, I found a wide plain +bounded by trees that looked like those along the river. No time could be +spared for further reconnoissance: I took the party across, and made for +the nearest part. My course was first N. E., then East, finally South, in +following the various slopes; and it was only after travelling fifteen +miles beyond the point where I met with this river, that I reached the +bank of the other, at a spot distant only FOUR miles from where I had +quitted it. This was only accomplished at forty minutes after 4 P. M., +when we had travelled twenty-six miles. As our circuitous route was +likely, if followed by Mr. Kennedy with the heavy drays, to cause delay +and inconvenience, I resolved to halt next day, and write to him on the +subject, explaining how he could most readily fall into my track by +crossing the other channel, quitting first the other track, at a spot to +be marked by Graham, who took the letter. Nevertheless, it had been +imperative on me to follow it up as I had done; because, whether as a +separate tributary or an ana-branch only, the right bank was likely to +suit us best, provided only that water could have been found in its bed. +Near the new river, the INDIGOFERA HIRSUTA of Linnaeus, with its spikes +of reflexed hairy pods, was common; and also the MOSCHOSMA POLYSTACHYUM. +Lat. 27° 47' 57'' S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 38°; at 9 P. M., 59°;--with +wet bulb, 56°. + +25TH APRIL.-- + +"The dawn is overcast, the morning lowers, And heavily in clouds brings +on the day." + +A grateful change in the weather promised rain; but suggested to me a +contingency for which I had not provided in my letter to Mr. Kennedy, and +Graham was gone. A flood coming down, might fill the channel of the +other, and prevent Mr. Kennedy's party from crossing to fall into my +track; or, if that should finally prove only an ana-branch, shut me up in +an island. On this point I again, therefore, wrote to Mr. Kennedy, and +buried my letter at the spot marked by Graham, and according to marks on +trees, as I had previously arranged with him. I then instructed him to +examine the dry channel far enough upwards (halting his party for the +day) to ascertain whether it was a separate river, or an ana-branch; and, +in the latter case, to keep along its banks, and so avoid the possible +difficulty of crossing it during rainy weather. Thermometer, at sunrise, +65°; at noon, 70°; at 4 P. M., 66°; at 9, 64°;--with wet bulb, 63°. Mean +height above the sea, 586 feet. + +26TH APRIL.--Sunday. Corporal Graham returned from the depôt camp at 1 P. +M. The sky continued cloudy, and the barometer low. High wind from the +west arose about 3 P. M. Thermometer, at sunrise, 63°; at noon, 78°; at 4 +P. M., 78°; at 9, 56°;--with wet bulb, 53°. + +27TH APRIL.--The party set off early. We found that a river from the +north joined the channel we were about to follow up in its course from +the east. The northern river contained water in abundance; and I +determined to follow it up so long as the course was favourable, and +water remained in it. The general course was much the same as that of the +first (about 39 E. of N.). The bed and ponds increased; and after +following it up about eleven miles, I encamped the party, and rode +northward to ascertain if it was likely to change its course. In ten +minutes, I came upon a splendid reach, extending north-west as far as I +could see it. Lat. of our camp, 27° 42' 42" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, +37°; at noon, 69°; at 4 P. M., 72°; at 9, 57°;--with wet bulb, 55°. + +28TH APRIL.--Masses of a ferruginous rock extended across the river bed +like a dyke, in a N. W. and S. E. direction; and as the river here broke +through these rocks, changing, at a sharp angle, its course to the S. W., +it seemed probable that the general course from above might be parallel +to these rocks. Continuing along the bank, we found the reaches large, +full of water; the country clear of scrub and covered with luxuriant +grass. One singular flat sweeping round to the W. S. W. was covered with +the rich grass PANICUM LOEVINODE. The tropical PEROTIS RARA, a delicate +grass, producing long purple tufts of reflexed bristles, was also here +observed. The general direction of the river was towards the N. W., and +whenever it took any turn towards the east, I continued to travel +northward, and thus, on three occasions, came upon its bank again, +cutting off detours I must otherwise have described in following its +course. We encamped on a beautiful spot, the sight of which would have +rejoiced the heart of a stockholder. A fresh westerly breeze blew during +the day, and we were as free from the annoyance of heat, as if we had +been in England during the same month. Latitude 27° 32' 37" S. The +direction of the river's course was uncommonly straight, and its long +sweeping reaches, full of water, seemed capable of being rendered +available for the purpose of forming water communications. The surface of +the adjacent country presented a thin deposit of sand, near the river, +attesting the great height to which its waters sometimes rise; and minor +features of ground near, showed, in their water-worn sections, that they +had been wholly deposited by the river. Thermometer, at sunrise, 39°; at +4 P. M., 69°; at 9, 48°;--with wet bulb, 46°. + +29TH APRIL.--The tendency of the soft earth of the banks to break into +gullies, branching back into impervious scrubs, was such as to prevent me +from either seeing much of the river during this day's journey, or +pursuing a straight course. At one place I could only follow the grassy +margin of the river, by passing between its channel and the berg, all +seared as it was with water-worn gullies, and crowned with scrub; but I +was soon locked up under these where a bad hole impeded our progress +along the river, and I was obliged to back the carts out, the best way I +could. While travelling along the margin I perceived a slight current in +a gravelly part of the bed. I had previously observed a whitish tinge +like that of a fresh in the river water, this day and yesterday, +doubtless the product of the late rain, and probably from these clay +gullies. After a circuitous journey, we came out on a clear grassy brow +over-looking much open country. There I still met with heads of gullies, +but could easily avoid them, and after traversing a fine grassy plain, we +encamped as near the river as the gullies would allow, in latitude 27° +28' 27". One of the party, John Douglas, from the top of a tree, +discovered vast plains in the N. E. extending to the horizon, a river +line pursuing a northerly course, and in the N. W. a mass of cloud hung +over what he supposed to be mountains. Thermometer, at sunrise, 36°; at 4 +P. M., 63°; at 9, 47°; with wet bulb, 44°. + +30TH APRIL.--Obliged to keep at some distance from the river, I came upon +open forest land, where gentle undulations took the place of the rugged +gullies. Thus we travelled over a beautiful country, due north, with +sufficient indications of the river on our right, in the slopes that all +fell to that side. There were ponds in some hollows, and we made the +river itself at various parts of our route. At length, where it bit on a +high scrubby bank, I again proceeded northward and came upon a large +lagoon, sweeping round to S. W. and S. S. W., further than we could see. +It had on its surface numerous ducks, and a large encampment of native +huts appeared at one end. We encamped by this lagoon, in latitude 27° 20' +S. Again vast plains and downs to the N. E. were seen by Dicky, our +youngest native, from a tree. Thermometer, at sunrise, 27°; at 4 P. M., +65°; at 9, 43°. + +1ST MAY.--On leaving the lagoon, passing between its head and the river, +we were soon enveloped in a thick scrub of Casuarinae, on ground broken +into gullies falling to the river. I tried to pass by the lower margin of +this, but gullies in the way obliged me to ascend and seek a passage +elsewhere. Forcing our way, therefore, through the scrub and out of it, +we found outside of it, in an open forest, the box and Angophora, and +could go forward without impediment, first to the N. W., afterwards +northward, and N. E. At length the woods opened into fine grassy plains, +bounded on the east by trees belonging to the river berg. There I saw +still the trees we had so gladly got away from, the Casuarina; also the +cheering white arms of the Yarra, or blue gum. The prospect before us +improved greatly; fine plains presented a clear way to the northward, +with the river apparently coming thence, and even round from the N. W. +From a tree, Yuranigh descried hills in the N. E. and the plains +extending before us. I also perceived, from the wide plain, a distant low +rise to the N. W. We crossed two hollows on these grassy plains, each +containing deep ponds, and descended towards what seemed a branch of the +river; we encamped near it, in latitude 27° 15' 4" S. As we approached +this spot, natives were seen first looking at us, and then running off-- +Yuranigh said he recognized one of them as a countryman of his own. I +endeavoured to make him cooey to them, or call them, but they made off, +setting fire to the grass. Any information from natives of these parts +might have been very useful to us then, and I hoped they would at length +come to us. Thermometer, at sunrise, 26°; at 4 P. M., 67°; at 9, P. M., +48°;--with wet bulb, 46°. + +2D MAY.--There was a decided difference between the river we were now +upon, as well as the country along its banks, and the large river by +which we had travelled so far. This was undoubtedly but a small +tributary, as its direction seen this day showed, being from the +westward, while its waters, meandering in various narrow channels amongst +plains, reminded us of some of the finest parts of the south. Which was +the principal channel, and which to cross, which to travel by, was rather +difficult to determine. The country was very fine. These water courses +lay between finely rounded grassy slopes, with a few trees about the +water's edge, marking their various courses at a distance. A considerable +breadth of open grassy plain, intervened between this river and the woods +back from it. At length, sloping stony bergs came near the river's bed, +but there the smooth naked water-worn clay was the best ground we could +have for wheels, and we thus hugged each bend of the river, passing close +to the channel. I hoped thus to find plains on the next change of the +river's course. And so it turned out for some way, but the receding bergs +guided me, even when only seen at a considerable distance, in shaping my +course. Keeping my eye on their yellow slopes, I travelled far along a +grassy flat which brought me to a lake containing water like chrystal, +and fringed with white lotus flowers. Its western shore consisted of +shelving rock. An immense number of ducks floated on its eastern +extremity. From this lake, following a grassy flat to the N. W., we at +length reached the river, or rather its bed, seared into numerous +channels. The lake, and long flat connected with it, appeared to me more +like the vestiges of a former channel, than as the mere outlet of surplus +waters; nor did it seem that the water is now supplied from the floods of +the river. I followed this a few miles further, and then encamped just +beyond, where much gravel appeared in the banks. While the men were +erecting the tents, I rode some miles to the westward, and found an open +iron-bark forest covering it, with much luxuriant grass. This was rather +peculiar, as compared with any other part passed through. It was also +undulating; and, from a tree ascended by Yuranigh, it was ascertained we +were approaching mountains, as he saw one which bore 77°, also a hill to +the eastward, in which latter direction (or rather in that of 333°), he +saw also an open country. Thermometer, at sunrise, 47°; at 4 P. M., 62°; +at 9 P. M 57°; mean height above the sea, 694 feet. + +3RD MAY.--Natives were heard near our camp during the night, and we +perceived the smoke of their fires, in the bushes, behind in the morning. +Yuranigh went up to them, accompanied by one of the party bearing a green +branch, and he prevailed on three of their tribe to come to our tents. +One stood amongst the carts and tents, apparently quite absorbed in +observation. Intense curiosity in these men had evidently overcome all +their fears of such strangers. They were entirely naked, and without any +kind of ornament or weapon, offensive or defensive. With steady fixed +looks, eyes wide open, and serious intelligent countenances, what passed +in their minds was not disguised, as is usual with savages. On the +contrary, there was a manly openness of countenance, and a look of good +sense about them, which would have gained my full confidence, could we +but have understood each other. They asked for nothing, nor did they show +any covetousness, although surrounded by articles, the smallest of which +might have been of use to them. There must be an original vein of mind in +these aboriginal men of the land. O that philosophy or philanthropy could +but find it out and work it! Yuranigh plied them with all my questions, +but to little purpose; for although he could understand their language, +he complained that they did not answer him in it, but repeated, like +parrots, whatever he said to them. In the same manner, they followed me +with a very exact repetition of English words. He, however, gathered from +them that the lake was called "Turànimga," this river "Cogoon," a hill to +the eastward "Toolumbà," etc. They had never before seen white men, and +behaved as properly as it was possible for men in their situation to do. +At length we set out on our journey, and in mounting my horse, which +seemed very much to astonish them, I made signs that we were going to the +mountains. + +Travelling by the river bank was easy, over grassy forest land. The deep +ponds were tolerably well filled, but the quantity of water was small, in +comparison with that in the Balonne; which the natives seemed to say we +had left to the right, and that this was "one of its brothers." Malga +scrub crowned the bergs of the river, where they bounded one of these +forest flats forming its margin, and the mere sight of that impervious +sort of scrub was sufficient to banish all thoughts of making straighter +cuts to the north-west. Our course, with the river, was, however, now +rather to the west of north-west; and that this was but a tributary to +the Balonne, was evident. That river line, as traced by us, pursued a +tolerably straight direction between the parallels of 29° and 27°, coming +round from nearly north-east to about north. For these last three days we +had travelled with this minor channel, to the westward of north-west; in +which direction I had, therefore, good reason to expect that we should +soon find mountains. + +As soon as we arrived at an eligible spot for the camp, I proceeded, with +Yuranigh, towards a height presenting a rocky face, which I saw through +the trees, and seemed distant about two miles. From that crest, I +perceived woody ridges on all sides, but all apparently sloping from the +south-west; and a misty valley beyond the nearest of them in the +northeast, like the line of the Balonne. But the most interesting sight +to me then, was that of blue pics at a great distance to the north-west, +the object of all my dreams of discovery for years. No white man had +before seen these. There we might hope to find the DIVISA AQUARUM, still +undiscovered; the pass to Carpentaria, still unexplored: I called this +hill Mount First View, and descended, delighted with what I had seen from +its rocky crest. The sides were covered with Malga scrub. The rock was +felspathic, apparently allied to those already seen in the Balonne. Lat. +27° 2' 57" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 45°; at 4 P. M., 68°; at 9 P. M., +45°;--with wet bulb, 43°. + +4TH MAY.--An Australian morning is always charming,--amid these scenes of +primaeval nature it seemed exquisitely so. The BARITA? or GYMNORHINA, the +organ-magpie, was here represented by a much smaller bird, whose notes, +resembling the softest breathings of a flute, were the only sounds that +met the ear. What the stillness of even adds to such sounds in other +climes, is felt more intensely in the stillness of morning in this. "The +rapture of repose that's there" gratifies every sense; the perfume of the +shrubs, of those even that have recently been burnt, and the tints and +tones of the landscape, accord with the soft sounds. The light red tints +of the ANTHISTIRIA, the brilliant green of the MIMOSA, the white stems of +the EUCALYPTUS, and the deep grey shadows of early morning, still +slumbering about the woods, are blended and contrasted in the most +pleasing harmony. The forms in the soft landscape are equally fine, from +the wild fantastic tufting of the Eucalyptus, and its delicate willow- +like ever-drooping leaf, to the prostrate trunks of ancient trees, the +mighty ruins of the vegetable world. Instead of autumnal tints, there is +a perpetual blending of the richest hues of autumn with the most +brilliant verdure of spring; while the sun's welcome rays in a winter +morning, and the cool breath of the woods in a summer morning, are +equally grateful concomitants of such scenes. These attach even the +savage to his woods, and might well reclaim the man of crime from +thoughts likely to disturb the harmony of human existence. + +Following up the little river with more confidence now, since I had seen +whence it came, I proceeded more directly north-west. Thus I found myself +on a small creek, or chain of ponds, from the west and southwest, so that +I crossed it and made for some open ground, between ridges clothed with +dense Malga scrub. We thus crossed a low ridge, and descended towards a +fine open country, on which pigeons were numerous, and traces of natives. +It was also sloping to the northward, and I had no doubt that we had +passed into a valley which I had observed yesterday from Mount First +View, and had supposed it contained a larger river. In the open ground, I +found a small rocky knoll which I named Mount Minute. From its summit, I +recognised Mount First-Sight, bearing 128° 30'. We next passed through +some scrub, and came to a hollow full of Acacia pendula. Following this +down we arrived at a chain of ponds, and these led to an open grassy +valley, in which we found our old friend, the river, still pursuing, +steadily, a north-west course. Travelling along the bank, for a mile or +two, we found that these now consisted of fine open forest flats; and at +length encamped on the margin, after a journey of about twelve miles. +Near our camp, I saw natives on the opposite bank, first standing in mute +astonishment, then running away. I held up a green bough, but they seemed +very wild; and, although occasionally seen during the afternoon, none of +them would approach us. We found on the banks of this river, a purple- +flowered CALANDRINIA, previously unknown.[*] Lat. 26° 57' 39" S. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 25°; at 4 P. M., 70°; at 9, 37°;--with wet bulb, +34°. + +[* C. BALONENSIS (Lindl. MS.); foliis angustis obovato-lanceolatis +alternis oppositisque, racemis secundis multifloris caulibus multo +longioribus, floribus (conspicuis) polyandris.] + +5TH MAY.--The three last nights had been cold, each, in succession, +colder than the former. This morning the thermometer stood at 19° E., yet +the water was not frozen, nor did our natives, sleeping in the open air, +seem to feel it. Hence, it was obvious that, in a dry atmosphere, extreme +cold can be more easily borne than in one that is moist. So, also, in the +opposite extreme of heat and drought, we had been so accustomed to a +higher temperature than 100° F., that any degree under that felt +refreshing. Our journey this day by the side of the little river was +still very straight towards the N. W. We met with rocks at the westerly +bends; from which side it was also joined by a small tributary, with +ponds and hollows containing marks of flood, and beds of the POLYGONUM +ACRE. Still, however, the main channel could be distinguished from these, +and the open forest flats along its banks became more and more extensive +and open as we ascended this channel,--leading so directly where we +wished to go. + +Hills were occasionally seen back from it, chiefly covered with scrub, +but some were grassy and seemed fit for sheep. Others were clothed with +callitris, and there the woods were open enough to be travelled through. +I rode to the summit of one and recognized two of the points seen from +Mount First Sight. At one sharp turn of the river rugged rocks had to be +removed to make a way for the carts, but this was soon done. Beyond, +there was a noble reach of water in a rocky bed, traversed by a dyke of +felspathic rock, which exhibited a tendency to break into irregular +polygons, some of the faces of which were curved; its strike was E. and +W. We encamped on open forest land in lat. 26° 54' 16" S. It was only +during the last two days that I could perceive in the barometer, any +indication that we were rising to any higher level above the sea than +that of the great basin, in which we had journeyed so long, and the +difference was still but trifling, as indicated by not more than six or +seven millimetres of the Syphon barometer; our actual height above the +sea being 737 feet. Thermometer, at sunrise, 19°; at 4 P. M., 67°. + +6TH MAY.--The banks of the Cogoon became more open, and the slopes less +abrupt as we advanced. They frequently consisted of a mixture of sand, at +a height of twenty feet above its bed; where it occupied a section of +considerable width, as much, perhaps, as 100 yards between bank and bank. +On these rounded off banks or bergs of forest land, Youranigh drew my +attention to large, old, waterworn, trunks of trees, which he showed me +had been deposited there by floods. As they were of a growth and size +quite disproportioned to other trees there, I was convinced that they +were the debris of floods; and, consequently, that a vast body of water +sometimes came down this channel. This native was taciturn and observant +of such natural circumstances, to a degree that made his opinion of value +in doubtful cases. Such, for instance, as which of two channels, that +might come both in our way, might be the main one; thus my last resource, +when almost "in a fix," was to "tomar el parecer," as they say in Spain, +of this aboriginal, and he was seldom wrong. At length, the cheering +expanse of an open country appeared before us, and a finely shaped hill, +half-covered only, with bushes. On reaching an elevated clear part, I saw +extensive downs before me. The river turned amongst woods to the +eastward, and I continued on our route to the north, sure of meeting with +it again, as some fine forest ridges hemmed in the valley to the +eastward. Besides the hill already mentioned (which I named Mount +Inviting), there was a curious red cone some miles to the westward, +crowned with a bit of rock, on which I longed to plant my theodolite. +After crossing the plain, we entered an open scrub of Acacia pendula +which gradually changed to an open forest, within which I met with a +chain of ponds, and encamped in lat. 26° 46' S. I immediately set out, +with a man carrying my theodolite, for Mount Red Cap, distant from our +camp about six miles. This little red cone had a very singular +appearance, as we approached it from the east. A dark tinted scrub of +flat-topped trees enveloped its base, on the outside of which the light +and graceful Acacia pendula also grew on the grassy plain. I found the +red rock to be the common one of the country, in a state of +decomposition. It was hollowed out by some burrowing animal, whose tracks +had opened ways through the thick thorny scrub, enabling us to lead our +horses to near the top. From the apex, I obtained an extensive view of +the country then before us, in many parts clear of wood to the verge of +the horizon, and finely studded with isolated hills of picturesque form, +and patches of wood. Looking backward, or in the direction whence we had +come, our valley appeared hemmed in by more continuous ridges; and, +towards the extremity of them, I could just recognise Mount First View, +this being one of the distant cones I had seen from it. I took as many +angles as the descending sun permitted, and then retraced our horses' +tracks to the camp. Thermometer, at sunrise, 20°; at 9 P. M., 47°. Height +above the sea, 747 feet. + +7TH MAY.--Pursuing a N. W. course, we crossed a fine tract of open +forest, then a plain, beyond which we entered a scrub of Acacia pendula, +in which pigeons and quail were very numerous. Turning northward, now +anxious again to see the river, on approaching this open country, we +found what we considered the highest branch of it, in a chain of ponds +skirting the wood bounding the plains. Halting the party, I continued my +ride a mile and a half further northward, to the summit of a clear ridge. +From thence I saw an open country to the northward, with some little +wood. On my right, or to the eastward, a double topped hill sate in the +centre of this fine open country, and from the abundance of good +pasturage around it, I named it Mount Abundance. We continued still to +follow the now attenuated channel upwards, and found it to come from the +west, and even south-west, leaving the extreme corner of the open downs, +and leading us into a scrub. There, it formed two branches, in neither of +which could we find any water, and had consequently to return to the last +of its ponds, situated exactly at the close of the open country towards +the S. W. There, we encamped in latitude 26° 42' 27" S., thankful that we +had been enabled by its means to advance thus far, and to discover so +fine a tract of country as that watered by it. Thermometer, at sunrise, +48°; at 4 P. M., 68°; at 9, 30°. + +8TH MAY.--This morning Fahrenheit's thermometer stood at 21° in my tent, +a degree of cold I should never have expected to have seen indicated from +my own sensations, or from the state of the pond, which was not frozen, +neither was there any hoar frost. The sun rose in splendour; pigeons +cooed, and birds were as merry as usual in the woods. The business of the +day was most exciting; I was to ride over the fine open country to the +westward of Mount Abundance, and there look still for a higher branch of +the river, or A river; confident that so fine a region could not be +deficient in water, but more confident from what I had seen of the range +to which we had approached so near. Riding to the N. N. E. in about two +hours we came upon the identical river we had so long followed up. It was +accompanied, as usual, by the Acacia pendula; had its rounded bergs; +reedy water holes; and an open strip along the left bank. Crossing it I +rode over towards an elevated part of the open downs, in hopes to obtain +a sight of what the country was beyond, but I found that to be +impossible, as it seemed boundless. So, turning, I ascended an elevated +north-eastern extremity of Mount Abundance, and from it beheld the finest +country I had ever seen in a primaeval state. A champaign region, spotted +with wood, stretching as far as human vision, or even the telescope, +could reach. It was intersected by river lines from the north, +distinguishable by columns of smoke. A noble mountain mass arose in the +midst of that fine country, and was so elongated in a S. W. and N. E. +direction, as to deserve the name of a range. + +A three-topped hill appeared far to the north of the above, and to the S. +E. of the first described, another mass, also isolated, overlooking that +variegated land of wood and plain. To the S. E. of all these, the peaks +of a very distant range were just visible. I determined to name the whole +country Fitzroy Downs, and to identify it, I gave the name of the Grafton +Range to the fine mass in the midst of it. In hopes of obtaining an +elevated view over the country to the westward, I endeavoured to ascend +the northern summit of Mount Abundance, but although the surface to near +the top was tolerably smooth, and the bush open, I was met there by +rugged rocks, and a scrub of thorny bushes so formidable as to tear +leathern overalls, and even my nose. After various attempts, I found I +was working round a rocky hollow, somewhat resembling a crater, although +the rock did not appear to be volcanic. The trees and bushes there were +different from others in the immediate vicinity, and, to me, seemed +chiefly new. It is, indeed, rather a curious circumstance, but by no +means uncommon, that the vegetation on such isolated summits in +Australia, is peculiar and different from that of the country around +them. Trees of a very droll form chiefly drew my attention here. The +trunk bulged out in the middle like a barrel, to nearly twice the +diameter at the ground, or of that at the first springing of the branches +above. These were small in proportion to their great girth, and the whole +tree looked very odd. These trees were all so alike in general form that +I was convinced this was their character, and not a LUSUS NATUROE. [A +still more remarkable specimen of this tree was found by Mr. Kennedy in +the apex of a basaltic peak, in the kind of gap of the range through +which we passed on the 15th of May, and of which he made the accompanying +drawing.] + +These trees grew here only in that almost inaccessible, crater-like +hollow, which had impeded me in my attempt to reach the summit.[*] +Leaving the horses, however, I scrambled through the briars and up the +rocks to the summit, but found it, after all this trouble, too thickly +covered with scrub to afford me the desired view to the westward, even +after I had ascended a tree on the edge of the broad and level plateau, +so thickly covered with bushes. On returning and descending eastward +towards the open country, I found a much more practicable way down than +that by which I had ascended. Returning to the valley of the Cogoon, I +passed between the two summits, and found a good open passage to the +westward between the brigalow. Thermometer, at sunrise, 20°; at noon, +70°; at 4 P. M., 68°; at 9, 30°. Height above the sea 1043 feet. + +[* This remarkable plant constitutes a new and very curious genus of +Sterculiads. It agrees with STERCULIA in the position of the radicle with +respect to the hilum, but it is, otherwise, a BRACHYCHITON, with which it +more especially corresponds in the singular condition of the seeds. These +are placed, six together, in the interior of long-stalked, ovate, +mucronate, smooth, deep brown follicles, of a tough papery texture, and +lined with a thin fur of stellate hairs. The seeds themselves are also +closely covered with starry hairs, which are so entangled that they hold +the seeds together firmly; these hairs, however, are absent from the +upper half of the seed, whose thin brittle vascular primine is shining, +smooth, and marked with a brown nipple, the remains of the foramen. +Within the primine lies the bony crustaceous secundine, which is quite +loose, and seems as if it were independent of the primine. Eventually the +end of the thin brittle primine breaks like an eggshell and the secundine +falls out. The seeds themselves, remaining attached to each other and to +the follicle, resemble six deep cells, or may be rather compared to half +a dozen brown eggshells, placed on the broad end, from which the young +have escaped through the point. + +Sir Thomas Mitchell has named the genus after Sir Henry T. De la Beche, +as president of a Society which has greatly encouraged him in his +Australian researches; and in honour of a science which has occasionally +thrown some light on his dark and difficult path. It may be +scientifically described as follows:-- + +DELABECHEA. + +CHAR. GEN. CALYX 5-fidus, valvatus. ANTHEROE congestae. STYLI. ... +STIGMATA. ... FOLLICULI coriaceo-papyracei, 6-spermi, longè stipitati, +intus stellato-pubescentes. SEMINA albuminosa, albumine bipartibili +cotyledonibus foliaceis parum adhaerente, pube stellari basi vestita, +inter se et fundo folliculi cohaerentia; PRIMINÂ laxâ, tenui, fragili, +apice foramine incrassato notatâ, SECUNDINÂ crustaceâ, demum liberâ +chalazâ magnâ circulari notatâ. EMBRYONIS radicula hilo contraria. + +DELABECHEA RUPESTRIS. + +ARBOR grandis, trunco in dolii speciem tumescente. LIGNUM album, laxum, +mucilagine repletum, vasis porosis (bothrenchymate) maximis faciem +internam cujusque zonae occupantibus, radiis medullaribus tenuibus +equidistantibus. FOLIA lineari-oblonga, acuminata, integerrima, in +petiolum filiformem ipsis duplbreviorem insidentia, subtus pallida et +quasi vernice quâdam cinereâ obducta. INFLORESCENTIA axillaris, +trichotoma, tomentosa, foliis brevior. CALYX valvatus, utrinque +tomentosus. + +The wood of the tree has a remarkably loose texture: it is soft, and +brittle, owing to the presence of an enormous quantity of very large +tubes of pitted tissue, some of which measure a line and half across; +they form the whole inner face of each woody zone. When boiling water is +poured over shavings of this wood a clear jelly, resembling tragacanth, +is formed and becomes a thick viscid mass; iodine stains it brown, but +not a trace of starch is indicated in it. No doubt the nutritious quality +of the tree is owing to the mucilage, which is apparently of the same +nature as that of the nearly allied Tragacanth tree of Sierra Leone +(STERCULIA TRAGACANTHA). + +It is not a little remarkable that the barrel-like form of the trunk +should be almost exactly paralleled by another Sterculiad, the CHORISIA +VENTRICOSA of Nees, called by the Brazilian Portuguese PAO BARRIGUDO. It +seems, however, that a tendency to a short lumpish mode of growth is +common among the order, as is indicated by the Baobab of Senegal, which +is almost as broad as it is long, and the great buttress trees, or Silk- +Cottons of tropical America.--J. L.] + +9TH MAY.--The thermometer stood at 19° in my tent this morning, yet no +ice appeared on the adjacent pool; for this reason, we named that branch +of the river Frosty Creek. In order to leave a more direct track for Mr. +Kennedy to follow with the drays, I made the carts return about two miles +to the spot where we first made these ponds. There I had a trench cut +across the track to the camp we had quitted, and also buried a letter for +Mr. Kennedy, in which I instructed him to avoid that detour which might +have otherwise led him into scrubs. We then prolonged our track from the +south, northward across the open downs. I travelled in the direction of +the meridian, and most of our route, this morning, marked a due north +line. We came, at length, upon a watercourse which I took for our river, +as the banks were finely rounded, the ponds full of water, and the woods +quite open. The scenery was parklike and most inviting. The watercourse, +soon, however, dwindled into a mere chain of ponds, and these at last +were found to contain no water, when we had completed our day's journey. +Open downs surrounded us, and fortunately I could still distinguish my +rocky position of yesterday, where I had noted that the general direction +of the river channel we had now again left, bore N. W. We were still much +to the southward of the line so observed, apprehending, as I did think +then, that some tempting plains might take us too far along some western +tributary. Riding in search of water, I perceived a column of smoke to +the northward; and, taking the party in that direction, we found, in the +first valley we fell in with, a chain of ponds, and in one of these water +enough for our use, whereupon I gladly encamped. This day we discovered a +new EUCALYPTUS which casts its bark in small angular pieces.[*] Latitude, +26° 33' 34" S. Thermometer, at 4 P. M., 74°; at sunset, 63°. Height above +the sea, 1299 feet. + +[* E. VIMINALIS (Hook. MS.); foliis alternis glaucis lineari-lanceolatis +breviter tenuiter petiolatis subfalcatis utrinque acuminatis +reticulatovenosis, nervis lateralibus marginem prope, racemis paucifloris +axillaribus, calyce turbinato in pedicellum brevem attenuato.] + +10TH MAY.--Continued nearly northwards, over fine open forest land. The +sprinkling of mountains of peculiar forms here and there, and the open +country, which showed a bluey distance, were new features in the scenery, +and most pleasing to us, so long accustomed to travel through a level +woody country. The visible possibility of overlooking the country from +any eminence, is refreshing at all times, but to an explorer it is every +thing; besides he is not half so much in danger of wanting water, when in +the neighbourhood of mountains: with these sentiments I went forward this +morning, even although rather despairing of seeing more of our friendly +river. We crossed two chains of dry ponds, apparently some of its highest +sources. Still I travelled steadily towards a fine mountain before us, +over open downs, but with scrubs on either side. Reaching a dry bushy +hill S. E. of the mountains, about the time we should have encamped, I +perceived that the country sloped most to the eastern side of it, which +was rather out of my course; for the sake of finding water more readily I +got into a water-course falling that way, and followed it down. This, +opening soon into grassy flats, enabled us to avoid the scrubs. The +welcome white-trunked Eucalyptus next over-hung the holes of the water- +course, and the valleys spread into beautiful open plains, gracefully +fringed with Acacia pendula. Still, the ponds were dry. I crossed a bare +grassy eminence, and, where several channels met, I saw luxuriant white +trunks; heard and saw many cockatoos of the same colour (PSITTACUS +GALERITUS); and found there an abundant pond of water, beside which we +encamped. On some of the Eucalyptus trees grew a beautiful Loranthus, +which was new to us; it proved to be one formerly discovered by the +indefatigable Allan Cunningham, but only now described by Sir William +Hooker.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 28°; at 4 P. M., 76°; at 9, 38°;-- +with wet bulb, 34°. + +[* L. NUTANS (All. Cunn. in Hook. Herb.) totus incano-glaucescens, foliis +oblongis ellipticis sublanceolatis obtusis coriaceis obscure trinerviis +tenui-rubro-marginatis basi in petiolum mediocrem attenuatis, pedunculis +axillaribus longitudine petiolorum racemosis compositis, floribus ternis +nutantibus, calycibus globoso-campanulatis ore contracto, petalis +linearibus.--Two varieties, a narrow-leaved and a broad-leaved, were +subsequently discovered; that now described was the narrow-leaved form.] + +11TH MAY.--I ascended the mountain accompanied by two men with axes, and +one carrying my theodolite. The summit was covered with thick scrub +interlaced with vines, but my horse could push his way almost any where. +I fortunately found a rock near the summit, and, on throwing down a few +of the trees about it, obtained an extensive view over the country to the +northward. Open downs surrounded the mountain. Beyond these, valleys, +also clear of trees, or thinly wooded, fell on one side to the S. E., on +another side, other valleys fell to the N. W., leaving a rather elevated +tract between; which appeared to connect this mountain with a range just +dimly visible, bearing nearly north. The valley descending towards the N. +W., seemed to me to be the head of a river likely to pass through a +remarkable gap in a flat range, beyond which the view did not extend. To +the westward a woody, and rather level country appeared, from which I +thought I saw ridges, with plains or downs between them, descending +towards the N. W. river. + +Anxious to discover the division of the waters, I carefully levelled my +theodolite and swept the northern horizon, but found, to my surprise, +that the country to the westward was lower than the hill on which I +stood, and that the ridge northward with the gap in it, was lower still, +the only greater elevation visible being the lofty mass bearing about due +north. Could this be all the obstruction I was prepared to open a pass +through? Could the hidden mystery of the division between the northern +and southern waters be here? Far in the east, a river line was evident +from columns of smoke, as well as from the termination of various lateral +ranges, between my position and the great mountain to the northward. That +was, probably, still the Balonne falling southward. Here I had found an +interior river that would, at all events, lead north-west, and this I +resolved to follow. On this mountain there grew, in several spots, the +remarkable trees I had first seen on Mount Abundance; some of them much +resembling bottles, but tapering near the root. On descending and +returning to the camp, which was about five miles from the hill, I found +eight natives, who had come frankly forward to the party during my +absence. I was very glad to see them, and gave to an old man, a tomahawk +to express my sentiments, and welcome the strangers, for little could be +understood by our native, of their speech, or by them, of his. We did, +however, make out from them, that the hill I had just returned from, was +"Bindango;" its lesser brother to the westward of it, Bindyègo; and the +ponds or creek beside which we were then encamped, "Tagàndo;" all very +good sonorous names, which I was glad to adopt at once in my notes and +map. These natives were coloured with iron-ochre, and had a few feathers +of the white cockatoo, in the black hair of their foreheads and beards. +These simple decorations gave them a splendid holiday appearance, as +savages. The trio who had visited us some days before, were all +thoughtful observation; these were merry as larks, and their white teeth, +constantly visible, shone whiter than even the cockatoo's feathers on +their brows and chins. Contrasted with our woollen-jacketted, straw- +hatted, great-coated race, full of work and care, it seemed as if nature +was pleased to join in the laugh, at the expense of the sons of art. Sun +never shone upon a merrier group of mortals than these children of nature +appeared to be. One amongst them was a fine powerful fellow, whose voice +sounded so strongly, that it seemed as if his very whisper might be heard +half a mile off. The old man remained by our fire all night; the others +who, as I understood, were all his sons, had departed about 11 P. M., +having left their gins in the vicinity. Thermometer, at sunrise, 22°; at +noon, 76°; at 4 P. M., 59°; at 9, 35°. + +12TH MAY.--I took a ride in the direction where I hoped to find a river +flowing towards the interior, according to my observations at Mount +Bindango. I rode over an open plain, or open forest country, soon found +the dells marked by water-courses, and, at length, the channel of a +river, with the Yarra trees. Following this new channel downwards a short +way, I found the beds of the ponds moist, and seven emus, running from +one a-head of me, first indicated the situation of a large pond; from +which three wood-ducks also waddled away as I approached it. This water +was only fifteen miles from where I had left the party encamped, to which +I hastened back with the tidings of a discovery that was likely to +expedite so much our momentous journey. Thermometer, at sunrise, 30°; at +noon, 81°; at 4 P. M., 59°; at 9, 52°;--with wet bulb, 51°. Height above +the sea, 1168 feet. + +13TH MAY.--I buried a letter here for Mr. Kennedy. This day the party +crossed the dividing ground, which I found to be elevated only 1563 feet +above the sea, and consisting, as already stated, of fine open grassy +downs, sprinkled with Acacia pendula and other shrubs. One or two knolls +projected, however, and resembled islands in a sea of grass. I rode to +one and found it consisted wholly of trap-rock in nodules. This was the +first trap I had seen during the journey beyond the Barwan, and from +their aspect I thought that other minor features of the mountains +Bindango and Bindyègo, which I had not leisure to examine then, also +consisted of this rock. The little knoll I did visit, was about one +hundred yards in diameter at its base on the plains, and was covered with +trees wholly different from those in the adjacent forest, namely, +CALLITRIS PYRAMIDALIS, EUCALYPTUS (Iron-bark species), etc. We next +descended to a separate system of drainage, apparently falling to the +north-west. Instead of following rivers upwards, as we had hitherto been +doing, and finding them grow less, or taking a tributary for a main +channel, we were now to follow one downwards, with the prospect of +finding it to increase as we proceeded. The relief from the constant +apprehension of not falling in with water was great, as each day's +journey was likely to show additional tributaries to our new found river, +and, of course, to augment the supply. The old native at Tagàndo, had +pointed much to the north-west, frequently repeating the word "MARAN;" +whether that was, or what was, the name of this river, remained to be +ascertained. A sweet breeze from the N. W. met us as we descended the +slopes, and thus it was that white men first passed in that direction, +"AL NACIMIENTO DE LA ESPECERIA." Thermometer, at sunrise, 26°; at noon, +75°; at 4 P. M., 64°; at 9, 43°. Height of camp above the sea, 1226 feet. + +14TH MAY.--The left bank of the river being rather steep and broken, I +crossed it, determined to pursue a N. W. course, so long as I found the +country open, thinking I might easily fall in with the river about the +time I wished to encamp, believing its course would be towards the gap. +We passed through some scrub, but chiefly over good forest land. When we +had travelled on about ten miles, I saw hills nearly clear of wood before +me, and halted the party while I went forward to look at the country in +that direction. I soon overlooked a deep dell, full of the richest grass, +and wooded like a park. The fall of the enclosing ranges showed me, +however, that our river might be further to the westward than I had +thought at all likely. On returning to the party, I found they had been +called to by natives in our rear, one of whom was formally seated in +advance, prepared for a ceremonious interview; and I accordingly went +forward to him with the green bough, and accompanied by Yuranigh. We +found him in a profuse perspiration about the chest, (from terror, which +was not, however, obvious in his manner,) and that he had nothing at all +to say to us after all; indeed his language was wholly unintelligible to +my native, who, moreover, apprised me that he was the big bully from the +tribe at our former encampment, then distant some twenty-five miles. He +handled my hat, asked for my watch, my compass, and was about to examine +my pockets, when Yuranigh desired him to desist, in a tone that convinced +him we were not quite at his mercy. I thought he said that the river was +called the "Amby," and something about the "Culgoa!" It then, for the +first time, occurred to me, from a gesture of this man's arm, that this +might be only a tributary to the Culgoa after all. We bade him adieu as +civilly as we could, but he hung upon our rear for a mile or two, and I +perceived that he had brought with him his whole tribe after us. Nothing +more unfortunate can befall an explorer, than to be followed by a wild +tribe like this, as I had experienced in former journies. The gift of the +tomahawk had done all this mischief, and how it would end, was a thought +which caused me some anxiety. The tall savage had set his heart upon our +goods and chattels, and it was not in human nature for him to desist from +his aggressive purpose, if we could not, in some way, contrive to cheek +the pursuit. I knew instinctively, by the first sound of a loud whisper +of his at "Tagando" at night, near our tents, that there was no music in +this man's soul. We soon arrived at a ridge of ferruginous sandstone, +whereof the strike tended S. S. W. and the dip was to the eastward. A +gradual ascent brought us to the verge of a low ridge, which was steep +towards the N. W., and a rocky knoll (of red sand-stone) afforded me a +view of the gap I had seen from Bindango, and hills about it. I +perceived, with great disappointment, that the structure of the country +was not according to my anticipations. The river course seemed marked out +by plains far to the south-west, and all the valleys and watercourses +fell FROM the gap in that direction, and not TO the gap. Still the +country about that opening looked very inviting. Picturesque hills, +clothed with grass and open forest, especially on their summits, and +dells between them, yellow or red with rich ripe grass, indicated a spot +of the finest description; and through the gap lay my destined line of +route, to the north-west, river or no river. Just then, however, we +wanted water, but on following a little channel about a mile downwards, +we found in it a spacious pond, and encamped. I rode three miles further +down this channel, which there turned SOUTHWARD, so that I despaired of +my newly discovered river Amby being of any further utility now; but I +was almost convinced that it would have brought me into this very +country, had I come round by Fort Bourke. Latitude 26° 17' 8" S. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 35°; at 4 P. M., 80°; at 7 P. M., 71°; at 9, +48°. Height above the sea, 1150 feet. + +15TH MAY.--My servant Brown drew my attention, early this morning, to +natives occasionally peeping at us from a hill overlooking our camp. Some +time after, I perceived a figure resembling a large black quadruped, with +head erect like a lion, prowling about, amongst the long grass beside my +after breakfast tree. Taking my glass, I recognized the identical big +savage of yesterday. + +Hamlet might here have exclaimed-- + +"What a piece of work is man! ... ..... how infinite in faculties! In +form and action how like a QUADRUPED! In apprehension, how like a DEVIL!" + +There the fate of Mr. Darke[*] doubtless awaited me; and this was to be +the result of my spontaneous gift of a tomahawk to the old man! This +savage had evidently been watching us all night, and his party were +concealed behind the hill. Our only remaining little dog, Procyon, had +been very restless during the night, when these people were, probably, +drinking at the pond near us. My rifle (fortunately I now think) was in +the case, but I fired a carbine so that the fellow should hear the bullet +whistle near him into the long grass; and at the same time shouted, +expressive of my disgust at his conduct, making the men join in a loud +JEERING cheer as he galloped off, still on all-fours, towards his camp. +My horse was standing saddled for a ride of reconnoissance in a different +direction, and, as it was not desirable that these people should know +either where I went, or even that I was absent, I took this opportunity +of frightening them away from our rear, and covering my ride the other +way. With this intention, I immediately mounted, rode first to the tree, +with my rifle in hand, and, accompanied by one of the men and Yuranigh, +both mounted, I next examined their camp behind the hill, whence I found +that a great number had just retired, leaving even their opossums still +roasting on the fire;--they having, in a very brief interval, by rapid +strides, retired to a considerable distance, where I heard their shouts +in the woods, calling their gins together for a precipitate retreat-- +aware that we were now justly offended. I then set out, passing behind +some hills on the opposite side of our camp, and proceeded with the +business of the day, through woods in an opposite direction. I found a +low flat-topped range, extending nearly W. N. W., and consisting of black +ferruginous sandstone. It was broad and of peculiar structure, so that it +might well have been considered a dividing feature. Parallel to it on the +south, a line of pointed hills of trap or basalt, extended so as to give +birth, in the valley intervening, to the watercourse by which we were +encamped. On one of these Mr. Kennedy afterwards found the Bottle tree, +represented at page 154. I at length reached the gap in this range, and +in it discovered a most favourable and curious opening to the country +westward. Passing, then, into that region, I eagerly sought a +watercourse, soon found one, and followed it down to Yarra trees and dry +ponds; its first direction having been, as usually remarked in the +commencement of various other channels, to the N. W. Following this +downwards, I found the valley to improve, and two retreating emus drew +our attention to a particular spot, where we found water, at length, in a +pond. But the course of this little river had come round to S. W., and +the ridges enclosing its tributaries from the eastward, being apparently +in the same direction, I was still rather at a loss, but determined to +bring forward my little party to this pond, and then to reconnoitre the +country beyond. The XEROTES LEUCOCEPHALA was just coming into flower, and +the country seemed to contain much good grass. Thermometer, at sunrise, +38°; at noon, 82°; at 4 P. M., 82°; at 9, 43°. + +[* This gentleman was killed by natives when obeying the calls of nature +behind a tree.] + +16TH MAY.--We pursued a tolerably straight and level route with the +carts, from the camp to the Pass. The trap hills appearing successively +on the right hand, rendered the scenery more than ordinarily picturesque, +while the probable future utility of this pass, gave them still more +importance in my estimation. We found a more direct route than along the +creek, to my pond of yesterday, where we encamped, thankful to find water +at such a convenient distance, during such a dry season. Lat. 26° 15' 24" +S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 27°; at 4 P. M., 83°; at 9, 49°. Height above +the sea, of the Pass, 1458 feet;--of this camp, 1256 feet. + +17TH MAY.--Another reconnoissance seemed indispensable, before I could +move the carts. Taking the direction of an opening in the sandstone +ranges before us, I found that our little creek turned (as I hoped it +would), to the W. and N. W., having on all sides broken ranges enveloping +valleys of good open forest land. Some of the tops of these ranges were +clear of timber, and bore a heavy crop of grass. I ascended one, and +found it was capped with trap rock in amygdaloidal nodules. This height +afforded me an extensive view northward, where the country appeared to be +chiefly flat and thinly wooded. A low range of hills broke the horizon, +and presented some favourable points, and I thought I could trace the +course of our little river, through an extensive intervening woody flat. +I descended from the hill, and followed the little river down, but could +find no more water in its ponds. There were the Yarra trees, and fine +grassy flats on its banks; and I came to a fine looking piece of rising +ground, on the right bank, where the grass was on fire. We sought the +inhabitants of the woods, but could discover none. I now found our creek +turning towards the south, and that its channel disappeared in a spacious +open flat. While thus perplexed, and under an apprehension that our +further progress northward in such a season would be found impossible, I +perceived a dense line of trees, skirting a grassy flat, and rode towards +it, observing, that any where else I should have said we were approaching +a large river. I next perceived steep sloping earthy banks; then, below +these, a deep section of rock, and at length, dark green reeds, and the +blue surface of extensive reaches of water. I had left my party at a pond +that could not have lasted long,--here I saw at once secure, a firm +footing thus far into the interior. Whence the river came, or whither it +went, was of less importance; thus far we had water. The river was fully +as large as the Darling, and I very soon saw that its course was from N. +to S.; but in that case, we could, by following it upwards, penetrate far +on our way into the interior, and at its sources probably fall in with +other streams, flowing where we wished to go. I followed the course +downwards about two miles, and passed through native camps just deserted, +the water vessels and other gear of the natives having been left +suspended on trees near their fires. I found that the river turned sharp +under the rocky extremities of sandstone spurs from the S., and that its +final course was an enigma not to be solved without much more research. I +returned to my camp, glad that I could take the party forward to a +permanent supply of water. Thermometer, at sunrise, 29°; at noon, 78°; at +4 P. M. 75°; at 9, 49°. + +18TH MAY.--Leaving a buried letter for Mr. Kennedy we proceeded to trace, +with our cart-wheels, the best route I could find for the heavy drays +coming forward with him. The soil was sandy, but in other respects the +country was good: consisting chiefly of open forest, and being well +covered with grass. Another gap enabled me to pass very directly on to +the newly-discovered river, and it seemed that this, and the other gap +behind it, were almost the only openings in the ranges from which we had +descended. Both led in the direction of our route, and the pond we had +just left was ascertained to be the only one in the little channel. I +sought a good position for a depôt camp on the newly-discovered river, +and found one extremely favourable, on a curve concave to the N. W., +overlooking, from a high bank, a dry ford, on a smooth rocky bed; and +having also access to a reach of water, where the bottom was hard and +firm. We approached this position with our carts, in the midst of smoke +and flame; the natives having availed themselves of a hot wind to burn as +much as they could of the old grass, and a prickly weed which, being +removed, would admit the growth of a green crop, on which the kangaroos +come to feed, and are then more easily got at. Latitude of this camp, 26° +12' 47" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 40°; at 4 P. M., 78°; at 9, 57°. + +19TH MAY.--I could now venture to halt a day without any apprehensions +about leaving sufficient water for the party who were following us; and I +had recently obtained many angles I wished to put together, in order to +learn the character of the country, which required much study. That I +should have overlooked an extensive country, without perceiving any +indication of a large river flowing through it, almost at my feet, seemed +a singular circumstance, and I was still as little aware of its ultimate +course. I found on laying down my work on paper, that the chief +elevations ran, in a continuous line, nearly due north from Mount Red +Cap, Bindango, and Bindyègo, to the high ranges nearer the coast. That +the nascent stream on the western side of Bindango (the Amby), and +flowing first N. W., turned towards the S. W. within a range of basaltic +rock, which was a branch from the main stem between Bindango and the +northern range. Thus, upon the whole, this seemed but one side, and that +the south-eastern, of the basin of the river we had discovered. Where was +the other? The marks of flood were not high. The waters were full of +fish, but they would not take the bait. Thermometer, at sunrise, 46°; at +noon, 73°; at 4 P. M., 76°; at 9, 65°. + +20TH MAY.--The sky was wholly overcast, and drizzling rain afforded us +some grounds for hoping that the great impediment to our exploration +during this dry season, was at an end. The temperature underwent a sudden +change, and this day was the coldest as yet experienced during the +journey; the thermometer at noon being only 48°. F. Yuranigh contrived to +catch three fishes, of a kind wholly different from those of the rivers +in the south; leaving it doubtful, again, whether this river could belong +to the system of the Barwan. Thermometer, at sunrise, 53°; at noon, 48°; +at 4 P. M., 45°; at 9, 45°. + +21ST MAY.--The morning being clear, frosty, and serene, induced me to +ride towards an elevated point, about thirteen miles to the north-west, +in hopes of obtaining a view of more distant mountains. Crossing the +river near our camp I met with no obstruction, but found open forests, +and a good grassy country throughout; the soil being, however, rather too +loose and sandy, for the easy passage of wheel carriages. I crossed three +channels of water-courses all dry, but evidently receptacles of water in +ordinary seasons. They now contained a most luxuriant crop of oat-grass +(Anthistiria). The hill was rocky and open on the summit, the chief trees +being very remarkable; especially a species of FICUS, of a unique kind, +but not in fruit, closely resembling the English ash; but growing wholly +on rock. Bottle trees (DELABECHEA) grew also in a romantic nook, such as +they seem to delight in, in the neighbourhood of minor shrubs, equally +strange. The rock consisted of a sandstone with vegetable impressions, +such as I had never seen on the sandstone of the ranges. From this +summit, the crests of very distant ranges appeared to the northward; the +highest bearing nearly north, by compass, and apparently distant 70 or 80 +miles. The course of the river, or at least of a river, judging by a line +of smoke, came from the north-westward, between that mountain, and others +to the westward of it. More to the right, or eastward, the horizon +presented flat-topped ranges; increasing in elevation as they receded +from that side of the country whence we had come. That sort of level +horizon seemed always to bound our view to the southward, the little gap +was the only relieving blue break in the whole of that side. The eye +ranged over a vast extent of country, however, at its base, extending +eastward, where open plains or downs shone bright in the remote distance; +in which direction, much smoke arose from fires of the natives. I +returned from the hill but little wiser than I went, except that I had +observed the strata dipping southward, and that we might, therefore, +still look for their synclinal line to the northward; and beyond that, +for the heads of other rivers. These hills, overlooking the valley of the +river, resembled rocky bergs, at a distance of ten or twelve miles west +of it. They, however, partly formed a small range, and belonged to an +extensive tract of sandstone country; which, on the south, was broken +into gullies, falling towards the river. Thermometer, at sunrise, 27°; at +noon, 54°; at 4 P. M., 55°; at 9, 30°. + +22D MAY.--This morning, the thermometer in my tent stood at 20°; and in +the open air, at 12°. The river was frozen, and the grass was white with +hoar-frost. The soil appearing so sandy in the country before us, I +resolved to form a depôt with our drays and heavy equipment here, and to +await their arrival before I proceeded further with the carts. The spot +was eligible in every respect; and in awaiting the arrival of Mr. Kennedy +with the drays, I could have time to investigate more extensively the +character of the surrounding country. I was, indeed, rather apprehensive +that the drays could not reach without difficulty even this point; and I +was resolved, on their arrival, to make some arrangement for continuing +the journey, without dragging them any further through the heavy sand. It +was most irksome, during the finest of weather, thus to be obliged to +remain comparatively inactive, in the middle of such a journey, when +horses and light carts might have enabled me to have pursued it to a +conclusion, without such delays. Thermometer, at noon, 54°; at 4 P. M., +55°; at 9, 27°. + +23D MAY.--The river seemed to cut its way through rocky ranges, and to +receive many tributaries; had, in some places, bergs, and margins of +ancient gravel and sedimentary strata; in others, rocky escarps of great +height, presented sections of rocks through which it passed. Its further +course downwards, seemed accessible for some way from this camp; and, in +awaiting the arrival of the drays, I resolved to explore it. With this +view, I this day proceeded westward to head the gullies falling to it +from the other bank, from the sandstone country already mentioned. I +ascended by an extremity of the hill, to the rocky crest without +difficulty, or much deviation from my intended course. On reaching the +western side of the rough scrubby table of the range, I found the descent +gradual, through an open forest: traversed two flats, having in them the +Yarra gums, but no water-course, the surface very sandy. Here grew the +ACACIA CONFERTA, a small shrub just coming into flower; the XANTHORRHOEA +MIMOSA (with rough bark), yellow gum, black-butted gum, iron-bark, and +stringy bark. The woods astonished my native companion Yuranigh; who +remarked that they were trees belonging to the sea coast at Sydney. But +deep rocky ravines prevented me from exploring the country, in the +direction in which I should have expected to find the river. At length, +we approached a valley, in which was a deep channel with rocky banks; but +quite dry, and very sandy. It ran to the southward; in which direction I +turned with it, to follow it to its junction with the main river; but it +pursued a very tortuous course, and our time did not admit of my going +far enough that day, and I returned to the camp, resolved to extend this +interesting search on a greater scale subsequently. I had seen, from the +furthest point I reached, that the same table land to the southward, +extended west; and it therefore appeared to me probable that the river +would be found at its base. In the evening we heard, at a short distance +from our camp, the songs of females or children; as if the overflowing of +their animal spirits. I had seen their smoke in a part of the range I +passed this day, to which I feared they had fled on our approach, hearing +our guns, and in terror of strangers. I was, therefore, glad to find that +they had no longer any dread of us, and had returned to THEIR home, the +river bank. These people had no clothing,--the mercury stood at 19° and +20° F.; the means of subsistence open to them, had been scarcely enough +to have kept white men alive, even with the aid of their guns. Yet, under +such circumstances, and with such strange visitors so close to them, +these human beings were so contented and happy, that the overflowings of +their hearts were poured forth in song! Such is human nature in a wild +state. Their happiness was not such as we could envy; on the contrary, I +was so solicitous that we should not disturb it, that, much as I wished +to learn the original name of this interior river, and something about +its course, I forbade any of the party from taking any notice of these, +its original inhabitants. Our last intercourse with the natives, had also +taught me to bear ever in mind aesop's fable of the camel. Thermometer, +at sunrise, 12°; at noon, 52°; at 4 P. M., 56°; at 9, 32°. + +24TH MAY.--I proceeded, with two men bearing axes, to a hill about two +miles S. W. of our camp, one of the extremities of the range already +mentioned, (which I call River Head Range). We passed, at no great +distance from our camp, those natives whose song we had heard last +evening, but without taking any notice of them, except by slightly waving +my hand. One tall female stooped amongst the long grass, and several +others, male and female, endeavoured to hide themselves in a similar +manner, as they beheld, probably for the first time, a white man on +horseback, followed by others bearing a saw and axes. On the summit, grew +the Malga tree; which is an acacia of such very hard wood, that I was +obliged to be content to cut off the top branches only of a tree on the +summit I had endeavoured to cut down, and to erect a sort of platform on +the remainder, whence I took my angles. Up the river, there appeared some +open plains, and a level horizon, in the direction of its apparent +course. Thermometer, at sunrise, 11°; at noon, 65°; at 4 P. M., 67°; and +at 9, 30°. + +25TH MAY.--Protracting the observed angles I endeavoured to fix, if +possible, some prominent points, whereby I might obtain some knowledge of +the structure of the surrounding country. The result of my work was a +conviction that the course of the river was parallel to the projecting +extremities of the low range beyond it (River Head Range), and that its +basin had extensive ramifications, back amongst the sandstone cliffs on +this side. But the course downwards still remained a question, which +diminished in its importance, as I discovered the upper course to come +from where it was my wish to go. I resolved, nevertheless, while thus +awaiting the arrival of the drays, to extend my ride of the 23RD MAY, and +ascertain whether it could turn westward under the southern cliffs, the +only direction in which it was likely to be available to us, downwards, +at this time. Thermometer, at sunrise, 17°; at noon, 70°; at 4 P.M. 68°; +and at 9, 38°. + +26TH MAY.--Taking with me two men and Yuranigh, mounted, I retraced my +former track to the westward, and on proceeding beyond the dry river bed, +where I had previously been, I entered amongst sandstone gullies, where +one grassy flat extended nearly in the direction I wished to pursue; and +this brought me to a sort of table-land, covered with an open forest of +iron-bark (with the common leaf). The rock consisted here of the same +felspathic sort characterising most of the hills of the Barwan basin; the +soil sterile, bearing, in lieu of the ordinary grass, the stiff, hard +leaved, glutinous TRIODIA PUNGENS. But this was better than scrub, and, +further on, I perceived through a forest on the western slopes, the blue +distance and yellow plains of an open country. As plains usually +accompany rivers, I believed I was approaching the river I was in search +of. We crossed a deep watercourse falling to the S.E.b.S., and entered on +a noble flat of firm rich soil, whereon grew luxuriantly, the ACACIA +PENDULA (not previously seen by us in that region), and the two best +kinds of grass, ANTHISTIRIA and PANICUM LOEVINODE. Then we came to a good +pond of water, with recent footmarks of natives, and, at about a mile +beyond, we reached the open downs. They extended eastward as far as we +could see between the range on the S., under which I had expected to find +the river, and the rocky country over which we had come. Westward, the +downs were bounded by several very picturesque isolated conical hills,-- +the southern sandy ranges on the S., still continuing westward like a +limit to all this interior open country. Yet through that barrier the +river had found a course, and instead of its overlooking the river, I +found that the ground rose towards it, and I hastened four or five miles +further westward, in hopes still to see it beyond the open downs, but I +saw nothing like it. Kangaroos showed their heads occasionally amid the +long grass: the air was all astir with pigeons, and traces of native +inhabitants were numerous. As the sun was then near setting, we hastened +back to the pond, and lay down beside it for the night, which happened to +be a mild one. Thermometer, at sunrise, 20°; at noon, 72°; at 4 P.M., +71°; at 9, 44°. + +27TH MAY.--We rode nearly westward towards a conical hill, which I had +seen on the evening before, and named Mount Lonsdale. This peak appeared +to me then to promise an extensive view to the W. and S.W., and in that +expectation I was not disappointed. I also fortunately recognised two of +my fixed points, at distances of thirty-two and fortytwo miles +respectively, besides an elevated extremity of the continuous range on +the S., which I had previously intersected, and here determined to be +only five miles off, bearing about S.E.b.S. I could now see not only +westward, but to the southward of S.W., for nearly twenty miles over a +long flat, containing indeed, a line of ACACIA PENDULA scrub, such as +accompanies lines of water drainage, but no river. All the country in +sight more to the northward seemed to fall that way, or southward, and +although it seemed possible that a cross line of valley and blue mist at +the far extremity of the flat might be the river, it was much more +probable, from the general slope of the country, that it was only another +tributary coming from the north.[*] Such was Yuranigh's opinion too, who +alone stood on that peak with me, and who there reminded me of the fate +of the rivers Macquarie and Narran, and maintained that rivers were not +to be found every where. "Where then is our river, Mr. Yuranigh?" "Bel me +know," was the reply. I could soon have found this out, however, had it +been an object for our journey northward. It was enough to know then that +it did not turn into that interior country, which was open, and looked +much lower, and how much further the fine valley extended beyond the +twenty miles, an adjacent woody hill prevented me from seeing. The land +around me was fair to look on; nothing could be finer than the forms of +the hills--half clear of wood, the disposition of open grassy downs and +vales--or the beauty of the woods. Water was not wanting, at least there +seemed to be enough for the present inhabitants, and to an admirer of +nature there was all that could be desired. Deeply impressed with its +sublime and solitary beauty, I sketched the scene, and descended from +that hill, resolved to follow the river upwards, as more favourable, in +that direction, to the chief object of my mission. I named the hill +overlooking that lonely dale, Mount Lonsdale, in honour of my valuable +geological friend. We reached the dépot camp in the evening, and found +all well, only that a very tall and powerful native had been +reconnoitring our position during the day, from various trees commanding +a view of it; probably only from curiosity. These visits, however, always +happened to be made, as it would appear, when some portion of the party +was absent, as on this occasion. Thermometer, at sunrise, 34°; at noon, +79°; at 4 P.M., 68°; at 9, 59°; with wet bulb, 50°. + +[* Probably the Nive. See INFRA.] + +28TH AND 29TH MAY.--My ride westward had enabled me to intersect more +points to the northward; but this was certainly the most intricate +country I had ever either to survey or explore; for neither by laying +down points on a map, nor by overlooking it from high summits, could I +gain a satisfactory knowledge of its structure. Upon the whole, however, +I was convinced that the downward course of the river, above our depôt +camp, was in a favourable direction for the continuation of our journey. +The arrival of the drays and the rest of the party was now an important +desideratum; for I had resolved to establish them in a dephere, and +continue the journey with a smaller party and the horses; the sandy soil +beyond the river, appearing almost impassable for the absurdly heavy +drays, with which the party had been equipped. They had now had nearly +time sufficient to come thus far, making due allowance for sand and other +obstructions. In the mean while I determined to extend my reconnoissance +northward from a commanding height, distant fourteen miles, and bearing +27½° E. of N. from my camp. Thermometer, at sunrise, 47°; at noon, 85°; +at 4 P.M., 79°: at 9, 65°. + +30TH MAY.--I proceeded, accordingly, to the hill, over a tract of +excellent open forest land, which extended to its base. The summit +consisted of trap-rock in nodules, and, towards the highest point, was +much broken. On the most elevated part of the summit, grew one of those +remarkable trees, first seen by me on Mount Abundance. I had since seen +them in various solitary singular situations; two on the Hogs'-back +crest of Bindango; two or three near the summit of various other heights. +The girth of this was thirty feet at its greatest circumference, and only +sixteen at the ground. There was only one companion of the same kind, a +very young one, beside this; which in locality, form, and quality, seems +to be as remarkable a tree, amongst trees in general, as the kangaroo is +remarkable amongst other animals. Of its quality, much, I am sure, +remains to be said, when it becomes better known; the wood being so +light, moist, and full of gum, that a man, having a knife or tomahawk, +might live by the side of one without other food or water; as if nature +in pity for the most distressed of mortals, hiding in solitary places, +had planted even there this tree of Abundance. The wood must contain a +great portion of mucilage, for, on chewing it, it seems to contain as +much nutritious matter, as fibre. The pods contain a great number of +seeds which are eaten by the natives, and also by many birds; and, from +the circumstance of my having found one pod half-eaten by a bird on a +rock, the very apex of a lofty summit, the solitary locality of this tree +may, perhaps, be considered at least partly owing to its seeds being the +favourite food of some birds inhabiting such places, each seed probably +requiring to be picked out of the thick shell, in order that it may +grow.[*] The view the hill afforded me was most gratifying and +satisfactory. I saw again Mounts Bindango, Bindyego and Abundance, to the +southward; the cone I had lately visited in the west, (Mount Lonsdale): +the course of the river downwards, marked by open plains in the S. W.; +and, an extensive rather level country lay to the northward, beyond +which, at great distances, the summits of lofty mountains were just +visible. Through the wide champagne country intervening, the river's +course seemed marked by a line of smoke; a hot wind was then blowing, and +the natives are in the habit of burning off the old grass on such +occasions. The river seemed to come from the mountains, nearly from the +N.N.W.; so that the prospect of finding water in that direction, or +towards these mountains, was all I could desire. Here I intersected +various lofty distant summits seen on the 21st instant, and could thus +connect the whole trigonometrically with back angles to Bindango, Mount +Abundance, etc. In the eastward, a range of tabular masses, some almost +clear of wood, extended apparently to the coast ranges; and seemed to be +also connected with those stretching towards Bindango, and separating the +basin of the upper Balonne from this interior country. A hill similar to +that on which I stood, but of less height, lay on the interior side of +it, having a remarkable conic summit clear of bushes. The valley at the +base of these two hills contained a fine crop of ANTHISTIRIA; and there +was also a chain of ponds, where natives had been encamped not long +before, but in which no water then remained. + +[* A new genus, since named DELABECHEA.] + +On returning to the camp in the evening, I learnt that soon after I left +it in the morning, two natives came boldly up, painted white, bearing, +each, several spears and four or five bommerengs. They were followed by +two females bearing loads of spears. The men were got immediately under +arms, forming a line before the tents, and Corporal Graham beckoned to +the natives to halt. They pointed after me, and by very plain gestures +motioned to the party to follow me, or to begone. Finding the men before +the tents made the same signs to them, and stood firm, the principal +speaker edged off towards a man at a distance, in charge of the horses. +Graham got between, so as to cover the man and the horses, when they +advanced more boldly upon him, quivering their poised spears at him, at a +distance of only ten or twelve paces. At length the foremost man turned +round, and by slapping his posteriors, gave him to understand by that +vulgar gesture, his most contemptuous defiance: this induced the old +soldier to discharge his carbine over the head of the savage, who first +sprung some feet into the air, and then ran off with all the others. Soon +after, the same native was seen creeping up the steep bank, so as to +approach the camp under the cover of some large trees, the rest +following, and he was again met by our party. He then seemed to recite +with great volubility a description of the surrounding territory, as he +continually pointed in the course of his harangue to various localities, +and in this description he was prompted by the female behind, who also, +by rapid utterance and motions of the arm, seemed to recite a territorial +description. Finding, however, that his speech made no impression on the +white strangers, and that they still beckoned them to depart; he stuck a +spear into the ground, and, by gestures, seemed to propose that, on the +one side, the ground should be occupied by the strangers, and on the +other side, by them. Graham apparently assenting to this, they seemed +more satisfied and departed. There were two deep reaches; one above, the +other below, our camp. The upper one was deepest, largest, and more +remote from our party, and most within reach of the natives. I gave +strict orders that no man should go there; nor that the cattle should be +allowed to feed there; that it should, in fact, be left wholly to the +natives; that no ducks should be shot, that no men should fish there. +Nothing could be more reasonable than the proposal of this native, nor +more courageous than his appearance before our more numerous party, with +his spears and open defiance; and I was determined to take every +precaution to avoid a collision with his small tribe, and prevent, during +our probably long residence here, our people from doing them any harm. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 22°; at noon, 60°; at 4 P.M., 63°; at 9, 31°. + +1ST JUNE.--The sound of a distant shot about noon, which proceeded from +the Doctor firing at a bird, gave us the first notice of the approach of +the other party. Soon after, Mr. Kennedy came in, measuring the line; +and, subsequently, the drays, and the whole of the men in good health. +The cattle had got refreshed without delaying me, and I could now again +proceed with a good supply of stores, leaving them again in depôt here. +Mr. Kennedy had examined the river, about which I had written to him, for +twelve miles up, and found that it was a separate river, coming from the +N.W., and that in all its bed no water could be found. The tribe of +Tagando had been troublesome to him, as I feared they would, after their +attempt upon us. The following account of their visit to Mr. Kennedy is +from his own notes:--"At 1 P.M., an old native, accompanied by five +younger men, approached the camp, each carrying a green bough, and when +within forty yards, they sat down in a line, the old man (probably their +chief) taking up his position about four yards in advance of the rest. +Sir Thomas Mitchell having mentioned, in a communication I received here, +that the natives had been friendly to him, I was anxious to preserve that +good feeling, but at the same time to keep them at a distance, according +to my instructions. I therefore went up to them with a green bough, and +endeavoured by signs to make them leave:--finding that of no avail, I +presented the chief with an old hat, and gave to each a piece of bread. +After they had eaten it, I raised the old man with my right hand, and +taking another in my left, I led them away in the direction whence they +had come, broke off a green branch, gave a portion to each, and bid them +farewell. As the others still remained in STATU QUO, I went through the +same ceremony with them until they were all on their path homewards. +Having heard nothing more of them for some time, I flattered myself that +I had succeeded in giving them a friendly hint that we did not wish them +beside us; but I soon discovered my mistake, for at 4 P.M. a large number +of natives, accompanied by two or three gins and children, came boldly up +and encamped within a few yards of the tents, and two hundred more were +reported to me by Mortimer as being at a short distance in their rear. I +gave strict orders that no man should go near them, and I mustered the +party myself at 8 P.M. Shortly afterwards, three or four natives came +down to our fires, and on the men saying that they would not be made to +leave, I put my hand upon their shoulders, and shewed them their own +camp. One tall young native in particular, wearing an opossum cloak, +exhibited a strong inclination to resist. I continued to watch their +movements until half-past eleven, P.M. up to which time they were talking +very earnestly, continually repeating the words "white fellow." I had not +retired to my tent five minutes when I heard Baldock (one of the two men +on watch) several times desire the natives to go back, who, as it +appeared, would insist on coming forward to our fires. Serjeant Niblet +then called me, saying he thought "all was not right," that the natives +refused to keep away, and that he had seen the fire sticks of others +approaching from several directions. On turning out, I found them making +a line of fires within twenty-five yards or less of our tents, and the +grass on fire, the old man urging them on in their mischievous work. I +called to them in the language of some of the aborigines, to go away +quickly, using the words "Yau-a-ca-burri!" but seeing that they still +drew nearer with their fires, to the imminent danger of the camp, I +desired the men, who by this time had got ready with their arms, to +charge them with a shout, but not to fire until they received orders. We +succeeded in making them run; when, to add to their alarm, one or two +shots were fired in the air. In their haste, they left the old hat I had +given them, an iron tomahawk, and a few other implements, behind them, +all of which I caused to be left untouched, in order to show them that we +had only objected to their intrusion. All being quiet, and the cattle +brought close to the camp, I added a third man to the morning watch, and +no more was heard of the natives." This was a specimen of the treacherous +nature of their mode of warfare, and very characteristic of the +aborigines, but by no means so creditable to them, as the conduct of our +neighbours at this camp, where the arrival of the other party was likely +to convince them still more, that they could not induce us to quit that +position, until we thought proper to do so. I had instructed Mr. Kennedy +to continue the numbering of the camps; but as the drays could not keep +pace with mine, only some of my camps have been so numbered, the others +marked being those where his party had passed the night. This depôt camp +was, thus, No. XXIX, and the numbers of such others of mine as have been +marked between this and VIII., shall be added to this journal, and the +whole marked on the map. A new species of CALLITRIS appeared among the +trees, the ACACIA STENOPHYLLA, and the large leaved variety of ACACIA +DECORA, further removed than usual from the common form, and approaching, +in some respects, to A. RUBIDA. Among the bushes was the beautiful little +A. CONFERTA, remarkable for its little heath-like leaves, and among the +grasses was remarked an abundance of a new annual SPOROBOLUS with +extremely minute flowers.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 18°; at noon, 64°; +at 4 P.M., 64°; at 9, 30°. + +[* S. PALLIDUS (Lindl. MS.) foliis planis glabris ligulâ nulla nisi +squamulâ quâdam, paniculâ effusâ ramis brevibus alternis verticillatisque +scabriusculis, paleis truncatis alterâ 3-nervi alterâ binervi.] + +2D JUNE.--Two half-boats were mounted on frames, and fixed over two of +the light carts, and other preparations made for the prosecution of the +journey with a small party. My plan was to reduce each man's ration of +flower from 7lbs. to 4lbs. per week: to allow a larger quantity of +mutton: some gelatine and barley, dried potatoes, etc. With my party, I +now proposed to take forward a portion of the sheep, as not requiring +carriage, and Mr. Stephenson, a man to assist him, and the shepherd, +formed the only addition to the number with which I had advanced to this +point. Mr. Kennedy had brought me a dispatch from Commissioner Mitchell, +accompanied by some newspapers, in which I read such passages as the +following:--"Australia Felix and the discoveries of Sir Thomas Mitchell +now dwindle into comparative insignificance." "We understand the intrepid +Dr. Leichardt is about to start another expedition to the Gulf, keeping +to the westward of the coast ranges," etc., etc. Not very encouraging to +us, certainly; but we work for the future. Thermometer, at sunrise, 11°; +at noon, 67°; at 4 P.M., 67°; at 9, 30°. + +3D JUNE.--This day one of the party caught several fishes in the river, +which appeared to be of the same species as the Eelfish, or Plotosus +tandanus described in the journal of my first journey (Vol. i. p. 95). It +is therein stated to be an Asiatic form of fish, on the authority of Mr. +Wm. M'Leay, but in other respects this was identical with one in the +Barwan. The course downwards of the new river, which we even now believed +to be called the Maran, from what we had gathered from the natives, was +thus almost proved to be towards the southern rivers. I instructed Mr. +Kennedy to employ the party in digging, and fencing in, and daily +watering, a garden; also, to make a stockyard wherein to lodge the cattle +at night, as this would leave more men disposable for the immediate +protection, if necessary, of the camp and stores. I also gave him very +particular instructions as to the natives, that no intercourse should be +allowed between them and the men; that he should, nevertheless, use them +very civilly, and endeavour to obtain some information, if possible, +respecting the final course of the Maran, etc. Thermometer, at sunrise, +16°; at noon, 69°; at 4 P.M., 66°; at 9, 34°. + + + +Chapter V. + +CROSS THE MARANOA WITH A LIGHT PARTY.--SEND BACK FOR ONE DRAY AND THE +FRESHEST TEAM.--JUNCTION OF A RIVER FROM N.N.W.--FOLLOW UP THE MINOR +BRANCH.--A DAY'S RAIN, AND RECONNAISSANCE TO THE N.W.--HOSTILE TRIBE.-- +HOW DISPERSED.--CROSS POSSESSION CREEK.--ARRIVE AT A SMALL RIVER FROM THE +WEST.--CROSS IT, AND REACH ANOTHER.--AGAIN RIDE TO THE N.W.--DETERMINE TO +FOLLOW THE FIRST RIVER DOWN-WARDS.--AGAIN ARRIVE ON THE MARANOA.--CROSS +THE SECOND RIVER FROM THE WEST.--ASCEND A SMALL ROCKY HILL.--MOUNT OWEN +AGAIN RECOGNIZED.--TRAVEL IN THAT DIRECTION.--THROUGH SCRUBS, AND OVER +SANDY GROUND.--AGAIN WANT WATER.--TURN TO THE MARANOA.--FIND ITS CHANNEL +DRY.--ASCEND MOUNT OWEN.--RIDE OF RECONNAISSANCE.--DISTANT MOUNTAINS.-- +ADVANCE WITH THE PARTY.--ASCEND MOUNT P. P. KING.--THE RIVER WARREGO +DISCOVERED.--IT TURNS TO THE S.W.,--THE PARTY CROSSES IT.--MOUNT +FARADAY.--THE PYRAMIDS.--RIVER SALVATOR.--THE SALVATOR JOINS THE NOGOA.-- +COURSE OF THE NOGOA, N.E.--CROSS IT AND CUT THROUGH TEN MILES OF SCRUB, +IN A N.W. DIRECTION.--THE RIVER CLAUDE DISCOVERED.--FINE OPEN DOWNS.-- +BALMY CREEK, AND VERY DIFFICULT COUNTRY.--TOWER ALMOND.--MOUNT MUDGE.-- +LINE OF RIVER SEEN TO THE NORTHWARD. + +4TH JUNE.--EVERY preparation having been made, I bade Mr. Kennedy adieu, +for at least four months, and crossed the Maranwith my party and light +carts. It was not without very much regret that I thus left this zealous +assistant, and so large a portion of my men, behind, in departing on a +hazardous enter prise, as this was likely to be, where the population +might be numerous. Anxiety for the safety of the party left, predominated +with me, for whatever might be the danger of passing and repassing +through these barbarous regions, that of a party stationary for a length +of time in one place, seemed greater, as they were more likely to be +assailed by assembled numbers, and more exposed to their cunning and +treachery. I gave to Mr. Kennedy the best advice I could, and we parted +in the hope of a happy meeting, at the period of my return--a hope, I +must confess, I could not indulge in then, with any degree of pleasure, +looking forward to the many difficulties we were prepared to encounter, +and considering the state of my own health. + +The sandy bed of the river was difficult to cross with the carts, and +delayed us an hour. A different adjustment of the loads was necessary; +therefore I was obliged to turn out of my intended route for this day, +and go into a bight of the river for water, in making a much shorter +journey. This was only of six miles from the depôt camp. Amongst the +waterworn pebbles in the bed of the river, we found various portions of +coal and the rocky sections in parts of the banks resembled its +concomitant strata. Thermometer, at sunrise, 16°; at 9 P.M., 40°. + +5TH JUNE.--The ground was sandy, and several gullies descending to the +river occasioned difficulties which tried the mettle of our horses, and +convinced me that we now carried too much weight for them. I accordingly +sent back Edward Taylor and another man with a note to Mr. Kennedy, and +with directions to pick out ten good bullocks, and bring forward one of +the drays as soon as possible. We met with various dry channels of +tributaries so deep and rocky, that they seemed, at first sight, like the +main river. I wished to reach the bank of this, at a favourable point to +encamp at, and await the arrival of the expected dray. But there gullies +rendered the access difficult. Sand and callitris covered the +intermediate ground, and augmented the impediments the horses had to +contend with. After crossing three rather important channels, I turned to +the N. E., and fortunately came upon the river, where the ground was very +open, and the acclivities gentle. The bed of the river was full of water, +forming a long reach covered with a red weed, the course from north to +south, straight. Height above the sea, 1190 feet. This we marked XXXI., +last camp being XXX. Thermometer, at sunrise, 24°; at 4 P.M., 70°; at 9, +43°. + +6TH JUNE.--Taylor arrived early with a fine team and strong dray, +confident in being able to keep up with the carts, and lightly loaded, of +course, that he might cross heavy sand, or deep gullies. I employed the +time usefully, in adapting Mr. Kennedy's measurements to my map. I had +now measured bases, besides those of latitude for my trigonometrical +work, and I should not have regretted even a day longer in camp, to have +had more time to protract angles, but time was too precious, as my men +were voluntarily on very reduced rations. The DODONOEA HIRTELLA of Miquel +was the only novelty found here. Latitude 26° 6' 25" S. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 30°; at noon, 75°; at 4 P.M., 76°; at 9, 50°. + +7TH JUNE.--We set off at a better pace this morning, and kept it up, as +we found the ground firmer, and less broken. Several hollows with water- +courses in them, lay in our way, but presented no serious impediment. At +length, I saw some of the heads of River-Head Range, and a long ridge +appeared before us. On ascending it obliquely, following up the smooth +clay floor of a water-course, I found myself gradually entangled in a bad +scrub of brigalow and rosewood. After cutting our way through it, for a +mile and a half, I sought on the other side for any hollow leading off +water, and found one which brought us into an open forest flat with a +fine chain of ponds. The Acacia pendula appeared on its skirts; and, at +length, abundance of water, also, in the ponds. The grass was so +luxuriant near one of these, that I encamped beside it, without seeking +the river, to which these ponds seemed adjacent. Thermometer, at sunrise, +36°; at 4 P.M., 85°; at 9, 70° (XXXII.). Height above the sea, 1309 feet. + +8TH JUNE.--The country beyond this camp in a northerly direction was very +fine. The Acacia pendula, open forests, and gently undulating country +intersected by chains of ponds then dry, were its characteristics. At +length, we reached the river bank, and could travel along it to the west. +Just there, I perceived the junction of a river (perhaps the main +channel) from the N. N. W. It seemed full of water, whereas that which I +was obliged to follow, being the most westerly, was nearly dry, although +its banks were boldly broken, and precipitous. Its course came round even +from S. W., and deep ravines and water-courses coming into it, obliged me +to travel to the southward of that bearing in order to avoid them. We +thus, at length, came into a fine open grassy country, tolerably level, +and could resume a north-west course. In that direction, we crossed a +water-course from the S. W., and came to another in a deeper valley, +where we saw natives, who did not run away. There was a water-hole +nearest to our side, and one from which a native was ascending when I +approached. I directed the men (having encamped here) to keep the cattle +from that water-hole, if possible, anxious to avoid giving any offence on +this delicate point to the natives of these forests. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 36°; at 4 P. M., 85°; at 9, 70°. (XXXIII.) + +9TH JUNE.--The sky being overcast, and rain likely to fall, I considered +that the bullocks' necks might be galled by the yokes in wet weather; +and, being in some doubt about finding water in the direction in which I +wished now to travel, I set out with two men on horseback to explore the +country to the N. W., leaving the party to enjoy a day's rest. Little +rain fell, and the ride was very pleasant. A perfume like that of hay, +but much more fragrant, arose from the moistened vegetation, and I found +a beautiful country of open forest with ACACIA PENDULA in graceful +clumps. A few miles on, we were suddenly hailed from behind a few bushes, +by about twenty-five natives, painted red. We halted and endeavoured to +talk to them, but not a word was intelligible to Yuranigh, who was with +me. In vain he inquired about rivers, or water, in his language, and in +vain they bawled to us in theirs: so, after this unintelligible parley at +some distance, (for they would not come close up,) we rode on. We came at +length on a sandy country with much Callitris, but the whole surface was +undulating, and we crossed several chains of deep ponds, all falling to +our right, or eastward; some containing water. At length, I perceived on +the right, a deeper valley, and found in it a little river with a rocky +bed, and coming from the N. N. W. At two miles further, along my N. W. +course, I found it crossed it, coming from W. S. W., and here I turned, +well pleased to find an abundant supply of water, and a good country in +the best direction for our interior journey. The river ran chiefly on +rock, and the water was plentiful. Having returned to the camp, in the +evening, after sunset we were called to by a numerous tribe of natives, +assembled on the opposite steep bank of the chain of ponds, over which we +had encamped. By the particular cooey, I recognised the same party we had +seen in the morning. Their language was now loud and angry, and war was +evidently their purpose; from experience I judged it best to nip the evil +in the bud, and ordered five men under arms, who were first formed in +line before the tents, and with whom, at the bugle's sound, I advanced +steadily up the opposite bank, as our only reply to all their loud +jeering noise. They set up a furious yell on our approach, and advanced +to the brow of the cliff, as if prepared to defend it; but as we silently +ascended, they fell off, and, by the time we gained the height, they had +retired to a considerable distance, still shouting vociferously. Two, +however, were seen drawing round our left flank, in a little gully, +followed by a female carrying spears. I discharged my rifle over their +heads, upon which they hastened to their fellows. On firing another shot +over the dark noisy mass before us, they became suddenly quite silent, +probably persuaded that we were really in earnest. We marched through +their camp, made a feint, by descending into a gully, of coming upon them +unawares, and continued there, until silence and darkness secured our +peaceful occupation of the ground. Thus I prevented a night of alarms and +noise, which might have been kept up until morning, and until they had +worked themselves into that sort of frenzy, without which I do not think +they have courage to fight Europeans; and having once got their steam up, +they were sure to have followed us, and gathered a savage population in +our rear. Lat., 25° 54' 17" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 56°; at 4 P. M., +70; at 9, 50°. (XXXIII.) + +10TH JUNE.--We advanced at an early hour, crossing Possession Creek, for +so we called it (and which proved rather an impediment, until we filled a +hollow with logs), and followed my horse's tracks of yesterday. Thus we +reached the little river in good time, notwithstanding much heavy sand in +the way of our carts, and encamped at the furthest point I had previously +visited. Thermometer, at sunrise, 30°; at 4 P.M., 75°; at 9, 39°. Height +above the sea, 1240 feet. (XXXIV.) + +11TH JUNE.--Keeping along the bank of the rocky river, we were obliged to +turn southward, and even S.S.E., such was the direction whence the river +came. I therefore encamped the party, after a journey of only 3½ miles, +and proceeded to explore again, towards the N. W. I thus came upon the +rocky river where the rock formed a bridge affording an easy means of +crossing it, and this I valued more, as being the only passable place I +had seen in it, so deep and rocky was the bed elsewhere. The strata at +this bridge dipped N. N. E., a circumstance which induced me to travel +westward instead of N. W., in hopes to cross thereby sooner, a synclinal +line, and so arrive at the sources of some northern river. We passed +through some scrub, and attained, by gradual ascent, considerable +elevation. The country in general consisted of open forest, and contained +grass in great abundance. At nine miles, I came upon a chain of ponds +falling northward, and in which were two good ponds of water, whereupon I +returned to the camp. Thermometer, at sunrise, 38°; at 9 P.M., 38°. +Height above the sea, 1287 feet. (XXXV.) + +12TH JUNE.--The rock about the river here was deeply impressed with +ripple marks, and also dipped N.N.E. or northward. It consisted of a +yellow sandstone in thin strata, covered in some parts with beds of +waterworn pebbles. These consisted chiefly of quartz, felspar, and a +silicious petrifaction of woody appearance. We proceeded along my horse +track of yesterday. In crossing what seemed a principal ridge on which +grew brigalow scrub (through which we had, in parts, to cut a way), we +came upon a fine specimen of the Bottle Tree (DELABECHEA); near it grew +the GEIJERA PARVIFLORA, which did not attain a greater height than 10 +feet. I found by the syphon barometer that our height above the sea was +here 1579 feet. By the same gauge I found that two other ridges further +on were still higher (1587 feet). In the afternoon, the sky became +overcast with dark, round, heavy clouds, and in the evening, slight +showers fell. Thermometer, at sunrise, 20°; at noon, 74°; at 4P.M., 73°; +at 9, 60°. The wind and clouds came from the west. + +13TH JUNE.--The line of ponds we were upon might turn to the northward; +nevertheless I was unwilling to follow them down, and again lose westing, +until I had made another attempt to penetrate to the N. W. The morning +was rainy, and, as in such weather travelling was likely to gall the +necks of the bullocks, I halted the party, and took a ride in that +direction. I encountered much soft sand and scrubs of brigalow, rosewood, +and Callitris. Scrubs of the latter were most dense and continuous. I +fell in with a goodly little river at five miles; its course there was +from S. W. to N. E. Beyond it, I found the country still more sandy, +although intersected by one or two water-courses falling to the +northward. The furthest one, at fifteen miles from our camp, had in it +ponds containing no water. It seemed near the source, and that we had +almost reached the crest of some dividing feature. A thunder-storm then +burst over us, and the time of day did not admit of going further. I +therefore returned, convinced that I could not in that direction make +much progress.* Thermometer, at sunrise, 49°; at noon, 57°; at 4 P.M., +54°; at 9, 48°. + +[* This was unfortunate: it will be seen by the map, that ten miles +further would have taken me to the river Warregin a direct line to the +head of the river Victoria, avoiding the mountains.] + +14TH JUNE.--A drizzling rain continued, and the barometer indicated a +change; hence I hoped the rain would last until the water-holes were +filled. The day being Sunday, I gave the party another day of rest, and +took that opportunity of laying down on my map, the recently discovered +rivers and water-courses. It was only after I had done so, that I began +to think the water-course we were encamped upon, was worth following +down. The evening was clear, and I ascertained the latitude to be 25° 47' +28" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 52°; at noon, 55°; at 4 P.M., 57°; at 9, +38° (XXXVI.). Height above the sea, 1528 feet. + +15TH JUNE.--In following down this chain of ponds, we found its channel +became a well-formed river, with abundance of water in it, a few miles +below our camp. The course thus far was northward; and I saw in one part +of it rocks dipping to the westward. I was in expectation that it would +have continued northward, when it suddenly turned towards the S.S.W. I +thereupon crossed it, and resumed my N.W. course. My path was thus again +crossed by our river flowing northward: we had then travelled 12½ miles, +and I encamped on its banks. The whole of the day's journey, with little +exception, had been over heavy sand, and, but for the rain that had +fallen, it must have greatly distressed the horses and oxen. As it was, +they got over it wondrous well. In a pond of this river, Mr. Stephenson +caught a great number of the harlequin fish, a circumstance almost +proving that this was a tributary to the Maran. We found this day a new +narrow-leaved TRISTANIA[*], thirty feet high, with bark thick, soft, and +fibrous. A smooth narrow-leaved variety of ACACIA HOLOSERICEA was loaded +with spikes of crooked sickle-shaped pods. Among the herbage was observed +the TEUCRIUM ARGUTUM of Brown; and the XEROTES LEUCOCEPHALA grew in the +light dry sand. Novelty in the plants, animals, and fishes, was now to be +expected; the weather was cool and pleasant, and our travelling equipment +tolerably efficient. Thermometer, at sunrise, 30°; at 4 P. M., 58°; at 9 +P. M., 46° (XXXVII.). Height above the sea, 1827 feet. + +[* T. ANGUSTIFOLIA (Hook. MS.); foliis angusto-linearibus +mucronatoacuminatis supra glabris subtùs subsericeis marginibus arcte +revolutis, paniculis terminalibus folio brevioribus calycibusque incano- +tomentosis. These specimens were in fruit. It is very distinct from every +other species.] + +16TH JUNE.--Proceeding nearly north-west, we met with the little river I +had discovered a few miles beyond my camp of the 13th and 14th instant. +The distance of this point from the camp we had left this morning was +about 2½ miles. We crossed it, and turned to the westward, and even +south-west, to avoid it. Over its extreme south-western bend there was a +little rocky hill, which I ascended, and thence saw a mountain I had +intersected from the high station east of the depôt. It now bore 12° west +of north, and I directed my course towards it, as well as the country +would permit. We crossed several sandy ranges on which the callitris was, +as usual, the chief tree, as it was also on the soft heavy sand between +them. Occasionally, the lowest parts where water would take its course, +consisted of firm clay, and we took advantage of such flats, when their +direction was favourable. I was at length under the necessity of +encamping on one of these, where there was no water, nor any to be found +in it after I had followed it down four miles. In my search for water, I +found a curious new PHEBALIUM.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 43°; at 9 P. +M., 54°. Height above the sea, 1646 feet. + +[* P. GLANDULOSUM (Hook. MS.); foliis angusto-lineari-cuneatis retusis +canaliculatis marginibus revolutis subtus ramulisque argenteo-lepidotis +superne (praecipue) grosse glandulosis nudis, corymbis terminalibus +parvis sessilibus fusco-lepidotis, calycibus subtruncatis, petalis ovatis +concavis. Allied to P. SQUAMULOSUM and P. ELOEAGNOIDES, but very +distinct, especially in the presence of the large semipellucid +hemispherical glands, seen more or less in various parts of the plant, +but very conspicuous on the upper side of the leaves.] + +17TH JUNE.--Pursuing a course in the direction of the mountain already +mentioned, I met with much heavy sand on which grew thick forests of +callitris, frequently quite impervious to our carts except at open places +amongst which we had to wind, as they permitted. The ground was +undulating, and there was clay in the hollows, but the direction of these +ran across my intended route, falling all to the east-ward. We at length +attained what seemed the highest of these ridges, and on the summit I +ascertained its elevation to be 1833 feet above the sea. Beyond it, we +came to a flat of firmer surface, consisting of clay, and, as we greatly +wanted water, I followed it down to the north-east. I found it soon +hemmed in by sandstone rocks; but we travelled still on a broad grassy +flat which fell into one still broader, through which ran a continuous +but dry channel coming from the north-west. After following this +downwards about a mile, we crossed towards an opening between the +sandstone cliffs beyond it; this opening terminated under shelving rocks. +Ascending at another place, with my horse, I found a table-land above, +and an open forest country. I succeeded in getting the carts and dray up +at a rocky point, and travelled thence E.S.E., anxious now to find the +Maran, convinced by a deep ravine on our right, that it could not be far +off. We descended by a gently inclined part of the sandstone to a dry +watercourse lined with brigalow, and which soon guided us to the river. +Here, however, the bed was dry and full of sand, of spacious and uniform +breadth, and with grassy sloping banks. The course was towards S.W., and +I followed it upwards, in hopes soon to meet with a pond. No water, +however, was to be seen, when a rocky precipitous bank before us, and the +sun setting in the west, obliged me to encamp the party. I hastened up +the dry channel, followed by all the horses and the bullocks. We found +some rain water on a level piece of rock, about two miles from the camp, +which was scarcely enough for the horses, and afforded a few gallons for +our kegs; nor could I find more, although I continued my search upwards +until dusk; the bullocks had therefore to pass a second night without +drinking. The bed and banks of this river were of very uniform extent +throughout; averaging, in width about 100 feet; in height of banks from +30 to 50 feet. The course was straight, and it seemed as if a few dams +might have sufficed to render it navigable, or at least to have retained +a vast supply of water; for although the bed was sandy, the bottom was +rocky, and the banks consisted of stiff clay. These being covered with +rich grass, and consisting of good soil, water alone was wanting to make +the whole both valuable and useful. Yet this was not so scarce amongst +the gullies and tributaries, nor in the channel itself, lower down. I +found, growing in the bed, the ALPHITONIA EXCELSA of Reissek, collected +by Allan Cunningham and Frazer along the Brisbane and upper part of +Hunter's River; also a remarkable kind of Brome grass I had never seen on +the Darling. Thermometer, at sunrise, 36°; at 9 P. M., 61°. + +18TH JUNE.--Drizzling rain had fallen during the night, which greatly +refreshed the grass for the cattle. Early this morning, I sent Corporal +Graham and another man, up the river, in search of water; and the +bullock-driver with his cattle down the river, with orders to go on until +he fell in with some. Others of the party were directed to search amongst +the rocky crevices nearer to our camp. I set out with Yuranigh for the +summit of the mountain already mentioned, which, according to my survey, +lay about seven miles off to the N.W. My ride to it was unimpeded by +gullies; and, on ascending it, I obtained a most extensive view, +embracing lofty ranges to the eastward and south-east. A line of volcanic +cones (of which this was one) extended from these ranges in the direction +of about N.E.b.N. But, besides these elevated summits, little could be +seen of the adjacent country: nothing of the sandstone gullies, by which +the party was then shut in. I could only imagine one bluey tint in a long +line of ravines, to be over the bed of the Maran, which seemed thus to +pass through the line of cones, and to come from high ranges about the +25th parallel. The country to the northward was still hidden from my +sight by a portion of the old crater which was higher than that I had +ascended. The western interior was visible to a great distance bounded by +low ranges; some of which seemed to have precipitous sides, like cliffs, +towards the west. Lines of open plains, and columns of smoke, indicated a +good country, and inhabitants. I recognised, from this station, that +eastward of the depôt camp, to which, from the peculiar interest then +attaching to that distant spot, I now named Mount Kennedy after the +officer in charge of the party there. I could now intersect many of the +summits observed therefrom; thus adding extensively to the general map, +and checking my longitude, by back angles into the interior. I was now at +a loss for names to the principal summits of the country. No more could +be gathered from the natives, and I resolved to name the features, for +which names were now requisite, after such individuals of our own race as +had been most distinguished or zealous in the advancement of science, and +the pursuit of human knowledge; men sufficiently well-known in the world +to preclude all necessity for further explanation why their names were +applied to a part of the world's geography, than that it was to do honour +to Australia, as well as to them. I called this hill Mount Owen; a bald- +forest hill to the N.E. of it, Mount Clift; a lofty truncated cone, to +the eastward of these, the centre of a group, and one of my zero points, +Mount Ogilby; a broad-topped hill far in the north-west, where I wished +to continue my route, Mount Faraday; a high table land intervening, +Hope's Table Land; the loftiest part of the coast ranges, visible on all +sides, Buckland's Table Land, etc. etc. The part of Mount Owen on which I +stood, consisted of basalt, which had crystallised cubically so as to +form a tottering pile on the summit, not unlike the ruins of a castle, +"nodding to its fall," and almost overhanging their base. Curious bushes +grew amongst these rocks, unlike those in the lower country; amongst +them, a climber, resembling a worm, which wholly enveloped a tree. On +returning to the camp, I learnt that the bullock-driver had found a +spacious basin in a rocky part of the bed, some miles down the river; +having thereat watered his cattle and returned; also, that Corporal +Graham had met with a pond ten miles higher up the river than our camp: +thus it was evident that many miles intervened between these two ponds in +the river. The other men left at the camp had fortunately found in the +crevice of a rock beyond the river-channel, enough of water for the +horses and themselves. But, had this river-channel contained much more +water, I could not have followed it in its upward course, and so go to +the north-east, instead of the north-west; neither had this been possible +from the precipitous rocks overhanging it at almost every turning. I had +found, in Mount Owen, a nucleus, which was a key to these sandstone +gullies radiating about it, and I had also perceived from it that towards +Mount Faraday, the north-western interior was tolerably clear of +mountainous obstructions; three small or very distant cones, seemed the +principal features beyond it. I wished much to have explored a route for +our carts in that direction; but it was necessary that I should first +establish the party near water. I accordingly determined to conduct it +along the range towards Mount Owen next day, as far as might be +necessary, in order to turn off to the right, and encamp, overlooking +some rocky gully within a convenient distance of Mount Owen; and, again +to explore these recesses for water, or send for it to Corporal Graham's +pond in the main channel. Mr. Stephenson gathered near this camp two +beautiful and delicate ferns, the ADIANTUM HISPIDULUM, and ADIANTUM +ASSIMILE, the Australian maiden's hair. The ACACIA IXIOPHYLLA, and ACACIA +CUNNINGHAMII, on the rocky cliffs; occurred with an Exocarpus, probably a +variety of E. SPARTEA, and a new Eucalyptus.[*] Thermometer at sunrise, +56°; at noon, 69°; at 4 P.M., 63°; at 9, 55°. Height above the sea, 1578 +feet; and above river bed 40 feet. + +[* E. POPULIFOLIA (Hook. MS.); foliis rhombeo-triangularibus obtusissimis +longius petiolatis coriaceis minute punctatis (punctis pallidis) +reticulatovenosis. This species is remarkable in the size and shape of +its petiolated leaves. The branches bear turbinated woody excrescences +(galls), each with two or more, generally three, sharp angles, and as +many unequal projecting wings, altogether exactly resembling the fruit of +some BEGONIÀ.] + +19TH JUNE.--Another dewy night had providentially refreshed the grass for +our thirsty animals. We ascended, at a very favourable point, the +sandstone table-land, and travelled for some miles along my horse's track +towards Mount Owen, turning round the heads of gullies which broke +abruptly in steep rocks both to our right and left. Then, turning to the +right, where a branch of the high land projected eastward towards the +river, we encamped on its extreme eastern point, overlooking a grassy +valley, hemmed in by precipitous cliffs, yet easily accessible to our +horses and cattle, from the point on which we had encamped. I had already +found a deep hole in a rock on the right, containing water sufficient for +the men and horses for several days, and, on riding down the valley while +they pitched the tents, I found a large pond only a mile from the camp. +The valley contained many still larger, but all, save this one, were dry. +Grass grew there in great abundance, and of excellent quality. Pigeons +were numerous of that species (GEOPHAPS SCRIPTA) which is so great a +luxury; the most delicate food, perhaps, of all the feathered race. The +highest of the sandy tableland crossed this day appeared (by Captain +King's subsequent calculations) to be 1863 feet. That of the camp over +the cliffs, 1840 feet above the sea, the height of these cliffs above the +bed of the river being thus about 300 feet. Thermometer, at sunrise, 50°; +at 4 P.M., 65°; at 9, 61°. + +20TH JUNE.--I set out (with two men and Yuranigh) to explore the country +beyond Mount Owen. From its base I observed some open forest land, and a +less broken country, in a direction much further to the westward than the +course I had previously selected, which was N.N.W. I now proceeded W.N.W. +towards that open forest land. We found the country open for some miles, +then, entering a flat or valley, I descended gradually between sandstone +rocks, to a valley in which a chain of deep ponds led to the north-west. +On following this down, I found it turned more and more to the westward, +and at length to the south-west, whereupon I quitted its bed and cliffy +banks, and, following up a ravine from the other side, again endeavoured +to pursue my intended course. We crossed, at the head of the ravine, a +sandstone range, and descended by another valley which led first +northward, but terminated in joining a spacious grassy flat with dry +ponds in it. I endeavoured to trace this downwards for several miles in a +rainy evening, and found at last, to my disappointment, that this also +turned to the S.W. This flat was broad and hemmed in by low rocky points +of ground, of very uniform shape. Many marks of natives appeared on the +trees, and, in good seasons, it must be one of their favourite spots. I +left it, however, when darkness and heavy rain obliged me to look for +shelter in a gloomy forest to the westward. By the time we arrived at +this, we could see no grassy spot for our horses, nor any sort of cover +for ourselves. Douglas found, at length, a fallen tree, and under this, +covered with a few boughs, we lay down on the wet earth for the night, +being ourselves as wet, yet wanting withal, water for ourselves and +horses. Thermometer, at sunrise, 54°; at noon, 69°; at 4 P.M., 67°; at 9, +57°. + +21ST JUNE.--The rain had abated to my great disappointment, for we should +have been amply compensated for wet jackets, by the sight of well filled +ponds of water, the want of which was the great impediment to this +journey. The sky was still overcast, and the wet bushes were unavoidable. +On I travelled north-west, until we approached some fine open forest +hills, the bare tops of which, just visible from the foot of Mount Owen, +had first drawn me in that direction. One tempting peak induced me to +approach it, and to think of an ascent. In a rugged little water-course +in its bosom, we found water enough for our horses, the product of last +night's rain. The view from the summit, made up for the deviation from my +route. A group of the most picturesque hills imaginable lay to the +northward, and were connected with this, the whole being branches from +the Table Land of Hope. Some appeared of a deep blue colour, where their +clothing was evergreen bush. Others were partly of a golden hue, from the +rich ripe grass upon them. The sun broke through the heavy clouds and +poured rays over them, which perfected the beauty of the landscape. I +recognised, from this apex, my station on Mount Owen, and several hills I +had intersected from it. Amongst others, the three remarkable cones to +the westward of Mount Faraday, apparently a continuation of the line of +summits I have already mentioned. This hill consisted of amygdaloidal +trap in nodules, the crevices being filled with crystals of sulphate of +lime, and there were many round balls of ironstone, like marbles or round +shot, strewed about. A red ferruginous crust projected from the highest +part, and, on this summit, the magnetic needle was greatly affected by +local attraction, and quite useless. Fortunately, I had also my pocket +sextant, and with it took some valuable angles. On descending, I heartily +enjoyed a breakfast, and named the hill which gave us the water, Mount +Aquarius. Returning towards Mount Owen, by a more direct route, I arrived +at the head of a gully which led tolerably direct until we found our +track, in the creek I had run down on the preceding day. But night was +approaching, and we had water enough in a rocky hollow, and also a cavern +before which a large fire gave such warmth, that, in passing the night +there in my cloak, I was quite insensible to a frost without, which, at +the camp, at 4 P. M., had lowered the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer +to 22°, or 10° below the freezing point. + +22D JUNE.--Our provisions being out, I hastened back to the camp, +determined to explore in a more northerly direction, according to my +original intention. Water was only to be found in so dry a season, in the +neighbourhood of mountains, or in rocky gullies likely to retain a +passing shower. In our way back, I ascended the north-western shoulder of +Mount Owen, and was much more inclined to take a northerly route, from +the appearance of the mountains on that side. The view from that summit +to the northward, was very grand; I saw more plainly the line of the +Maranfrom its upper sources. Two mighty masses of table-land seemed the +highest of all. One I had already seen and named Buckland's Table Land. I +could here distinguish the apex of Mount Aquarius, and fix it in my map. +I perceived a hollow part of the range immediately to the northward, and +a sort of hiatus amongst the peaks in the broken country beyond, through +which I hoped to find a way. I hastened to the camp to prepare for a +"raid" of a whole week, if necessary, in that direction. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 27°; at noon, 52°; at 4 P. M., 55°; at 9, 59°. + +23D JUNE.--Returning early by the foot of Mount Owen, I travelled nearly +northward through a fine open forest, in which we saw a large kangaroo +entirely black. Rocky gullies next came in my way, and, in avoiding those +on the left, others falling to the right, or to the Maran, showed me that +this was a dividing feature. I knew it was continuous to Mount Clift from +my former observations, and therefore followed it by keeping between the +heads of gullies breaking to each side, until I found one favourable for +a descent to the left. Below, we found a broad, grassy, valley, extending +about W.N.W., and in it, deep ponds, which sometimes evidently held much +water, although they were then dry. This soon, however, turned to the +south-west, evidently to join the channel I had before explored. Quitting +it, therefore, much disappointed, I ascended sandstone cliffs and pushed +through scrubs, determined to proceed directly north-ward, until I met +with valleys falling north-west. We thus passed just under the most +easterly part of Hope's Table Land, and came, about sunset, to a hollow +containing ponds, in two of which we found water. Here we gladly +bivouacked for the night. ZAMIAS grew here, and were numerous higher up +the valley. Thermometer, at sunrise, 26°; at noon, 54°; at 4 P. M., 50°; +at 9, 40°. + +24TH JUNE.--The hoar-frost had stiffened the grass, and the water was +frozen so that the horses cared not to drink. I proceeded N. N. W., in +which direction a beautiful cone rose to a great height, and sharp apex. +Stony hills of trap appearing also in that line, I turned northward, and, +after crossing a level tract of high ground, much like a dividing +feature, (especially as seen from Mount Owen,) I entered a valley +descending to the northwest. It fell rapidly, contained large water +holes, and in two of these, at length, an abundant supply of water. The +course, throughout all its windings, was towards the north-west, and this +I, at the time, thought, might be a northern water. I therefore returned, +anxious to bring the party thus far, at all events, and resolved to +follow this little river down. We arrived, on our way back, in the +evening of the same day, in the valley I had quitted in the morning, +having followed down a water-course from the end of Hope's Table Land, +under which I had passed, in search of a good way for the carts. Although +we had seen promising ponds of water in this little channel, we could +find none in the lower part, having in the expectation of finding some, +rode on until darkness prevented me from going further. We were thus +obliged to pass the night (a very cold one) without water, and almost +without fuel. I missed the comfortable cavern where I had slept a few +nights before, especially when I arose here in the night to mend the +fire, and found we had no more wood at hand. I learnt afterwards that at +the camp, the thermometer at 4 P. M. had been as low as 17° of +Fahrenheit.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 21°; at noon, 51°; at 4 P. M. +49°; at 9, 29°. + +[* This was 15° degrees below the freezing point, and shows how much more +easily cold may be endured in a dry atmosphere than where there is +moisture, as instanced in the following extract from a despatch of +Captain James C. Ross (in command of the Antarctic Expedition), dated 7th +April, 1841, and published in the Tasmanian Journal. + +"With a temperature of 20° below the freezing point, we found the ice to +form so rapidly on the surface, that any further examination of the +barrier in so extremely severe a period of the season being +impracticable, we stood away to the westward, for the purpose of making +another attempt to approach the magnetic pole, and reached its latitude +(76° S.) on the 15th February."] + +25TH JUNE.--Continuing our ride as soon as day-light permitted, ten +minutes brought us to a pond containing plenty of water under a shelving +rock, and here we alighted to breakfast, which was pleasant enough, but +not so gratifying as the position of this pond, which would enable me to +bring the carts through these valleys, to this convenient intermediate +stage in the way to the Northern river. The next question was, whether +the route to the eastward, descending into these valleys near Mount +Clift, or that by my first route, when I discovered this rocky country, +should be preferred; and I returned towards our camp this morning by the +eastern gullies, in hopes to find an easy descent nearer to Mount Clift +than at the point where I before came down. But I found them much more +acclivitous and rocky. We at length, with difficulty, got our horses up a +rocky point, on which grew a thick scrub of "blackwood," as Yuranigh +called it, an acacia having many tough stems growing thickly together +from one root, and obstructing the passage, and covering the ground with +its half-fallen and fallen timber. Our passage along the range thence +towards Mount Owen, having been too much to the eastward, brought us upon +the bend of a gully falling to the Maran; a wild and impracticable +looking dell as ever was seen. On regaining our track near Mount Owen, +and returning along it to the camp, I found that another pond had been +discovered in the valley, by Felix Maguire, who on two occasions, had +dreamt of water, risen, and walked directly to where he found it! However +that might have been, this man had a happy knack in finding water. In the +neighbourhood of this camp some interesting plants were collected; viz. +NOTHOCHLOENA DISTANS, GRAMMITIS RUTOEFOLIA, CHEILANTHES TENUIFOLIA, +ADIANTUM HISPIDULUM and ASSIMILE, all ferns, together with HOVEA +LANCEOLATA, the weedy SPHOERANTHUS HIRTUS, GREVILLEA FLORIBUNDA, a low +shrub, occupying the ravines. Besides these we observed a small species +of SIDA in the sandy soil of forests, the DOODIA CAUDATA Br., a verdant +fern, and the SOLANUM FURFURACEUM with lilac flowers, and small red +berries. A shrub loaded with succulent drupes, seated in reddish cups, +appeared to be a new species of VITEX, but its genus was uncertain, there +being no flowers. What is here called GREVILLEA FLORIBUNDA may have been +an allied species, for the leaves were more downy, almost tomentose +above. In addition to this a new species of the common genus DODONOEA, +frequently met with afterwards, was now producing its flowers.[*] +Thermometer, at sunrise, 12°; at noon, 50°; at 4 P. M. 51°; at 9, 22°. + +[* D. MOLLIS (Lindl. MS.); molliter pubescens, ramulis subteretibus, +foliis obovatis acutis truncatis rotundatis retusis tridentatisque, +capsulis tetragonis trigonisque pubescentibus apteris.] + +26TH JUNE. The party moved forward, at length, with the certainty of +finding water for at least three days' journey, and of a hopeful water- +course being before us. Passing by the foot of Mount Owen, I observed the +barometer which gave an elevation of 2083 feet: the summit might be 700 +feet higher. My plan of route was, to enter the little river that turned +to the south-west (as I had found it did, on the 20th,) and to travel +along its valley upwards, until I reached the pond near which I had +bivouacked on the 25th. This we accomplished most successfully before +sunset, encamping beside the large pond already mentioned, near which +were two others. The earth by the margin was so soft that neither the +horses nor bullocks could approach the water; they could only be watered +out of buckets; but the water was excellent, and water of any quality, in +abundance too, was to us rather uncommon good fortune, and quite +cheering, even when surrounded by soft mud. Thermometer, at sunrise, 14°; +at noon, 48°; at 4 P. M. 47°; at 9, 37°. + +27TH JUNE. We had next to trace up a grassy valley which seemed to come +directly from the vicinity of that in which I had found water and +bivouacked on the 24th. It formed an excellent line, and we found it +possible to keep this fine firm level surface, until we had approached to +within two miles of that spot. Leaving a little hill of trap to the left, +and some brigalow scrub on the right, we reached the old ground and +encamped. The small ponds had evaporated, but, in the frosty night, the +cattle were not likely to require water, as they had been watered on the +way, about 3 P. M., at a rocky well in the valley. We had now traced with +our wheels, a good way through a country much broken and shut up by +sandstone gullies; but which contained also many rich valleys, and +extensive hilly tracts of trap rock, on which the grass was very +luxuriant, apparently available for either sheep or cattle. Immediately +to the westward of this camp (marked XXXVIII.) an extensive valley was +bounded by the fine trap range of Hope's Table Land; which range was open +along the summit, and contained springs, in various ravines along its +sides. In these ravines, we first saw the arborescent Zamia, and various +remarkable shrubs; the MYOPORUM CUNNINGHAMII of Swan River, forming a +shrub six feet high, with white fragrant flowers. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 20°; at 9 P. M., 29°. Height above the sea, 2064 feet. + +28TH JUNE.--Severe frost whenever the sky was clear, seemed the ordinary +weather of that country, at that season; showing, as the barometer also +indicated, that we were at a great height above the sea. I sent the party +forward, guided by Yuranigh, along my former track, to the ponds in the +newly discovered channel, falling north-west; and I proceeded myself, +accompanied by Mr. Stephenson, to the summit of the fine cone already +mentioned. From this, I beheld a splendid and extensive view of the +mountains further northward. Most of the summits I had previously +intersected, and many others, very remarkable, just appeared over an +intermediate woody range, through which I was at a loss to discover where +our supposed northern river would pass. Far in the north-west, I could +just distinguish the tops of curiously broken hills arising from a much +lower country; and therein I hoped to find, whatever might be the final +course of our river, a passage to the north-west, and water. The most +important feature in that scene seemed to me to be a grey misty tint, as +if it marked a valley descending from the highest eastern mountains, +towards the curiously broken summits in the northwest. Bare crests of +similar hills, appeared to arise throughout the whole extent of that +valley. Under those lofty mountains, at such elevation, in such a clime, +with these romantic hills, that valley must be a paradise if watered +well, as I hope it is. So flowed the "spring" of hope at least, as it was +fed by the scene then before me. The cone we had ascended consisted of +trap rock, much resembling that of Mount Aquarius; but, at its base, and +on its sides, I found in large masses, the very compact felspathic rock +which characterises the valley of the Darling. This has been considered a +very fine-grained sandstone; but it is evidently an altered rock. Here, +in contact with trap, it possessed the same tendency to break into +irregular polygons, some of the faces of which were curved; and I +observed one mass which had been so tossed up, that its lower side lay +uppermost, inclined at an angle of about 60°. That this is a hypogene +rock, sometimes in contact with granite as well as with trap, is evident +at Oxley's Table Land, and other places. I was glad to find it here, as +affording a prospect of meeting with better soil than the loose sand we +had seen so much of. We here found the grey, prickly SOLANUM ELLIPTICUM. +I named this cone Mount P. P. King; and, I have since ascertained, by +that officer's register and calculations, the height of this summit above +the sea, to be 2646 feet; and the height of this camp, 2159 feet. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 25°; at 4 P. M., 55°; at 9, 25°. (XXXIX) + +29TH JUNE.--Crossing a small tributary which was full of water (coming +from Hope's Table Land), we continued to travel along the left bank of +the newly found river. Rocky precipices overhanging it, obliged me to +make some détours, and to pass through some scrubs; but still we regained +the banks of the river, although our progress was not considerable. Its +general course was still north-west, to the spot selected for my second +camp on its banks. The channel was now broad; the banks high, rounded, +and grassy; in some places, rocky. Water in the channel was rarely to be +seen, but at the junction of tributaries, where recent temporary showers +seemed to have fallen. By careful observation, I ascertained the +variation of the needle to be 8° 4' E. here. Thermometer, at sunrise, +25°; at 4 P. M., 68°; at 9, 53°. Height above the sea, 1914 feet. (XL.) + +30TH JUNE.--The course of the river was now found to turn to the +southward of west; and, even in that direction, rugged cliffs covered +with scrub greatly impeded our progress. I endeavoured to conduct the +carts along the bed of the river, soft and sandy as it was; but we did +not proceed far in it, before rocks, fallen trees, and driftwood, obliged +us to abandon that course as speedily as we could. Then, ascending a +projecting eminence, we plunged into the scrubs; but, even in a southwest +direction, we came upon the river. Pursuing its course along the bank, +southward, I arrived near the base of a fine open forest hill; and, +directing the party to encamp, I hastened to its summit. I there obtained +a view of most of the mountains of the eastern range formerly observed, +and enough of the fixed points, to enable me to determine the position of +this. In the south-west, a line of open forest, and a vast column of +smoke seemed too plainly to mark the further course of our river; but, +towards the north-west, I saw much to reconcile me to this +disappointment. Summits of broken and uncommon aspect, beyond an +intervening woody range, there indicated a much lower and different kind +of country, as if that was, indeed, the basin of a system of northern +waters; the woody intervening range appearing to be the division between +them. As our last explored river again turned southward, it seemed +reasonable to expect, beyond that very continuous range, rivers pursuing +a different course. This range was plainly traceable from the high +mountains more to the eastward, and was continuous westward to three +remarkable conical hills, beyond which, the view did not extend. On the +same range, a fine tableshaped mountain appeared nearly north. This I had +already intersected from other stations, and named Mount Faraday. The +hill on which I stood consisted of trap-rock, and seemed to be almost the +western extremity of Hope's Table Land. A copious spring was afterwards +found by Mr. Stephenson, in a valley to the eastward of this summit. That +ravine was extensive; and in it grew various remarkable trees. The +bottle-tree (Delabechea) grew more gregariously than we had ever seen it, +in the stony banks of the channel of the torrent from the hills. One +thorny tree or shrub (first seen at the base of Mount P. P. King) again +appeared here; it was, generally, in a withered state; had a leaf +somewhat like the human hand, and a pod containing two peas of a bright +scarlet colour, about the shape and size of a French bean. This, +sometimes grew to a tree as much as a foot in diameter; and the natives, +who, like Nature herself, may be said to do nothing in vain, had cut one +down, and carried off the whole of the trunk. The wood was of a leaden +colour. This proved to be a new species of ERYTHRINA, or coral tree.[*] +By our last day's journey, we had lost two miles of northing, and had +thus recrossed the 25th parallel of south latitude. I therefore +determined to cross our friendly little river, and look for another +beyond the range to the northward. Thermometer, at sunrise, 44°; at noon, +68°; at 4 P. M., 65°; at 9, 38°. Height above the sea, 1732 feet. (XLI.) + +[* E. VESPERTILIO (Benth. MS.); glaberrima, caule fruticoso aculeato, +foliorum petiolo elongato, foliolis trilobis lobo medio recto acutiusculo +lateralibus multo majoribus falcato-divaricatis obtusissimis.--Although +no flowers were seen, the genus of this shrub is well indicated by the +pod and the general habit. The leaflets are often above four inches broad +and not two inches long, not unlike the form of a bat with its wings +extended.] + +1ST JULY.--With that view, I rode towards Mount Faraday, anxious to look +into the valley beyond it. After a two hours' ride, I passed under its +western summit, and still pressed forward, in hopes of seeing at length +into the valleys beyond. I thus entered a very thick scrub, so impervious +that I was obliged to turn westward, until I came upon sandstone gullies +into one of which I descended. Following this downwards, I found it fell +to the westward, and in a hollow part of its rocky bed I came to some +clear water. But this was inaccessible, even to my horse, nor could I +take him further down that wildly broken gully; therefore we backed out, +and ascended as we could. Then riding southward in search of one more +accessible, I at length, descended into a grassy valley, which ran +northwest, and gave promise of something still better. I could not follow +it then without provisions, having none with me, and I therefore hastened +back to the camp, resolved to take with me men and provisions sufficient +to enable me to explore this further. In the scrub I passed through on my +way back, I found various very remarkable shrubs new and strange to me. +One grew on a large stalk, from which leaves radiated without other or +any branches. These leaves, hanging gracefully around the stem, gave to +this shrub the resemblance of the plume of a staff-officer. The outer +side of each leaf was dark and shining, the inner white and woolly. +Rarely these tall stems separated into two. Other branches there were +none. Some very beautiful new acacias also grew there. One, in +particular, with leaves exactly similar to those of the silver-leaved +ironbark, was very remarkable, a broad rough-leaved FICUS, with opposite +leaves not unlike those of the New Holland Upas. The white-flowered lead- +wort (PLUMBAGO ZEYLANICA) and the TRIODIA PUNGENS were abundant among the +grasses. A downy Dodonaea, with triangular leaves, was producing its +small flowers[*], and a scrubby bush with hard narrow leaves and globular +fruit the size of a rifle-ball, proved to be a new CAPPARIS.[**] +Thermometer, at daybreak, 35°; at 9 P.M., 38°. + +[* D. TRIANGULARIS (Lindl. MS.); molliter pubescens, foliis +obtriangularibus tridentatis, pedunculis masculis axillaribus +subsolitariis.] + +[** C. LORANTHIFOLIA (Lindl. MS.) ramosa, inermis, ramulis tomentosis, +foliis lineari-oblongis obtusis coriaceis glabris sesqui-pollicaribus +aveniis, pedunculis solitariis axillaribus tomentosis foliis brevioribus, +stipite duplo longiore, fructu sphaerico tuberculato glabro.] + +2D JULY.--Returning with two men and Yuranigh to the valley where I had +been yesterday, I followed it downwards, and soon found that it widened +very much, and contained large dry ponds, with the traces of a deep +current of water at some seasons. At length, the rocky precipices seemed +to recede, and formed occasionally bold headlands of most picturesque +outline. Two, that towered above the woods before us, resembled pyramids, +and I saw an open country beyond them, from which other summits of +extraordinary form seemed to emerge. Yet we had found no moisture in the +ponds, and lamented that a country, in every other respect so fine, +should be without water. Further on, I perceived reeds in the hollow of +the valley, and Yuranigh said there must be a spring, upon which he +walked in amongst them, but still found the earth dry. The reeds at +length covered an extensive flat, and looked, at the lower part of the +flat, so green, that I sent Corporal Graham to examine that point. He +emerged from the reeds with a face that, at a distance, made Douglas, my +other man, say, "He has found water." He had found A RUNNING STREAM, to +which he had been guided by its own music, and taking a tin pot, he +brought me some of it. The water was clear and sparkling, tasting +strongly of sulphur, and Yuranigh said that this was the head of a river +that NEVER DRIED UP. In this land of picturesque beauty and pastoral +abundance, within eighty miles of the tropics, we had discovered the +first running stream seen on this journey. I returned, determined to +bring the party thus far, and with the intention of passing that night +where we had found water in a rock about six miles back, that we might +sooner reach the camp next day. At that spot we had also the benefit of a +cavern, before which, a good fire being made, we defied the frost of a +very cold night, the thermometer having been registered at the camp, at 3 +A.M., as low as 7°. In the scrubs we had passed through in the morning, a +variety of the ACACIA PODALYRIIFOLIA, with grey velvety leaves, was +scarcely in flower; and I observed a beautiful new species of STENOCHILUS +with large tubular flowers.[*] The ACACIA FALCATA appeared also on the +sandstone ground above the gullies, and a broad-leaved form of the +EREMOPHILA MITCHELLII. The moon shone brightly, and the rock being full +of silver mica, the splendour of the scene imparted to my eye and mind +then a degree of gratification far beyond any associations of the richest +furniture of a palace. We found it impossible to get our horses to the +water; but we hit upon an expedient which answered even better than a +bucket,--my Mackintosh cloak. + +[* S. CURVIPES (Benth. MS.) glaber, foliis lanceolatis integerrimis basi +in petiolum angustatis pedicellis recurvis, calycis foliolis latis +acuminatis, corollae glabrae ventricosae laciniis acutis inferiore ultra +medium solutâ.--Flowers large and thick on recurved pedicels 4 to 6 lines +long. Calycine leaves broader than in all the other species.] + +3D JULY.--In returning, we looked for a good line of approach, and found +an easy way for the carts to descend into the valley. On arriving at the +camp, I learnt that a large pond had been discovered in a rocky part of +the river, about a mile below our camp. Thermometer, at sunrise, 14°; at +noon, 60; at 4 P.M., 61°; at 9, 26°. Height of camp above the sea, 1800 +feet. (XLII.) + +4TH JULY.--The clouds had gathered, and it rained heavily this morning. +Nevertheless, the party moved off, crossing the river where the banks had +been cut to facilitate the passage. With Yuranigh's assistance we hit +upon an excellent line of route, availing ourselves of a grassy valley +descending from Mount Faraday, just so far as to avoid the rocky crooked +part, and then crossing and cutting through a piece of scrub directly to +the point of easy ascent, we thus made a good road into the valley, and +arrived in good time, notwithstanding the rain, at the rock of my +bivouac. The night-sky cleared up, and I found our latitude (by Arcturus) +to be 24° 54' 12" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 43°; at 4 P.M., 49°; at 9, +38°. Height above the sea, 1437 feet. (XLIII.) + +5TH JULY.--Another frosty night succeeded the day of rain, and froze our +tents into boards, not easily to be packed up this morning. We proceeded +along our horses' track, and the beautiful headland which appeared quite +isolated, and just such as painters place in middle distance, I named +Mount Salvator. We encamped on a slight elevation of the right bank of +the reedy rivulet, near the pyramids. Our prospects had suddenly +brightened, when instead of following chains of dry ponds, we had before +us a running stream, carrying life and nourishment towards the country we +were about to explore. The whole aspect of the country seemed new to us. +The barometer showed we were rapidly descending, and I expected that our +living stream would soon join that greater stream, the basin of which I +thought I could trace in the line of mist seen from Mount P. P. King on +the 28th June. The course of this river, unlike the others, curved round +from N.W. towards north, and having its origin in mountains equidistant +between Cape York and Wilson's Promontory, it was reasonable to suppose +that we had at length crossed the division between northern and southern +waters. That between eastern and western waters was still to be +discovered, and in a country so intricate, and where water was so scarce +then, the course of rivers afforded the readiest means of determining +where that division was. If the general course of this river was found to +be to the eastward of north, we might safely conclude that the dividing +ground was on the west or to the left of our route; if to the westward of +north, it might be to the eastward, or on the right of our route, and +this seemed the more probable from the line of a river flowing north- +westward, which I had seen the valley of, from Mount P. P. King. Latitude +24° 50' 2". S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 16°; at noon, 50°; at 4 P. M., +49°; at 9, 38°. Height above the sea, according to sixteen observations, +1421 feet. (XLIV.) + +6TH JULY.--A number of small bushes of CRYPTANDRA PROPINQUA appeared +amongst the rocks; back from the valley, and in the woods below, we found +an acacia, apparently, but distinct from, A. DECORA (Reichb.) VAR. +MACROPHYLLA; it approached A. AMOENA, but the stem was less angular, and +the phyllodia bore but one gland. A large tree with long hoary leaves, +and flat round capsules, proved to be a fine new BURSARIA, at a later +season found in flower. See October 10th.* A Loranthus also was found +here, which Sir William Hooker has since described.[**] Travelling along +the bank of this stream, we found it flowing, and full of sparkling water +to the margin. The reeds had disappeared, and we could only account for +the supply of such a current, in such a country, at such a season, by the +support of many springs. We made sure of water now for the rest of our +journey; and that we might say of the river "Labitur et labetur in omne +volubilis aevum." The hills overhanging it surpassed any I had ever seen +in picturesque outline. Some resembled gothic cathedrals in ruins; others +forts; other masses were perforated, and being mixed and contrasted with +the flowing outlines of evergreen woods, and having a fine stream in the +foreground, gave a charming appearance to the whole country. It was a +discovery worthy of the toils of a pilgrimage. Those beautiful recesses +of unpeopled earth, could no longer remain unknown. The better to mark +them out on my map, I gave to the valley the name of Salvator Rosa.[***] +The rocks stood out sharply, and sublimely, from the thick woods, just as +John Martin's fertile imagination would dash them out in his beautiful +sepia landscapes. I never saw anything in nature come so near these +creations of genius and imagination. Where we encamped, the river was +very deep, the banks steep and muddy, so that the use of a bucket was +necessary in watering the cattle. Notwithstanding every precaution, one +animal walked into the river, and could not be got out without great +difficulty. The only fish we caught in this river were two enormous eels, +beautifully spotted. Large shells of the UNIO genus lay abundantly on the +banks, about the old fires of the natives. These were larger than either +those found on the Darling, or those of the Maran; and although such +freshwater mussles seem to have but one shape, a peculiarity in these was +pointed out to me by Yuranigh, who said they much resembled the +impressions left by a black-fellow's foot, (which is much broader at the +toes than at the heel). We here met with a new species of BORONIA, +resembling B. ANETHIFOLIA, of which many varieties afterwards occurred. +It grows about two feet high, and had solitary pale purple flowers.[****] +A new species of ACACIA with straight, oblong, shining leaves, also grew +here.[*****] In the valley we found ERECHTITES ARGUTA, a weed resembling +European groundsel; on the rocks, a small slender shrub with white +flowers; and in the sandy scrub, the LEUCOPOGON CUSPIDATUS formed a small +shrub. Thermometer, at sunrise, 16°; at noon, 50°; at 4 P.M., 49°; at 9, +38°. (XLV.) Height above the sea, 1270 feet. + +[* B. INCANA (Lindl. MS.); arborea, inermis, foliis oblongo-linearibus +supra glabris subtus incanis, paniculâ terminali tomentosâ, floribus +distantibus.] + +[** L. SUBFALCATUS (Hook. MS.); ramis dichotomis patentibus, foliis +oppositis linearibus lineari-lanceolatisve obtusis subfalcatis glabris +trinerviis, floribus axillaribus binis arcte pendentibus brevissime +pedicellatis, calycis contracti cylindracei ore dilatato, petalis 6 +linearibus glaberrimis supra medium coalitis.] + +[*** "His soul naturally delighted in scenes of savage magnificence and +ruined grandeur; his spirit loved to stray in lonely glens, and gaze on +mouldering castles."--ALLAN CUNNINGHAM (THE POET).] + +[**** B. BIPINNATA (Lindl. MS.) glabra vel pilosa, foliis bipinnatis +pinnatisque, foliolis linearibus subteretibus obtusis, floribus +subsolitariis axillaribus foliis brevioribus 8-andris.] + +[***** A. EXCELSA (Benth. MS.) glabra, ramulis subangulatis, phyllodiis +falcato-oblongis obtusiusculis mucronulatisve basi angustatis +subcoriaceis nitidis multinervibus venulosis eglandulosis, pedunculis +solitariis geminisve capitulo dense multifloro brevioribus vel +brevissimis. Very near A. VENULOSA, Cunn.; but smooth, the phyllodia +shining, 2 to 3 inches long, 6-9 lines broad, the flower heads usually +almost sessile.] + +7TH JULY.--Continuing along the eastern margin of the reeds, we soon +found that the river expanded into a lake covered with them, and that in +one or two spots there also grew the "Balyan" of the Lachlan, (a bulrush +mentioned in my former journals). We listened, and still heard the +current of water amongst these reeds. From the margin of this lake the +hills, rocks, and woods, on the opposite shore, presented a most charming +morceau of picturesque scenery. Our route was through an open forest +which skirted the reedy margin, over very firm ground, and in a general +direction about north-west. At length we approached the northern limits +of the reedy lake, no river being visible flowing out of it, as we had +reason to expect. We found there, however, only a dry channel, which bore +the marks of a considerable stream at some seasons. Following this dry +channel down, I found its course turned to the northward, and even to the +north-east. When we were disposed to encamp, I could find no water in the +bed, nor were we better off when we had encamped, until Corporal Graham +dug between two rocks therein, and, fortunately, found a spring. Thus, in +one day vanished the pleasing prospect we had enjoyed in the morning, of +a stream flowing in the direction of our intended route. This might be, I +then thought, the tributary to a larger river, which I still hoped would +be found to flow westward from the coast ranges, and, finally, take the +desired north-west direction. Thermometer, at sunrise, 23°; at 4 P.M., +58°; at 9, 25°. (XLVI.) Height above the sea, 1191 feet. + +8TH JULY.--Entertaining this opinion, I still should have followed this +river down, had I not been impeded by gullies as deep as itself falling +into it, and which obliged me to cross to the left bank. There a thick +brigalow scrub grew to the very margin, and this was seared by rugged +gullies. A deep and continuous channel, entering from the westward, +induced me to turn in that direction so far, that I at length determined +to penetrate at once, if possible, to the north-west, expecting that +there I might intercept our river, if it should turn in that direction, +or, if not, cross some range into a more open country. The whole day was +lost, however, in toiling through a brigalow scrub. Various water-courses +crossed our route, but all descending towards the river we had left. The +scrub was so thick that we could only pass where accidental openings +admitted us, and by this sort of progress, until within an hour of +sunset, I found we had travelled about nine miles, and had gained only +half a minute of latitude. Having penetrated, on foot, and with +difficulty, about two miles ahead of the party, in pursuing the course of +a small watercourse, I found that even this turned south-east, evidently +to fall into the reedy basin we had previously explored; therefore, I +determined on an immediate retreat out of that labyrinth of scrub, back +to our friendly river. It was comparatively easy to return through the +opening we had made by cutting down much of the brush as we advanced, so +that by twilight we reached a good grassy spot about half way to the +river, and near it, found some good ponds of water. A pigeon, flying +almost in my face, first drew my attention to the hollow where we +afterwards found the water. It was in soft mud, however, in which one of +the bullocks got bogged, and could only be taken out by the whole +strength of the party dragging him with ropes. Thermometer, at sunrise, +18°; at 4 P.M., 54°; at 9, 25°. Height above the sea, 1241 feet. + +9TH JULY.--The cattle were so much exhausted by drawing through the +scrub, and I had so much to do at my map, that I gave to the cattle and +the party, a day's rest. Latitude, 24° 34' 12" S. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 14°; (in my tent, 18°;) at 9 P.M., 48°. + +10TH JULY.--Returning, still along our old track, towards a slight +eminence, three miles from our camp, I there set the party to work, to +cut a way across the gully, which had first obliged me to turn westward. +While the men were so employed, I rode about five miles northward, but +met with no opening or water-course admitting of a passage in that +direction. On the contrary, I returned, on intercepting one running S. E. +towards our river. The party had taken all things across when I rejoined +them, and we travelled along the left bank of the gully, chiefly through +open forest land, until we approached the river. Scrub, and muddy +gullies, obliged us to cross the river soon after we reached its banks. +Water appeared more abundant in its bed here, and we encamped on the +border of a small plain, hemmed in by brigalow scrub, in latitude 24° 33' +25" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 23°; at noon, 58°; at 4 P.M., 62°; at 9, +29°. Height (XLVII.) above the sea, 1192 feet. + +11TH JULY.--We travelled along the right bank of the river, through a +fine open forest, until our route, in a N. E. by N. direction, was again +impeded by the river. We had now descended from the upper sources of this +river, at least 1000 feet according to the barometer. We had seen, in a +large pond, a fish called mullet, which abounds in the rivers falling to +the eastern coast, but which I had never seen in those falling westward. +It was also obvious that there was no coast range between us and the +coast, and consequently that a very decided break, at least, occurred in +it, about the latitude of 25° S. This was more apparent to me on crossing +the river, and sending Yuranigh up a tree, about three miles beyond. He +could see no mountains to the northward or north-east, but only the high +table land already seen to the eastward, in which direction he could +trace the course of the river. I hastened back to the party, directed +them to encamp, and proceeded with two men and Yuranigh in a N. W. +direction, carrying provisions for a long ride. We plunged into the sea +of Brigalow-- + +"----And we did buffet it, With lusty sinews throwing it aside, And +stemming it with JACKETS ALL IN TATTERS." + +After working out our way thus, for about ten miles, our toils were +rewarded with a scene of surpassing beauty, that gradually opened to us. +That long-lost tree, the graceful Acacia pendula, received us in the +foreground, and open plains, blended with waving lines of wood, extended +far into bluey distance, beyond which an azure coronet of mountains of +romantic forms, terminated the charming landscape. + +"Far in the west, the long, long vale withdrawn," + +included columns of smoke, marking out the line of a river, which, with +its dark and luxuriant woods, pervaded the whole scene; perhaps the +finest I ever had the good fortune to discover. I beheld it from a +perfectly clear and grassy hill of rich black soil, on which we had +emerged, through a fringe of Acacia pendula. I could not advance beyond +that spot, until I had taken bearings and angles on the peaks and summits +before me. To the north-west, an apparent opening, seen between these +masses, seemed to indicate the bed of another river. On completing my +observations we rode forward across the plain, towards the woody vale, +the sun being then near setting. A solitary emu ran towards us, from a +great distance, apparently encouraged by the mere appearance of +quadrupeds, which, although new to it, seemed to have no terrors for it. +I could not allow the men to fire at it, partly, I believe, from a sense +of shame that we should thereby appear to take unfair advantage, and +prove ourselves more brutal than the quadrupeds, whom nature had +indulgently destined to carry us on their backs. The open down we +traversed, consisted of rich black mould, in which there was fossil wood +in great abundance, presenting silicified fragments so curiously wooden +as to be only distinguishable from wood, by their detached and broken +character. Such fossils are not uncommon in Australia, on plains of rich +black earth, which is a constant concomitant. Their geological history +may be simple, and would probably be very interesting, if philosophy +could but find it out. We found, further on, a channel full of water, +with reeds about the bed of it. There had been a current in it a short +time previously, and, indeed, we had seen the remains of recent rain, in +some hollows in the Brigalow scrub. The river came from the westward, and +thus might have afforded the means of travelling in that direction, had +other directions been found impracticable. We made our fire in a hollow +near the water, not wishing either to alarm or attract the natives; and +thus we passed the night pleasantly enough, with a large fire before us. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 18°; at 4 P.M., 65°; at 9, 30°. + +12TH JULY.--Returning to the camp, I sought and found, with the +assistance of Yuranigh, a more open way through the scrub for our carts, +than that by which we had penetrated to the good country. I had directed +Mr. Stephenson to examine, during my absence, the western shore of the +reedy lake of Salvator, in order to ascertain whether it had any outlet +in that direction; but he returned without having reached the base of the +remarkable rocky range to the westward; thus leaving it still uncertain, +although the direction of the river since discovered, left little reason +for supposing that any waters from the valley of the Salvator, could +escape to the westward. Thermometer, at sunrise, 11°; in my tent, 15°; at +noon, 67° at 4 P.M., 65°; at 9, 35°. Height above the sea, 1107 feet. + +13TH JULY.--After marking this camp XLVIII., we quitted the river +Salvator, and travelled along our track of yesterday, or nearly N. W., +but deviating from this track occasionally, where broken ground or thick +scrub was to be avoided. The highest part of the scrubby land we crossed, +was 1310 feet above the sea. We arrived in good time at the river, where +I had previously slept, and there encamped. On the plains adjacent, the +ACACIA PENDULA grew, as on those near the Bogan; and we saw also various +new and curious grasses, and some very singular shrubs in the scrub. The +banks of the river were steep, and consisted of soft clay. I employed the +party to make a bridge across it, and this was well completed before +sunset. Thermometer, at sunrise, 23°; at noon, 65°; at 4 P.M. 68°; at 9, +40°. Height above the sea, 951 feet. (XLIX.) + +14TH JULY.--Crossing the river, (which I called the Claude), we +travelled, first, through an open forest, and then across one of the +richest plains I had ever seen, and on which the ANTHISTIRIA AUSTRALIS, +and PANICUM LOEVINODE, the two best Australian grasses, grew most +abundantly. The soil was black; the surface quite level. There might have +been about a thousand acres in the first plain we crossed, ere we arrived +at another small river, or water-course, which also contained water. We +soon reached the borders of other very extensive plains and open downs, +apparently extending far to the eastward. On our left, there was a scrub +of Acacia pendula. The undulating parts of the clear land, were not so +thickly covered with grass as the plains, not because the soil was bad, +but because it was so loose, rich, and black, that a sward did not so +easily take root and spread upon it, from its great tendency to crack, +after imbibing moisture, on its subsequent evaporation. All this rich +land was thickly strewed with small fragments of fossil wood, in silex, +agate, and chalcedony. Many of the stones, as already observed, most +strikingly resembled decayed wood, and in one place the remains of an +entire trunk lay together like a heap of ruins, the DILAPIDATED remains +of a tree! I obtained even a portion of petrified bark; but specimens of +this were rare. The elevation of the highest part of these downs, was +1512 feet above the sea. + +Crossing an open forest hill, which had hitherto bounded our view to the +westward, I perceived a deep grassy valley on our right, sloping towards +a much lower country, but I still travelled westward, in hopes to find an +open country, beyond a low woody range on which we had at length arrived. +I soon, however, perceived rocky gullies before me, and having halted the +party to examine them, I found they were quite impassable. Such an +unexpected obstacle, on the horizon of the fine open country, yet UNDER +that smooth horizon, was certainly as singular as it was unexpected, and +I returned to descend into the deep grassy valley I had seen on our +right, which seemed open and inviting. We therein also found some large +ponds of water, and encamped. While the men were pitching the tents I +rode down the valley about two miles, and found that the direction of the +water-course was about north-east. Such a direction was not very +favourable for us, and I resolved to look at the country beyond the +limits of this valley to the westward, before we followed it further. +Latitude, 24° 17' 42" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 19°; at 4 P. M., 66°; +at 9, 49°. (L.) 1279 feet above the sea. + +15TH JULY.--Following up a flat which came from the N. W., I proceeded +about five miles amid overhanging precipices, until, at length, mighty +rocks rendered it quite impossible to push my horse further. Leaving him +in a hollow, I ascended a rocky point, which was barely accessible with +Yuranigh's assistance, and, on reaching an elevated summit, I saw still +worse gullies before us, amongst which I could perceive no feature +affording any cue to their final outlet, nor any characteristic of the +structure of these labyrinths. I looked in vain for the rugged summits I +had seen peeping over the plains when first discovered, and could not +then be convinced (as I found long afterwards, on completing my map), +that they were then under my feet. The highest parts seemed to extend +south-westward. To cross such a region with our carts, was quite +impossible, and I could only return, and, however reluctantly, follow +down the valley in which we had encamped, until it should afford access +to a more open country. The banks of the watercourse were steep, the +bottom was sandy. The course was very tortuous, alternately closing on +rocky precipices, at each side of the valley. Thus we were obliged to +cross at every turning, and the steep banks rendered each crossing a +difficult operation, occasioning so much delay, that after crossing ten +times, evening obliged us to encamp, although our direct distance from +the last camp did not exceed five miles. We had, at each crossing, cut +the banks, filled up hollows with logs, etc. The general direction, I +ascertained to be N.E. Water was found providentially near the spot, +where the approach of night had obliged us to encamp; this having been +the first water we had seen during that day's laborious journey. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 21°; at 4 P.M., 65°; at 9, 44°. + +16TH JULY.--After some examination of the valley before us, I considered +it best, upon the whole, to travel in the bed of the river itself, and +thus avoid the frequent necessity for crossing with so much labour and +delay: the sandy bed was heavy for the wheels, and therefore distressing +to the animals, and one or two rocky masses obliged us to work out of it, +to get round them. The whole day was consumed in proceeding thus about 5½ +miles, and in an easterly direction. The closing in of the valley lower +down, seemed to shut us from further progress even so, and I encamped, +rather at a loss how to proceed. Just then Mr. Stephenson came to inform +me that he had seen, from a rocky point on the left, an opening to the +north-west, and level ground beyond it. I therefore determined to +accompany him next day, and to reconnoitre the country in that direction. +By digging in the bed of the creek, water was again obtained by Corporal +Graham. Some extremely fragrant shrubs were discovered in these rocky +recesses, especially one, which filled the air with perfume to a great +distance around. It seemed to be a EUCALYPTUS without flowers or fruit, +but with a powerful odour of balm, and formed a bush five feet high, +growing on sandstone rocks, having a narrow leaf, and rather thorny +stalk. The lower leaves were also rough.[*] There was another bush, with +leaves of the same shape, and glossy, but having a perfume equally strong +of the lime.[**] We regretted much, that neither the seed, flower, nor +fruit of these interesting shrubs could be obtained at that season. In +that valley, we saw also the DAUCUS BRACHIATUS, an inconspicuous weed, +and MYOPORUM CUNNINGHAMII. The soft leaved ACACIA PODALYRIOEFOLIA began +to indicate its flowering season, and we found a magnificent new crimson +CALLISTEMON with its young flowers and leaves wrapped in wool.[***] A new +DODONOEA with wingless, 3-cornered, 3-celled fruit[****]; a new species +of AOTUS, with narrow hoary leaves[*****], and one of the forest trees +was a splendid new GEIGERA, with broad lance-shaped leaves.[******] The +PLATYZOMA MICROPHYLLUM, a very singular and little known fern, with +narrow leaves and small orbicular leaflets, was also there, with the +ACACIA FALCATA, ACACIA EXCELSA, and a shaggy-leaved variety of the AJUGA +AUSTRALIS, the Australian bugle. The BRUNONIA SERICEA, with its scabious- +like heads of flowers, was common; and the blue flowered HARDENBERGIA +MONOPHYLLA was observed among the grass. Thermometer, at sunrise, 25°; at +9 P.M., 41°. + +[* E. MELISSIODORA (Lindl. MS.); ramis ferrugineo-tomentosis scabris, +foliis utrinque papillis rubiginosis scabris ovato-oblongis obtusis supra +basim peltatis (floribus fructibusque ignotis).] + +[** E. CITRIODORA (Hook. MS.); ramis angulatis fuscis minute +tuberculatis, foliis lato-lanceolatis petiolatis pinnulatis patenti- +parallelo-venosis viridibus (non glaucis). Sir Wm. Hooker has ventured to +name this EUCALYPTUS, though without flower or fruit, from the +deliciously fragrant lemon-like odour, which exists in the dry as well as +the recent state of the plant.] + +[*** C. NERVOSUM (Lindl. MS.); ramis pallidis, foliis ovato-lanceolatis +quinque-nerviis mucronatis junioribus tomentosis, rachi calycibusque +lanatis.] + +[**** D. TRIGONA (Lindl. MS.); ramulis subpilosis, foliis obovato- +lanceolatis parum pilosis integerrimis vel utrinque unidentatis, capsulis +3-locularibus trigonis apteris.] + +[***** A. MOLLIS (Benth. MS.); undique molliter tomentoso-villosus, ramis +crectis-rigidis, foliis sparsis anguste oblongis margine revolutis, +calycis vix bilabiati dentibus subaequalibus, ovario breviter stipitato +villosissimo.--Near A. PASSERINOÏDES Meisn., but differing in the narrow +and longer leaves, the calyx and ovary.] + +[****** G. LATIFOLIA (Lindl. MS.); foliis ovato-lanceolatis longe +petiolatis subtus obscure pubescentibus junioribus convolutis.--This +appears to differ from G. SALICIFOLIA in its long-stalked leaves.] + +17TH JULY.--Our ride this morning soon led amongst different scenes. By +merely turning to the left we came upon a flat, in which another water- +course, similar to that we had been tracing (Balmy Creek), came from the +west, apparently out of that inaccessible country, across which I had +previously looked in vain for a passage. Several other gullies joined +this water-course, and seared the flat, which consisted of a deep clay +deposit, in almost every direction. After crossing these, we found a fine +broad opening between rocky precipices of most picturesque forms. This +gap I called Stephenson's Pass; it led into a spacious glen surrounded on +all sides but the N.W. by mountains such as I have described, recalling +to my memory the most imaginative efforts of Mr. Martin's saepia drawing, +and showing how far the painter's fancy may anticipate nature. But, at +the gorge of this valley, there stood a sort of watch-tower, as if to +guard the entrance, so like a work of art, that even here, where men and +kangaroos were equally wild and artless, I was obliged to look very +attentively, to be quite convinced that the tower was the work of nature +only. A turret with a pointed roof, of a colour corresponding, first +appeared through the trees, as if it had been built on the summit of a +round hill. On a nearer approach the fine tints of the yellowish grey +rocks, and the small pines climbing the sides of a hill abruptly rising +out of a forest of common trees, presented still a very remarkable +object. I named the valley "Glen Turret," and this feature "Tower +Almond," after an ancient castle, the scene of many early associations, +and now quite as uninhabited as this. Passing through Glen Turret, we +ascended the nearest summit on the right, and from it beheld a prospect +most cheering, after our toils amid rocky ravines. On the westward, the +rocky range seemed to terminate abruptly towards the north, in an +elevated point, which seemed to command an extensive view over the +unknown W. and N.W. Out of that region two isolated mountain masses arose +from an open country, and were clothed with open forests to their +summits. Further eastward, masses of mountain in the extreme distance +appeared covered, also, with open forests, and presented finely rounded +outlines, not likely to impede our passage, in any direction. But towards +the N.W. our view was not so extensive; like the uncertain future, it +still lay hid. The retrospect was very extensive, including Mount Faraday +in the extreme distance, and which thus afforded me a valuable back angle +for the correction of our longitude from any errors of detailed survey. +The lofty mass of Buckland's Table Land still overlooked all from the E., +and I could here again intersect its three principal points. The view +back to the Pass was very fine, for the rocks and wood were so blended on +the bold summits, as to present sublime studies for the artist. Far to +the westward, an interior line of cliffy range resembled a sea beach, +presenting a crescent, concave on that side, apparently the limit to the +basin of the Nogoa, and the dividing range between eastern and western +waters. Our Pass seemed to be the only outlet through the labyrinths +behind us. Even the open plains beyond them were visible in a yellow +streak above the precipices. Far beyond these plains, Mount Faraday was +distinctly visible, on the horizon of the landscape. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 29°; at 9 P.M., 43°. (LI.) 1234 feet above the sea. + +18TH JULY.--By retracing our horses' footsteps, the carts were soon +brought to the base of the same hill; deep gullies in the clay having +obliged us to pass close under it, and, indeed, to cross two of its +elevated extremities. We found the country beyond, in a N.W. direction, +tolerably open, and we encamped in a valley containing abundance of +grass, and near to our camp, water was found in a chain of ponds +descending to the eastward. A new SUAEDA, with short leaves, and the +habit of a dwarf Tamarisk, was found this day.[*] Latitude, 24° 6' 47" S. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 31°; at noon, 65°; at 4 P.M., 69°; at 9, 44°. +(LII.) + +[* S. TAMARISCINA (Lindl. MS.); fruticosa, ramosissima, foliis brevibus +cylindraceis imbricatis obtusissimis, axillis lanatis, floribus +solitariis sessilibus.] + +19TH JULY.--With the intention to lose no opportunity of getting further +to the westward, I travelled on towards the base of the most northern +summit of the range in the west; but I was, at length, so shut up by +gullies and scrubby extremities near its base and all radiating from it, +and becoming very deep, that I took the party aside into a grassy ravine +near, where I directed the men to encamp, and hastened myself to the +summit. From it, the view westward was not so extensive as I expected. +Something like precipitous slopes to some channel or water-course, +apparently falling either S. W. or N. E., formed the most promising +feature; but, although my object was to have travelled in that direction, +the scrub seemed too thick to admit of a passage. Open forest land +appeared to the N. E., and there, the gently undulating features, +although much lower than the range on whose northern extremity I then +stood, seemed nevertheless to form a connection between it and some +higher ranges of open forest land, that appeared between me and the +coast. Through one wide opening in these, about east, I saw some broken +hills, at a very great distance, say seventy or eighty miles. The ridgy- +connected undulations formed the heads of some valleys sloping to the +south-east, whereof the waters would evidently join those of the Balmy +Creek, while others, rising on the north-west side, seemed to belong to a +separate basin, and to form a river falling to the north-west. This river +was indicated only by slopes meeting and interlacing in a valley. To the +left or westward of that supposed river channel, a mighty isolated +mountain mass shut out any view of the further course of the water of the +valley formed between it and these slopes; but, as the very lowest point +of the whole horizon, as indicated by the spirit-level of the theodolite, +lay in that direction, I determined to pursue that bearing, (10° W. of +N.) through the open forest country that intervened. I found that the +mountain commanding this view, was elevated 2247 feet above the sea, +according to the Syphon barometer, and in using this instrument, I could +not forget Colonel Mudge, who had kindly taught me its use; I therefore +named that summit Mount Mudge. In the gravel at the base of the hill, +were water-worn pebbles of trap and basalt. The rock of which the range +itself consisted, seemed to be a calcareous grit, with vegetable +impressions, apparently of GLOSSOPTERIS BROWNII. On descending to the +camp, I was informed that the cattle-watering party came suddenly upon +two natives, one of whom was a placid old man, the other middle-aged. +Corporal Graham did all he could to allay their fears, and convince them +that they were in no danger from such strangers. The elder at length +handed his little bundle to the younger and sat down, on seeing the +Corporal's green bough; meanwhile the other walked on. When Graham took +the old man's hand, and shook it, also patting him on the back, and +expressing a friendly disposition only, the poor helpless man of the +woods burst into tears, finding himself incapable of either words or +deeds suitable for a meeting so uncommon. They could not relieve him from +this state of alarm, so readily as by leaving him sitting, and moving on, +which they did. In the scrubs near this camp, Mr. Stephenson discovered a +very remarkable tree, apparently a casuarina, having long drooping +leaves, hanging like long hair from its upper boughs[*]; and in the stony +gullies a DODONAEA allied to D. SALSOLIFOLIA A. CUNN., from Van Diemen's +Land, but the leaves slenderer, and three or four times longer[**]. +Although we were approaching the tropics, the weather was most cool and +pleasant. A delicious breeze played amongst the woods, and welcomed us to +the Torrid Zone. Until now, during every clear night the air had been +frosty. Latitude, 24° 6' 50" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 34°; at noon, +68°; at 4 P.M., 61°; at 9, 47°. + +[* See page 285.] + +[* D. FILIFOLIA (Hook. MS.); foliis sparsis ramis binis ternisve +lineariangustissimis elongatis subrugosis viscosis glabris utrinque +canaliculatis falcatis, fructibus trialatis.] + + + +Chapter VI. + +THE PARTY DESCENDS INTO A VALLEY FALLING NORTHWARD.--COMES UPON A CHAIN +OF PONDS.--THE HEAD OF THE RIVER BELYANDO.--FOLLOW IT DOWN, THROUGH MUCH +WATER SCARCE AT FIRST, IN ITS BED.--RANGE OF HILLS VISIBLE TO THE +EASTWARD.--CROSS THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN.--MOUNT NARRIEN.--OPEN PLAINS, +WEST OF THE RIVER.--WATER MORE PLENTIFUL.--NEW PLANTS DISCOVERED.--DRY +CHANNEL OF A LARGE RIVER JOINS FROM S.W.--CROSS IT AND PROCEED N.W.--FROM +A HEIGHT OBTAIN A VIEW OF THE NORTHERN HORIZON.--MUCH BRIGALOW SCRUB +TRAVERSED.--REACH THE RIVER BY MOONLIGHT.--FOLLOW THE CHANNEL MORE +CLOSELY.--COME UPON LARGE REACHES OF WATER.--ANOTHER DRY CHANNEL JOINS +FROM W.S.W.--RIDE OF RECONNAISSANCE BEYOND IT, TO THE NORTH-WEST.--CROSS +FINE DOWNS.--LIMESTONE IN A THICK SCRUB.--ENTER THICK BRIGALOW.--NIGHT +WITHOUT WATER.--NEXT DAY MEET WITH THE RIVER.--ITS COURSE BEING EASTWARD +OF NORTH, DETERMINE TO RETURN.--NATIVES.--RETRACE OUR TRACK TO THE +PYRAMIDS, IN ORDER TO EXPLORE MORE TO THE WESTWARD.--PREPARE TO DEPART, +WITH TWO MEN AND YURANIGH.--WRITE DESPATCH TO THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT. + +20TH JULY.--AFTER a little trouble with the gullies and brigalow scrub, +on first setting off, we came upon fine undulating open forest land, and +crossed many a gully and small water-course, all declining towards the +N.E. A very remarkable flat-topped hill appeared on our right, resembling +a wart, on one of these ridges; to the northward it was precipitous, and +seemed to consist of a very red rock. At length, after crossing a ridge +rather broader than the rest, with some brigalow scrub upon it, and one +or two specimens of that tree of solitary places, the bottle tree, +(DELABECHEA) we arrived at valleys and water-courses descending to the +southward of west, into a valley turning to the N.W. One, at length, on +our right, taking the direction in which I was proceeding, viz., 10° W. +of N., I followed it down, and thus entered a broader valley leading N.W. +Following this, on a wide flat of open forest, we found at length a fine +pond of water in it, and encamped beside it, after a journey of about +twelve miles. This valley seemed to continue to the base of the lofty +isolated mountain already mentioned, where a lower valley crossed it, +falling either to the northward or southward. This I left in pleasing +uncertainty until next morning, for I had remarked in that locality, when +I stood on Mount Mudge, a long line of grey mist running north and south. +I named the large mountain beyond that valley, Mount Beaufort, in honour +of my scientific friend at the Admiralty. Thermometer, at sunrise, 40°; +at noon, 66°; at 4 P.M., 73°; at 9, 62°. (LIII.) + +21ST JULY.--On following downwards the chain of ponds and broad valley, +we came upon the bed of a river, running to the N.N.E. We gladly turned +in that direction, and after it had received various tributaries from the +south, I found it took the course I had foreseen it must from Mount +Mudge. We saw water in the channel, and now again I believed that we had +at length discovered the head of a northwestern river. The soil consisted +of firm clay, and tributaries occasionally impeded our journey. We got +amongst brigalow scrub, and could find no water in looking for the +channel of the river, which we knew must still have been on our left. +Ponds in the scrub could not easily be identified as channels. I met with +no better success on turning to the left, and encamped amongst the +brigalow, where I found some grass. On riding westward I came upon arid +stony ground, on which many of the trees were dead, apparently from +drought, and so near the Tropic such a scene was by no means encouraging. +On turning my horse, he trod on an old heap of fresh watermussles, at an +old fireplace of the natives. This was a cheering proof that water was +not distant, which was further indicated by the flight of two native +companions, from the N.W. We had encamped on a flat of clay, on which +salsolaceous bushes, such as grew on similar plains on the Bogan, had +been growing, but were then all withered from drought. The very grass +seemed parched and useless. I never saw vegetation so checked by drought. +A longer continuance was likely to kill all the trees, and convert the +country into open downs. I determined, before I ventured further, to send +the cattle to a pond four miles back, next morning, and to examine the +country before us. Latitude, 23° 48' 36". Thermometer, at sunrise, 57°; +at noon, 69°; at 4 P.M., 75°; at 9, 48°. + +22D JULY.--Having sent bullocks, horses, and sheep back to the water, I +went forward on the bearing of 30° W. of N. I soon fell in with the +united channel of the river, and found in it abundant ponds of water, the +direction of the course being as favourable as could be wished. From +these ponds I perceived a clear hill to the westward, which I hastened to +ascend, and from its summit I beheld some fine mountains to the +northward, although an easterly wind and sea air brought a haze over +them, which soon obscured some of my points. But I saw enough to relieve +me of all anxiety at that time about the want of water. A promising +valley from the mountains in the eastward, came due west, and from it +arose the smoke of many natives' fires. Lines of other rivers, from other +ranges, were partly visible beyond, until the haze obscured the outlines +of mountains still more remote. The bright prospects of this morning were +a pleasing contrast to the temporary difficulties of yesterday. Such is +human life in travelling, and so it was in war at Salamanca this day +thirty-four years back. We encamped after a short journey on the bank of +the river. Latitude, 24° 46' 46". Thermometer, at sunrise, 49°, at noon, +74°; at 4 P.M., 73°; at 9, 64°. (LIV.) + +23D JULY.--The water in the adjacent pond was trodden into mud, so that +none remained for the horses and bullocks this morning. Accordingly, on +arriving at a pond about two miles on, we gave water to all, that they +might better bear the privation in the afternoon, should we not +fortunately find more. The river had a singular tendency to spread into +little channels within a belt of brigalow scrub. The little holes formed +by these channels were almost all dry, while the withered state of the +grass, and even of the forest trees, showed that rain had long been due, +and we therefore hoped some would fall before our return. When we had +travelled about twelve miles, keeping as close to the river line as the +scrub would permit, and crossing one or two fine rising grounds covered +with a very open forest, and consisting of large gravel, I found a pond, +and encamped near it, on a plain of almost naked clay. Amongst the water- +worn pebbles, of which the rising ground consisted, there were, besides +the ingredients of the Barwan gravel, many of trap and basalt. Very old +and dry grass only, could be had for the cattle. In the pond were small +fishes of a different form from any we had seen, having a large forked +tail, only two or three spikes in the dorsal fin, and a large jet-black +eye within a broad silvery ring. Mr. Stephenson found three crabs, +apparently identical with those about the inlets near Sydney. Latitude, +23° 37' 51". S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 46°; at noon, 73°; at 4 P.M. 80; +at 9, 55°. (LV.) + +24TH JULY.--The morning was overcast by heavy clouds, and the air was +balmy and mild, reminding us of the spring season near Sydney. Lightning +had been seen to the northward during the night. In following the little +wayward channel downward, we met with much brigalow scrub, and crossed +two apparently important tributaries. In one of them was a good large +pond. We had some trouble with an ana-branch, resembling the main +channel, which we had twice to cross at a distance of two miles. With the +last tributaries, plains and an open forest country became neighbours to +the river; and where we encamped beside it, no scrub was to be seen, and +the water lay in a deep broad reach, nearly half a mile in length, with +ducks upon it. Towards evening, the unwonted sound of thunder was heard +in the west, reminding us, at this season of the year, that we were near +the Tropic. In the same direction, two distant storms exhausted +themselves, and most likely giving birth to young grass where they fell. +During the night, much thunder was heard, and also early next morning, to +the northward. Latitude, 23° 31' S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 56°; at +noon, 75°; at 4, P.M., 82°; at 9, 66°. (LVI.) + +25TH JULY.--There was no hill or other geographical feature near our +route, whereby it might have been possible to mark there the limit of +Tropical Australia. We were the first to enter the interior beyond that +line. Three large kangaroos hopping across a small plain, were visible, +just as we entered these regions of the sun. The air was extremely +fragrant; the shrubs and grass being still moist with the thunder-shower. +The course of the river continued favourable, and the country seemed to +improve as we advanced, opening into plains skirted by scrubs of +rosewood, and drooping shrubs whose verdure was most refreshing to the +eye, after just having passed through dry and withered brigalow. At eight +miles a large lagoon appeared on our left, on which we saw many ducks, +and at nine miles we encamped where the grass seemed good, finding that +water was at hand now, in the river bed, wherever we required it. +Latitude, 23° 25' 26" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 45°; at noon, 77°; at 4 +P.M., 85°; at 9, 53°. (LVII.) + +26TH JULY.--The river appearing to pursue a W. N.W. course, I set out in +that direction, attracted there, also, by some open plain separated by +scrub from the river. We travelled on, a good many miles, when, instead +of the firm clay, we found, under foot soft, red sand, and trees of the +genus callitris growing in close thickets. I turned to the northward, and +travelled many miles to the eastward of north, without seeing any +indications of the river, whose general course had been previously +straight. Scrubs of almost every description lay in our way. Brigalow, +rosewood, casuarina, a thick light-green scrub of a close-growing bush, +new to us, and some scrubs of the tree as yet undescribed for want of +flowers or fruit, although well known to us as a graceful, and, indeed; +useful bush; of which, as an impediment, we could not much complain; and +useful, as forming excellent whip-shafts. This is the tree of unknown +fruit figured in my former journal. At length, when it was growing late, +I travelled eastward to make sure of the river, and, at length, regained +its banks, where we found in its bed plenty of water. The surface looked +bare, and the grass dry; but this day I discovered green shoots amongst +it, evidently the product of recent rain, and indicating the approach of +spring. On sandstone rocks, we found a plant which Sir William Hooker +terms "a singular Euphorbiaceous (?) plant[*]," destitute of flower and +fruit. Branches very thick, and they, as well as the long petioles and +underside of the leaves clothed with dense white wool. Leaves a span +long, cordato acuminate; the laminae all pointing downwards, glossy green +and glabrous above. Also a new DODONOEA, with very narrow, linear, +pinnated leaves. The only hills visible, from a tree ascended by +Yuranigh, during this day's journey were those to the eastward, already +seen. None appeared above the horizon in any other direction. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 39°; at noon, 79°; at 4 P.M., 89°; at 9, 75°. +(LVIII,) + +[* D. TENUIFOLIA (Lindl. MS.); glaberrima, viscosa, ramulis angulatis, +foliis impari pinnatis: foliolis 3-5-jugis linearibus obtusis +subalternis.] + +27TH JULY.--The same characteristic, still distinguished our river; a +variety of channels, so concatenated amongst brigalow scrub, much whereof +lay dead, that it was scarcely possible to ascertain whether there was +any main channel. Hitherto, I had not detected one; but this was of +little consequence to us, so long as these ponds contained abundance of +water. This we saw in many parts of our route this day; for I kept as +close as possible to the river's course, to avoid such detours as that of +yesterday, and being very anxious about the river's general direction, I +was glad to find it turn somewhat westward of north. After travelling +thus about nine miles, I perceived a blue pic nearly due north, which I +named Mount Narrien; and Yuranigh saw from a tree, that there was a range +in the same direction, but very distant. This seemed likely not only to +send down some additional waters to our river, but also to turn it +westward. Entering, soon after, upon a plain of good grass, I looked for +water; and, on finding some, encamped after a journey of about eleven +miles. Latitude, 23° 9'S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 43°; at noon, 83°; at +4 P.M., 90°; at 9, 53°. (LIX.) + +28TH JULY.--The brigalow scrub, still a concomitant of our river, so +hemmed in the patch of plain, that I was obliged to move out of it, in a +southerly direction. Even thus, however, the scrub was not to be avoided, +and we were obliged to force a way through, where the still more +formidable impediment of much fallen timber, rendered it almost +impossible that our vehicles could pass. This dead wood seemed peculiar +to that sort of brigalow, and appeared to remain unburnt, chiefly from +the usually naked surface of the ground where brigalow grows. I left the +party, when brought almost to a stand, and sought for a more open part, +by riding northward. This rather singular river seemed to have spread +over a considerable extent of surface, and much of the brigalow, however +fond of water, appeared to have died of too much, on spots which had been +flooded. I traversed a plain, beyond which I found, what seemed there, +the main chain of ponds or channel. There was a fine reach of water, and +beside it, were the still smoking fires, water-vessels, etc., of a tribe +of natives, who had disappeared. On the plain, the remains of decayed +stumps of brigalow showed that there also, this tree had once grown, and +that the openings were caused only by such trees perishing; as if, +according to seasons, the half-dead scrub might either give place to open +downs, or, that the plains might, by long succession of regular seasons, +become again covered with scrub. I returned to the party halted in the +scrub, and conducted it through an opening I had found, to the plain, and +across it, in a N.W. direction; where, after passing through some open +forest, we had again to contend with brigalow. One of the many dry +channels assisted us much in seeking openings, as the bottom then +consisted of smooth, firm, clay. A pond, however, obliged us to quit it, +and seek our way through the wood. We arrived next at slightly undulating +ground, and finally entered an open forest, where I saw the LORANTHUS +SUBFALCATUS of Sir William Hooker. I made Yuranigh climb a tree, from +whence he again saw the pic seen yesterday, (the bearing of which I +ascertained), and also a gap appeared in the range beside it, through +which, as he thought, a river was likely to come down. The extreme +westerly escarp of these hills bore 17° E. of N., so that nothing was +likely to impede the continued course of our friendly river in the +direction we wished. The scrub we met with on the rising ground, +consisted of the verdant bushes in rosewood scrubs, and we next found +brigalow all dead, with a rich crop of grass growing amongst the dead +stems. I had never seen grass, amongst brigalow, when in a healthy state. +On turning northward, we next entered upon an open plain covered with +good grass mixed with verdant polygonum. I selected a corner of this +plain, nearest to the river, for my camp; and, on approaching its bed, +found water as usual, near some old huts of the natives. Latitude, 23° 5' +20" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 44°; at noon, 82°; at 4 P.M., 88°; at 9, +58°. (XL.) + +29TH JULY.--The scrub between our camp and the river, admitted of easy +access from it to open forest ground, over which we travelled in a N.W. +direction for several miles. Belts of scrub, consisting of rosewood and +other acacias intervened, and, in some parts, TRIODIA PUNGENS grew in the +place of grass. But, upon the whole, the country was fine, open, park- +like, and with much anthistiria, and other grasses in which a greenness +was observed quite novel to us, and unexpected in these tropical regions. +Amongst the shrubs, we recognised the CASSIA HETEROLOBA, a small yellow- +flowered shrub; also a glutinous Baccharislike plant, and a form of +Eremophila Mitchellii, intermediate between the two other varieties. This +was a shrub ten feet high. Another new species of the genus GEIJERA +formed a tree twenty feet high, with long slender weeping branches. It +was otherwise much like the GEIJERA PARVIFLORA, except that its flowers +were larger.[*] A dwarf shrub belonging to the genus STENOCHILUS, but +new, was found here[**]; and we met also with a large spreading tree, +from which we could bring away nothing that would enable botanists to +describe it, except as to the texture and nervation of the leaves, which, +Sir William Hooker observes, resemble CAPPARIDEOE; but the fruit appeared +to be sessile, and was too young and too imperfect to lead to any +satisfactory conclusion. The very crows cawed differently from those near +Sydney, or, (as Yuranigh observed) "talked another language." This river +was not the least unique of our recent discoveries. It still consisted of +a great breadth of concatenated hollows without any one continuous +channel, and this character seemed to be preserved by various trees +growing in the banks. When their large roots became denuded by the +floods, or were washed out, or partially gave way, so that the tree fell +over the stream, they presented impediments, first to the floating-wreck, +and, next, to the water itself: when that collection of floating wreck +became consolidated with muddy deposit, new banks so formed forced the +river into new currents, working out new courses; and this appeared to +give the peculiar character so uniformly observed. It seems extremely +favourable for the retention of water in a country where it may be +scarce; for the many ponds so formed and shaded from the sun, preserve it +much better and longer, than if one continuous unobstructed channel +alone, received and carried off, the water of the surface. I found the +hollows we saw this day drier than usual; but we at length succeeded in +discovering three good ponds. The foliage of the trees, with dry and +naked water-worn roots, presented all the hues of an English autumn, +although none of these were deciduous. This effect I was disposed to +attribute to unseasonable drought, or past heat. The weather we had was +delightful; for, although the thermometer in the shade rose sometimes to +90° about 4 P.M., the heat of the Bogan was still fresh in our +recollection; and the frosts which, not above three weeks before, had +disturbed our sleep, made this degree of heat as welcome as the flowers +in May. Latitude, 22° 55' 35" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 38°; at noon, +80°; at 4 P.M., 85°; at 9, 51°. (LXI.) + +[* G. PENDULA (Lindl. MS.); ramis gracilibus pendulis, foliis linearibus +in petiolum sensim angustatis 5 uncias longis cum ramo parallelis.] + +[** S. SALICINUS (Benth. MS.); foliis lanceolato-linearibus integerrimis +apice subuncinato ramulisque canescentibus, calycis foliolis brevibus +lanceolatis, corollae puberulae inferne attenuatae laciniis obtusis +infimâ retusâ vix caeteris magis solutâ.--Very near S. PUBIFLORUS, but +much whiter, the flowers smaller with the lobes much more equal, the +lower one much broader.] + +30TH JULY.--The scrub of the river being likely to surround us, I +endeavoured to pass it, and cross the river, but on examination I found +the brigalow belt beyond, so serious an obstruction, that I adhered to +the left bank still, and proceeded N. N. W. The woods opened into +extensive plains covered with wild Indigo, as high as a horse's head, and +that was skirted by a plain covered with rich grass. Beyond these, we +entered an open forest where the anthistiria grew luxuriantly. I saw, +from the skirts of the plain, the mass of mountains partly seen in the +east for several days past, and I was able to intersect various points. +We seemed to be descending to a very low country. A fine large lagoon, +covered with ducks, appeared on our right. The whole country was improved +both as to grass and trees. The MYOPORUM DULCE, a shrub about five feet +high, was perhaps a distinct species intermediate between M. DULCE and M. +DESERTI. It had the habit of the latter, but the leaves nearly of M. +DULCE. A hollow at length indicated the river bed near us. It contained +abundance of transparent water, a continuous channel, rocky bed, and, +instead of brigalow, there grew on its banks a thick crop of strong +grass, and much verdure. A tributary from the west cost us some trouble +to cross, and soon after crossing it, I encamped. The course this day had +run well to the westward. We had crossed the 147° of E. longitude, and I +was very anxious to learn more of the further course of this river. I +crossed it, and hastened to some rising ground, whence I perceived a +flat-topped cliffy range extending from S. W. to the N. of west. It was +low; the middle part, appearing highest, was probably the nearest to our +camp. It was likely to turn our river too far to the northward for our +purpose. Latitude, 22° 51' 55". Thermometer, at sunrise, 54°; at noon, +82°; at 4 P.M., 83°; at 9, 45°. (LXII.) + +31ST JULY.--We travelled over a rather different sort of country from +that recently seen upon the river. It was still on our right, and ran in +a deep, well-marked channel. I pursued a N.W. course, although the range +I had seen yesterday lay across it. I thus came upon the bed of a large +river from the south, very near where our little river joined it. This +new river was there fully 100 yards broad, with a sandy bed. I hastened +across it, and proceeded still N.W. In the bed, just above the junction +of the two rivers, I found a large podded pea, the seed both in green +pods and dry pods, was very sweet and edible. The pods were larger than +those of Turkey beans, and contained each ten or eleven peas (Dr. L.?) +Beyond the last found river, we travelled over open forest land, +occasionally passing patches of rosewood scrub on the left. When we might +again see water was rather a desperate thought, for we had witnessed our +abundant little river, wholly absorbed in a deep mass of dry sand, for +such was the bed of the larger. At length we came upon a very spacious +dry lagoon. Following this, as it appeared to be the channel of large +floods from the river, we arrived at a part containing water, and, still +continuing along the hard dry bank, another and another pond appeared, +and I finally encamped near the last, where I saw some good grass. The +course and character of the river below the junction last mentioned, +remained to be ascertained. Parts of the surface in the scrub, which, +before the rain, had been quite bare, now presented a crop of lichen, +which bore some resemblance to the orchilla. It might have been gathered +in any quantity. The ant-hills in this region, presented a different form +from any to be seen in the south, consisting of slender cones of hard +clay about the size and shape of sugar-loaves on an average, many being +larger, or as much as 3½ feet high, others smaller. In some places they +were so numerous, as to be rather inconvenient to ride amongst, +especially where the grass was long. Latitude of this camp, 22° 44' 45". +Thermometer, at sunrise, 52°; at noon, 70°; at 4 P.M., 69°; at 9, 43°. +(LXIII.) + +1ST AUGUST.--Supposing that this line of lagoons led to the river, I +followed that direction westward, until it disappeared where we came upon +the water brigalow. Then, turning northward, I travelled many miles in +that direction, through rosewood scrubs, and over ground where the very +coarse hard grass grew on red sand. The callitris and casuarina appeared +amongst the trees. On a spot rather clear of wood, Yuranigh went to the +top of a callitris tree, and saw a lofty mountain somewhat to the +eastward of north, and he thought he could trace the trees marking the +course of the river to the westward of it. Further westward, the low +range already mentioned, was still visible, and he saw that the country +between the two ranges was very "deep," as he termed it, meaning very +low. Upon the whole, there was reason to believe that the river pursued a +course, somewhat to the westward of north. I turned in that direction, +and forced our way through scrub and brush, until, after cutting through +much fallen brigalow, I entered upon good grassy land, and saw the large +Yarra trees before me. These grew by the river, which here looked very +important, having a bed wider than that of the Barwan, with sloping +grassy banks at least sixty feet high, and Yarra trees growing from the +lower margin. Continuing along its banks, we soon found various large +ponds of water, and in the short course of it we had to trace before we +encamped, the direction was S. W. Many curious plants and trees now +appeared about the banks. A rough-leaved fig tree with well-formed +woolly, globular fruit; an ALTERANTHERA, with very large balls of satiny +white flowers, resembling A. NODIFLORA; the ACACIA FARNESIANA, a prickly +tree; the narrow-leaved smooth variety of ACACIA HOLOSERICEA; and in the +bed of the river, the ACACIA SIMSII (Cunn.) A broad-leaved form of +LORANTHUS NUTANS was parasitical on trees, and the EURYBIA SUBSPICATA of +Sir W. Hooker also grew on the upper bank. A very extraordinary CAPPARIS +was here observed in fruit. Its leaves were as much as eight inches long, +although not more than three quarters of an inch wide, and their hard +leathery texture gave them the appearance of straps. It did not +afterwards occur.[*] The water in the river was excellent. Thermometer, +at sunrise, 23°; at noon, 65°; at 4 P.M., 69°; at 9, 44°. Latitude, 22° +38' 40". (LXIV.) + +[* C. UMBONATA (Lindl. MSS.); inermis, glaberrima, foliis coriaceis +longissimis loratis obtusis in petiolum sensim angustatis, pedunculis +solitariis (2 poll.) stipite brevioribus, fructu ovoideo umbonato.] + +2D AUGUST.--We had approached this fine river over a park-like plain, but +lower down we found the banks lined with scrub. I pursued a N.W. course +in passing through it, and emerged on plains and open forests alternating +with scrubs. The scrubs were remarkable, as always involving dry hollows +where water had lodged. The clay was then hard; but, in all these +hollows, the deep impressions of naked feet of men, women, and children, +remained since the bottom had consisted of mud. These numerous +receptacles for water, when it is sent, attest the wisdom with which even +the clods of the valley have been disposed for the benefit of the animal +world. The day's journey was long, and chiefly through that sort of +scrub. I was disappointed in my hope of falling in with the river, by +travelling N.W. Yuranigh descried from a tree, the continuation, far to +the westward, of the low range that had been already seen from a former +camp. Its direction had then appeared to be nearly N. and S. The turn the +river had taken westward was, therefore, favourable to my hopes, that it +would continue in that direction. Its general course was found to be +nearly northward. On the other hand, the high ranges in the E. seemed to +terminate abruptly towards the N., so that a very low country appeared to +be to the northward of our position then, stretching from 40° N. of W. to +40° E. of N., a full quarter circle which the course of the river almost +bisected. After travelling twelve miles without seeing any thing of the +river, I reluctantly turned N.E., and then E., and in the last-mentioned +direction, I hit the river where it contained a fine reach of water. In +the dry part of the bed, grew various curious plants in flower, all quite +new to me; a species closely allied to the ACACIA DELIBERATA (Cunn.), and +a very fine silky leaved TRICHODESMA.[*] A new VELLEYA was also found +near this camp.[**] In the scrubs back from the river, the STENOCHILUS +CURVIPES was loaded with its long tubular flowers. A small species of +Acacia was perhaps a variety of A. LEUCADENDRON Cunn.; and we found also +a curious scrubby species of JACKSONIA.[***] Latitude, 22° 30' 10" S. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 29°; at noon, 61°; at 4 P.M., 69°; at 9, 40°. +(LXV.) + +[* T. SERICEUM (Lindl. MSS.); caule erecto sericeo setis nullis, foliis +oppositis lineari-lanceolatis basi angustatis sericeopilosis, pedicellis +pilosis lateralibus longis, calycis lobis lanceolatis pubescentibus basi +pilosis, nucis dorso polito maculato.--Near T. ZEYLANICUM, but quite +distinct.] + +[** V. MACROCALYX (De Vriese MSS.); foliis omnibus radicalibus, +oblongospathulatis acutis, integris, membranaceis, remote, minute et +obsolete dentatis, uninerviis, glabris, subdecurrentibus, glabris; scapis +radicalibus elongatis, folia vix exaequantibus; bracteis dichotomiarum +vel trichotomiarum binis ternisve lanceolatis acutis vel lineari- +lanceolatis, floribus 2-3nis; calycibus (involucris) ternis, magnis, +membranaceis, ovatis, ellipticisque, acuminatis, basi cordatis, +petiolatisque; antherae liberae, stigmatis indusium maximum ciliatum, +labiis compressis, cochleariforme.--Folia sunt 6-12 cent. longa, 3 cent. +lata, crassinervia; scapi adscendentes, inferne tenuiores, sursum parum +elongati.] + +[*** J. RAMOSISSIMA (Benth. MSS.) inermis, ramis angulatis ramosissimis +glabriusculis, floribus subsessilibus, calycis colorati profunde divisi +laciniis duabus supremis diù vel omnino cohaerentibus, legumine +subsessili ovato-acuto ventricoso.] + +3D AUGUST.--Our carts had been so much jolted about and shaken, in +crossing the dead timber yesterday, that I resolved to keep along the +river bank this day, if the ground and woods permitted. To a certain +distance from the banks, there was less fallen timber, as the natives had +been accustomed there to make their fires, and roast the mussles of the +river, and other food. The river was found to spread into separate +channels, in which I did not readily recognise it, until I found them +again united in a splendid reach of water under steep banks. The general +course was by no means promising, being somewhat to the E. of N.; it was +much to be apprehended that this river, too, would run to the E. coast, +and become another instance of the utter want of any knowledge of the +interior country, that still may prevail, long after complete surveys +have been made of the lines of coast. Again we came upon wide fields of +polygonum, and tracks of open forest with large lagoons. Then scrubs of +brigalow obliged us to travel in the river bed, as the only open part +where we could pass. That surface consisted of clay iron-stone, denuded +by torrents, and the "DISJECTA MEMBRA," of a river. Ponds, water-worn +banks, and timber, alive and dead, were there intermixed. Emerging from +these obstructions, as from a feverish dream, we entered upon park-like +scenery and good grass. The latter had been a desideratum during the last +two days. We next came upon a river containing plenty of water, and +coming from the N.W. I expected this would terminate our journey along +the other, and I encamped on discovering it, after a journey of ten +miles. The Australian rivers have all distinguishing characteristics, +which they seem to possess from their sources to their termination. That +we had just quitted, had a great affection, like its upper tributary, for +brigalow scrubs, and spreading into ana-branches. This last discovered +river seemed quite the reverse of all this. Its channel was very uniform; +the banks being covered with open forests and good grass. The bed was +sandy, but contained water in abundance, so that I hoped it would lead us +to higher regions, by following it upwards, to where other waters might +fall in the direction of the Gulf. This river contained the Harlequin +fish of the Maranin great abundance. Yet we had found none of these in +the river to which this was a tributary, but, on the contrary, two other +sorts. There was much novelty in the trees and plants. One tree in +particular, growing in the bed of the river, had the thin white shining +bark of the tea-tree (mimosa), and drooping leaves shaped like those of +the eucalyptus; a HIBISCUS allied to, if not the same, with II. LINDLEYI, +but not in flower; a CASSIA, perhaps C. CORONILLOIDES in ripe fruit, or +at least closely allied to it, occupied the dry sandy ground with +MONENTELES REDOLENS, a silveryheaded weed; and some Cinchonad allied to +Coffea, with young fruit, the size of small olives. Latitude, 22° 23' +10". Thermometer, at sunrise, 21°; at noon, 59°; at 4 P.M., 64°; at 9, +37°; with wet bulb, 28°. (LXVI.) + +4TH AUGUST.--We had still so much westing to make, in order to hit the +head of the Gulf, that I was disposed to follow up the new river in any +direction that did not take us much to the S. The river, however, was +soon found to come from the S.W. and S., so that I was obliged to cross +it. I then travelled W. through open forest three miles, which brought us +to undulating ground. I then turned to the W.N.W., and proceeded over +ground equally open and favourable for the passage of our carts. At +length, a hard ferruginous conglomerate rock, projected from the surface, +and clumps of thick brigalow grew on some of the summits. On one piece of +rising ground, I found a mass of rocks, a few feet higher than the rest, +and from it I perceived a continuation of the slightly elevated +flattopped range, to the southward and westward. A somewhat higher but +similar sort of range appeared in the east, beyond a very broad and level +woody country, through which it was probable that our first-found river +still pursued a northerly course. Beyond that flat, and further to the +eastward, the same hills already seen were still visible, and others +northward of them, just like them. There was a high summit beyond all +these bearing about E. I could not discover any satisfactory line to +follow in the country thus partially visible, and as the sun was near the +horizon, I only continued, to go forward to a valley wherein I hoped to +have found water, but was disappointed, the soil being too sandy and +absorbent. There we nevertheless encamped, in Lat. 22° 19' 45" S. On this +day's journey, I saw two of the rose-coloured paroqueets of the Barwan, +none of these birds having been seen by any of the party since we crossed +the Culgoa. A fragrant stenochilus, with leaves smelling exactly like +mint, was found this day, and a splendid banksia in flower, also a new +MELALEUCA.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 23°; at noon, 58°; at 4 P.M., 63°; +at 9, 29°; with wet bulb, 18°. + +[* M. TAMARISCINA (Hook. MSS.); ramosissima ramulis gracillimis copiose +excavatis e foliis delapsis, foliis rameis remotis parvis ovatis +acuminatis appressis, ramulinis minutissimis squamaeformibus convexis +obtusis imbricatis immersis, capsulis circa ramos spicatis parvis +globosis.--A very singular MELALEUCA, somewhat allied to M. HUGELII, +Endl.: but extremely different in the very minute squamiform leaves of +the copious slender branchlets, from which they fall and leave the +bleached slender branchlets full of little pits or cavities in which the +leaves had been, as it were, sunk.] + +5TH AUGUST.--The last-found river not having answered my expectations, we +had come quite far enough from the one we had previously followed, which +still might have turned N.W., where we wished it to go; although I +confess the prospect was by no means promising. The doubt was still to be +removed, and, after a night passed without water, the earliest dawn saw +us again going forward, in a direction a little to the eastward of N. It +was only after pursuing that line for seventeen miles, that we again +found the river, unchanged in character, and still running northerly. +This was a trying day for our animals, as they could not be watered until +long after it was dark; a brigalow scrub, full of much fallen timber, +having retarded and impeded the carts so that they could not be got to +the water sooner. Nor had this been possible, even then, but for the +fortunate circumstance of our having the light of a nearly full moon. I +had preceded the party by some miles, accompanied by Yuranigh, the rest +following my horse's tracks, and I had thus passed through the four miles +of scrub, and reached the river early in the day. On returning, we found +the party in the midst of this scrub, and succeeded in guiding it, even +by moonlight, to the pond at which we had watered our horses during the +day. Many dry hollows of indurated mud appeared, as usual, in the +brigalow we had passed through; and we endeavoured to lead the carts, as +much as possible, through these hollows, in order to avoid the dead logs, +many of which we were obliged to cut, before the carts could pass. Many +deep impressions of natives' feet appeared in these clay hollows; also +the tracks of emus. Yuranigh showed me several tracks where a native had +been following a kangeroo's track; and he told me of a certain method +adopted by the natives of killing the kangeroo during wet weather,--which +is, to pursue the track, following it up day after day, until they +overtake the animal, which, on being so incessantly followed, becomes at +length so defenceless, that one native can despatch it with a tomahawk. +According to the barometer, it appeared that this river was not now much +higher above the level of the sea, than the Bogan or the Balonne. Still +it spread into many channels and isolated ponds; the latter being +sometimes in good grassy land, apart from the brigalow. Nothing could be +more sterile than the surface where the brigalow grew; but the first +indication of the river was an open space covered with luxuriant grass, +and we had to ride two miles along this, before Yuranigh and I could find +the river, having been guided to it chiefly by some smoke of the natives. +At the first place we approached, we found two ponds of excellent water, +under the shining boughs of lofty Yarra trees. Latitude, 22° 10' 15" S. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 39°; at noon, 64°; at 4 P.M., 61°; at 9, 36°;-- +with wet bulb, 28°. (LXVII.) + +6TH AUGUST.--I gave the jaded cattle a day's rest, and the men thus had +an opportunity to screw up and repair their carts. + +7TH AUGUST.--The brigalow scrub obliged me this day to travel along the +river banks, upon which I found it pleasant to go, as they proved open +and grassy. Large lagoons and reaches of water appeared in the scattered +channels. At length, a deep broad reach, brim full of pure water, +glittered before us. Clouds of large ducks arose from it, and larger +water-fowl shrieked over our heads. A deep receding opening appeared to +the northeast, as if our river had been either breaking off in that +direction, or met with some important tributary from that side. I +continued to travel northwest, passing through some fine open forests. +The character of the country seemed changed. The grass was of a different +kind, and a refreshing breeze from the north-east seemed to "smell of +water," as Yuranigh expressed it. The dense line of Yarra trees appeared +still to be continuous on the right, and the more I travelled westward, +the more I was convinced that we still had the river at hand. We did at +length approach its banks after a journey of ten miles, when we found +this was a river FROM the west appearing fully as deep and important as +the one we had been following, and containing ponds of water. This new +tributary from the west, left no room to hope that the channel we had +been pursuing would turn westward--on the contrary, it became but too +probable that below the junction of this river, the channel would turn +towards the N. E. It could not well be doubted that this went to the +eastern coast; but, to remove all doubt, as Yuranigh was of a different +opinion, I sent Corporal Graham with him up the newly-found river, to +ascertain whether it did not come from the north-west, in which case we +could not expect that the other it joined would go in that direction. +Their report on returning, only rendered it necessary that I should take +a ride forward next morning. They said this river came from the S. W., +and at two miles higher, had a very narrow channel. Lower down, it was +found to join the main channel, which, below the junction, still +continued northward. There, we found a beautiful new Grevillea.[*] The +STENOCHILUS PUBIFLORUS formed a willow-leaved shrub about twelve feet +high, and in the sandy bed of the river was an EUPHORBIA very near E. +HYPERICIFOLIA, but with narrower leaves, and the ovary pubescent not +glabrous. The DODONOEA VESTITA, with its hairy foliage and large shaggy +fruits, clothed the sandstone surface back from the river.[**] Latitude, +22° 2' 15" S. Thermometer, at sunrise, 30°; at noon, 78°; at 4 P.M., 77°; +at 9, 55°;--with wet bulb 49°. (LXVIII). + +[* G. MITCHELLI (Hook. MSS.); appresso-subsericesa, foliis pinnatifidis +bipinnatifidisque, laciniis angustissime linearibus elongatis marginibus +arcte reflexis subtus concoloribus, racemis elongatis secundis +densifloris, floribus subverticillatis, perianthiis pedicellisque +tomentosis, folliculis oblique ovatis tomentosis sessilibus, stylis +glabris.--Allied to G. CHRYSODENDRON, Br., but the segments of the leaves +are narrower, not golden-coloured beneath: the flowers are entirely +secund: a splendid species.] + +[** D. VESTITA (Hook. MSS.); tota densissimè pilosa, foliis pinnatis +pinnis oppositis 4--5-jugis cuneatis apice lunulato-emarginatis vel +incisis, rachi articulatâ articulis obovatis, capsulis profundis +tetrapteris villosissimis.] + +8TH AUGUST.--With two men and Yuranigh, I proceeded first, northward by +compass, for some miles, when I emerged from scrub, upon fine open downs +covered with a crop of excellent grass. The soil was soft and rich, the +grass PANICUM LOEVINODE. Small clumps of Acacias were strewed over these +downs, which were very extensive, and from them I saw several rather high +hills to the eastward, terminating abruptly over a low country to the +northward. Supposing that the main channel would there turn round to the +eastward, I proceeded north-west to examine the country. I soon entered a +thick scrub of rosewood and other Acacias. I remarked the CALLISTEMON +NERVOSUM, previously seen (July) with rich crimson flowers, forming a +large tree, in the dry open forest, with perfectly green spikes; also, on +the branches of Eucalypti, a beautiful orange coloured LORANTH. The soil +was rich, yielding, and rather bare of vegetation. Nodules of variegated +limestone, or marble, appeared on the surface, showing that the +improvement in the soil was owing to a change in the rocks under it. +Again emerging on open plains, the country seemed to fall northward, +which induced me to ride again in that direction, thinking we might meet +with some river either coming from the N. W. or leading there. The open +plains terminated upon a hollow full of trees, growing, as was very +evident, on a lower surface. The hollows resembled those of brigalow +scrub, and we soon found this tree in full possession of them. Dry +channels, leading in various directions between N. W. and E. engaged my +attention throughout the afternoon: indeed, they seemed interminable. At +length, we detected some continuity in the hollows, leading towards the +N.N.E. Yarra trees at length appeared in it, abundance of grass on the +banks, and deep dry ponds. Two crows hovering over one, raised our hopes +that it contained water, as we also perceived a line of green vegetation +over the margin. It was deep and full of water. Here, about 4 P. M., we +were thus enabled to water our horses, and continue our ride +independently of finding more water that evening. We next perceived an +open forest hill on our right; but, on examining the country from it, we +saw no immediate indications of the river. On reentering the brigalow +scrub, the continuity of ponds was very indistinct, and I at length lost +it, as it seemed, on its turning off to the eastward, a direction in +which I was unwilling to follow it at that time. I threaded the mazes of +another chain of hollows, which turned in various directions between N. +W. and 20° N. of E., the latter being the general course. During this +unsatisfactory sort of exploration, night overtook us, where the dry and +naked clay presented neither grass nor water. Our horses had come thirty +miles, and it was only after considerable search, in the dark, that I +found a grassy spot for our horses, and where we tied them up, and lay +down to pass the night. + +9TH AUGUST.--We saddled them as soon as day broke, and proceeded again +into the scrub; but the hollows took no longer any continuous channel, +and I again travelled N. W., in which direction I entered upon a plain. +Thence I perceived a low flat, and a line of trees beyond it, very much +resembling those of a river, and towards this I hastened, and found the +river we had followed so far, unchanged in character. The scattered +ponds, and nearly northerly course, were legible proofs of its identity. +We watered our horses and took some breakfast, after which, while engaged +laying down our route, one of the men observed some natives looking at us +from a point of the opposite bank. I held up a green bough to one who +stood forward in a rather menacing attitude, and who instantly replied to +my signal of peace by holding up his bommareng. It was a brief but +intelligible interview; no words could have been better understood on +both sides; and I had fortunately determined, before we saw these +natives, to return by tracing the river upwards. Our horses had been +turned loose, the better to allow them to make the most of their time +while we breakfasted. Graham got them together while I was telegraphing +with the natives, some of whom I perceived filling some vessel with +water, with which they retired into the woods. We saddled, and advanced +to examine their track and the spot they had quitted, also that they +might afterwards see our horses' tracks there, lest our green bough and +subsequent return might have encouraged them to follow us. Yuranigh was +burning the mutton bones we had picked; but I directed him to throw them +about, that the natives might see that we neither eat their kangaroos nor +emus. I found the course of the river very straight, but rather more than +it had been, to the eastward of north. In some parts of the channel, lay +deep reaches of water, fully a mile long; at other places, shallow +hollows quite dry, seemed to be the only channel for the river's +currents. We avoided brigalow scrubs, and passed the night on a grassy +part of the bank, about ten miles back from the farthest point we had +reached that morning. + +10TH AUGUST.--Early in the morning a moist breeze blew from the north, +with low scud not very high above the trees. Higher clouds drove as +rapidly from the westward. The extremely moist air was a great novelty to +us there. About 9 A.M., the sky was wholly overcast; but it finally +cleared up, and the day was cool. We reached the camp about 3 P.M., +having hit the river on which it was situated, two miles lower. There I +found, to my surprise, that its channel was very deep and full of water, +being broader than that of the main river. I was, therefore, inclined to +explore its sources by proceeding upwards next day, as the direction of +the northerly stream, did not promise much. The camp had just been +visited by seventeen natives, apparently bent on hostile purposes, all +very strong, several of them upwards of six feet high. Each of them +carried three or four missile clubs. They were headed by an old man, and +a gigantic sort of bully, who would not keep his hands off our carts. +They said, by signs, that the whole country belonged to the old man. They +pointed in the direction in which I had gone, and to where Mr. Stephenson +happened to be at the time, down in the river bed; and then beckoned to +the party that they also should follow or go where I had gone, or leave +that place. They were received very firmly, but civilly and patiently, by +the men, and were requested to sit down at a distance, my man Brown, +being very desirous that I should return before they departed; thinking +the old man might have given me some information about the river, which +he called "Belyando." But a noisy altercation seemed to arise between the +old chief and the tallest man, about the clubs, during which the latter +again came forward, and beckoned to others behind, who came close up +also. Each carried a club under each arm, and another in each hand, and +from the gestures made to this advanced party, by the rest of the tribe +of young men at a distance, it appeared that this was intended to be a +hostile movement. Brown accordingly drew out the men in line before the +tents, with their arms in their hands, and forbade the natives to +approach the tents. "Nothing damps the ardour of troops so much," says +General Lloyd, "as an unexpected obstacle at the moment of attack," and +these strong men stood still and looked foolish, when they saw the five +men in line, with incomprehensible weapons in their hands. Just then, our +three dogs ran at them, and no charge of cavalry ever succeeded better. +They all took to their heels, greatly laughed at, even by the rest of +their tribe; and the only casualty befell the shepherd's dog, which +biting at the legs of a native running away, he turned round, and hit the +dog so cleverly with his missile on the rump, that it was dangerously ill +for months after; the native having again, with great dexterity, picked +up his club. The whole of them then disappeared, shouting through the +woods to their gins. It was remarkable that on seeing the horses, they +exclaimed "Yerraman," the colonial natives' name for a horse, and that of +these animals they were not at all afraid, whereas they seemed in much +dread of the bullocks. That these natives were fully determined to attack +the white strangers, seems to admit of no doubt, and the result is but +another of the many instances that might be adduced, that an open fight, +without treachery, would be contrary to their habits and disposition. +That they did not, on any occasion, way-lay me or the doctor, when +detached from the body of the party, may perhaps, with equal truth, be +set down as a favourable trait in the character of the aborigines; for +whenever they visited my camp, it was during my absence, when they knew I +was absent, and of course must have known where I was to be found. The +old man had very intelligibly pointed out to Brown the direction in which +this river came, I. E. from the S. W., and I therefore abandoned the +intention of exploring it upwards, and determined to examine how it +joined, and what the character of the river might be, about and below +that junction, in hopes I might still obtain an interview with the +natives, and learn something of the country to the north-west. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 59°; at noon, 82°; at 4 P.M., 81°; at 9, 62°;-- +with wet bulb, 59°. + +11TH AUGUST.--Crossing this river at a favourable spot near our camp, we +travelled on, eleven miles, and encamped early, on a fine reach of the +main river. Here I had leisure to lay down my late ride on paper, and to +connect it with the map; whereupon I concluded, with much regret, that +this river must be either a tributary to, or identical with, that which +M. Leichardt saw joining the Suttor in latitude 21° 6' S., and which he +supposed to come from the west. It had supplied me with water across +three degrees of latitude, and had gradually altered its course from N.W. +to about 30° E. of N. In my ride I had traced it to 21° 30' of latitude +south, and no high land had appeared, as I expected, to the northward, at +all likely to turn its course towards the west. I found the height of its +bed, moreover, to be so little above the sea (not much more than 600 +feet), that I could no longer doubt that the division between eastern and +western waters was still to the westward; and I arrived at the following +conclusions:-- + +1st. That the river of Carpentaria should have been sought for to the +westward of all the sources of the river Salvator. + +2nd. That the deepest indentation as yet discovered of the division of +the waters, was at the sources of that river, and corresponded with the +greatest elevation indicated by the barometer (about 2500 feet); and, +3dly. That there, I. E. under the parallel of 25° S., the highest spinal +range must extend westward, in a line of truncated cones, whereof Mount +Faraday appeared to be one. + +I accordingly determined to retrace our wheel-tracks back to the head of +the Salvator, and to explore from thence the country to the north-west, +as far as our stock of provisions and the season would permit. I had +marked my camps by Roman letters cut deep in sound trees, and at this, I +left the number LXIX. cut under the initials of the colony, N.S.W.; this +being the number marked from the Culgoa. We had, at least, laid out a +good carriage road from the colony to a river in M. Leichardt's route; +which road, as far as we had marked it with our wheels, led through +pastoral regions of much greater extent than all the colonists now +occupied. At this farthest point traced by our wheels within the Tropics, +the plants were still known to botanists, but with some interesting +exceptions. We here found the CASSIA HETEROLOBA in flower; also the burr +plant, CALOTIS CUNEIFOLIA of Brown; the PITTOSPORUM LANCEOLATUM of A. +Cunningham, a shrub with yellow flowers and narrow willowy leaves; and +the beautiful laurel-leaved GEIGERA LATIFOLIA was still conspicuous among +the forest trees. But here also we found a very fine new species of +STENOCHILUS[*], a new pine-leaved DODONOEA, allied to the D. PINIFOLIA of +Swan River[**], and a most singular hard-leaved shrub, with spiny foliage +resembling five pointed stars, proved to be a new species of +LABICHEA.[***] Thermometer, at sunrise, 36°; at noon, 71°; at 4 P.M., +70°; at 9, 35°;--with wet bulb, 30°. + +[* S. PUBIFLORUS (Benth. MS.) foliis lanceolato-linearibus elongatis +integerrimis apice subuncinato novellis ramulisque tomentellis mox +glabratis, calycis foliolis lanceolatis, corollae pubescentis inferne +attenuatae laciniis oblatis infima breviter soluta.--This agrees pretty +well with Brown's short diagnosis of S. LONGIFOLIUS, as well as with +Cunningham's specimens so named; but those have no corolla, which Brown +also had not seen, and his is a south coast plant. (Another new species +with leaves like this, but very different flowers, was gathered by Sir T. +Mitchell in his former expedition.)] + +[** D. ACEROSA (Lindl. MS.); foliis tenuibus acerosis subfalcatis +glandulosis, corymbis axillaribus paucifloris folio brevioribus, capsulis +tetrapteris alis apice rotundatis.] + +[*** L. DIGITATA (Benth. MS.) ramulis tomentellis, foliis subsessili bus, +foliolis 3-5-digitatis lineari-oblongis spinoso-mucronatis coriaceis +reticulatis terminali caeteris vix majore, antheris parum inaequalibus +conformibus.] + +12TH AUGUST.--I reluctantly ordered my men, (who believed themselves on +the high-way to Carpentaria,) to turn the horses' heads homewards, merely +saying that we were obliged to explore from a higher point. The track +already marked out by our party advancing, was so much easier for the +draught animals, as requiring less driving, that they arrived at an early +hour again at the river they formerly crossed, and travelled with ease +three and a half miles further back to a lagoon, on the banks of which +the grass was good, and where we therefore now encamped. The track of the +large feet of the natives showed they had followed us this morning, from +our camp of yesterday; and a fragment of burning wood they had dropped, +showed that they had this day met us in the scrub as we returned, and had +gone out of our way. Even to the lagoon, their track along our route was +also plainly visible. I was now, apparently to them, at their request, +leaving the country; and we should soon see if their purpose in visiting +our camp was an honest one, and whether their reasonable and fair demand, +was really all they contemplated on that occasion. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 37°; at noon, 70°; at 4 P.M., 71°; at 9, 65°. + +13TH AUGUST.--We continued back, along the old track, to beyond Camp +LXVII. I then took the direction of the camp two stages back, in order to +avoid the great detour formerly pursued; the camp without water, and the +thick brigalow. All these we successfully avoided, passing over fine open +forest land, and encountering no brigalow. We found the river on our left +when we required it, and encamped on a plain near the water, and distant +only a few miles from the camp two journies back from LXVII. I was guided +by the bearing of 10° E. of N. We found much of the grass on fire, and +heard the natives' voices although we saw none. We crossed some patches +of dry swamp where the clods had been very extensively turned up by the +natives, but for what purpose Yuranigh could not form any conjecture. +These clods were so very large and hard that we were obliged to throw +them aside, and clear a way for the carts to pass. The whole resembled +ground broken up by the hoe, the naked surface having been previously so +cracked by drought as to render this upturning possible without a hoe. +There might be about two acres in the patch we crossed, and we perceived +at a distance, other portions of the ground in a similar state. The river +had, where we made it, a deep wellmarked channel, with abundance of clear +water in it, and firm accessible banks. It was still, however, enveloped +in a narrow belt of brigalow. The shepherd having most imprudently taken +the sheep to water when it was near sunset, lost his way in the scrub, +and could not be found all night. Some thought he had fallen into the +hands of the aborigines who were closely watching us; and it was obvious +that had they got possession of our sheep, they could have annoyed us +very seriously, or indeed, destroyed the whole party. The night was very +dark, the sky having been overcast. Thermometer, at sunrise, 56°; at +noon, 61°; at 4 P.M., 60; at 9, 60. + +14TH AUGUST.--Drizzling rain this morning with an easterly wind, and high +barometer, reminded me of the coast rains of Sydney. At dawn, I sent +Yuranigh with one of the men, both being mounted, in search of the +shepherd, and they returned with him and the sheep about 8 A. M. He had +been found in full march to the eastward, where he never could have +fallen in with the party. His track, circling in all directions, had soon +been come upon by Yuranigh in the scrub. We then proceeded, and still +found a way clear of brigalow, which, once or twice during the day, +seemed almost to surround us. At about seven miles from where we had +encamped, we crossed the first discovered tributary from the S. W., and +at a mile further on, we fell in with our old track, travelled two miles +more along it, and then encamped beside a fine reach of the river. The +drizzling rain continued, and I hoped the ponds at the higher range, +towards which we were returning, might be replenished by still heavier +rain. An unpleasant smell prevailed every where this day, resembling that +from a kitchen sewer or sink. Whether it arose from the earth, or from +decayed vegetable matter upon it, I could not form any opinion; but it +was certainly very different from the fragrance produced by a shower in +other parts of New South Wales, even when it falls only on sunburnt +grass. It was equally new and unaccountable to Yuranigh. Two proteads, +probably GREVILLEAS, were found here.[*] + +[* The one with singularly thick, firm, and rigid leaves, a foot long, +linear attenuated at each extremity, pubescenti-sericeous, striated: the +other with white acerose leaves pinnated in two pairs. Both were large +forest trees, neither in flower nor in fruit.] + +15TH AUGUST.--We continued to return along the old track until we arrived +at Camp LXV., taking the direction of the river's general course, (7° E. +of S.). I travelled along its banks several miles, endeavouring to cut +off a detour we had previously described. The river, however, obliged me +to go so far to the westward, that I met with my former track, about +midway between the two camps. We soon left that track, crossing a strip +of brigalow and a rich grassy plain; beyond which, I found the river, and +encamped about 3 P.M., when the rain again came on, the morning having +been, until then, fair, although the sky was cloudy and overcast. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 57°; at noon, 64°; at 4 P.M., 66°; at 9, 60°;-- +with wet bulb, 58°. + +16TH AUGUST.--The sky still clouded, seemed to promise rain in the +country to which we were returning. We came to the channel of the main +river, after proceeding about three miles in the direction of a turn in +our route beyond next camp. The channel here was broad, and occasionally +filled with a good body of water. The bed was sandy, and in it grew a +tree with thin loose white bark, resembling that of the mimosa or tea- +tree of the colony; some of these trees were of large dimensions. There +also grew, in the sandy bed of this river, a new white-flowered +MELALEUCA, resembling M. ERICIFOLIA, but with long mucronate leaves[*]; +and, in the scrubby bank the STENOCHILUS BIGNONIOEFLORUS formed a willow- +like shrub fifteen feet high. We again came came upon our track where I +intended to hit it, although we had been retarded by brigalow scrub. We +thus left Camp LXIV. on the left, and finally again pitched our tents at +that of LXIII. Thermometer, at sunrise, 58°; at noon, 65; at 4 P.M., 63°; +at 9, 63°;--with wet bulb, 57°. + +[* M. TRICHOSTACHYA (Lindl. MS.); folsaepius oppositis linearibus planis +utrinque acutissimis, spicâ terminali laxiusculâ rachi pilosâ, calyce +glabro dentibus herbaceis, phalangibus polyandris ungue petalis +breviore.] + +17TH AUGUST.--The ground was covered in many parts with a lichen, the +product of the late rain, and which had no root in, nor attachment to, +the soil, but could be collected in handfuls, and lay quite loose in +heaps, or rather in a thick layer. I could not comprehend the origin of +this singular vegetable production, which might then have been gathered +in any quantity. The day was cool, cloudy, and pleasant. Fine round +clouds driving still from the eastward, with a high barometer (for this +of Bunten stood seven millimetres higher, than it did when we had been +formerly encamped on the same ground). On recrossing the great river from +S. W., we found more of the pea with large pods, it seemed to grow only +on the dry sand of the river bed. This was a most interesting river, and +I could have wished much to have explored it upwards, had the state of my +horses and provisions permitted. On its banks we had discovered various +rare trees and plants seen by us nowhere else; and the pea just +mentioned, which had, as Mr. Stephenson thought, valuable qualities as a +laxative medicine. The bed of the river was broad and sandy; the banks +were quite clear of brigalow or other scrubs, level, open, and in most +parts covered with luxuriant anthistiria and wild indigo. We arrived in +good time, the way being good, at Camp LXII., and there again established +ourselves for the night. It was an excellent spot for the purpose, having +plenty of water in rocky ponds, and abundance of grass, half green. The +wind lulled, and heavy clouds of stratus appeared in the east, towards +evening. Some stars were afterwards visible, and about 9 P. M., a wind +from the S.E. suddenly arose, but no rain fell. Thermometer, at sunrise, +55°; at noon, 71°; at 4 P. M., 74°; at 9, 68°;--with wet bulb, 62°. + +18TH AUGUST.--The mercurial column was lower this morning, and the sky +was overcast. No wind could be felt from any quarter. We moved off, at +our usual hour, 7 A. M. About nine, the western portion of the sky seemed +loaded with rain; the wind suddenly arose from S. W., and a heavy rain +began to fall steadily, to my great joy. The soil consisted of clay, +which clogged the wheels, nevertheless, we arrived, without much delay, +at a large lagoon, not much more than a mile short of Camp LXI., and +there, of necessity, encamped. The rain continued without intermission +until the evening, turning the surface around our tents into mud, almost +knee deep. Still I rejoiced in the prospect the rain afforded, of water +in the remaining part of our journey; the grand object of which was still +to be accomplished, namely, the discovery of an interior river, flowing +towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. Thermometer, at sunrise, 51°; at noon, +54°; at 4 P. M., 53°. + +19TH AUGUST.--The soft clay was still impassable, but the sun shone +brightly in the morning, and was likely soon to put a crust upon the +earth. The wind continued, however, in the same quarter, the S. W., and I +had thus a little leisure to mature my plan of farther exploration in +that interesting country, to the westward of the vale of Salvator Rosa. I +had ascertained that the whole of that fine country so named, and all the +gullies falling towards it, were on the seaward side of the dividing +range, if range there was. That, southward of the high ground under the +parallel of 24° or 25°, the fall of waters and of the whole country was +towards the south; whereas, northward of that parallel, the fall was so +decidedly in the very opposite direction, or northward, that the river we +had just explored extended across three degrees of latitude, descending +from a mean elevation of at least 2000 feet, to one of only 600 feet +above the sea. No river of any importance came from the westward; those +we had seen, coming from S. W. What then could be supposed, but that the +water-shed on that side was not far distant? Nor was it less reasonable +to expect to find beyond it, the heads of a river or rivers leading to +the Gulf of Carpentaria. In that nook, where it seemed that the spinal +range extended westward in the elongated direction of this great island, +and there probably separated from whatever high land extended northward +and formed a limit to the basin of the Belyando, was therefore, to be +sought the solution of this important geographical question; one result +of which would probably be, the discovery of a river falling towards the +north-west, to enter the Gulf of Carpentaria. The exploration of the +country to which we were returning was, therefore, of the most momentous +interest; and although our cattle were tired, and our time and provisions +almost exhausted (the sun being likely to approach the tropic line before +we could return to it), I was determined to carry the exploration so far, +with whatever means could be spared from the party, even had it been +necessary to have travelled on foot, or to have lived, like a native, on +opossums, in order to investigate that point. Thermometer, at sunrise, +45°; at noon, 63°; at 4 P. M., 63°; at 9, 47°;--with wet bulb, 44°. + +20TH AUGUST.--Heavy clouds promised more rain, but a crust had been +formed on the surface which enabled us to proceed. The day cleared up, +and we encamped within two miles of Camp LX.; much of the ground passed +over having been sandy and dry. We now found water in every hollow, a +great blessing brought by the rain, and affording some prospect of relief +from one great difficulty for some time to come. At 10 minutes past 10 +P.M. a very extraordinary meteor alarmed the camp, and awoke every man in +it. First, a rushing wind from the west shook the tents; next, a blaze of +light from the same quarter drew attention to a whirling mass, or +revolving ball of red light, passing to the southward. A low booming +sound, accompanied it, until it seemed to reach the horizon, after which +a sound like the report of a cannon was heard, and the concussion was +such that some tin pots, standing reversed on a cart-wheel, fell to the +ground, and the boat on the dray vibrated for some minutes. The sky was +very clear. Fahrenheit's thermometer 46°. + +21ST AUGUST.--Following our former route, the track led us through +hollows, formerly clear of the fallen brigalow, but now rendered +impassable by water, a new impediment. I was, however, most thankful for +the glorious abundance of that element, the want of which had hitherto +confined my route, and retarded the exploration of the country. We +cheerfully sought round-about ways to avoid these new ponds. Our journey +was accomplished very satisfactorily, having made two cuts to avoid the +former camp (LX.), which formed an angle in the route, and much bad +brigalow near Camp LIX., where we again encamped, for the sake of a piece +of good grassy plain near it. The weather was most pleasant, temperate, +and Englishlike, though we were still within the tropics. A sweet breeze +blew from the S. W., and the degree of temperature was between 50° and +60° of Fahrenheit, the most agreeable, I believe, of any, to the human +frame. There was abundance of water, and young grass was daily growing +higher; many trees were also beginning to blossom. We were retiring, +nevertheless, RE INFECTÂ, from these tropical regions, and I was +impatient to arrive at the great range once more, to resume my +explorations. At this camp, we found a plant, which was a wild carrot, +tasting exactly like parsley. The men did not like to eat it, from the +effects they had recently experienced from eating the large pea already +mentioned--violent vomiting and purging; but I had no doubt whatever, +that this carrot would have been found a good vegetable. The GEIJERA +PARVIFLORA again attracted attention, by the strong pungent odour of its +long narrow leaves; and we here observed the EREMOPHILA MITCHELLII, in +the form of a shrub, from ten to twelve feet high. Its wood was +remarkable from a perfume like roses. + +22D AUGUST.--The morning was beautiful, our way plainly marked and +sufficiently open, although it led wholly through a scrub for twelve +miles. Flowers, the product of the late rain, were beginning to deck the +earth, and water lodged in every hollow. We arrived early at Camp LVIII., +and encamped 300 yards beyond it, to be nearer to a plain of good grass. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 25°; at noon, 69°; at 4 P. M., 72°; at 9, 43°;-- +with wet bulb, 40°. + +23D AUGUST.--The route back to the next camp went too far to the +westward; and I therefore endeavoured to make a direct cut back to it. We +thus encountered much scrub, and twice crossed the river. A bank, or +berg, of water-worn pebbles, appeared on the west side of the river; and, +to the eastward, a hill was visible amongst the trees. The river channel +was full of water, and seemed to have been even running, with the late +rain. The whole journey was through scrub; but this was chiefly of +rosewood, which is not nearly so formidable an impediment as brigalow. We +encamped on the river bank before we got so far as Camp LVII., at a spot +where there was grass, the ground generally about that camp being very +bare, although a fresh spring was observable, which would soon alter the +case. At this camp I found, on a very low bush with a small leaf, +splendid specimens of the fruit of a CAPPARIS, in a dry state, containing +seeds. A crop of young fruit appeared also on the same bushes. This must +be a very different species from the C. MITCHELII; the bush seldom +exceeding the height and size of a gooseberry bush, although the fruit +was larger than that of the tree CAPPARIS, and of a more uniform size and +spherical shape. It seemed to grow only within the tropic. Thermometer, +at sunrise, 28°; at noon, 73°; at 4 P. M., 75°; at 9, 44°;--with wet +bulb, 41°. + +24TH AUGUST.--The fine grassy plain had afforded better food for our +horses and cattle, than they had seen for some time. Keeping along its +eastern side, I continued to travel until I fell in with our former +track; and in passing Camp LVII., I caused the letter T to be cut above +the letters N.S.W., to distinguish it as our first camp within the line +of Capricorn. I left the intertropical regions with feelings of regret; +the weather had favoured our undertaking, and water had become abundant. +The three last mornings had been frosty; the thermometer having stood on +these mornings at 25°, 28°, and 29°, respectively. Many interesting trees +and shrubs were just putting forth buds, of which we might never be able +to gather the flower for the botanist. We travelled from Camp LVII., +along our old track, to Camp LVI., in latitude 23° 31' 36" S.; and there +again set up our tents, having been exactly one month in the interior of +tropical Australia. A pigeon this day arose from her nest in the grass +near our route, and Yuranigh found in it two full fledged young ones. +These being of that sort of pigeon preferable to all others for the +table, GEOPHAPS SCRIPTA, we took this pair in hopes it might be possible +to bring them up, and, perhaps, to obtain from them a domestic brood. +This bird seemed to have the shortest beak of all the pigeon tribe, and +flew more clumsily than others. It had three streaks of white about the +head, assimilating it to the poultry class; and in building on the +ground, it afforded another indication of its resemblance to our domestic +birds. The flesh is very white, firm, yet tender. It is, perhaps, the +most delicate of all birds. Thermometer, at sunrise, 29°; at noon, 75°; +at 4 P.M., 76°; at 9, 46°;--with wet bulb, 42°. + +25TH AUGUST.--The former route to this camp having been very crooked from +following the course of the river amongst brigalow scrub, I set out on +the bearing of the next camp, and reached it by travelling in a straight +line, without much impediment, having found tolerably open ground. The +blue summits of mountains appearing again above the trees, were welcome +to our eyes; and Mounts Beaufort and Mudge reminded me of the Persian +proverb, "The conversation of a friend brighteneth the eyes." We encamped +a mile on, from Camp LV., for the sake of better grass than we had left +formerly at that camp. The hills adjacent consisted of gravel; and +amongst the large water-worn pebbles, of which it consisted, I found +basalt and trachite, neither of which rocks had been detected by me +amongst the gravel of the basin of the Darling. Thermometer, at sunrise, +48°; at noon, 76°; at 4 P.M., 77°; at 9, 52°;--with wet bulb, 47°. + +26TH AUGUST.--After cutting off an angle in the old track, and so +shortening the way about a mile, we pursued it back to Camp LIV.; which +spot we again occupied for the night. The horses were leg-weary; but I +could spare no time for rest, otherwise than by making the daily journies +short, until we could return to the foot of the dividing ranges. One of +the young pigeons was found nearly dead this morning; but Yuranigh, by +chafing and warming it by the fire, soon recovered it. The thermometer +had been as low as 38°; but the birds had been kept in a box well covered +with wool, and also by canvas. On the hill, southward of this camp, I +found one tree, of the remarkable kind mentioned, as having been first +seen by Mr. Stephenson, near Mount Mudge. Thermometer, at sunrise, 37°; +at noon, 80°; at 4 P.M., 81°; at 9, 44°;--with wet bulb, 40°. + +27TH AUGUST.--On reaching a difficult place for the passage of carts +along the rocky margin of the river, we took a new direction, more to the +right, crossing the clear hill, from which, on the 23d July, I had a view +of the mountains to the eastward. Then descending, we came upon plains of +firm clay, whereon grew some trees of ACACIA PENDULA. The rock in the +hills seemed calcarious, and on a detached slab of ferruginous sandstone, +I saw a more perfect specimen of ripple marks than I had ever seen +elsewhere, except on the sea-beach. + +I had now an opportunity of observing, in the hills forming a low range +on my right, or to the westward, that their stratification dipped toward +the east, at an angle of about 25° with the horizon; on which side those +slopes did not exceed that angle, whereas on the westward, they presented +abrupt, precipitous sides, each terminating in two steep sides, forming +an angle at the highest point. We encamped on a fine plain on the east +side of that range, but westward of the river (beyond which lay our +former route), and we found water in a lagoon a quarter of a mile +eastward of our camp; also, in a mountain rivulet two miles south of the +camp, coming from near Mount Beaufort, and some, very clear, was found in +a rocky gully immediately westward of our camp. Still, the bed of the +main channel was dry, and we had been obliged to seek for the water +before it was found in these several directions. Thermometer, at sunrise, +41°; at noon, 79; at 4 P.M., 82°; at 9, 48°;--with wet bulb 39°. + +28TH AUGUST.--The cattle were well refreshed by the grass on the plain: a +fresh growth was now apparent in it. We continued to travel due southward +over the plain, and through a brigalow scrub beyond it, until we crossed, +for the last time, the little river that had led us so far astray. Just +beyond it, we joined our old track, at about five miles short of Camp +LIII., to which we proceeded, and where we again encamped, although the +pond we formerly found there had dried up. We afterwards found a good +supply, at a lagoon about half a mile lower down; from which a little dog +of mine (called Procyon), had come out wet, and so made it known to us. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 40°; at noon, 81°; at 4 P.M., 76°; at 9, 49°;-- +with wet bulb, 41°. + +29TH AUGUST.--Continuing along the old track, we this day quitted the +basin of the Belyando, and ascended those grassy slopes, and that range, +which I had formerly taken to be the water-shed of the coast rivers. We +thus crossed to the basin of another eastern river, the Nog; and, in +quitting that of the Belyando, I have to observe, that like most other +Australian rivers, it maintained a peculiar character throughout its +course, with great uniformity, even after it received tributaries +apparently larger than itself. All these lapsed into the same +concatenated line of ponds; at one place, spreading amidst brigalow +scrub, at another, forming one well-defined deep channel. For the +formation of ponds, and the retention of water, in so dry a climate, we +see here something between the ordinary character of rivers, and +artificial works which man must construct, when population may spread +into these regions. The fallen timber of the brigalow decays very slowly, +and is not liable to be burnt, like most other dead wood in open forests, +because no grass grows amongst the brigalow, as in open forests. The +accumulations of dead logs become clogged with river rack and the deposit +of floods; to which floods these heaps present obstructions, forcing the +waters into new channels, and, in their progress, scooping out new ponds, +and completing the embankment of dead logs; which thus form natural dams +and reservoirs to hold, under the shade of the brigalow trees, more water +for a longer time than any single river channel could retain, however +sluggish its course. Thus it was, that during a season of unusual +drought, we had found abundance in this river's course, across nearly 3½ +degrees of latitude. The fallen brigalow presents awkward obstructions to +wheel carriages; and, as the river spreads into broad plains, and is very +favourable to the growth of brigalow, the difficulty of travelling along +this river is greatest, where its waters are most scattered. Experience +has taught us, in such cases, to endeavour to follow the river channel as +closely as possible (the general course being very straight); and thus, +open grassy spots and small plains are frequently met with, beyond which +nothing could be distinguished, and from which it is safest to go forward +in the known general course of the chain of ponds. We again encamped +under Mount Mudge, where I perceived that a projecting portion of white +rock on the summit, had fallen since I had stood upon it; and that the +avalanche of rock had strewed the woody side of the mountain with white +fragments down to the very base. In the sheltered ravine below, a curious +new CASSIA formed a shrub six feet high.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 39°; +at noon, 70°; at 4 P.M., 82°; at 9, 56°;--with wet bulb, 50°. + +[* C. ZYGOPHYLLA (Benth. MS.) glabra vel pube tenuissimâ subcanescens, +foliolis unijugis linearibus planis crassis, glandula inter foliola parva +depressa, racemis petiolo brevioribus 2-4-floris.--Near C. NEMOPHILA +Cunn.; but there appear never to be more than one pair of leaflets, the +plant is smoother, the leaflets longer, and the glands different.] + +30TH AUGUST.--The old track guided the party, while I preceded it to +sketch one or two landscapes. A fine breeze blew from the northward, and +goodly clouds seemed to promise rain. I completed my drawings before the +arrival of the carts; and on their coming up I conducted them to a spot +where we encamped, on the left bank of the creek, or opposite to camp +LI., being resolved to seek a better and more direct way to the plains, +than that down the bed of Balmy Creek, which we formerly found so +difficult. As soon as I had chosen a spot for the tents, I took a ride, +accompanied by Mr. Stephenson and Yuranigh, to explore the ravines +eastward of that of Balmy Creek, and which led in a more direct line +towards the plains of the Claude. We found the precipices in this +direction much lower. After riding a few miles, we could ride up one of +the points, and following the ridge we had ascended (which was thickly +covered with brigalow), we at length got to an open forest, and once more +saw the open plains before us. In returning, I selected, with Yuranigh's +able assistance, a smaller valley, by which I hoped to succeed in +conducting the carts next day, so as to avoid the ascent of the brigalow +range. The barometer at this camp had fallen ten millimetres lower than +the point at which the mercury stood formerly at the adjacent camp +(marked LI.). By the side of the water-course, we found the ACACIA +DORATOXYLON and also the ACACIA CONFERTA. The valley was gay with the +ultramarine blue flowers of a new species of HOVEA[*]; and on rich soil +we saw also the PODOLEPIS ACUMINATA? D. C. A shrub with long curved +leaves and singular zigzag stems, was ascertained to be the ACACIA +MACRADENIA, a very striking new species; and on Balmy Creek we found also +a new BOSSIOEA, with deep red flowers.[**] Thermometer, at sunrise, 59°; +at noon, 83°; at 4 P.M., 81°; at 9, 62°; with wet bulb, 54°. + +[* H. LEIOARPA (Benth. MS.) fruticosa, foliis anguste oblongis +sublanceolatisve integerrimis subtus reticulatis pubescentibus, venis +primariis obliquis, pedicellis in pedunculo brevissimo axillari +subgeminis calyce longioribus, calyce adpresse tomentoso, legumine +glaberrimo.--Not unlike some forms of H. LANCEOLATA, but readily +distinguished, besides the shorter leaves, by the smooth fruit and the +veins of the leaves, which diverge from the midrib at a very acute +instead of a right angle.] + +[** B. CARINALIS (Benth. MS.) ramulis teretibus puberulis foliosis, +foliis subsessilibus subcordato-ovatis acutiusculis puberulis, pedicello +calyce paullo breviore, corollae alis vexillo longioribus carinâ multo +brevioribus.--The same remarkable proportion of the petals may be seen in +an unpublished species gathered by Fraser on the Brisbane river.] + +31ST AUGUST.--Some heavy showers fell during the night, and in the +morning the sky was wholly overcast. We crossed various formidable +gullies, and travelled some way down the bed of Balmy Creek, then +ascending by the valley through which I yesterday penetrated in my ride, +we travelled southward in a tolerably direct line through the valley up +to its highest heads, from one of which we contrived to draw up carts and +drays along three traverses, formed by nature on the face of a rocky +slope. Above this, we found a plateau of flowering shrubs, chiefly new +and strange, so that Mr. Stephenson was soon loaded like a market +gardener. He had found in the hollow of the little gulley by which we +ascended a variety of ACACIA DECORA with leaves shorter that usual; the +CASSIA ZYGOPHYLLA, a very curious new species; and the BERTYA OLEOEFOLIA, +a shrub three feet high, with green flowers. On the top of the plateau +grew a singular dwarf shrub, loaded with yellow flowers, and covered by +strong sharp leaves resembling the curved blade of a penknife. It has +been ascertained by Mr. Bentham to be an Acacia, referable to his ACACIA +TRIPTERA. A little upright bush, with glandular leaves smelling strongly +of thyme, proved to be a new PROSTANTHERA.[*] The beautiful ACACIA DECORA +appeared as a shrub four feet high; the DODONOEA NOBILIS was just forming +its fruit; the DODONOEA VESTITA was also there; the white flowered +MYOPORUM CUNNINGHAMI with its viscid branches, formed a bush about four +feet high: PITTOSPORUM LANCEOLATUM was a shrub about three feet high, +with yellow flowers; and here we met in abundance with the beautiful +TECOMA OXLEYI, a kind of Bignonia, loaded with yellowishwhite flowers. + +[* P. ODORATISSIMA (Benth. MS.) viscoso-puberula foliis linearibus +sublanceolatisve obtusissimis paucidentatis integrisve crassis ad axillas +fasciculatis, floribus paucis axillaribus subsessilibus, calycis labiis +integris inferiore minore, antherarum calcare longiore loculum +superante.--Near P. ASPALATHOIDES: leaves two or three lines long, +remarkably thick. Calyx strongly ribbed. The specimens found were past +flower, having only a few fragments remaining of the corolla and stamens. +The whole plant appears very viscid and retains when dry a very strong +smell of thyme.] + +There ended all our troubles with the sandstone gullies, for we soon +entered open forests, and crossed a grassy valley gently sloping to the +eastward, in whose bosom we found a fine deep rocky pond. Beyond that +valley we arrived at open downs of the richest soil, and of an extent not +to be embraced by the eye at any one point of view. The finest sorts of +grass were fast springing up, and curious herbs were beginning to shoot +from the rich alluvium in the vallies. We encamped on these downs, about +ten miles from our former camp by the Claude, XLIX. + +1ST SEPTEMBER.--The morning clear and frosty; Thermometer 25°. All +prospects of rain had vanished "into thin air." The scene now around us +was as different as could well be imagined, from that which surrounded us +at the same hour yesterday. As we proceeded, we crossed a hill quite +clear of trees, which commanded a view over an extent of similar country, +large enough for a county. The broken summits, just appearing above the +placid horizon of undulating downs, had formerly looked like a range to +us, and were certainly highly ornamental to the scenery; but no stranger +could have supposed these features to have been only the highest parts of +such a broken sandstone country as that from which we had just emerged. +The plains, or rather, I should say, downs, for they were nowhere level +but everywhere gently undulating, were first seen in white streaks high +above us, when we first perceived them through the scrubs. These downs +consisted of the richest sort of black mould, on which grew luxuriantly, +ANTHISTIRIA and PANICUM LOEVINODE. But the surface in general was loose, +resembling that of a field after it had lain long in fallow. Herbs in +great variety were just emerging from the recently watered earth, and the +splendid morning did ample justice to the vernal scene. The charm of a +beginning seemed to pervade all nature, and the songs of many birds +sounded like the orchestral music before the commencement of any +theatrical performance. Such a morning, in such a place, was quite +incompatible with the brow of care. Here was an almost boundless extent +of the richest surface in a latitude corresponding to that of China, yet +still uncultivated and unoccupied by man. A great reserve, provided by +nature for the extension of his race, where economy, art, and industry +might suffice to people it with a peaceful, happy, and contented +population. + +These plains are much higher than the sandstone ravines, and the soil +contains not only pebbles, but angular fragments of the knots and fibres +of wood in a silicified state, and much encrusted with chalcedony. The +component parts of the sandstone in the gullies resemble those of a sea +beach. These fragments of fossil wood in rich soils of plains or downs +above formations of sandstone, are found in various parts of Australia, +and I have seen fossil wood from similar plains in Tasmania. The fossil +wood of such plains has no appearance of having been exposed to fire. The +ACACIA PENDULA grows on the skirts of them, and indicates a salsolaceous +soil. These circumstances are obvious to everybody, but no geologist has +yet explained to us the causes of such changes as may have produced that +rich black mould, on which trees, now silicified, formerly grew; or these +wide plains and downs of rich earth, above a red sandstone formation. One +has called the interior of Australia a "dry seabottom;" but this phrase +admits of no easy application to such cases as these. Fragments of a +ferruginous conglomerate of water-worn pebbles, apparently identical with +those in the basin of the Darling, in some places accompany these angular +fragments of fossil wood. We found this day a new ERIOSTEMON allied to E. +BREVIFOLIUM, with small knobby fleshy leaves[*]; also a fine new shrubby +EURYBIA.[**] Scattered plants of BOSSIOEA RHOMBIFOLIA also appeared in +the adjacent gullies; and LORANTHUS SUBFALCATUS (Hook), was parasitical +on trees. We encamped on the margin of the rich plain N. of Camp XLIX, +and about a mile distant from it, our draught oxen being very weak and +leg-weary. Thermometer, at sunrise, 25°; at noon, 67°; at 4 P.M., 73°; at +9, 44°;--with wet bulb, 40°. + +[* E. RHOMBEUM (Lindl. MS.); ramulis pubescentibus, foliis carnosis +obtuse rhombeis revolutis subtus glabris, pedicellis terminalibus +unifloris tomentosis foliis brevioribus, staminibus pilosis.] + +[* E. SUBSPICATA (Hook. MS.); foliis linearibus obtusis supra glabris +subtus ramisque albo-tomentosis, corymbis terminalibus spiciformibus, +involucri squamis lineari-oblongis albis apice viridipunctatis.] + +2D SEPTEMBER.--We recrossed the perfectly level plain formerly mentioned. +We found, on reaching the Claude, that our bridge, then made, had been +much damaged by a flood. The little river was still running, and it was +cheering to learn thus, that rain had fallen at its sources, beyond +which, I had still much to do. We lost no time in repairing our bridge, +so that all things were got across safely. We ascended the undulating +downs along our old track, and where many curious specimens of trees in +flint, lay mixed with the rich black mould. I observed that no entire +sections of trunks were cylindrical, all appearing to have been +compressed so as to present a diameter of two to one. Yuranigh brought me +one specimen which he said was "pine;" (Callitris), which so far +confirmed what has hitherto been observed of the coniferous character of +Australian fossil woods; but, from the appearance of other specimens, I +am not at all convinced that these fossils are all of that description. I +left these beautiful regions with feelings of regret, that the direct +route to the gulf, could not be carried through them. I was rather at a +loss for names of reference to these parts. I had given the name of +Claude to the river; and it occurred to me, that the scenery of the +Mantuan bard, which this painter has so finely illustrated with pastoral +subjects, deserved a congenial name; and that this country might, +therefore, be distinguished by that of the Mantuan Downs and Plains. +About half-way through our former stage, I found water in ponds which had +been formerly dry; and there we encamped, our animals being almost +exhausted. It is one redeeming quality of brigalow scrub, that water is +to be found within its recesses, at times when all other channels or +sources are dry; the soil in which it grows being stiff, retentive, and +usually bare of vegetation. Thermometer at sunrise, 28°; at noon, 73°; at +4 P.M., 78°; at 9, 47°;--with wet bulb, 42°. + +3D SEPTEMBER.--Another morning worthy of "Eden in her earliest hour." The +thermometer 31° at day-break, with a little dew. The notes of the magpie +or GYMNORHINA, resounded through the shady brigalow, and the rich browns +and reddish greens of that prolific bush contrasted with its dense grey +shades, were very beautiful. We found the Nogoa much in the same state as +when we left it. No flood had come down the channel of that river. The +tracks of the feet of many natives were visible along the old route, and +bushes had been burnt all along the line; but it is remarkable that in no +case had they injured or defaced the letters and numerals marked on trees +at the various camps, nor disturbed our temporary bridges. We cut our way +through a scrub of brigalow, thus passing camps XLVIII., XLVII., and +XLVI., encamping at a short distance from the latter of these places. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 31°; at noon, 74°; at 4 P. M., 75°; at 9, 52°; +with wet bulb, 40°. + +4TH SEPTEMBER.--The surrounding grass, and also the reeds in the lake, +had been very extensively burnt along our former tracks, and a green crop +was springing to the great gratification and refreshment of our cattle. +Formerly this splendid valley appeared to be uninhabited, but this day, +proofs were not wanting that it was too charming a spot of earth to be +left so. In proceeding over an open part of the plains bordering the +river, we perceived a line of about twelve or fourteen natives before +they had observed us. Through my glass, I saw they were painted red about +the face, and that there were females amongst them. They halted on seeing +us, but some soon began to run, while two very courageously and +judiciously took up a position on each side of a reedy swamp, evidently +with the intention of covering the retreat of the rest. The men who ran +had taken on their backs the heavy loads of the gins, and it was rather +curious to see long-bearded figures stooping under such loads. Such an +instance of civility, I had never before witnessed in the Australian +natives towards their females; for these men appeared to carry also some +of the uncouth-shaped loads like mummies. The two acting as a rear guard +behaved as if they thought we had not the faculty of sight as well as +themselves, and evidently believed that by standing perfectly still, and +stooping slowly to a level with the dry grass, when we passed nearest to +them, they could deceive us into the idea that they were stumps of burnt +trees. After we had passed, they were seen to enter the brigalow, and +make ahead of us; by which movement I learnt that part of the tribe was +still before us. Some time afterwards, we overtook that portion when +crossing an open interval of the woods; they made for the scrub on seeing +us. Meanwhile columns of smoke ascended in various directions before us, +and two natives beyond the river, were seen to set up a great blaze +there. To the westward of the beautifully broken rocky woody range beyond +Lake Salvator, a dense smoke also arose, and continued until evening; +thus adding much sublimity to the effect of a gorgeous sunset, which +poured its beams through the smoke between the rocky pinnacles, as I sat +drawing the scene at my camp by the lake, two miles northward of XLV. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 26°; at noon, 67°; at 4 P.M., 65°; at 9, 39°;-- +with wet bulb, 32°. + +5TH SEPTEMBER.--The cooler air reminded us that we had returned to a more +elevated region than that on the Belyando. This morning heavy clouds of +cumulostratus promised more rain, and gave a cool day for the last effort +of the jaded animals, which the driver doubted could not be driven much +farther. I cut off all the roundabouts and steep pulls, where this could +be done, by laying logs across such gullies as we were obliged to cross. +We thus saw more of the river and its romantic scenery, which well +deserved the name of a painter. No natives, nor columns of smoke, were +seen this day; and I concluded that they concentrated the tribe +yesterday, and had departed this morning. We finally took up a very snug +position near the pyramids, in the very gorge of the mountain valley by +which we had approached this country; camp XLVI. being within sight, and +the swamp with the spring, at the foot of this hill on which we now +encamped, as a camp of occupation during my intended absence, on an +excursion with horses only, to the north-west. The genial influence of +spring had already induced many plants to show their colours, which had +formerly been passed by us unnoticed. In the sandy soil, grew the purple- +flowered CHLOANTHES STOECHADIS; THE ACACIA CUNNINGHAMII; the pink- +flowered CRYPTANDRA PROPINQUA; and a species of CALYTRIX; these two +forming small shrubs, the latter from four to six feet high. A very +handsome new BORONIA, with large white and red downy flowers, here first +appeared in the open forest.[*] The rocks were partly covered with a +small white-flowered shrub, which proved to be a new species of +LEPTOSPERMUM allied to L. PUBESCENS, but perfectly distinct.[**] At the +foot of them, was found the AOTUS MOLLIS, a little hoary bush, with +yellow black flowers; a santalaceous plant like CHORETRUM, forming a tree +fifteen or twenty feet high: the CALLITRIS GLAUCA or CUPRESSUS GLAUCA of +ALL. CUNN. (in Hook. Herb.). A small tree, about twenty-five feet high, +proved to be a new species of Acacia, or possibly a variety of A. +CUNNINGHAMII, but handsomer, with larger phyllodia, longer spikes of +flowers, and everywhere clothed with a soft velvety pubescence.[***] +Thermometer, at sunrise, 33°; at noon, 68°; at 4 P. M., 64°; at 9, 40°;-- +with wet bulb, 31°. + +[* B. ERIANTHA (Lindl. MS.); foliis pinnatis cum impari 1-3-jugis, +foliolis glaberrimis linearibus retusis emarginatisque laevibus, +pedunculis solitariis unifloris axillaribus foliis brevioribus, sepalis +triangularibus glabris, petalis tomentosis, staminibus 8.] + +[** L. SERICATUM (Lindl. MS.); foliis obovatis linearibus planis obtusis +aveniis impunctatis utrinque sericeis, calycibus tomentosis dentibus +acutis persistentibus.] + +[*** A. LONGISPICATA (Benth. MS.) pube brevi mollissima vestita, ramulis +elevato-angulatis, phyllodiis amplis falcatis utrinque angustatis +subcoriaceis tenuiter striato-multinervibus nervis 3-5 validioribus, +spicis elongato-cylindricis densis, calyce dentato corolla 2-3-plo +breviore, ovario villoso.] + + + +Chapter VII. + +PREPARATIONS FOR A RIDE TO THE NORTH-WEST.--DESPATCH LEFT WITH THE PARTY +STATING WHAT HAD BEEN DONE.--ASCEND EAST SHOULDER OF MOUNT PLUTO.-- +PASSAGE TO THE WESTWARD.--NAME OF THE WARREGASCERTAINED.--THE RIVER +NIVE.--ITS COURSE TURNS SOUTHWARD.--CROSS A LOW RANGE.--PLAINS OF THE +VICTORIA DISCOVERED.--EXTENSIVE DOWNS TRAVERSED.--RIVER SPREADS INTO +VARIOUS CHANNELS.--TRIBUTARIES JOIN IT FROM THE N. E. OR RIGHT BANK.--THE +RIVER ALICE.--NATIVE CAMP.--A TRIBE SURPRISED WHILE BATHING.--LOWEST +POINT OF THE RIVER REACHED.--RETURN BY THE LEFT BANK.--TRIBUTARIES FROM +THE SOUTH.--GOWEN RANGE.--ENTER OUTWARD TRACK.--PROVISIONS EXHAUSTED.-- +ASCEND WEST SHOULDER OF MOUNT PLUTO.--RETURN TO THE CAMP AT THE +PYRAMIDS.--NEW PLANTS COLLECTED THERE DURING MY ABSENCE. + +6TH AND 7TH SEPTEMBER.--It being necessary to rest and refresh the horses +for a few days before setting out with the freshest of them, all being +leg-weary, I determined to halt here four clear days; and during these +two, I completed my maps, and took a few rough sketches of scenery within +a few miles of the camp. The whole of the grass had been assiduously +burnt by the natives, and a young crop was coming up. This rendered the +spot more eligible for our camp, both because the young grass was highly +relished by the cattle, and because no dry grass remained to be set fire +to, which, in the case of any hostility on the part of the natives, is +usually the first thing they do. Thermometer, at sunrise, 33°; at noon, +68°; at 4 P.M., 64°; at 9, 40°;--with wet bulb, 31°. + +8TH AND 9TH SEPTEMBER.--I employed my time these two days in writing a +despatch to the governor of New South Wales, giving a detailed account of +my proceedings and discoveries down to the present time; that in the +event of any misfortune befalling me or the very small party now to +accompany me, this despatch should be forthcoming, as I intended to leave +it at this depôt camp. On the 8th, heavy clouds gathered over us, and a +fine heavy shower fell, a circumstance most auspicious for our intended +ride; but it was of brief duration; and, although the sky continued +overcast even until the evening of the 9th, no rain fell, in sufficient +quantity to fill the water-courses. It was, however, enough to produce +dew for some mornings to come. Thermometer, at sunrise of the 8th, 53°; +at noon, 55°; at 4 P. M., 57°; at 9, 50°;--with wet bulb, 46°; and at +sunrise of the 9th, 39°; at noon, 77°; at 4 P.M., 70°; at 9, 52°;--with +wet bulb, 45°. + +10TH SEPTEMBER.--I set out on a fine clear morning, with two men and +Yuranigh mounted, and leading two pack-horses carrying my sextant, false +horizon, and a month's provisions. Returning, still up the valley, along +our old track to Camp XLIII., I there struck off to the S.W., following +up a similar valley, which came down from that side. This valley led very +straight towards Mount Pluto, the nearest of the three volcanic cones, +which I had already intersected from various points. The other two I had +named Mount Hutton and Mount Playfair. These three hills formed an +obtuse-angled triangle, whereof the longest side was to the north-west, +and, therefore, I expected that there the elevated land might be found to +form an angle somewhat corresponding with the directions of the two +shorter sides; in which case, it was probable that, to the westward of +such an angle in the range, I might find what had been so long the object +of these researches, viz., a river flowing to the Gulf of Carpentaria. We +reached Mount Pluto, at the distance given by my former observations as +far as could be ascertained by the mode of measurement I employed then; +which was by counting my horse's paces. On ascending the mountain on +foot, I found a deep chasm still between me and the western summit, which +was not only the highest, but the only part clear of bushes. A thick and +very thorny scrub had already so impeded my ascent, that the best portion +of the afternoon was gone, before I could return to the horses; and I +resolved, therefore, to continue my ride, and to defer the ascent and +observation of angles from the summit, until my return from the unknown +western country, which we were about to explore; the search for water +that night being an object of too much importance to be longer deferred. +We, accordingly, passed on by the southward and westward of the mountain, +following a watercourse, which led first N. W., then north, and next E. +of N.; to where it at length joined one from the west, up which I turned, +and continued the search for water until darkness obliged us to halt. +During that search for water, my horse fell with me into a deep hole, so +concealed and covered with long grass, that we both wholly disappeared +from those following; and yet, strange to say, without either of us being +in the least hurt. We encamped where there was, at least, good grass; +but--no water. + +11TH SEPTEMBER.--Within 400 yards of the spot where we had slept, we +found a small pond. The water was of that rich brown tint so well known +to those with whom water is most precious, and to whom, after long +custom, clear water seems, like some wines, to want body. Here we had +breakfast, and we took also a bagful of water[*] with us. This timely +supply relieved me from the necessity for following up the windings of +some water-course; and I could proceed in a straight direction, westward. +We passed, at first, through rather thick scrub, until, at length, I +perceived a sharp pic before me, which I ascended. It consisted of trap +rock, as did also the range to which it belonged, being rather a lateral +feature thereof. Mount Hutton, Mount Pluto, and Mount Playfair, were all +visible from it, as were also Mounts Owen and Faraday. The connections +extended westward; for to the W.N.W. the broken cliffs at the head of the +Salvator and the Claude, were not very distant, and these I was careful +to avoid. A range immediately westward of this cone, was higher than it, +and extended from Mount Playfair. To cross that range at its lowest part, +which bore 26° W. of S., was our next object. We found the range covered +with brigalow and other still more impervious scrubs. On the crest, the +rock consisted of clay ironstone. The centigrade thermometer stood, at +noon, at 30° 5' equal to 87°, of Fahrenheit; the height above the sea we +made 2032 feet. Beyond this crest, we encountered a scrub of matted +vines, which hung down like ropes, and pulled some of us off our horses, +when it happened that any of these ropes were not observed in time in +riding through the thicket. A very dense forest of young Callitris trees +next impeded us, and were more formidable than even the vines. The day +was passed in forcing our way through these various scrubs, the ground +declining by a gentle slope only. We next found firmer soil underfoot, +that where the Callitris scrub grew having been sandy, and we saw at +length, with a feeling of relief, that only brigalow scrub was before us; +we ascended gravelly hills, came upon a dry water-course, and then on a +chain of ponds. Near one of these ponds, sate an old woman, beside a +fire, of course, although the weather was very warm; and a large net, +used for taking emus, hung on a brigalow bush close by. The men were +absent, looking for food, as we partly conjectured, for little could +Yuranigh make out of what she said, besides the names of some rivers, to +which I could point with the hand. I was surprised to find that here, the +name for water was "Narran," the name for it in the district of the +Balonne being "Nadyeen," whereas the word for water amongst the tribes of +the Darling is Kalli. That the "Narran" river and swamp are named from +this language of tribes now dwelling much further northward, seems +obvious; and, as the natives on the Darling know little of the "Narran" +or its swamp, it may be inferred that there the migration of native +tribes has been progressive from south to north; the highest known land +in Australia being also to the southward of the Darling. The chain of +ponds, according to the old woman, was named "Cùnno," and ran into the +"Warreg" which, as she pointed, was evidently the name of the river we +had formerly traced downwards from near Mount P. P. King. I left the +"Cùnno," and plunged into the brigalow to the northward, thus crossing a +slightly elevated range, where we found a little water-course falling +N.N.W. By following this downwards, we found water in it, as twilight +grew obscure, and gladly halted beside it for the night, in latitude 25° +S. + +[* A thick flour-bag covered outside with melted mutton-fat.] + +12TH SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. the thermometer was 59°; our height then above +the sea has been ascertained to have been 1787 feet. Continuing to follow +down the brigalow creek, we found that it joined a chain of ponds running +N.E., and these we traced in the contrary direction, or upwards, as far +as seemed desirable. We struck off from that water-course, first to the +N.W., then to the W., arriving soon at a steep low ridge of clay +ironstone, which was covered thick with brigalow. We crossed that low +ridge, and, at a distance of about a mile and a half beyond, met another +acclivity still more abrupt and stony. This we also ascended, and found +upon it a "malga" scrub: the "malga" being a tree having hard spiky dry +branches, which project like fixed bayonets, to receive the charge of +ourselves, horses, and flour-bags; but all which formidable array we +nevertheless successfully broke through, and arrived at the head of a +rocky gully, falling N.W. Down this, however, we attempted in vain to +pass, and in backing out we again faced the "malga," until, seeing a flat +on the right, I entered it, and there fell in with the water-course +again. It led us many miles, generally in a N.W. direction, and contained +some fine ponds, and entered, at length, a little river, whose banks were +thickly set with large yarra trees. The general course of this river was +W.N.W., until it was joined by one coming from the N., and at the +junction there was a deep broad pond of clear water. At this we watered +our horses, and passed on to encamp under some rocky hills, three +quarters of a mile to the N.N.W. of that junction, in latitude 24° 52' +50" S. The temperature at noon this day, on the highest part of the ridge +we crossed, was 84°; the height there above the sea, 1954 feet; and at 3 +P.M., in channel of water-course, the thermometer stood at 89°; the +height there above the sea being 1778 feet. + +13TH SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. the thermometer stood at 38°; the height above +the sea was found to be 1659 feet. I verily believed that THIS river +would run to Carpentaria, and I called it the Nive, at least as a +conventional name until the native name could be ascertained, in +commemoration of Lord Wellington's action on the river of that name; and, +to the tributary from the north, I gave the name of Nivelle. Pursuing the +united channel downwards, we traversed fine open grassy plains. The air +was fragrant from the many flowers then springing up, especially where +the natives had burnt the grass. Among them were MORGANIA GLABRA; +EREMOPHILA MITCHELLII; a singular little POLYGONUM with the aspect of a +TILLOEA; two very distinct little FRANKENIAS[*], and a new scabrous +HALORAGIS with pinnatifid leaves.[**] The extensive burning by the +natives, a work of considerable labour, and performed in dry warm +weather, left tracts in the open forest, which had become green as an +emerald with the young crop of grass. These plains were thickly imprinted +with the feet of kangaroos, and the work is undertaken by the natives to +attract these animals to such places. How natural must be the aversion of +the natives to the intrusion of another race of men with cattle: people +who recognise no right in the aborigines to either the grass they have +thus worked from infancy, nor to the kangaroos they have hunted with +their fathers. No, nor yet to the emus they kill FOR their fathers ONLY; +these birds being reserved, or held sacred, for the sole use of the old +men and women! + +[* F. SCABRA (Lindl. MS.); undique scabro-tomentosa, foliis linearibus +margine revolutis non ciliatis, floribus solitariis pentameris, calycibus +patentim pilosis. F. SERPYLLIFOLIA (Lindl. MS.); tomentosa hispida, +foliis oblongis planis longè ciliatis, floribus solitariis subcapitatis +pentameris, calycibus patentim hispidis.] + +[** H. ASPERA (Lindl. MS.) caule angulato foliis fructuque scabris, +foliis alternis oppositisque linearibus acutis apice pinnatifidis, +floribus distanter spicatis monoicis pendulis, stigmatibus plumosis, +fructu subgloboso.] + +The river pursued a course to the southward of west for nine miles, but +it turned afterwards southward, eastward, and even to the northward of E. +After tracing it thus twenty-two miles, without seeing any water in its +bed (which was broad, but every where choked with sand), we were obliged +to encamp, and endure this privation after a very warm and laborious day. +Where the natives obtained water themselves, quite puzzled Yuranigh, for +we passed by spacious encampments of theirs, and tracts they had set fire +to, where trees still lay smoking. + +14TH SEPTEMBER.--The temperature at 7 this morning was 72° of Fahrenheit; +the height above the sea, of the river bed, as subsequently determined by +Captain King, 1470 feet. With the earliest light, I had laid down my +survey of this river, by which the course appeared to have turned towards +the S.E. This not being what was desired, I took a direct northerly +course through the scrub, towards a hill on the left bank, whence I had +seen, on our way down, a rocky gap to the N.W. in a brigalow range. After +a ride of eight miles, by which we cut off the grand curve in the river's +course, we arrived at this hill. I hoped to have found water near the +spot, in a sharp turn in the river which I had not examined, and near +which, on the day before, I had seen two emus, under a bank covered with +brigalow scrub. Nor was I disappointed, for after finding traces of a +recent current into the river-bed at that point, I discovered, at less +than a hundred yards up, a fine pond of precious OPAL--I mean not +crystal, but that fine bluey liquid which I found always so cool and +refreshing when it lay on clay in the shady recesses of brigalow scrubs, +a beverage much more grateful to our taste than the common "crystal +spring." Here, then, we watered our impatient horses, and enjoyed a wash +and breakfast--the men (two old soldiers) being D'ACCORD in one sentiment +of gratitude to a bountiful Providence for this water. Like "a giant +refreshed with wine," we next set out for the gap to the north-west, and +passed through an open brigalow scrub, ascending very gradually, during a +ride of three miles, to where I at length could discover that the fall +was in the other direction. At this point, I observed the barometer, +which indicated our height above the sea to be 1812 feet. Fahrenheit's +thermometer stood then (5 P.M.) at 86°. The dry channel of a water-course +had afforded us an opening through the scrub, and had also guided us to +the highest part of the ground. The fresh prints of the feet of three men +in the smooth bare sand, told us that the same natives whose track +Yuranigh had seen in the river we traced yesterday, were now going in the +same direction as ourselves, and just before us; for the smell of their +burning fire-sticks, and even small portions of burning embers which had +dropped, made this evident. The higher ground was flat, and on it the +rosewood acacia grew amongst the brigalow. The rocky gap (in a ridge) was +still distant at least three miles; the sun nearly set, and not a blade +of grass visible amongst the brigalow bushes. But what was all this to +the romantic uncertainty as to what lay beyond! With eager steps we +followed a slight channel downwards; found that it descended more rapidly +than the one by which we had ascended; that it also increased, and we +were guided by it into a little valley, verdant with young grass, while +yet the red sky over a departed sun shone reflected from several broad +ponds of water. This seemed to us a charming spot, so opportunely and +unexpectedly found, and we alighted on a fine grassy flat by the margin +of a small lagoon, where stood a most graceful group of bushes for +shelter or shade. After sunset, the sky was overcast with very heavy +clouds; the air was sultry, and we expected rain. + +15TH SEPTEMBER.--As soon as daylight appeared I hastened towards the gap, +and ascended a naked rock on the west side of it. I there beheld downs +and plains extending westward beyond the reach of vision, bounded on the +S. W. by woods and low ranges, and on the N. E. by higher ranges; the +whole of these open downs declining to the N. W., in which direction a +line of trees marked the course of a river traceable to the remotest +verge of the horizon. There I found then, at last, the realization of my +long cherished hopes, an interior river falling to the N. W. in the heart +of an open country extending also in that direction. Ulloa's delight at +the first view of the Pacific could not have surpassed mine on this +occasion, nor could the fervour with which he was impressed at the moment +have exceeded my sense of gratitude, for being allowed to make such a +discovery. From that rock, the scene was so extensive as to leave no room +for doubt as to the course of the river, which, thus and there revealed +to me alone, seemed like a reward direct from Heaven for perseverance, +and as a compensation for the many sacrifices I had made, in order to +solve the question as to the interior rivers of Tropical Australia. To an +European, the prospect of an open country has a double charm in regions +for the most part covered with primaeval forests, calling up pleasing +reminiscences of the past, brighter prospects for the future--inspiring a +sense of freedom, especially when viewed from the back of a good horse:-- + +"A steed! a steed! of matchless speede, A sword of metal keene--All else +to noble minds is drosse, All else on earth is meane!" --OLD SONG. + +I hastened back to my little party (distant a mile and a half from the +gap), and immediately made them mount to follow me down the watercourse, +which, as I had seen from the rock, would lead us into the open country. +The little chain of ponds led westward, until the boundless downs +appeared through the woods; a scene most refreshing to us, on emerging +from so many thick scrubs. Our little river, after crossing much open +plain, fell into another coming from E.S.E., and columns of smoke far in +the N.W. showed that there was water, by showing there were inhabitants. +The grass on these downs was of the richest sort, chiefly PANICUM +LOEVINODE, and I was not sorry to recognise amongst it, SALSOLOE, and the +ACACIA PENDULA, amongst the shrubs. As we followed the river downwards, +the open downs appeared on the W.N.W. horizon as if interminable. This +river, unlike that I had called the Nive, had no sand in its bed, which +consisted of firm clay, and contained deep hollows, and the beds of long +reaches, then, however, all dry, while abundance of large UNIO shells lay +upon the banks, and proved that the drought was not of common occurrence. +The general course of the river I found to be about W.N.W. true. We +continued to follow it through its windings all day, which I certainly +should not have done, but for the sake of water, as our progress +downwards was thus much retarded. Towards evening, Corporal Graham +discovered water in a small tributary coming from the S.E., while +Yuranigh found some also in the main channel, where that tributary fell +into it. We encamped on Graham's ponds, as this was called, and turned +our horses loose on the wide plain, up to the knees in grass half dry, +half green, that they might be the more fit "for the field to-morrow." +The sky had been lowering all day, and the heat was intense; but during +the night, the air was delicious for sleeping in, under heaven's canopy +and protection. + +16TH SEPTEMBER.--The "gorgeous curtains of the East" over grandly formed +clouds harmonised well with my sentiments on awaking, again to trace, as +if I had been the earliest man, the various features of these fine +regions of earth. At 7 A.M. the temperature was 63°; and (from +observations registered then) the height above the sea has been found to +be 1216 feet. Throughout the day we travelled over fine downs and plains +covered with the finest grass, having the river on our right. Beyond it, +we saw hills, which seemed to be of greater height in proportion as we +descended with the river. Some were much broken, and appeared to present +precipices on the other side. A broad valley extended westward from +between the farthest of these broken ranges, which range seemed to be an +offshoot from one further eastward. On examining the river, below the +supposed junction of a tributary from the east, I found its character +altered, forming ponds amongst brigalow trees. Water was, however, +scarce. We fortunately watered our horses about 3 P.M., at the only hole +we had seen that day, a small muddy puddle. The ACACIA PENDULA formed a +belt outside the brigalow, between the river and the open plains, and +many birds and plants reminded us of the Darling; the rose cockatoo and +crested-pigeon, amongst the former; SALSOLOE and SOLANUM amongst the +latter. At length, we saw before us, to the westward, bold precipitous +hills, extending also to the southward of west. A thunder storm came over +us, and night advancing, we halted without seeing more, for that day, of +the interesting country before us, and having only water enough for our +own use, the product of the shower. No pond was found for the horses, +although we had searched for one, many miles in the bed of the river. +Still, the remains of mussel shells on the banks bore testimony that +water was seldom so scarce in this river, flowing as it did through the +finest and most extensive pastoral region I had ever seen. + +17TH SEPTEMBER.--The temperature at seven this morning was 57°; our +height above the sea 1112 feet. "Like the gay birds that" awoke us from +"repose" we were "content," but certainly not "careless of tomorrow's +fare;" for unless we found water to-day, "to-morrow" had found us unable +either to proceed or return! Trusting wholly to Providence, however, we +went forward, and found a pond in the river bed, not distant more than +two miles from where we had slept. In making a cut next through a +brigalow scrub, towards where I hoped to hit the river, in a nearly +westerly direction, I came out upon open downs, and turned again into a +brigalow scrub on my right. After travelling a good many miles, N.W., +through this scrub, we arrived on the verge of a plain of dead brigalow; +and still pursuing the same course, we came out, at length, upon open +downs extending far to the northward. I continued to ride in that +direction to a clear hill, and from it I obtained a view of a range of +flat-topped hills, that seemed to extend W.N.W.; the most westerly +portion of these being the steep-sided mass seen before us yesterday. +They now lay far to the northward, and the intervening country was partly +low and woody, and partly consisted of the downs we were upon. But where +was the river? Yarra trees and other indications of one appeared nearest +to us in an easterly direction, at the foot of some well-formed hollows +on that side the downs. Towards that point I therefore shaped my course, +and there found the river--no longer a chain of dry ponds in brigalow +scrub, but a channel shaded by lofty yarra trees, with open grassy banks, +and containing long reaches full of water. White cockatoos shrieked above +us; ducks floated, or flew about, and columns of smoke began to ascend +from the woods before us. This was now, indeed, a river, and I lost no +time in following it downwards. The direction was west; then north-west, +tolerably straight. Water was abundant in its bed; the breadth was +considerable, and the channel was well-marked by bold lofty banks. I +remarked the salt-bush of the Bogan plains, growing here, on sand-islands +of this river. The grass surpassed any I had ever seen in the colony in +quality and abundance. The slow flying pelican appeared over our heads, +and we came to a long broad reach covered with ducks, where the channel +had all the appearance of a river of the first magnitude. The old mussle +shells (UNIO) lay in heaps, like cart-loads, all along the banks, but +still we saw none of the natives. Flames, however, arose from the woods +beyond the opposite bank, at once in many directions, as if by magic, as +we advanced. At 3 P.M. Fahrenheit's thermometer in the shade stood at +90°. Towards evening, we saw part of the bed dry, and found it +continuously so, as night came on. The sun had set, while I still +anxiously explored the dry recesses of the channel in search of water, +without much hopes of success, when a wild yell arose from the woods back +from the channel, which assured us that water was near. Towards that +quarter we turned, and Yuranigh soon found a fine pond in a small ana- +branch, upon which we immediately halted, and took up our abode there for +the night. It may seem strange that so small a number could act thus +unmolested by the native tribes, but our safety consisted chiefly in the +rapidity of our movements, and their terror of strangers wholly unknown, +perhaps unheard of, arriving on the backs of huge animals, or centaurs +whose tramp they had only heard at nightfall. Like Burns's "Auld Nick," + +----"rustling through the boortrees comin' Wi' eerie sought!" + +our passage was too rapid to admit of any design for attack or annoyance +being concocted, much less, carried into effect; next night we hoped to +sleep thirty miles off, where our coming would be equally unexpected by +natives. Latitude, 24° 34' 30" S. + +18TH SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. the temperature of the air was 72°; the height +of the spot above the sea, 995 feet. Keeping along the river bank for +some miles, I found its general course to be about N.W.; and seeing clear +downs beyond the right bank, I crossed, and proceeded towards the highest +clear hill on the horizon. There I obtained a distant view of the ranges +intersected yesterday, and of their prolongations. That to the northward +of the river, whose general direction to the point already fixed had been +22° W. of N., there formed an angle, and continued, as far as I could +judge by the eye, nearly northward. The range to the southward of the +river also turned off, extending nearly to the southward. These two +limits of the vast valley, thus receding from the river so as to leave it +ample room to turn and wind on either side, amidst its accompanying +woods, through grassy downs of great extent, obliged me to explore its +course with closer attention. From another clear hill on these downs, to +which I next proceeded, I thought I perceived the line of another river +coming from ranges in the N.E., and expecting it would join that whose +course we had thus far explored, I proceeded in a nearly N.W. direction +over open downs towards the line of trees. I found therein a fine pond of +water, the soil of the downs consisting of stiff clay. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM +and various SALSOLOE appeared in some parts. My horses being rather +jaded, I halted rather early here, and laid down my journey, protracting +also the angles I had observed of the points of distant ranges. Latitude, +24° 27' 27" S. I found by the barometer that we were already much lower +than the rivers Salvator and Claude, and the upper part, at least, of the +Belyando; while we were still remote from the channel we were pursuing. + +19TH SEPTEMBER.--The thermometer at 7 A.M. stood at 57°. The height of +these ponds above the sea was 861 feet. Young, I think, has said, that a +situation might be imagined between earth and heaven, where a man should +hear nothing but the thoughts of the Almighty; but such a sublime +position seems almost attained by him who is the first permitted to +traverse extensive portions of earth, as yet unoccupied by man; to +witness in solitude and silence regions well adapted to his use, brings a +man into more immediate converse with the Author both of his being, and +of all other combinations of matter than any other imaginable position he +can attain. With nothing but nature around him; his few wants supplied +almost miraculously; living on from day to day, just as he falls in with +water; his existence is felt to be in the hands of Providence alone; and +this feeling pervades even the minds of the least susceptible, in +journeys like these. Those splendid plains where, without a horse, man +seems a helpless animal, are avoided, and are said to be shunned and +disliked by the aboriginal man of the woods. Even their lonely +inhabitant, the emu, seems to need both wings and feet, that he may +venture across them. We travelled nearly west over plains; then through a +brigalow scrub, two miles in breadth; emerging from which, on a perfectly +level plain of very rich soil, we turned rather to the southward of west, +to where the distant line of river-trees seemed most accessible. Bushes +of ACACIA PENDULA skirted this plain; and, passing through them, we +crossed a track of nearly half a mile wide of soft sand, evidently a +concomitant feature of the river. We next traversed a belt of firm blue +clay, on which a salsolaceous bush appeared to be the chief vegetation; +and, between it and the river, was another belt of sand a mile broad, on +which grew a scrub of rosewood acacia. The river there ran in four +separate channels, amongst various trees; brigalow and yarra being both +amongst them. I crossed these channels, and continued westward that I +might ascend a hill on the downs beyond. From that eminence, no hill was +visible on any part of the horizon, which everywhere presented only downs +and woods. Far in the S.W. a hollow admitted of a very distant view, +which terminated in downs beyond a woody valley. The course of our river +appeared to be N.W., as seen by Yuranigh, from a tree we found here. In +that direction I therefore proceeded; recrossing the river, where, in a +general breadth of about 400 yards, it formed five channels. The grass +was more verdant here, and the ponds in these small separate channels +seemed likely to contain water. We continued N. W. across fine clear +downs, where we found the heat so intense, (Centigrade thermometer, 37°, +or 99° of Fahrenheit,) that I halted two hours under the shade of a small +clump of trees. When we continued our ride in the afternoon, three emus +that had been feeding on the downs came inquisitively forward; curiosity, +apparently inspiring them with more courage than even the human +inhabitants. Unfortunately for these birds, our bacon had become so +impalatable that a change of diet was very desirable, and Graham, +therefore, met them half-way on his horse; the quadruped inspiring more +confidence in the bird. It was curious to witness the first meeting of +the large indigenous bird and large exotic quadruped--such strange +objects to each other! on the wide plains where either of them could + +----"overtake the south wind." + +One of the emus was easily shot from the horse's side, and, that evening +being the Saturday night of a very laborious week, we were not slow in +seeking out a shady spot by the side of a pond in the river bed. There my +men had a feast, with the exception of Yuranigh; who, although unable to +eat our salt bacon, religiously abstained from eating emu flesh, although +he skinned the bird and cut it up, SECUNDUM ARTEM, for the use of the +white men. The channel of the river was still divided here, amongst +brigalow bushes. We only reached it by twilight. Thermometer, at 6 P.M., +86°. Height above the sea, 758 feet. + +20TH SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. the thermometer was 78°. Water appearing to be +more constant now in the river, I ventured to pursue its general course +in straighter lines, across the fine open downs, which lay to the +eastward of it. Beyond these I perceived lines of wood as belonging to +another river; and, on advancing in that direction, I first encountered a +great breadth of brigalow scrub; next, we entered a rosewood scrub, +redolent with blossom; then an open forest, in which we found the deep +well-formed channel of a river coming from the eastward. The bottom was +rocky, and bore marks of a recent current. This river also spread into +branches: we crossed three, and then again entered upon open downs. Next +we crossed a well-defined line of deep ponds, with yarra trees, and +coming from E.N.E. over the downs; and three miles further on, we crossed +another coming from N.E., on which, finding a good lagoon, I encamped +early, that the men might have time to cook for themselves some of the +emu, and that the horses might also have some sufficient rest. Latitude, +24° 12' 42" S. Thermometer, at 1 P.M., 86°. Height above the sea, 724 +feet. + +21ST SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer at 6 A.M., 63°. I found that the various +tributaries to the river channel had imparted to it a greater tendency +westward; but we fell in with it again six miles to the westward of where +we had passed the night. Its character was the same--a concatenation of +ponds amongst brigalow; but these seemed better filled with water, +apparently from the more decided slopes and firmer soil of the adjacent +country. The course next turned considerably to the southward of west, +while one ana-branch separating from it, ran about westward. I found an +open plain between these, across which I travelled; until, again meeting +the southern branch, we crossed it where it seemed to turn more to the +northward. The day was warm, and I halted two hours under the shade of +some trees, where I laid down our journey on paper, and found we were +making great progress towards Carpentaria, across a very open country. We +were no longer in doubt about finding water, although in the heart of +Australia, surrounded by an unbroken horizon. On proceeding, we passed +some large huts near the river, which were of a more substantial +construction, and also on a better plan than those usually set up by the +aborigines of the south. A frame like a lean-to roof had first been +erected; rafters had next been laid upon that; and, thereupon thin square +portions of bark were laid, like tiles. A fine pond of water being near, +we there spancelled our horses and lay down for the night. At 5 P.M. the +thermometer was at 82°. Height above the sea, 707 feet. + +22D SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A.M., 58°. This was no sandybedded +river like others we had discovered. The bed still consisted of firm +clay, and now the rich vegetation on the banks presented so much novelty, +that, without the means of carrying an herbarium, I was nevertheless +tempted to select a bouquet of flowers for Dr. Lindley, and carry them +amongst my folded maps. The very herbage at this camp was curious. One +plant supplied an excellent dish of vegetables. There were others +resembling parsley, and having the taste of water-cresses with white +turnip-like roots. Here grew also a dwarf or tropical CAPPARIS. Among the +grasses was a tawny ERIANTHUS, apparently the same as that formerly seen +on the banks of the Bogan, and the curious DANTHONIA PECTINATA, gathered +in Australia Felix in 1836. There was also amongst the grasses a +PAPPOPHORUM, which was perhaps the P. GRACILE, formerly collected in the +tropical part of New Holland by Dr. Brown; and a very remarkable new +species of the same curious genus, with an open narrow panicle, and +little branches not unlike those of a young oat.[*] The river again +formed a goodly continuous channel. Its most splendid feature, the wide +open plains, continued along its banks, and I set out on this, as we had +indeed on all other mornings since we made the discovery, intensely +interested in the direction of its course. We had not prolonged our +journey very far across the plains, keeping the trees of the river we had +left visible on our right, when another line of river trees appeared over +the downs on our left. Thus it seemed we were between two rivers, with +their junction before us, for the ground declined in that direction. And +so we found it. At about seven miles from where we had slept, we arrived +at the broad channel of the first river we had traced down, whose +impetuous floods had left the trees half bent to the earth, and clogged +with drift matter; not on any narrow space, but across a deep section of +400 yards. The rocks in the channel were washed quite bare, and crystal +water lay in ponds amongst these rocks. A high gravelly bank, crowned +with brigalow, formed the western margin, but no brigalow could withstand +the impetuous currents, that evidently, at some seasons, swept down +there. It was quite refreshing to see all clear and green, over so broad +a water-worn space. The junction with the northern river took place just +below, and I continued my journey, not a little curious to see what sort +of a river would be formed by these channels when united. I found the +direction of the course to be about N.W., both running nearly parallel. +About three miles on I approached the united channel, and found the +broad, deep, and placid waters of a river as large as the Murray. Pelican +and ducks floated upon it, and mussle-shells of extraordinary size lay in +such quantities, where the natives had been in the habit of eating them, +as to resemble snow covering the ground. But even that reach seemed +diminutive when compared with the vast body of water whereof traces had, +at another season, been left there; these affording evidence that, +although wide, they had still been impetuous in their course. Verdure +alone shone now, over the wide extent to which the waters sometimes rose. +Beyond that channel lay the almost boundless plains, the whole together +forming the finest region I had ever seen in Australia. Two kinds of +grass grew on these plains; one of them a brome grass, possessing the +remarkable property of shooting up green from the old stalk. + +[* P. AVENACEUM (Lindl. MS.); aristis 9 inaequalibus scabris infra medium +plumosis, paniculâ pilosâ angustâ interruptâ ramulis inferioribus demum +refractis, spiculis 3-floris, glumis pubescentibus multistriatis, paleis +villosis, foliis......] + +The bees were also new to Yuranigh, who drew my attention to their +extreme smallness; not much exceeding in size a knat or mosquito. +Nevertheless, he could cut out their honey from hollow trees, and thus +occasionally procure for us a pleasant lunch, of a waxy compound, found +with the honey, which, in appearance and taste much resembled fine +gingerbread. The honey itself was slightly acid, but clear and fine +flavoured. + +I hoped the deep reach would have been continuous, as it looked +navigable, even for steamers, but it continued so only for a few miles, +beyond which the channel contained ponds only. I finally alighted beside +one of these ponds, which was so large, indeed, that the colonists would +have called it a lagoon; this one being high above the river channel, on +a verdant plain. As yet, we had not seen a single inhabitant of this El +Dorado of Australia. At 2 P.M. thermometer 88°. Height above the sea 712 +feet. + +23D SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. thermometer 59°. Latitude 24° 2' S. New flowers +perfumed the dry bed of this river, and these showed, in their forms and +structure, that nature even in variety is infinite. I regretted I could +not collect specimens. Our only care now, was the duration of our +provisions. Water was less a subject of anxiety with me now, than it had +been at any period of the journey. We had made the Emu eke out our little +stock, and my men (two old soldiers) were willing to undergo any +privation that might enable me to prolong my ride. This day completed +half the month, but I was determined to follow the course of this +interesting river at least four days longer. The back of one of our pack +horses had become so sore, that he would no longer endure a load; we +threw away the pack saddle, and divided his load, so as to distribute it +in portions, on some of the saddle horses and the other pack animal. The +course of the river towards the west, and our limited time, obliged me to +stride over as much of the general direction as possible. I crossed the +river, and travelled across open downs. I saw the tops of its Yarra trees +on my left. At about four miles, we crossed what seemed a large river, +but which must have been only an ana-branch from the main stream. We next +traversed a fine open down of six miles; the soil, a firm blue clay with +gravel, and on this grew two varieties of grass which I had seen nowhere +else. The valley I next approached, contained the channel of a river +flowing towards our river; a tributary, which evidently bore impetuous +floods into it, sometimes. This also ran in three channels. I called it +the Alice. + +As this new river was likely to turn the main stream off to the westward +or south, I travelled west by compass over vast downs, finely variegated +with a few loose trees like a park, but extending on all sides to the +horizon. Where I looked for the main channel, I saw rising ground of this +kind; and meeting with another small river, with a stoney bed and water +in it, I bivouacqued, for the day was very hot; the thermometer, at 3 +P.M., 90° in the shade. The pond here was much frequented by pigeons, and +a new sort of elegant form and plumage, was so numerous that five were +killed at two shots. The head was jet-black, the neck milkwhite, the +wings fawn-colour, having lower feathers of purple. I had no means of +preserving a specimen, but I took a drawing of one.[*] Height above the +sea here, 826 feet. + +[* By which I find it has been named GEOPHAPS HISTRIONIEA.] + +24TH SEPTEMBER.--I continued to seek the river across extensive downs, in +many parts of which dead brigalow stumps remained, apparently as if the +decay of that species of scrub gave place to open ground. I turned now to +the S.W., and became anxious to see the river again. At length we came +upon a creek, which I followed down, first to the S.W. and next +southerly, until it was time to alight, when we established our bivouac +by a large lagoon in its bed, in latitude 24° 3' 30" S. Thermometer, at 3 +P.M. 98°. Height above the sea, 688 feet. + +25TH SEPTEMBER.--At 6 A.M. the thermometer stood at 73°. We ought to have +been retrogressive yesterday, according to the time calculated on for our +stock of provisions; but we could not leave the river without tracing it +to the furthest accesible point. We still continued, therefore, to follow +the water-course which had brought us thus far, expecting at every turn +to find its junction with the river, whose course had obviously turned +more than usual to the southward. We fell in with a larger tributary from +the N. W.; after which junction, the tributary took a more westerly +direction than the minor channel which brought us to it. We thus came +upon a large lagoon, beside which were the huts of a very numerous tribe +of natives, who appeared to have been there very recently, as some of the +fires were still burning. Well beaten paths, and large permanent huts, +were seen beyond that encampment; and it was plain that we had entered +the home of a numerous tribe. I should have gladly avoided them at that +time, had not a sight of the river been indispensable, and the course of +the creek we were upon, the only certain guide to it. Level plains +extended along its banks, and I had been disappointed by the appearance +of lofty Yarra trees, which grew on the banks of large lagoons. On +approaching one of these, loud shrieks of many women and children, and +the angry voices of men, apprised me that we had, at length, overtaken +the tribe; and, unfortunately, had come upon them by surprise. "AYA +MINYÀ!" was vociferated repeatedly, and was understood to mean, "What do +you want!" (What seek ye in the land of Macgregor!) I steadily adhered to +my new plan of tactics towards the aborigines, and took not the slightest +notice of them, but steadily rode forward, according to my compass +bearing. On looking back for my men, I saw one beckoning me to return. He +had observed two natives, with spears and clubs, hide themselves behind a +bush in the direction in which I was advancing. On my halting, they stole +away, and, when a little further on, I perceived an old white-haired +woman before me, on seeing whom I turned slightly to one side, that we +might not frighten her or provoke the tribe. The whole party seemed to +have been amusing themselves in the water during the noon-day heat, which +was excessive; and the cool shades around the lagoon looked most +luxuriant. Our position, on the contrary, was anything but enviable. With +jaded horses scarcely able to lift a leg, amongst so many natives, whose +language was incomprehensible, even to Yuranigh. I asked him whether we +might not come to a parley with them, and see if they could understand +him. His answer was brief; and, without turning even his head once to +look at them:--"You go on!" which advice, quite according with my own +notions, founded on experience, I willingly went on. Even there, in the +heart of the interior, on a river utterly unheard of by white men, an +iron tomahawk glittered on high in the hand of a chief, having a very +long handle to it. The anxious care of the females to carry off their +children seemed the most agreeable feature in the scene, and they had a +mode of carrying them on the haunch, which was different from anything I +had seen. Some had been digging in the mud for worms, others searching +for freshwater muscles; and if the whole could have been witnessed +unperceived, such a scene of domestic life amongst the aborigines had +been worth a little more risk. The strong men assumed a strange attitude, +which seemed very expressive of surprise; having the right knee bent, the +left leg forward, the right arm dropping, but grasping clubs; the left +arm raised, and the fingers spread out. "Aya, aya, minyà!" they +continually shouted; and well might they ask what we wanted! Hoping they +would believe us to be Centaurs, and include the two old pack-horses in +counting our numbers, I had not the slightest desire to let them know us +more particularly; and so travelled on, glad, at length, to hear their +"Aya minyàs" grow fainter, and that we were leaving them behind. About +five miles further south, the perfume from the liliaceous banks of the +river was the first indication of its vicinity. We found it full 400 +yards broad, presenting its usual characteristics,--several separate +channels and ponds of water; there, according to the barometer, the +height above the sea was only 633 feet; the temperature at 3 P. M., in +the shade, 99° of Fahrenheit. We watered our horses, crossed, and plunged +into the brigalow beyond, where I meant to steal a march upon the noisy +tribe; who, by that time, probably were sending to call in their hunting +parties, that they might follow our track. Their mode of killing a +kangaroo may best exemplify their tactics towards strangers; whose path +in the same manner could be followed by day, and sat down beside at +night, to be again tracked in the morning, until the object of pursuit +could be overtaken. The brigalow beyond the river grew on a rising ground +of sharpedged red gravel, and, from a small opening, I saw the course of +the river running nearly northward. Here, then, I turned towards the east +to travel home by ascending the left bank, with the intention to cut off +the great sweep which the river described, as we had found on tracing it +down; and, in hopes we should so intercept any tributaries it might +receive from that side. At dusk, I met with one containing a fine lagoon, +and near this I fixed my bivouac. Yuranigh most firmly objected to our +sitting down close by the water, saying we might there be too easily +speared by the wild natives who were then, probably, on our track; but he +did not object to my bivouac on the more open plain adjacent, one man +keeping a good look-out. I called these, Yuranigh's ponds. Latitude, 24° +19' 2" S. + +26TH SEPTEMBER.--At 6 A. M. the thermometer stood at 61°. My horse was +quite leg-weary, and I was very loath to force him on, but one day's +journey further was indispensable. We traversed open plains and passed +through patches of brigalow of an open kind of scrub. The surface was +grassy, but very gravelly; indeed it was, in many places, so devoid of +mould as to resemble a newly Macadamized road,--the fragments being much +of that size, and in general of a reddish colour, consisting, for the +most part, of a red siliceous compound. In a ride of twenty-six miles, we +saw no country much better, and I was obliged to conclude that the left +bank was by no means so good as the country on the right, or to the +northward of the river. We arrived, however, by nightfall, at a goodly +water-course, in which we providentially found a pond, and encamped; +resolved there to rest our horses next day, (being Sunday,) and most +thankful to Him to whom the day was dedicated. Latitude 24° 12' 37" S. +Thermometer, at 6 P.M., 92°. + +27TH SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A. M., 68°. On laying down my work on +paper, I found we had made a most favourable cut on the way homewards, +our old bivouac of the 21st inst., being about due east from us, and +distant not quite fifteen miles; the great tributary from the S.E. +passing between, upon which we could depend for a supply of water, if it +should be required. + +It would appear that the finer the climate, and the fewer man's wants, +the more he sinks towards the condition of the lower animals. Where the +natives had passed the night, no huts, even of bushes, had been set up; a +few tufts of dry grass only, marked the spot where, beside a small fire, +each person had sat folded up, like the capital letter N; but with the +head reclining on the knees, and the whole person resting on the feet and +thigh-joints, clasped together by the hands grasping each ankle. Their +occupation during the day was only wallowing in a muddy hole, in no +respect cleaner than swine. They have no idea of any necessity for +washing themselves between their birth and the grave, while groping in +mud for worms, with hands that have always an unpleasant fishy taint that +clings strangely to whatever they touch. The child of civilization that +would stain even a shoe or a stocking with one spot of that mud, would +probably be whipt by the nurse: savage children are not subject to that +sort of restraint. Whether school discipline may have any thing to do +with the difference so remarkable between the animal spirits of children +of civilised parents and those of savages, I shall make no remark; but +that the buoyancy of spirit and cheerfulness of the youth amongst the +savages of Australia, seem to render them agreeable companions to the men +on their hunting excursions, almost as soon as they can run about. If the +naturalist looks a savage in the mouth, he finds ivory teeth, a clean +tongue, and sweet breath; but in the mouth of a white specimen of +similar, or indeed less, age, it is ten to one but he would discover only +impurity and decay, however clean the shoes and stockings worn, or +however fine the flour of which his or her food had consisted. What, +then, is civilization in the economy of the human animal? one is led to +inquire. A little reflection affords a satisfactory answer. Cultivated +man despises the perishable substance, and pursues the immortal shadow. +Animal gratification is transient and dull, compared to the acquisition +of knowledge--the gratification of mind--the raptures of the poet, or the +delight of the enthusiast, however imaginary. It is true that, amongst +civilized men, substance is still represented by the yellow ore, and that +the votaries of beauty "bend in silken slavery;" but are not beauty or +gold as dust in the balance, substantial though they be, when weighed in +lofty minds against glory or immortality? When the shadow he pursues is +worth more, and is more enduring than the substance, well might it be +said that "Man is but a shadow, and life a dream." Such were my +reflections on this day of rest, in the heart of a desert, while +protected from the sun's rays by a blanket, and in some uncertainty how +long these dreams under it would continue undisturbed. + +"The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell: a +hell of heaven!" + +Thermometer, at 6 P. M., 90°. + +28TH SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A. M., 63°. The horses were much +refreshed by that day's repose, and we this morning continued our journey +in an easterly direction, over downs and through open scrubs, meeting no +impediment from brigalow. We crossed the various branches of a +considerable tributary coming from E.S.E., the only water seen this day, +besides the great river; which we met with, exactly where, according to +its general course, it was to be looked for. We crossed it, and encamped +on the right bank of the northern river, at the place where I had +previously crossed. + +This day I had discovered, from the highest parts of the downs, a range +to the S. W., and was able to intersect some of the principal hills, and +so determine its place and direction. I named the most westerly feature, +Mount Gray; the lofty central mass, the Gowen Range, and a bold summit +forming the eastern portion, Mount Koenig. I had now obtained data +sufficient to enable me to determine the extent of the lower basin of the +river, by laying down the position and direction of the nearest ranges. +The last-mentioned appeared flat-topped, and presented yellow cliffs like +sandstone. At 6 P.M., the temperature was 81°. + +29TH SEPTEMBER.--At 6 A.M., the thermometer was 59°. Re-crossing the +river, I travelled, in a straight line, towards my camp of 19th +September: thus, performing in one, the journeys of two former days. We +crossed the main channel we had previously traced down, thus identifying +it. The country was, in general, open; the downs well covered with grass, +and redolent with the rich perfume of lilies and strange flowers, which +grew all over them amongst the grass. We arrived at the spot I sought, +and there encamped. Our provisions were nearly out; the sun having +reduced the men's sugar, and melted the bacon, which had been boiled +before we set out. This was an unfortunate blunder. Bacon, in such warm +weather, should be carried uncooked, and our's might have then been very +good. The men jocosely remarked, that, although we had out-manoeuvred the +natives, the weather had been so hot that, nevertheless, we could not +"save our bacon." Thermometer, at 5 P.M., 83°. + +30TH SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer, at 7 A.M., 67°. I found, by my map, that I +might very much shorten the homeward route to next camp (that of 18th +September), by travelling towards it in a straight line across the downs. +We accordingly set out on the bearing of 5½° S. of E., and hit the spot +exactly at a distance of eighteen miles; arriving early, so as to afford +some good rest to our horses. We crossed open downs chiefly, passed +through a narrow belt of brigalow (about a mile wide), and twice crossed +a tributary to the river, which tributary we thus discovered. The water- +course on which we had again encamped, arose in open downs of fine firm +clay, and it was pleasant to see a great river thus supplied by the +waters collected only amongst the swelling undulations and valleys of the +country through which it passed, like the rivers of Europe. The river we +had discovered, seemed, in this respect, essentially different from +others in Australia, which usually arise in mountains, and appear to be +rather designed to convey water into regions where it is wanting, than to +carry off any surplus from the surfaces over which they run. + +1ST OCTOBER.--Our track back across the downs, brought again into view +the Northern range, and I now named the prominent mountain at its +salient, Mount Northampton, in honour of the noble marquis at the head of +the Royal Society. The range to the southward also appeared above the +trees of the valley, and I gave the name of Mount Inniskillen to the +salient mountain, which appeared so remarkable a feature to us on first +advancing into that region, from the eastward. We again reached the river +this day, after traversing the wide plains. Its woods still resounded +with the plaintive cooing of a dove, which I had not seen elsewhere. At a +distance, the sound resembled the distant cooy of female natives, and we +at first took it for their voices until we ascertained whence these notes +came. I had arrived at a fine reach of the river, and while watering the +horses, preparatory to leaving its banks, (to make a short cut on our +former route,) when a pair of these birds appeared on a bough over head, +so near that I could take a drawing, by which I have since ascertained +the bird to have been GEOPELIA CUNEATA. + +But the river we were about to leave required a name, for no natives +could be made to understand our questions, even had they been more +willing than they were to communicate at all. It seemed to me, to deserve +a great name, being of much importance, as leading from temperate into +tropical regions, where water was the essential requisite,--a river +leading to India; the "nacimiento de la especeria," or REGION WHERE +SPICES GREW: the grand goal, in short, of explorers by sea and land, from +Columbus downwards. This river seemed to me typical of God's providence, +in conveying living waters into a dry parched land, and thus affording +access to open and extensive pastoral regions, likely to be soon peopled +by civilised inhabitants. It was with sentiments of devotion, zeal, and +loyalty, that I therefore gave to this river the name of my gracious +sovereign, Queen Victoria. There seemed to be much novelty in the plants +along its banks. The shells of the fresh-water mussle (UNIO), which lay +about the old fires of the natives, exceeded in size any we had seen +elsewhere. I measured one, and found it six inches long, and three and a +half broad. On the plains near this spot, grew a beautiful little ACACIA, +resembling A. PENDULA, but a distinct species, according to Mr. +Bentham.[*] We crossed the open downs and our former route, hastening to +make the tributary river before night. We reached the channel by sunset; +the moon was nearly full, and we continued to search in the bed for +water, until we again fell in with our former track, near the place where +we had watered our horses on the morning of the 17th September. On +hastening to the pond, we found the intense heat of the last twelve days +had dried it up, and we were obliged to encamp without water; a most +unpleasant privation after a ride of thirty miles, under an almost +vertical sun. The river must receive a great addition below this branch +from the Northampton ranges, entering probably about that great bend we +had this day cut off; leaving the deep reaches formerly seen there, on +our left, or to the northward. An uncommon drought had not only dried up +the waters of this river, but killed much of the brigalow scrub so +effectually, that the dead trunks alone remained on vast tracts, thus +becoming open downs. + +[* A. VICTORIAE (Benth. MS.) glabra, glauca, ramulis teretibus, +phyllodiis linearibus subfalcatis obtusis basi angustatis crassis +enervibus, glandulâ prope basin immersâ, pedunculis glaberrimis +gracilibus racemosis capitulo parvo 12-20-floro multoties longioribus.] + +2D OCTOBER.--At 6 A.M. the thermometer gave a temperature of 59°. The +height above the sea was 1081 feet. In tracing back our old track, I sent +Corporal Graham to examine a part of the river channel likely to contain +water, and the report of his pistol some time after in the woods, +welcomer than sweetest music to our ears just then, guided us to the +spot, where he had found a small pond containing enough for all our +wants. For the men, having no more tea or sugar, a good drink was all +that was required; the poor fellows prepared my tea not the less +assiduously, although I could have had but little comfort in drinking it +under such circumstances, without endeavouring to share what was almost +indivisible. We this day performed a long journey, reaching our former +bivouac, of the 16th September, on Graham's creek, at an early hour. +Three emus were seen feeding close by; but, although several attempts +were made to get near them, with a horse stalking, we could not kill any +of them. + +3D OCTOBER.--Soon after we had quitted our bivouac, the emus were again +seen on the plains. I could not deny the men the opportunity thus +afforded them of obtaining some food; for, although they concealed their +hunger from me, I knew they were living on bread and water. Graham +succeeded in wounding one of the birds, which, nevertheless, escaped. He +then chased a female followed by about a dozen young ones, towards us, +when we caught three. It had occurred to me this morning, to mark and +number the bivouacs we had occupied thus far, for the purpose of future +reference, when any other party might proceed, or be sent again, into +this country. I had, therefore, cut the number 73 on a tree at this +bivouac of 3d October, under the initials N.S.W. We pursued a straight +course over the downs, east by compass, until we joined our old route +along the water-course, from our camp near the gap, and this brought us +back, at an early hour to that spot, where I marked a tree with the +figures 72. + +4TH OCTOBER.--We recrossed the brigalow range, (where the temperature, at +9 A.M., was 79°,) and alighted by the pond at the junction of the Nivelle +and Nive; near where we had passed the night of the 12th September. This +day we again saw the CALLITRIS; a tree so characteristic of sandy soils, +but of which we had not observed a single specimen in the extensive +country beyond. Marked 71 on a tree. + +5TH OCTOBER.--Soon after we left our bivouac, I saw in the grass before +me, a large snake. This was rather a novelty to us, being almost the +first we had seen in these northern regions of Australia. I dismounted, +and went forward to strike it with a piece of wood. Yuranigh did the +same, both missed it, when it unexpectedly turned upon us, took a +position on higher ground beside a large tree, then descended with head +erect, moving nimbly towards the horses, and the rest of the party. The +deadly reptile glided straight to the forefeet of my horse, touched the +fetlock with his head, but did not bite; then passed to the hind legs and +did the same, fortunately the horse stood quietly. The snake darted +thence towards one of the men, who was about to throw a stick at him, and +was next in the act of pursuing Yuranigh, when Graham gave him a charge +of small shot, which crippled his movements until he could be despatched. +This snake was of a brown colour, red spotted on the belly, about six +feet long, and five inches in circumference. I had never before known any +Australian snake to attack a party, but we had certainly brought the +attack on ourselves. We made a good cut on our former circuitous route +when tracing down the river Nive, and arrived at our former bivouac at an +early hour. This was fortunate, as all the ponds, formerly full of good +water, had, in the interim, dried up; and I proceeded to cross the +scrubby range, by pursuing a straight direction towards Mount Pluto. But +some magnetic influence so deranged my compass, that, on reaching the +crest of the range, I found that mountain bore nearly east instead of N. +E. N. I saw three of my fixed points, however, by which, with my pocket +sextant, I could ascertain our true position, which proved to be very +wide of my intended course. It was, like many other accidental +frustrations of my plans in this journey, an aberration that did us good, +for we had thereby avoided the bad scrub formerly passed through, and +also a rocky part of the range. We next descended into a valley in which, +after following down a dry watercourse two miles, we found a fine pond of +water, exactly as the sun was setting. This day I had shot a curious +bird, somewhat resembling a small turkey, in a tree. The feathers were +black; the head was bare and red. This fowl was apparently of the +galinaceous tribe. The flesh was delicious, and afforded a most timely +dinner to the party. A numerous body of natives had followed our former +track across the rocky ranges we traversed this day, as appeared by their +foot-marks, and Yuranigh also discovered, in the same manner, that three +natives had this morning preceded us on our return; nevertheless we saw +none of these denizens of the woods. + +6TH OCTOBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A. M., 48°. Height above the sea, 696 +feet. This day we hoped to rejoin the party at the camp of the Pyramids; +but the journey was long, and it included an ascent of Mount Pluto, from +which I had still to observe some important angles. I marked this +bivouac, with 70 cut on a tree, the two last being, respectively marked, +71 and 72, as already stated; these numbers continuing the series from +LXIX, my lowest camp on the Belyando. + +The scrub is thick about these volcanic ranges, but on the downs and +plains of Central Australia, that impediment disappears. My men and +myself were in rags from passing through these scrubs, and we rejoiced at +the prospect of rejoining, this day, our countrymen at the Pyramids. I +found a fine open forest between the ponds where we had formerly passed +the night, and Mount Pluto; and we crossed several water-courses, the +grass on their banks being green and young, because the old grass had +been burnt off by the natives. These water-courses form the highest +sources of the Salvator. We were at no very considerable elevation above +the sea where we had slept (696 feet), yet we found the air on the +mountains much cooler than that of the interior plains. There was much +Callitris in the woods passed through this day; and the soil, although +well covered with grass, was sandy. I ascended Mount Pluto by the N. W. +side, where the loose fragments of trap, on a very steep slope, obstruct +the growth of a thorny scrub, covering other parts of the mountain sides. +The view from the summit was very favourable for my purpose, and I passed +an hour and a half in taking angles on all distant points. Mount Owen and +Mount Kilsyth were both visible; Buckland's Table-land in the East, and +some of the recently discovered ranges in the west, were just visible +across the trap-rock range, which connected Mount Playfair with Mount +Hutton; which range almost shut out the view to the westward. In the S. +W., some very remarkable features appeared to terminate westward, in +abrupt cliffs over a low country, into which the Maran (as far as known), +the Warrego, and the Nive, seem to carry their waters. What that country +is, was a most interesting point, which I was very reluctant to leave +still a mystery. No volcanic hills appeared to the westward of this trio, +which thus seem to mark the place where the upheaving forces have most +affected the interior structure of Australia. The temperature on Mount +Pluto, at noon, was 90°; and the elevation above the sea, 2420 feet. + +On descending to where I had left the horses, we mounted, and struck into +the old outward track; but we had difficulty in following it, although it +was not above a month old. We saw many kangaroos to the eastward of Mount +Pluto, but could not get a shot at any. I had seen much smoke in the +direction of our camp, and was anxious about the safety of the party left +there. We reached it before sunset, and were received with loud cheers. +All were well, the natives had not come near, the cattle were in high +condition. Mr. Stephenson had a fine collection of insects, and some +curious plants. My man Brown had contrived to eke out the provisions so +as to have enough to take us back to Mr. Kennedy. The grass looked green +and luxuriant about the camp, and the spot proved a most refreshing home +both to us and to our jaded horses, on whose backs we had almost +constantly been for nearly a month. The party had collected specimens of +XEROTES LEUCOCEPHALA; BOSSIOEA CARINALIS; the purple INDIGOFERA +AUSTRALIS; XEROTES MULTIFLORA; the DODONOEA HIRTELLA of Miquel, a hairy +shrub with pinnated leaves; EVOLVULUS LINIFOLIUS; GOODENIA PULCHELLA +Benth.; HIBBERTIA CANESCENS; these had been found on the rocky ground +near the camp, some on the sides, and even near the summits of the +pyramids. On the sandy flats at the foot of these hills, were gathered, +AJUGA AUSTRALIS; DAMPIERA ADPRESSA, a gay, though, almost leafless herb, +with blue flowers nestling in grey wool; three miles below the camp a +species of VIGNA, closely allied to V. CAPENSIS Walp., was found; and +among the larger forest trees was a Eucalyptus, allied to, but probably +distinct from, the E. SIDEROXYLON A. Cunn. + +The LABICHEA DIGITATA was now in fruit; the JACKSONIA SCOPARIA formed a +shrub, ten or twelve feet high, occupying sandy places, and having much +resemblance to the common broom of Europe. The ACACIA CUNNINGHAMII grew +about the same height; the GREVILLEA LONGISTYLA was seen on the +sandstone, forming a shrub seven or eight feet high; and there also grew +the pretty ZIERIA FRAZERI[*]; the DODONOEA MOLLIS was a small shrub six +feet high, whereof the fruit was now ripe; the LEUCOPOGON CUSPIDATUS, +also small. A PIMELEA near P. LINIFOLIA formed a shrub, only two feet +high, growing on the rocks; the HOVEA LANCEOLATA, grew ten feet high in +similar situations; the LEPTOSPERMUM SERICATUM was still abundant on the +sandstone rocks, and amongst these also grew the POMAX HIRTA, a plant six +inches high. + +[* Z. FRASERI (Hook. MS.); ramulis junioribus puberulis, foliis +impunctatis brevissime petiolatis, foliolis lanceolatis acutis marginibus +leviter revolutis subtus pallidis pubescenti-sericeis, pedunculis +trifloris folio brevioribus.--Very distinct from all other ZIERIOE. +Detected by Fraser on Mount Lindsay.] + +At the base of these mountains, a slight variety of ACACIA VISCIDULA +formed a bush twelve feet high; a variety of BORONIA BIPINNATA formed a +small upright shrub, with flowers larger than usual; and much finer +specimens were now also found, of the white and red flowered BORONIA +ERIANTHA; the DODONOEA PEDUNCULARIS was loaded with its fruit; the +SCHIDIOMYRTUS TENELLUS, or a new species nearly allied to it, formed a +shrub six feet high. A variety of AOTUS MOLLIS, with rather less downy +leaves and rather smaller calyxes; the ACACIA LONGISPICATA, with its +silvery leaves and long spikes of yellow blossoms, acquired a stature of +twelve feet, at the foot of the rocks; and small specimens of the +beautiful LINSCHOTENIA DISCOLOR, which we had also observed, in a finer +state, near Mount Pluto. The LABICHEA DIGITATA was abundant in sheltered +ravines amongst the rocks; and, also, the DODONOEA ACEROSA, loaded with +its four-winged reddish fruit, formed a shrub there four feet high. On +the flats at the base of these ranges, grew the stiff, hard leaved, +glutinous TRIODIA PUNGENS, with fine erect panicles of purple and green +flowers (the first occasion this, on which I had seen this plant in +flower). The BRUNONIA SERICEA continued to appear; also a minute species +of ALTERNANTHERA. The DIANELLA STRUMOSA formed a coarse, sedgy herbage, +relieved by its large panicles of blue flowers; and a fine species of +Dogbane near TABERNOEMONTANA, and probably not distinct from that genus, +according to Sir William Hooker. A shrub, five feet high, which proved to +be a new species of ACACIA, also grew at the foot of the precipices[*]; a +new and very distinct species of LOGANIA[**]; a new RUTIDOSIS, a tall +herbaceous perennial[***]; a fine, new, long leaved GREVILLEA, with +yellow flowers.[****] A woolly-leaved KERAUDRENIA, with inconspicuous +flowers[*****]; and, in the open forest, a pretty species of Comesperm, +about five feet high, with rosy flowers, and smooth or downy stems; it +was allied to C. RETUSA.[******] + +[* A. UNCIFERA (Benth. MS.) molliter velutino-pubescens, ramulis +subteretibus, stipulis subulatis caducissimis, phyllodiis +falcatoellipticis v. oblique oblongis utrinque acutis uncinato-mucronatis +minute 1-2- glandulosis, racemis polycephalis phyllodio paullo +longioribus, capitulis multifloris tomentosis.--Near A. CALEYI and A. +VESTITA. Phyllodia from an inch and a half to two inches long, half an +inch broad, resembling much in shape those of A. MYRTIFOLIA.] + +[** L. CORDIFOLIA (Hook. MS.); herbacea erecta estipulata glabra, foliis +cordato-acuminatis sessilibus 3-5-nerviis, racemis corymbosis axillaribus +terminalibusque in paniculam contractam terminalem foliosam magis minusve +congestis.] + +[*** R. ARACHNOIDEA (Hook. MS.); elata, arachnoideo-tomentosa, foliis +remotis lanceolatis acuminatis calloso-cuspidatis, panicula laxa, ramis +longis polycephalis, capitulis aggregatis, involucris ovatis.--A widely +distinct species from the only hitherto described species of this genus +(R. HELICHRYSOIDES), both in the leaves and flower-heads.] + +[**** G. JUNCIFOLIA (Hook. MS.); ramis angulatis pubescenti-sericeis, +foliis rigidis angustissime linearibus elongatis semiteretibus acutis +glabris marginibus revolutis, racemis ovatis multifloris, pedicellis +perianthiisque sericeis, ovariis sessilibus longissime albosericeis, +stylis glabris, folliculis oblique ovatis sericeo-tomentosis.] + +[***** K. ? INTEGRIFOLIA (Hook. MS.); foliis oblongo-lanceolatis +apiculatis subtus pannoso-tomentosis marginibus costa nervisque +glandulosis.--In this the styles are connected at the apex, free below. +The capsule is deeply 5-lobed. The anthers are remarkably curved +outwards, like a horse-shoe, which is not the case in true KERAUDRENIA. +W. I. H.] + +[****** C. SYLVESTRIS (Lindl. MS.); erecta a basi divisa, caulibus +pubescentibus glabrisve, foliis oblongis mucronatis, racemis corymbosis +terminalibus, bracteis deciduis, corollae lobo medio integerrimo.] + +On the rocky slopes, or crests, were found, also, various new plants +which have been since described, viz. A small shrub, with leaves from +three to four inches long, found to be a new species of CONOSPERMUM[*]; a +small shrubby species of LABICHEA[**]; an inconspicuous shrub, two feet +high, was a new species of MICRANTHEUM, allied to M. ERICOIDES, +Desf.[***]; a downy DODONOEA, very near D. PEDUNCULARIS, but with thinner +truncated leaves, and more glutinous fruit[****]; and, on the edge of the +mountain, grew a curious new Acacia, resembling a pine tree[*****], but +with the stature of a shrub, and a GREVILLEA, forming a shrub seven or +eight feet high.[*] + +[* C. SPHACELATUM (Hook. MS); foliis linearibus subfalcatis +sphacelatoapiculatis molliter incano-pubescentibus inferne longe +attenuatis uninerviis paniculis pedunculatis corymbosis, floribus +bracteisque sericeis.] + +[** L. RUPESTRIS (Benth. MS.) glabra vel vix in partibus novellis +puberula, foliis sessilibus plerisque trifoliolatis, foliolis lineari- +oblongis spinosomucronatis coriaceis marginatis terminali lateralibus bis +pluriesve longiore, antheris subaequalibus conformibus.] + +[*** M. TRIANDRUM (Hook. MS.); foliis cuneatis solitariis, floribus +masculis triandris.] + +[**** D. PUBESCENS (Lindl. MS.); minutissime pubescens, viscosa, foliis +brevibus apice triangularibus tridentatis truncatisque, capsulis +tetrapteris pedunculatis alis rotundatis.] + +[***** A. PINIFOLIA (Benth. MS.) glabra ramulis teretibus, phyllodiis +erectosubincurvis longe lineari-filiformibus nervo utrinque prominenti +subtetragonis breviter pungenti-mucronatis, pedunculis solitariis +brevissimis, capitulis multifloris, sepalis spathulatis liberis v. vix +basi cohaerentibus.--Very near A. PUGIONIFORMIS, but the phyllodia are +five, six, or more inches long, being longer even than in A. CALAMIFOLIA. +It differs from the latter species in the inflorescence and calyx.] + +[****** G. LONGISTYLA (Hook. MS.); ramis pubescentibus, foliis longissime +linearibus acutis basi attenuatis margine subrevolutis supra glabris +subtus albo-tomentosis, racemis oblongo-ovatis, perianthiis glandulosis, +ovariis semiglobosis stipitatis sericeo-hirsutissimis, stylo longissimo +glabro.--Leaves a span and more long; flowers rather large, apparently +purple.] + + + +Chapter VIII. + +SINGULAR FOSSILS NEAR THE CAMP.--INTERESTING PLANTS DISCOVERED.--ASCENT +OF MOUNT FARADAY.--RETURN TO THE WARREGO.--A NATIVE OLD MAN.--PASS BY +MOUNT OWEN.--THE MARANOÀ.--RECROSS THE MINOR STREAMS.--ITS TRIBUTARIES.-- +NONDESCRIPT ANIMAL.--POSSESSION CREEK.--A HORSE KILLED BY ACCIDENT.-- +APPROACH THE CAMP OF MR. KENNEDY.--FIND ALL WELL THERE.--MANY PLANTS +FOUND THERE.--HIS ACCOUNT OF THE NATIVES' VISITS.--RIDE TO MOUNT +SOWERBY.--FOSSILS FOUND THERE.----THE WHOLE PARTY FINALLY QUITS THE DEPÔT +CAMP.--TRACE THE MARANÒA DOWNWARDS.--OPEN DOWNS ON ITS BANKS.--WATER +SCARCE.--REQUISITE PONDS.--REACH ITS JUNCTION WITH THE BALONNE.--TRACES +OF HORSEMEN ALONG OUR OLD TRACK.--THE PARTY ARRIVES, AND HALTS, AT ST. +GEORGE'S BRIDGE.--MR. KENNEDY SENT TO RECONNOITRE THE COUNTRY IN A DIRECT +LINE TOWARDS MOUNT RIDDELL. + +7TH AND 8TH OCTOBER.--THESE two days were devoted to the completion of my +maps of the late tour, and of drawings of two of the birds seen on the +Victoria. Our horses required a day or two's rest, and I had enough to do +in my tent, although the heat was intense. + +9TH OCTOBER.--Once more I rode into the lower country a few miles, to +take a sketch of another remarkable hill. In the afternoon I examined the +sandstone caverns in the hill opposite to our camp; some very curious +organic remains having been found there by one of the party during my +absence. I found that these occurred on the lower side of sandstone +strata, and that they had become denuded by the decomposition of +sandstone underneath. We were to leave this camp next morning. The men +were on very reduced rations, and I was apprehensive that we might be +disappointed in our search for water in many places where we had before +encamped and found it. In the afternoon, the sky became suddenly +overcast, distant thunder was heard; and the southern portion of the +heavens, over the country to which we were about to return, was evidently +discharging some heavy rain there. At twilight, the rain commenced to +fall heavily at our camp, and continued to do so during four hours. Such +a supply came most opportunely for us, and, although I could not be so +vain as to suppose that the thunder rolled only for our benefit alone, I +felt as thankful as though it had. This day I saw on the cavernous hill +the woolly ACTINOTUS HELIANTHI, one of the most singular of umbelliferous +plants; and, on descending to the base, a white variety of the COMESPERMA +SYLVESTRIS, with smooth branches: unlike the kind observed in September, +it did not grow above one foot high. A small shrub grew on the rocks, a +pretty little Calytrix, near C. MICROPHYLLA A Cunn. (from Port Essington +and Melville Island); but the branches, with their leaves, are more +stout, and the bracts more obtuse. Sir W. Hooker supposes it to be a new +species. We here found this day a woolly-leaved plant, with long +branching panicles of brilliantly blue flowers, which Professor de Vriese +has ascertained to be a new genus of the natural order of Goodeniads, and +which he calls LINSCHOTENIA DISCOLOR.[*] Thermometer, meter, at sunrise, +60°; at noon, 94°; at 4 P. M., 76°; at 9, 64°;--with wet bulb, 64°. + +[* LINSCHOTENIA DE VRIESE. Calyx superus, limbo obsoleto. Corollae +quinquefidae tubo hine fisso, lobis majoribus margine utroque auriculato- +crispis, alatisve, duobus minoribus lanceolatis, interne appendice +proprio cuculliformi instructis. Antherae imberbes, cohaerentes. +Filamenta libera, quandoque subflexuosa. Ovarium uniovulatum; stylus +inflexus; stigmatis indusium ore nudum; semen in nuce solitarium. + +Genus dicatum Jano Huigenio Linschotenio, geographo, navarcho, +itineratori seculi XVI., qui historiae naturalis, imprimis vero +geographiae et rei nauticae progressui eximie profuit. Linschotenia +Dampierae proxime habitu et plurimis cum floris, tum habitus +characteribus, paracolla cuculliforme ab omnibus Goodeniacearum generibus +huc usque cognitis, diversa. + +L. DISCOLOR, suffruticosa, erecta, albo-lineata, foliis alternis, +petiolatis, oblongis, acutis, integris, planis, superne pallide +viridibus, glaberrimis, inferne densissime albo-lanatis. Inflorescentia +spicata, ramosa, griseo-lanata, floribus subsessilibus, basi +bracteolatis, corollis quinquelobis, lilacinis, extus griseo-barbatis; +paracorollis nigrescentibus. + +Legit anno 1846, Praefectus militaris nobil. T. L. Mitchell in Nova- +Hollandia subtropica. + +Planta elegantissima, inter Scaevolas persimilis habitu SC. REINWARDTII +de Vriese in LEHM. PL. PREISS. videtur esse suffruticosa. Caulis est +teres. Folia sunt alterna, fere 7 cent. longa et 1½ cent. lata, +petiolata, petiolo ad insertionem quodammodo crassiore, fere ½ cent. +longo, integerrima, utrinque acuta, nervo medio crassiore, subtus lanata, +fere alutacea, albissima; superne viridia, opaca; bracteae lineari- +lanceolatae, utraque superficie lanatae, acutae; rhachis elongata, fere +10-15 cent. longa, inferne albo-lanata, sursum griseo-lanata. Pedunculi +communes 5-10 cent. longi, patentes, alterni, griseo-tomentosi. Flores +alterni, sessiles, bracteolati, bracteolis suboppositis; calyces villosi, +limbis obsoletis; corollae persistentis lobis marginibus inflexis, +externe medio calycis instar hirsutis, interne glaberrimis: cucullis +corollae badiis, convexis, uno latere hiantibus, interiori mediaeque +loborum parti affixis; filamenta libera, filiformia, antherae his +continuae, glabrae. Stigma capitatum, indusio imberbe.--DE VRIESE.] + +10TH OCTOBER.--We commenced our retreat with cattle and horses in fine +condition, and with water in every crevice of the rocks. That in the +reedy swamp near the pyramids, had a sulphureous taste, and nausea and +weak-stomach were complained of by some of the men. I certainly did not +think the swamp a very desirable neighbour, with the thermometer +sometimes above 100°, and therefore I was more desirous to retire from +it. As the party returned along their former track, I went to the summit +of Mount Faraday, and observed a number of useful angles for my map. Mr. +Stephenson was with me, and found some new plants and insects, while I +ascertained the height, by the barometer, to be 2523 feet above the sea. +The plants growing there were COMMELINA UNDULATA, THYSANOTUS ELATIOR, +PLECTRANTHUS PARVIFLORUS, the yellow VIGNA LANCEOLATA, with a villous +form of AJUGA AUSTRALIS, and a little PILOTHECA, with narrow, +closepressed leaves.[*] The mountain is volcanic, the broken side of the +crater being towards the N.W. Some compact basalt appeared near the +summit. On reaching the Warrego in the evening, we found the party had +arrived there at 3 P. M., the distance travelled comprising two former +days' journeys. They had also found water close to the camp, where none +had been when they had been there before. Many beautiful shrubs were now +beginning to bloom. The BURSARIA INCANA was now covered with its panicles +of white flowers; the OZOTHAMNUS DIOSMOEFOLIUS, a shrub four feet high, +was loaded with small bulbs of snow white flowers; a downy variety of +LOTUS AUSTRALIS, with pink flowers[*], was common on the open ground; the +ACACIA PODALYRIOEFOLIA was now forming its fruit; in the open forest we +found a beautiful little GOMPHOLOBIUM[***]; the HAKEA PURPUREA, a spiny- +leaved, hard shrub, with numerous crimson leaves[****], and the EUPHORBIA +EREMOPHILA, an inconspicuous species of SPURGE.[*****] Mr. Stephenson and +I had been so busy collecting these on our way back, that we only reached +the camp at sunset. Thermometer, at sunrise, 58°; at noon, 75°; at 4 P. +M., 82; at 9, 62°;--with wet bulb, 59°. + +[* P. CILIATA (Hook. MS.); ramulis pilosis, foliis erectis subimbricatis +linearibus obtusis ciliatis dorso convexis glandulosis superne planis +nudis, petalis ovali-ellipticis obtusis marginibus extus +albopubescentibus.--Allied to P. AUSTRALIS, but different in the leaves, +which are here ciliated at the margin, very glandulous on the back; and +in the flowers, which are smaller, the petals more obtuse, and having a +broad, white line of pubescence round the margin at the back.] + +[** L. AUSTRALIS var. PUBESCENS, ramis pedunculisque pilis mollibus +patentibus vestitis. G. B.] + +[*** G. FOLIOLOSUM (Benth. MS.) foliis impari-pinnatis, foliolis 15-25 +obovato-truncatis obcordatisve glabris, petiolis ramulisque pilosulis, +racemis terminalibus subcorymbosis laxis paucifloris. Fruticulus +ramosissimus foliolis confertis vix lineam longis.] + +[**** H. PURPUREA (Hook. MS.) foliis tereti-filiformibus rigidis trifidis +segmentis simplicibus furcatisve mucronatis glabris, floribus purpureis +pedicellisque glabris, capsulis obovatis acutis lignosis stipitatis +subtuberculatis.] + +[***** E. EREMOPHILA (All. Cunn. in Hook. Herb.); fruticosa, ramulis +fastigiatis foliisque parvis linearibus dentato-scrratis glabris, +capsulis globosotriangularibus laevibus glabris.--Collected by Allan +Cunningham in Dirk Hartog's island.] + +11TH OCTOBER.--Following the chord of the arc described by our journeys +of 30th June, and 1st July, on tracing down the Warregò, I made the +furthest of the two camps, by a straight line of nine miles, passing +through a fine open forest country. The pond, which formerly supplied us +here, was now quite dry, but one much larger in a rocky bed was found a +few hundred yards further up the river. Thermometer, at sunrise, 54°; at +noon, 80°; at 4 P. M. 88°; at 9, 57°;--with wet bulb, 52°. + +12TH OCTOBER.--This day we also turned two former days' journeys into +one, and arrived at Camp XXXVIII. by 2 P. M., the ponds at the +intermediate camp (XXXIX.) being dry. Nevertheless, the recent rains had +left some water in rocky hollows, at which we could water our horses on +the way. By the river side this morning, we found a variety of the +HELIPTERUM ANTHEMOIDES, D.C., with the leaves pubescent and the scales of +the involucre paler. The silky grass, IMPERATA ARUNDINACEA, occurred in +the swampy flat we crossed before we encamped. Soon after we set out in +the morning, an old man was seen coming along the valley towards us, +without at first seeing the party. When he did, which was not until he +had come very near, he uttered a sort of scream, "OOEY!", and ran up +amongst some rocks beyond the water-course, nor would he stop, when +repeatedly called to by Yuranigh. He carried a firestick, a small bag on +his back, and some bomarengs under his left arm. His hair was grey but +very bushy, and he looked fat. The poor fellow was dreadfully frightened, +which I much regretted, for I might otherwise have obtained from him some +information about the ultimate course of the Warrego, etc. We found water +in one of the rocky ponds near our former encampment, but others in which +some had formerly been found, were dry, and I was not without some doubt +about finding water, on our way back to join Mr. Kennedy. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 42°; at noon, 87°; at 4 P. M., 96°; at 9, 78°;--with wet bulb, +60°. + +13TH OCTOBER.--The night was uncommonly hot, thermometer 79° here, where +in June last it had been as low as 7°. The sky had been clouded, but the +morning cleared up, and we enjoyed a cool breeze in passing amongst the +sandstone gullies. On arriving at the foot of Mount Owen the day became +very sultry, and there was a haziness in the air. On Mount Owen Mr. +Stephenson found a new species of VIGNA with yellow flowers[*], and the +SWAINSONIA PHACOIDES, conspicuous with its pink flowers. We took up our +old ground over the gullies, and I went in quest of water. The ponds +formerly here, had dried up, but Yuranigh found a deep one in the solid +rock, containing enough for months. It was inaccessible to horses, but +with a bucket we watered both these and the bullocks. The mercurial +column was low, the sky became overcast, and a slight shower raised our +hopes that at length rain might fall in sufficient quantity to relieve us +from the difficulty about water, in returning towards Mr. Kennedy's camp. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 63°; at noon, 79°; at 4 P. M., 76°; at 9, 64°;-- +with wet bulb, 59°. + +[* V. LANCEOLATA (Benth. MS.) glabra volubilis, foliolis lanceolatis +reticulatis integris v. basi hastato-lobatis, pedunculis folio multo +longioribus apice paucifloris, calyce glabro campanulato dentibus tubo +brevioribus, carina rostrata acuta.--Flowers smaller than in V. VILLOSA, +but of the same form.] + +14TH OCTOBER.--During the night several smart showers fell, and at +daybreak the sky seemed set for rain. When we set off it rained rather +heavily. I took a new direction, and got into a gully which led to our +former track of 17th June. Crossing it, I passed into the bed of the +Maranòa, and followed it down with the carts, until we arrived at the +large pond in solid rock, to which I had sent the bullocks on the 18th +June. Here we encamped, and I marked a tree with the number 74, as it +might be necessary on future occasions to refer to where a permanent +supply of water may be found in that part of the country. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 60°; at noon, 71°; at 4 P. M., 66°; at 9, 52°;--with wet bulb, +48°. + +15TH OCTOBER.--Last evening the wind blew keenly, and the night was cold, +the temperature very different from that experienced of late. The morning +presented a thick haze and drizzling rain, this kind of weather being +rather favourable for crossing the loose sandy surface, which the men +dreaded, remembering how it had before affected their eyes. I at first +endeavoured to travel this day along the river bank, but I found its +course so tortuous, and the country on its banks so hilly and rocky, that +I left it, and proceeded in a direction that would intersect the former +track. We thus passed through a fine open forest, fell in with our old +track at a convenient point, and found water still in the pond at the +camp of 15th June, where we therefore again set up our tents. The sky had +cleared up, and the air was pleasantly cool, with a fine breeze blowing +from S.E. On the river bank, we observed this day the native bramble, or +Australian form of RUBUS PARVIFOLIUS, L. A small nondescript animal ran +before Mr. Stephenson and myself this morning. It started from a little +bush at the foot of a tree, had large ears, a short black tail, ran like +a hare, and left a similar track. It was about the size of a small +rabbit. The death of our dogs on the Bogan, under the intense heat and +drought, had been a very serious loss to us, as we found on many +occasions like this; and where kangaroos, of apparently rare species, +escaped from us from our having no dogs. We were, also, from want of such +dogs, much more exposed to attacks of the natives. Evening again cloudy. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 45°; at noon, 64°; at 4 P.M., 67°; at 9, 57°;-- +with wet bulb, 50°. + +16TH OCTOBER.--A clear cool morning, with a fine refreshing breeze from +east, succeeded the cloudy weather of yesterday. I crossed the little +river, and travelled straight towards Camp XXXVII. On the higher ground +grew a heath-like bush, (ERIOSTEMON RHOMBEUM,) three or four feet high. +At a distance of only nine miles, we came upon the little river beside +that camp, and fell into the old track a mile on beyond it; and, early in +the day, we arrived at a chain of ponds, half-way to the next camp at +Possession Creek. The ponds where I went to encamp were dry; but, on +following the water-course downwards, I came to its junction with the +Maranòa, at half a mile from the camp, and found a large basin of water +at that point. Here, the NOTELOEA PUNCTATA was no longer a low trailing +bush, but a shrub ten or twelve feet high, with the appearance of a +European PHILLYREA. On the wet ground at the river bank, grew an entire- +leaved variety (?) of PLANTAGO VARIA. The wild carrot, DAUCUS BRACHIATUS, +with an annual wiry root, was also seen in the rich ground near the +river. Yuranigh found more of the native tobacco, which the men eagerly +asked for some of. This was a variety of the southern NICOTIANA +SUAVEOLENS, with white flowers, and smoother leaves. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 37°; at noon, 70°; at 4 P.M., 76°; at 9, 51°;--with wet bulb, +42°. Height above the sea, 1315 feet. (Camp 75.) + +17TH OCTOBER.--The thermometer stood as low as the freezing point this +morning, and the day was cooled by a wind from the N. E. In crossing +Possession Creck, we saw nothing of the formerly belligerent natives. +From Camp XXXIII, I took a direct course to Camp XXXII, where we arrived +early. No water remaining in the adjacent ponds, I followed the dry +channel down to its junction, and found the Maranòa full of water; this +point being three quarters of a mile from our camp. We had this day +passed over a fine open forest country, in which were also groves of the +ACACIA PENDULA. The vegetation, in general, seemed drooping, from the +want of rain; but the whole was available for grazing purposes. We saw, +this day, plants of PYCNOSORUS GLOBOSUS, in the dry forest land; and the +purple-flowered RUELLIA AUSTRALIS. The ACACIA SPECTABILIS formed a +spreading bush, about eight feet high. The HOVEA LEIOCARPA, and +CONVOLVULUS ERUBESCENS, were also found; with a new MYRIOGYNE[*], and a +small shrub, three feet high, with narrow, blunt, glaueous leaves, +tasting like rum. A small fruit, with the fragrance of an orange, proved +to be a new species of TRIPHASIA.[**] + +[* M. RACEMOSA (Hook. MS.) radice perenni fusiformi superne multicipiti, +caulibus decumbentibus, foliis lineari-cuneatis grosse serratis +punctatis, capitulis in racemis subnudis terminalibus.--Very different +from any described MYRIOGYNE, in the terminal racemed capitula.] + +[** T. GLAUCA (Lindl. MS.); spinosa, foliis coriaceis integerrimis +crenatisque linearibus glaucis obtusis retusisque, floribus trimeris +dodecandris 2-3nis brevi-pedicellatis.] + +It is much to be regretted, that the specimens gathered here of the +brigalow, should have been so imperfect that they could not be described. +If an Acacia, Mr. Bentham says, it is different from any he knows. + +The vicinity of the river here affords security for a supply of water, in +seasons like the present, when any contained in the smaller channels may +be dried up. In the afternoon we lost a horse, which fell from a +precipitous part of the bank, at the junction of the creek with the +river. One man was leading four, when one horse kicked another, which, +falling perpendicularly, from a height of about forty feet, was so much +hurt as to be unable to rise. The folly, or rather obstinacy of the man, +leading so many together, on the verge of a precipice, was contrary to +particular orders previously given, and which ought to have been enforced +by Graham, who was in charge. Thermometer, at sunrise, 32°; at noon, 78°; +at 4 P.M., 79°; at 9, 60°;--with wet bulb, 45°. + +18TH OCTOBER.--The horse, still unable to get on his legs, and apparently +dying, was shot, and buried in the sand of the bed of the creek. This +loss, when we were so near our depôt camp, was much to be regretted, as +we should have otherwise taken back every bullock and horse, after an +absence, from that camp, of four months and fifteen days. We saw not a +single native about the woods or the river, and were, therefore, the more +anxious to know how Mr. Kennedy and the natives had agreed at the depôt +camp, now within a day's ride of us. We continued to follow our former +track to Camp XXXI, and it may be remarked, to their credit, that the +aborigines had not attempted to deface any of these marked trees. It +might have occurred, even to them, that such marks were preparatory to +the advent of more white men into their country. The fine, deep reaches +in the river, looked still full and unfailing; and a short journey to- +morrow would take us to the camp of the rest of the party. We this day +found a little jasmine in flower, of which Mr. Stephenson had formerly +collected the seeds. It was white, not more than a foot high, with +solitary white flowers, emitting a delightful fragrance, and it grew in +the light sandy forest land.[*] A tree loaded with pods, which the +natives eat, has been determined by Sir William Hooker to be the +BRACHYCHITON POPULNEUM, Br., or STERCULIA HETEROPHYLLA of Cunn. Here was +picked up a singular little annual plant, belonging to the genus PIMELEA, +with hairy, loose spikes of minute green flowers[**]; and by the river we +found the CALANDRINIA BALONENSIS. + +[* J. SUAVISSIMUM (Lindl. MS.); herbaceum, ramis angulatis, foliis +sessilibus simplicibus alternis oppositisque lineari-lanceolatis, +pedunculis solitariis unifloris supra medium bibracteatis foliis +longioribus, sepalis subulatis, corollae laciniis 5-7 acutissimis.] + +[** P. TRICHOSTACHYA (Lindl. MS.); annua, foliis alternis linearibus +pilis paucis adpressis, spicis laxis terminalibus villosissimis.] + +The morrow was looked forward to with impatience. Four months and a half +had the main body of the party been stationary; and that was a long time +to look back upon, with the expectation that it had remained undisturbed, +although isolated in a country still claimed and possessed by savages. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 38°; at noon, 83°; at 4 P.M., 86°; at 9, 64°;-- +with wet bulb, 48°. + +19TH OCTOBER.--The party was early in motion along the old track. Leaving +the intermediate camp to the left, we struck across the country so as to +hit the track again within a few miles of the depôt camp. Old tracks of +cattle, when the earth had been soft, and the print of A SHOE, were the +first traces of the white man's existence we met with; nor did we see any +thing more conclusive, until the tents on the cliffs overhanging the +river were visible through the trees. We saw men, also, and even +recognised some of them, before our party was observed; nor did they see +us advancing, with a flag on the cart, until Brown sounded the bugle. +Immediately all were in motion, Mr. Kennedy coming forward to the cliffs, +while the whole party received us with cheers, to which my men heartily +responded. Mr. Kennedy ran down the cliffs to meet me, and was the first +to give me the gratifying intelligence that the whole party were well; +that the cattle and sheep were safe and fat; and, that the aborigines had +never molested them. A good stock-yard had been set up; a storehouse had +also been built; a garden had been fenced in, and contained lettuce, +radishes, melons, cucumbers. Indeed, the whole establishment evinced the +good effects of order and discipline. Drysdale, the storekeeper, had +collected many birds and plants, and had also been careful of the stores. +The orphan from the Bogan, little Dicky, had grown very much, and seemed +a very intelligent boy; and the little intercourse Mr. Kennedy had had +with the aborigines, limited as it was, by my instructions to him, was +curiously characteristic of the tact and originality of this singular +race. On one occasion, when on being informed that natives were near, he +had hastened to meet them, taking little Dicky with him, he found +remaining only a female and her mother, a remarkably old woman, who had +before concealed herself among the reeds. The daughter on his approach +sung a beautiful song, rapidly running through the whole gammut. Then +bowing her head, she presented the back of it to him, and placing her +stone-tomahawk in his hand, she bade him strike. Mr. Kennedy threw the +tomahawk on the ground; and seeing the grey head amongst the reeds, he +prevailed on the mother to come out. She was hideous in person, which was +much more AFFREUX from the excessive rage with which she seemed to +denounce the white men;--her fiend-like eyes flashing fire, as if +prophetic of the advent of another race, and the certain failure of her +own. + +The daughter seemed, at first, to treat lightly the ire of her aged +parent, playfully patting with her finger her mother's fearfully +protruding lip. Mr. Kennedy endeavoured to ascertain, through Dicky, the +downward course of the river, and she seemed to express, and to point +also, that the river passed southerly into the Balonne, which river she +named, and even the Culgòa: she seemed to say the name of that locality +was "Mundì." Neither of these females had any covering, but the younger +wore, by way of ornament, a page of last year's Nautical Almanac, +suspended by a cord from her neck. The mother continuing implacable, the +daughter, with a graceful expression of respect for her, and courtesy to +the stranger, waved her arm for him to retire, which gesture Mr. Kennedy +and Dicky immediately obeyed. At another interview, a scheme to decoy +Dicky away was tried, as related thus in Mr. Kennedy's journal:--"Sunday, +26th July. Prayers were read at 11 A.M., after which, having been told by +Drysdale that the natives were still near the camp, and that there was a +native amongst them who could make himself more intelligible to Dicky +than the rest, I had started down the river to see them to collect what +information I could, and then induce them to go farther from the camp. I +had not gone far before the cooys from the tents made me aware that the +natives were by this time in sight. I therefore returned, and the first +object that caught my eye was the bait--a gin, dancing before some +admiring spectators; and behind her was a fine, lusty native advancing by +great strides, as he considered the graceful movements of his gin were +gaining as fast upon the hearts of the white men. On going up to him +Dicky put the usual questions as to the name of the river, and its +general course. His reply to the first was not very satisfactory, but our +impression was that he called it Bàlun. With respect to its course, he +plainly said that it joined the Balonne; repeatedly pointing in the +direction of that river and then following with his hand, the various +windings of this branch; repeating the while some word implying 'walk, +walk,' and ending with 'Balonne.' He knew the names of the mountains +Bindàngo and Bindyègo. After this conversation he took some fat, which he +appeared to have brought for the purpose, and anointed Dicky by chewing +it, and then spitting upon his head and face. He next whispered to him, +and (as Dicky says) invited him to join them. I then motioned to the men, +who were looking on at a short distance, to go to the camp; and as they +obeyed, I made the same signs to the native to move in the opposite +direction, which he at length did with evident reluctance and +disappointment, throwing away his green bough, and continually looking +back as he retired. I desired Dicky to tell him never to come near our +tents, and that no white man should go to his camp." + +It seems that one family only inhabits these parts, as only three huts at +most were to be seen in any part of the country, either up or down the +river; a very fortunate circumstance for our party, obliged to remain so +long at one spot, after such a formal notice had been given to quit it, +as our visitors of the 30th of May gave during my absence. Mr. Drysdale, +the store-keeper, had collected an herbarium during the long sojourn of +the party at that camp, which included many new plants. In August, plants +had begun to blossom; and in September various novelties had been found +in flower. In August, he gathered EURYBIA SUBSPICATA, Hook. EURYBIOPSIS +MACRORHIZA; or a species allied to it. ACACIA DECORA; GOODENIA +CORONOPIFOLIA R. Br.; CONVOLVULUS ERUBESCENS; a hairy variety of BORONIA +BIPINNATA, with smaller flowers than usual, and most of the leaves simply +pinnate. A cruciferous plant, probably new; two new species of EURYBIA +and CALOTIS, SENECIO CARNOSULUS? D. C. An ASPERULA? with the habit of +Galium. MYOPORUM DULCE; VERONICA PLEBEIA; an acerose LEUCOPOGON; a +species of violet, with small, densely-spiked flowers (was covered with +wild bees in search of its honey). A species of BRUNONIA, apparently the +same as the B. SIMPLEX of the north bank of the Darling, but taller and +less hairy. A NYSSANTHES, apparently undescribed; SWAINSONA +CORONILLOEFOLIA; a small variety of SALSOLA AUSTRALIS; XEROTES +DECOMPOSITA, a hard-leaved, sedgy plant; a fine LEUCOPOGON, with +unilateral flowers; and another species with yellowish blossoms, both +perhaps new. A pretty little grass belonging to the genus PAPPOPHORUM, +with a blackish green colour.[*] A magnificent new ACACIA, with leaves +nearly a foot long.[**] A minute annual CALANDRINIA.[***] An ERODIUM, +closely resembling the European E. LITTOREUM, Arn. and Benth., from Isle +of St. Lucie; it was also found by A. Cunningham in the swamps of the +Lachlan. A new PROSTANTHERA, with indented glandular viscid leaves.[****] +A beautiful ever-lasting plant belonging to the genus HELIPTERES.[*****] +A new LEPTOCYAMUS, with slender, trailing, hairy stems.[******] SIDA +VIRGATA (Hook. MS.)[*******] SIDA FILIFORMIS (A. Cunn.).[********] A new +DODONOEA in the way of the D. CUNEATA of the colony, with long, slender +flower stalks.[*********] + +[* P. VIRENS (Lindl. MS.); pumilum, caespitosum, aristis 9 plumosis +rigidis apice nudis, spicâ compositâ laxâ tenui villosâ, glumis pilosis, +paleis sericeo-pilosis, foliis tactu scabris vaginis pilosis juxta +ligulam villosis.] + +[** A. MACRADENIA (Benth. MS.); glabra, ramulis angulatis, phyllodiis +elongatis subfalcatis acutiusculis basi longe angustatis marginatis +crassiusculis uninervibus penniveniis nitidis glandula magna prope basin, +racemis brevibus polycephalis flexuosis subpaniculatis, capitulis +multifloris, calyce breviter dentato apice corollaque aureo-hispidulis, +ovario tomentoso.--Near A. FALCIFORMIS D. C. Phyllodia eight to ten +inches, or near a foot long, from six to ten lines broad.] + +[*** C. PUSILLA (Lindl. MS.); foliis equitantibus subacinaciformibus +radicalibus, caulibus simplicibus racemosis v. unifloris, floribus longè +pedunculatis infimis divaricatis, floribus minutis 8-andris.] + +[**** P. EUPHRASIOIDES (Benth. MS.) tota viscoso-villosa, foliis +linearioblongis pinnatifido-dentatis ad axillas subfasciculatis, floribus +paucisaxillaribus breviter pedicellatis, calycis labiis integris, +antherarum calcare longiore loculum superante.--The foliage and flowers +look at first sight very much like those of some of the AUSTRALIAN +EUPHRASIOE. The leaves are about three lines long.] + +[***** H. GLUTINOSA (Hook. MS.); piloso-glandulosa, viscosa, foliis +angustolinearibus cuspidato-acuminatissimis, capitulis solitariis.--Young +buds rich rose-colour: full blown capitula pure white, the involucre +having a slight tinge of purple.] + +[****** L. LATIFOLIUS (Benth. MS.); molliter villosus, foliolis +membranaceis oblique obovatis ovalibusque utrinque adpresse pubescentibus +villosisve, calycibus subsessilibus villosis.] + +[******* S. FILIFORMIS (All. Cunn. MS.); tota stellato-tomentosa, ramis +patentissimis elongatis, foliis brevissime petiolatis cordato-ovatis +crenato-serratis, pedunculis axillaribus unifloris gracillimis folio +triplo longioribus, calyce 5-fido petalis duplo breviore.] + +[******** S. VIRGATA (Hook. MS.); ramis elongatis virgatis stellato- +tomentosis, foliis brevissime petiolatis lineari-oblongis serratis supra +pubescentivelutinis subtus calyceque 5-fido stellato-pannosis +fulvescentibus, stipulis acicularibus rigidis spinescentibus, pedunculis +axillaribus unifloris folio brevioribus, petalis (flavis) calyce duplo +longioribus.] + +[********* D. PEDUNCULARIS (Lindl. MS.); viscosa, glabra, foliis rigidis +elongatis spathulatis acutis tridentatis integrisque lobo medio majore, +pedicellis 1-3-filiformibus, capsulis tetrapteris viscosis alis coriaceis +rotundatis.] + +In September, were gathered in water-holes on the ranges, RANUNCULUS +SESSILIFLORUS, Br. in De Cand.; and near the camp the hard-leaved XEROTES +LAXA; JUSTICIA MEDIA; EVOLVULUS LINIFOLIUS; GOODENIA FLAGELLIFERA De Vr.; +CHLOANTHES STOECHADIS; the beautiful ACACIA SPECTABILIS, loaded with +yellow flowers, on the banks of the river S. W. of the camp. A broader +haired variet of ACACIAPENNIFOLIA; BOERHAAVIA MUTABILIS, Br. ? TECOMA +OXLEYI; ACACIA CUNNINGHAMII; CARISSA OVATA Br.? a spiny, zigzag, shrub +with shining leaves and white flowers; CASSIA ZYGOPHYLLA. A variety of +SIDA PISIFORMIS, A. Cunn., with closer leaves and a browner pubescence; +SIDA (Abutilon) FRAZERI Hook. var. PUMILA. KERAUDRENIA INTEGRIFOLIA; +LEPTOCYAMUS LATIFOLIUS; POMAX HIRTA? D. C., or a variety. EREMOPHILA +MITCHELLII var.? LATIFOLIA (Benth. MS.). DODONOEA ACEROSA, A. +HELICHRYSUM? near H. ODORUM D. C., but with the leaves downy on both +sides. PIMELEA COLORANS, a plant found by A. Cunningham along the river +Macquarie. STACKHOUSIA MURICATA, Lindl., which is, perhaps, not distinct +from S. SPATULATA, Sieb. A PODOLEPIS, resembling P. RUGATA Labill. +PODOLEPIS LONGIPEDATA, D. C. SOLANUM BIFLORUM, a grey-leaved, dwarf, +herbaceous plant. RANUNCULUS PLEBEIUS, very like an English buttercup. A +PLEURANDRA, near P. ERICIFOLIA, probably a variety. RUELLIA AUSTRALIS; +PITTOSPORUM SALICINUM. One of the Dodder laurels (CASSYTHA PUBESCENS, R. +Br.), a species also found near Port Jackson. VIGNA LANCEOLATA; XEROTES +LONGIFOLIA, a very common, hard-leaved plant. ANTHERICUM BULBOSUM, R. Br. +GERANIUM PARVIFLORUM? or one nearly allied to it: exactly the same +species is found in Van Diemen's Land. HELIPTERUM ANTHEMOIDES? D. C., but +smaller in all its parts. NEPTUNIA GRACILIS; BRUNONIA SERICEA; SIDA, +apparently new. A new and fine species of MENTHA.[*] A new, round-leaved +species of PROSTANTHERA.[**] A new species of SWAINSONA[***]; PLEURANDRA +CISTOIDEA (Hook. MS.).[****] A new TRICHINIUM, with conical flower- +heads.[*****] A species of HIBISCUS, with purple flowers.[******] A new +species of DAVIESIA, with spiny, shaggy leaves.[*******] Thermometer, at +sunrise, 46°; at noon, 81°; at 4 P.M., 75°; at 9, 50°;--with wet bulb, +47°. + +[* M. GRANDIFLORA (Benth. MS.); molliter pubescens, caulibus erectis, +foliis petiolatis ovatis acutiusculis dentatis planis verticillatis laxis +sexfloris, calycis dentibus lanceolato-subulatis intus vix pilosis, +corolla calyce subduplo longiore, staminibus exsertis.--Near M. AUSTRALIS +Br., but the leaves broader and flowers larger.] + +[** P. RINGENS (Benth. MS.); ramulis puberulis, foliis petiolatis +rhombeoorbiculatis integerrimis utrinque opacis glandulosis, calycis +glandulosi glabri labiis integris, corollae labio superiore subgaleato, +antherarum calcaribus loculo brevioribus.--Foliage nearly that of P. +RHOMBEA. Flowers much larger.] + +[*** S. PHACOIDES (Benth. MS.); decumbens molliter pubescens, foliolis +13- 15-linearibus cuneatisve, pedunculis folio longioribus apice +paucifloris, legumine brevissime stipitato villoso.--A low plant with +much the habit of several PHACAS or ASTRAGALI. Flower yellow, smaller +than in S. CORONILLOEFOLIA.] + +[**** P. CISTOIDEA (Hook. MS.); pilis stellatis brevibus rigidis asperis, +foliis angusto-linearibus obtusis marginibus revolutis, floribus in ramos +breves solitariis, staminibus sub-12 unilateralibus, filamentis infra +medium inaequaliter connexis antheras longitudine aequantibus, ovario +parvo globoso lanato.] + +[***** T. CONICUM (Lindl. MS.); hirto-pubescens, caule basi diviso, ramis +ascendentibus subsimplicibus, foliis lineari-lanceolatis acutis, spicâ +conicâ, bracteis unincrviis mucronatis glabris, rachi tomentosâ.] + +[****** H. STURTII (Hook. MS.); suffruticosus ubique subtus praecipue +dense stellatim tomentosus, foliis petiolatis oblongo-ovatis ellipticisve +obtusis grosse crenato-serratis, pedunculis axillaribus unifloris +solitariis folio brevioribus, involucro monophyllo ..... turbinato 6-8- +fido calycem 5-fidum aequante, capsulis hispidissimis.--This species was +also found by Capt. Sturt in the south interior. The flowers are purple, +sometimes yellowish in drying. The involucre is very remarkable, +monophyllous, broad at top and 6 or 8-cleft, almost wholly concealing the +calyx.--W. J. H.] + +[******* D. FILIPES (Benth. MS.); ramis hirsutis inermibus, foliis +ovalioblongis sublanceolatisve apice spinoso-mucronatis planis +pubescentibus, pedicellis filiformibus folio demum longioribus in +pedunculo brevissimo solitariis geminisve.] + +20TH OCTOBER.--It was necessary to halt here a day or two, that the +blacksmith might have time to repair the light carts, and shoe the +horses. I took a ride this day with Mr. Kennedy to a hill some miles +eastward of the camp, in which he had found some remarkable fossils. The +hill consisted of a red ferruguinous sandstone, in parts of which were +imbedded univalve and bivalve shells, pieces of water-worn or burnt wood, +and what seemed fragments of bone. To some of the portions of wood, young +shells adhered, but others bore, evidently, marks of fire; showing the +black scarified parts, and those left untouched or unscarified, very +plainly. Other portions of woods had their ends waterworn, and were full +of long cracks, such as appear in wood long exposed to the sun. These +specimens were, in general, silicified: but the outer parts came off in +soft flakes resembling rotten bark, being equally pliant, although they +felt gritty, like sand, between the teeth. This hill was rather isolated, +but portions of tabular masses, forming the range of St. George's Pass, +and in contact with the volcanic hill of Mount Kennedy which forms a +nucleus to these cliffy ranges, being about 9 miles N. E. of this hill, +to which, from its contents, I gave the name of Mount Sowerby. The +weeping GEIJERA PENDULA again occurred in abundance near Mount Sowerby; +the CAPPARIS LASIANTHA was climbing up the rocks there, and amongst the +grasses we observed a species of the genus LAPPAGO, perhaps not distinct +from the Indian L. BIFLORA. Thermometer, at sunrise, 39°; at noon, 56°; 4 +P.M., 87°; at 9, 67°; with wet bulb, 52°. + +21ST OCTOBER.--I took a ride with Mr. Kennedy to the summit to which I +had attached his name, having occasion to take a back angle from it on +Mount Owen, and one or two other points. I could there show him many of +the distant summits to the northward of the country, I was about to lay +down on my map. We rode over a fine tract of forest land, extending from +the camp to the foot of the mountain, a distance of about twelve miles. +On the high range grew a profusion of a beautiful little PTEROSTYLIS, +quite new, but in the way of P. RUFA[*], a single specimen of a new +KENNEDYA was gathered there.[**] On the plains we found a curious new +form of the genus DANTHONIA, much resembling wheat in ear[***], and a new +JASMINE, with a rich perfume, resembling I. LINEARE, but with short +axillary corymbs of flowers. This species has been named by Dr. Lindley +after myself.[****] We found also the SOLANUM VIOLACEUM with its violet +flowers and orange spines. A fine wiry herbage was formed by the +LAXMANNIA GRACILIS, now in flower, ERYTHROEA AUSTIALIS D. C., a +smallflowered species of CENTAURY, the DIANELLA RARA, R. Br. and SALVIA +PLEBEIA. Thermometer, at sunrise, 48°; at noon, 85°; at 4, P.M., 84°; at +9, 65° with wet bulb, 52°. + +[* P. MITCHELLII (Lindl. MS.); foliis omnibus radicalibus stellatis, +vaginis scapi multiflori 3 remotis, scpalis setaceo-acuminatis, labelli +laminâ ovato-lineari obtusâ canaliculatâ supra pilis (luteis) articulatis +crinitâ.] + +[** K. PROCURRENS (Benth. MS.); foliolis 3 ellipticis ovatisve +mucronulatis utrinque hirtellis subtus reticulatis, stipulis subcordato- +lanceolatis acutissimis striatis, pedunculis versus apicem plurifloris +petiolo multo longioribus, floribus subnutantibus.--Flowers considerably +smaller than in K. PROSTRATA, and petals narrower.] + +[*** D. TRITICOIDES (Lindl. MS.); culmo ramoso stricto, foliis glabris +margine spinoso-scabris basi planis apice involutis, spicâ cylindraceâ +distichâ secundâ, spiculis subtrifloris flore summo mutico abortiente, +paleae inferioris dorso lanatae aristâ rectâ glumâ mucronatâ multinervi +longiore.] + +[**** J. MITCHELLII; foliis ternatis glabris; foliolis linearibus +linearilanceolatisque, ramis teretibus, corymbis axillaribus +subsessilibus foliis multo brevioribus, calycibus pubescentibus +subtruncatis 5-dentatis, corollae limbo 5-fido acuto.] + +22D OCTOBER.--The information Mr. Kennedy had gathered from the natives, +about the final course of the river; his surveys thereof, which, even on +foot, he had extended sixteen miles (eight miles each way from the camp), +and the fact, that the fish of the Balonne, Cod, or GRISTES PEELII had, +at length been caught in it, all led to the conclusion that this river +was no other than the tributary which on the 24th, of April I at first +followed up, and afterwards halted and wrote back to Mr. Kennedy about. +By following this down, the probability that we should find water seemed +greater, than by returning along our old track, where we had left behind +some ponds so small that we could not hope to find any water remaining, +especially at two of the camps between us and Bindango, I therefore +determined to follow this river downward, and to survey its course. We +left the depôt camp this morning, and to avoid some overhanging cliffs on +the river, we travelled first over an open tract. The camp we left, +namely, XXIX, or "MOONDI," or the "second depôt camp," will be found a +valuable cattle-station or sheep-station, by the first squatter coming +this way. The runs about it are very extensive; the natives few and +inoffensive, and the stock-yard etc., left there, renders it very +complete. I must not omit, however, to mention, that the water had become +slightly brackish, but not so as to be unpalatable, or even, indeed, +perceptible, except to persons unused to it. The large reach had fallen +two feet since the party first occupied that station. In other reaches +lower down, that we passed during this day's journey, the water was +perfectly sweet. I proceeded about thirteen miles with the light party, +and encamped at the junction of a little river from the N. W. formerly +crossed by me (on my ride of 23d May). A new poppy was found on the flats +by the river, near PAPAVER DUBIUM; but the leaves, when dry, became +darkgreen not pale; the aculei are too numerous and stout, pectant not +depressed, and the flowers very small. The teams and drays did not arrive +as expected, and the men with me had not brought any provisions with +them. We saw natives in the woods before we encamped, and parts of the +grass on fire. A beautifully worked net, laid carefully under a piece of +bark, having two curiously carved stakes attached to it, was found by Mr. +Kennedy, who made deep impressions of his boots in the soil near it, that +the natives might see that white men had been there, and had left the net +untouched. Thermometer, at sunrise, 47°; at noon, 81°; at 4 P.M., 85°; at +9, 70°; with wet bulb, 56°. Height above the sea, 1185 feet (Camp 76). + +23RD OCTOBER.--We were obliged to halt, and await the arrival of the +drays, which only took place at ½ past 11, A.M. The cattle were found to +be so fat and fresh, that the drivers could not get them along faster. +Mr. Stephenson obtained a specimen of the dove observed by me on the +Victoria. (GEOPALIA CUNEATA). I had heard the note in the woods, and +directed his attention to it. The SWANSONIA CORONILLOEFOLIA adorned the +rich flats with its crimson pear-shaped blossoms, and the CROTALARIA +DISSITIFLORA, was also in flower, but smaller than usual; more rigid, +with a denser silky pubescence, and smaller, shorter leaflets. The SIDA +(Abutilon) FRAZERI (Hook. M S.)[*] and also the CLEMATIS STENOPHYLLA[**], +were found on this part of the river. Thermometer, at sunrise, 48°; at +noon, 91°; at 4 P. M., 93°; at 9, 65°;--with wet bulb, 53°. + +[* S. (ABUTILON) FRASERI (Hook. MS.); tota stellato-pubescens, foliis +ovatiscordatis acutis argutè crenato-serratis, petiolo folium aequante, +pedunculis axillaribus solitariis unifloris apicem versus articulatis, +calycis 5-partiti segmentis ovato-lanceolatis.--SIDA DUMOSA, J. Backhouse +MS. in Hook. Herb. (not Swartz). This has a most extensive range; having +been found at Moreton Bay by Mr. Backhouse, at Brisbane River by Fraser +and Smith, and in other parts of this colony by All. Cunningham.] + +[** C. STENOPHYLLA Fraser in Hook. Herb. C. OCCIDENTALIS A. Cunn. in +Hook. Herb.--Very nearly allied to C. MICROPHYLLA of De Cand. Syst. i. p. +147. but in that the carpels are said to be glabrous.] + +24TH OCTOBER.--Soon after leaving the camp this morning, we entered upon +an open country, the downs extending before us from the right bank of the +river, the course of which was somewhat to the eastward of south. The +cattle came on faster this day, and we encamped on the skirts of the +plain, near a fine reach of water in the river. We were now upwards of +twenty miles to the westward of Bindango, with abundance of water; +whereas I had always looked back to much difficulty in returning by that +route, as the ponds near it were likely to be dried up. I had seen the +higher parts of these downs from the summit of Bindango, but did not then +suspect that a large river was in the midst of them, whose course was so +favourable for a traveller proceeding northward. The discovery of these +extensive downs was an important incident in this journey, watered as +they were by a fine river; especially as the country to the N. W. was +open or thinly wooded, and likely to be found so as far as the central +downs and plains on the banks of the river Victoria. A new and very +remarkable Ventilago was found this day.[*] I now again numbered the +camps, continuing the series backwards, by a different character; this +was numbered 77; the last, 76. The utility of these numbers along our +surveyed line will be admitted, when the country is taken up, as they +will not only serve to identify localities with the map, but may also +enable the land-surveyors to connect local surveys with the general map +of the country. The sky was overcast with thunder-clouds in the +afternoon, and the mercurial column was low; but no rain fell, and a +clear starry sky, at 9 P. M., admitted of our observations as usual. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 53°; at noon, 85°; at 4 P. M., 83°; at 9, 58°;-- +with wet bulb, 47°. Height above the sea, 1295 feet. (Camp 77.) + +[* V. VIMINALIS (Hook. MS.); foliis anguste elongato-lanceolatis +integerrimis nervis costa parallelis, paniculis axillaribus +terminalibusque.--The other hitherto known species of the genus, have +broad leaves, more or less denticulate, with patent nerves. The flowers +and fruit entirely accord with those of the genus.--W. J. H. "Tree 20 +feet high, growing on high sandy ridges."] + +25TH OCTOBER.--We continued in the direction of a column of smoke I had +perceived yesterday, believing that there I should intersect the river, +or at least find water. We found the open downs at length, hemmed in by +ACACIA PENDULA, growing openly; but which gave place to a scrub, as we +approached some ridges. These ridges consisted of red gravel; the scrub +contained callitris, casuarina, silver-leaved iron-bark, malga and +brigalow, the two latter growing so thickly as to compel me to turn +eastward to avoid them. This elevated rocky ground was found more +extensive than I had expected, throwing down many water-courses to the +east and north-east; but, at length, we made the river, and encamped +after a journey of 10 1/3 miles. It there ran through a deep valley, due +south, with a broad channel, in which we found a reach of water covered +with ducks. The country beyond it, to the eastward, over which our former +route passed, appeared like high table-land in bluey distance; but +neither of the mountains Bindango or Bindyego were visible from the +country traversed by the party this day. Thermometer, at sunrise, 43°; at +noon, 81°; at 4 P. M., 94°; at 9, 65°;--with wet bulb, 51°. Height above +the sea, 1186 feet. (Camp 78.) + +26TH OCTOBER.--A river coming into the Maranòa, about a mile from our +camp, was apparently the river Amby; but without having traced its course +throughout, I could not feel certain of this, after all I had seen of +these rivers: I think this was the same, however. We kept the Maranòa on +our left during the whole of this day's journey, and were thus able to +pursue a tolerably straight line in the direction of about 20° E. of S. +At length, arriving at the junction of an important tributary from the N. +W., full of water, and seeing another also join from the east, I crossed +the main channel and encamped on the left bank, in sight of a reach of +broad blue water below the junction, of an extent which reminded us of +the Balonne itself. The valley of the river seemed bounded by continuous +ranges of high land, which looked in the back-ground like table-land. +Recently, much grass and bushes had been burnt, along the banks of the +river, by the natives; and we this day passed over a tract where the +grass was still in a blaze on both sides of us. Crows and hawks hovered +over the flames, apparently intent on depriving the devouring clement of +whatever prey more properly belonged to them. In a dry part of the bed of +the river, I met with many instances of a singular habit of the eelfish +(JEWFISH) PLOTOSUS TANDANUS.[*] I had previously observed, elsewhere, in +the aquatic weeds growing in extensive reaches, clear circular openings, +showing white parts of the bottom, over which one or two fishes +continually swam round in circles. I now found in the dry bed, that such +circles consisted of a raised edge of sand, and were filled with stones, +some as large as a man's closed fist. Yuranigh told me that this was the +nest of a pair of these fish, and that they carried the stones there, and +made it. The general bed of the river where I saw these nests, consisted +wholly of deep firm sand; and that the fish had some way of carrying or +moving stones to such spots, seemed evident, but for what purpose I could +not discover. Thermometer, at sunrise, 56°; at noon, 83°; at 4 P. M., +93°; at 9, 75°;--with wet bulb, 59°. + +[* See Pl. 6. fig. 2. p. 44. vol. i. of Three Expeditions.] + +27TH OCTOBER.--We now travelled along the left bank of the river, and +found the country tolerably open. The ADRIANIA ACERIFOLIA grew on an +islet in the river.[*] This still pursued a remarkably straight course, +and contained abundance of water. After passing over a place where the +bush was on fire, we saw a female in the act of climbing a tree. When she +had ascended about eight feet, she remained stationary, looking at us +without any appearance of dismay. I continued to pursue a straight- +forward course, but told Yuranigh to inquire, EN PASSANT, what was the +name of the river; to which question she replied, in his own language, +"The name of that water is Maranòa:" thus confirming the name we had +already understood, however indirectly, to be that of the river. It +proved the accuracy of my servant Brown's ear, for it was first +communicated to him, during my absence, by the old chief at Bindango. The +gin appeared to be climbing in search of honey. To state that this female +wore no sort of clothing, were superfluous to any reader of this journal +who may have been in such interior parts of Australia. After travelling +about fourteen miles, we came upon a fine reach of the river, and +encamped beside it. Thermometer, at sunrise, 59°; at noon, 68°; at 4 P. +M., 95°; at 9, 77°;--wet bulb, 65°. Height above the sea, 832 feet. +(Camp 80.) + +[* A. ACERIFOLIA (CROTON ACERIFOLIUM All. Cunn. MS.); foliis cordato- +ovatis trifidis segmentis acuminatis grosse inaequaliter sinuato- +serratis, subtus bracteisque pubescenti-tomentosis.--Shrub three feet +high. Flowers scarlet. Collected by Allan Cunningham along the Lachlan +river.] + +28TH OCTOBER.--Heavy rain was falling soon after day-break, and I most +willingly sat still in my tent, hoping the rain would continue. Just in +sight of it grew a picturesque tree: the half-dead, half-alive aspect +presented by the same sort of tree, was not unfrequent in the Australian +woods; and I was induced to sketch this specimen, as highly +characteristic of the scenery. These trees, "so wither'd and so wild in +their attire," generally appear under the shelter of other taller trees; +have half their branches dead, the part still in foliage drooping like +the willow, the leaf being very small. It is an Acacia (A. VARIANS), and +I was informed by Yuranigh that it is the Upas of Australia; the natives +call it "Goobang," and use a bough of it to poison the fish in +waterholes. They are too honest and fair in their fights to think of +poisoning their weapons. The aspect of this half-dead tree is certainly +characteristic of its deleterious qualities, in the wild romantic outline +resembling Shakspeare's lean, poison-selling apothecary,-- + +--"who dwelt about the very gates of death, Pale misery had worn him to +the bones." + +Some good soaking rain fell until about 10 A. M., after which we had a +cool day and cloudy sky. The rain ensured to us at least dew on the grass +for a morning or two; and this, with the prospect of finding the channel +dry lower down, was a great advantage. Thermometer, at sunrise, 61°; at +noon, 75°; at 4 P. M., 76°; at 9, 60°;--wet bulb, 51°. + +29TH OCTOBER.--A clear cool morning. We travelled this day with so much +ease, that we got over twenty miles without apparent fatigue, to bullocks +or horses. The necessity for travelling so far arose from the utter want +of water in the river bed. The course was very direct; the country was +open, and clothed with rich verdure on which our cattle could have +reposed, doubtless with great satisfaction, both to themselves and +drivers, had water also been at hand; but after travelling over, and +measuring twenty miles, we were obliged to encamp without any. As this +seemed only a branch of the river. I sent Corporal Graham to ascertain +what was beyond, while I, with Yuranigh, examined this channel backwards. +We found no water in either direction, but Corporal Graham discovered the +main channel at a mile and a half westward from our camp, and traced it +to near the junction with the ana-branch on which we were encamped. We +discovered this day a club and shield, such as the natives use on the +Belyando, carefully put away upon a sort of scaffold of bark, and covered +with bark. The shield was made of very light wood, the face being +rounded, and having been covered with a dark varnish like japan; for +which the surface had been made rough by crossed lines, resembling those +made on the first coat of plaster. It was evident, from the marks on this +shield, that the clubs were frequently used as missiles.[*] Each man of +the tribe that visited my camp on the Belyando, carried three or four of +these, but no shields; a plain indication that they were not then armed +for war against other aborigines. Thermometer, at sunrise, 36°; at noon, +68°; at 4 P.M., 73°; at 9, 49°;--with wet bulb, 40°. + +[* Deposited in the British Museum (60, 61.).] + +30TH OCTOBER.--We were now fifty-two miles from the junction of the dry +channel we crossed by the Balonne, and forty from the nearest part of our +former route, in advancing into this country. The risk of want of water +was worth encountering in the most direct line homewards, which was by +following down this river. I travelled, as straight as the bush would +allow, towards the junction; Graham examining the channel while we +proceeded. No water was found where the rivers united. Having halted the +small party with me, I followed one branch many miles with Yuranigh, but +all we could find were some wells, dug by natives, in a part of the sandy +bed; in one of which Yuranigh found, by a long bough he thrust in, that +there was moisture about five feet below the surface. I returned, +determined to encamp near this, and dig a well. The bullock teams had +also arrived when I returned to the party, and I learnt that Drysdale, +having observed that my little dog Procyon came in wet, had been led to +the discovery of a lagoon about three miles back, at which the cattle had +been already watered. I immediately encamped. At finding water the dog +was most expert, the native next, we inferior to both. We had come about +fifteen miles, and I wished to lay down the journey on the map. On doing +this, I found we had at length attained a point from whence, in case of +necessity, we could go as far as the Balonne, even if no water were found +in the country intervening, the direct distance being under forty miles. +During the afternoon, a still larger lagoon was found, higher up than the +first. I resolved to give the cattle a day's rest, and then to proceed +prepared, by well watering them previously, to travel on to the Balonne, +but not with much expectation that scarcity of water would oblige us to +go so far. Thermometer, at sunrise, 34°; at noon, 70°; at 4 P. M., 78°; +at 9, 60°;--with wet bulb, 46°. + +31ST OCTOBER.--Two men were sent to the westward, where they found a dry +sandy country with pines, the same as that seen by me on my first ride +from St. George's bridge to the N.W., on the 18th of April. I was myself +engaged at the camp, on my general map of the country. Thermometer, at +sunrise, 33°; at noon, 81°; at 4 P. M., 84°; at 9, 51°--wet bulb, 43°. +Height above the sea, 882 feet. + +1ST NOVEMBER.--The cattle and horses, having been all night loose beside +Drysdale's ponds, were brought in early, and we then proceeded. After +travelling about eight miles, over ground bearing traces of inundation, +and looking, as we proceeded, into the river channel for water, Yuranigh +found a lagoon in a hollow parallel to the river, and I encamped, +resolved to reduce as much as possible the distance to be traversed in +uncertainty about finding water. We had, however, found rocky ridges on +the left, like bergs to the river; and the voices of natives in the +woods, as well as these ridges, redeemed the country from the aspect of +drought. This was but a small portion of the fine pastoral country, +traversed by this river, where we found the channel dry; and I think this +want was compensated by many lagoons and watercourses in that back +country extending to the little river from Mount Abundance, the Cogoon. + +2D NOVEMBER.--After watering all the animals, we went forward, prepared +to go on to the Balonne, even if we should meet with no water until we +arrived at that river. We found, however, that the country we were to +traverse was well watered. Three miles on from our camp, the country +appeared quite verdant, and park-like in its woods. The channel of the +river was bordered with green reeds, and contained a deep reach of +sparkling water. The river took a turn to the eastward, and, in the angle +formed by its again turning south, a little tributary entered it from the +north, which was full of ponds of water, and had not long ceased to run. +This came from the rocky tract situated between our old line of route, +along the little river Cogoon near Mount First View, and the Maranòa. The +water now found supplied the only link wanting in our explored line along +the last mentioned river, and I had no doubt that, by crossing that +country more directly towards the upper part of the Maranòa, a supply +would be found at convenient stages. On crossing the little tributary +(which I called Requisite Ponds), we found that the river resumed its +straight course towards the Balonne; and, in latitude 27° 31' 37" S., we +again saw green reeds and a good pond, beside which we encamped. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 50°; at noon, 76°; at 4 P. M., 79°; at 9, 63°; +--with wet bulb, 61°. (Camp 82.) Height above the sea, 969 feet. + +3D NOVEMBER.--The river accompanied us but a short way this day, as I had +determined to follow a straight line towards the junction with the +Balonne, aware that the course of the river, for ten or twelve miles +above that point, turned very much to the westward. We passed through +much open forest, and over much sandy ground, on which the callitris +always appeared to predominate. Little scrub lay in our way. At length, +plains again appeared before us through the trees; and, beyond them, +after travelling twenty-two miles, we saw before us the river line, +running north-east. We crossed it, and still continued to travel on +towards the main river; but night overtook us when not far distant from +it, so that we were obliged to encamp within the distance of a mile and a +half, after a journey, with carts, of 26½ miles. Here occurred the only +Epiphyte observed during the expedition. It was growing in the dead parts +of trees in the forest, and proved to be the CYMBIDIUM CANALICULATUM of +Brown. One of the specimens had a raceme of flowers above a foot long. +The fragrant JASMINUM MITCHELLII occurred, with narrower leaves than +usual, at the foot of the forest trees. JUSTICIA ADSCENDENS, an +inconspicuous weed, covered the plains in large tufts. The MELALEUCA +TRICHOSTACHYA was there; and on the plains, and in open forests, grew a +woolly. ANDROPOGON, which appeared not to be distinct from the A. +BOMBYCINUS. In the open forest grew, here and there, the delicate COESIA +OCCIDENTALIS, and on the plains a small species of HEDYOTIS; a new +CALOCEPHALUS in bunches[*], and a creeping plant, with yellow flowers, +since found to be a new species of GOODENIA.[**] Thermometer, at sunrise, +51°; at noon, 85°; at 4 P.M., 86°; at 9, 66°;--with wet bulb, 54°. Height +above the sea, 819 feet. + +[* C. GNAPHALIOIDES (Hook. MS.); annua erecta arachnoidea superne +dichotome ramosa, foliis linearibus, capitulorum glomerulis laxiusculis +corymbosis, involucri cylindracei squamis pellucidis albis.--Probably a +distinct genus.] + +[** G. FLAGELLIFERA (de Vriese MS.); herbacea, glabra, foliis radicalibus +longe petiolatis, spathulatis, flagellis elongatis: floribus radicalibus, +axillaribus, longissime pedunculatis; calyce supero, quinquefido, +laciniis lineari-lanceolatis, bibracteolato; corolla bilabiata flava, +labio superiore fisso; fllamentis et antheris liberis; stigmatis indusio +ciliato; flagellis folii-et floriferis valde elongatis capsula +prismatica, biloculari; seminibus marginatis compressis; flagellis +floriferis; floribus in axilla folii ovatorotundati, auriculati, +subamplexicaulis, contentis, brevius pedunculatis.--Folia radicalia, 8-10 +cent. longa, 1½-2 cent. lata, apice rotundata, subrepandula, deorsum +attenuata, subdecurrentia, utrinque glaberrima, subtus pallidiora; folia +flagellorum bracteiformia, ovata, subrotunda, uno vel utroque latere +auriculata, alterutra auricula multo minore, floribus vero in bractearum +illarum axillis, reliquis multo minoribus neque ad normam perfectis, +brevius pedunculatis. Affinis species G. HEDERACEOE.--DE VR.] + +4TH NOVEMBER.--At an early hour we proceeded, and had the satisfaction +soon to find our old wheeltracks along the bank of the majestic Balonne. +This truly noble river was here as broad as the Thames at Richmond; its +banks were verdant with a luxuriant crop of grass, and the merry notes of +numerous birds gave the whole scene a most cheering appearance; +especially to us who were again upon a route connected with home, and at +a point 200 miles nearer to it, than where we had last seen that route. +We had since made the discovery, and completed the survey, of the lower +Maranòa, a river which had brought us in a very straight direction back +to this point; and by tracing this down, we had established a well +watered line of route back to the fine regions we had discovered in the +more remote interior. I marked a tree at this camp (83.), which mark is +intended to show where this route turns towards the Maranòa x. being +marked at the next camp back along the old track. In the Balonne, huge +cod-fish (GRISTES PEELII) were caught this afternoon; indeed, we already +felt comparatively at home, although still far from the settled +districts, and strangers to all that had been passing in the world during +seven months. I was busy endeavouring to complete my maps before other +cares should divert my attention from the one subject that had occupied +it so long. But in perusing nature's own book, I could, at leisure, think +sometimes on many other subjects, and I fancied myself wiser than when I +set out,--much improved in health,--bronzed and bearded; sunproof, fly- +proof, and water-proof: that is to say, proof against the want of it, +"LUCUS A NON LUCENDO." Thermometer, at sunrise, 44°; at noon, 76°; at 4 +P.M., 85°; at 9, 71°;--wet bulb, 59°. Height above the sea, 738 feet. + +5TH NOVEMBER.--We now travelled back along our old track towards Camp +VIII., at St. George's Bridge, where the first depôt had been stationed; +the tracks of several horsemen, returning after rain, were visible along +our route, and the prints of natives' feet with them. How far these +parties had been further on, along the other route by which we had +advanced, we could not then ascertain. In the course of our ride this +day, we came suddenly upon two females, who were so busy digging roots on +a plain crossed by our track, that we were too near to admit of their +running off before they perceived us; they therefore remained on the spot +until we went up to them. They informed us, through Yuranigh, that "the +tracks were those of five white men on horseback, who had been +accompanied by natives on foot. They came there about one moon before +then, and had been looking very much all about; these females could not +think what for." We took up our old position, overlooking the rocky bed +of the river. Pieces of old iron had been left untouched by the natives, +both at this camp, and were found on our old track in returning. As these +articles were such as they could have made great use of, I considered +their leaving them a proof of their good disposition towards the +exploring party; and of the very favourable impression we had made +formerly on the aborigines, at the interview with the assembled tribes of +this river. In the scrubs adjacent, we found, for the first time, the +ripe fruit of the "Quandang" (FUSANUS ACUMINATUS), and several shrubs in +flower that we thought new to botany. Thermometer, at sunrise, 44°; at +noon, 76°; at 4 P.M., 85°; at 9, 71°;--wet bulb, 59°. + + + +Chapter IX. + +MR. KENNEDY SENT TO EXPLORE THE MOONI PONDS.--I COMPLETE THE MAPS.-- +EXCESSIVE HEAT AGAIN.--NEW PLANTS FOUND.--MR. KENNEDY RETURNS--AFTER +SUFFERING MUCH FROM THE HEAT AND DROUGHT.--CORPORAL GRAHAM SENT WITH +DESPATCHES FOR THE GOVERNOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES.--THE PARTY CROSSES THE +BALONNE--BY ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE.--REACHES THE MOONI PONDS--OR RIVER.-- +TRACKS OF CATTLE AND HORSES NUMEROUS.--A WHITE WOMAN MET WITH.--CATTLE +STATIONS.--HEAVY AND CONTINUED RAIN RETARDS THE PARTY.--FLOODS ALMOST +SURROUND THE CAMP.--THE WATERS KEPT BACK BY A DAM OF SAND.--AFTER +SEVENTEEN DAYS HALT, THE PARTY CROSSES FROM THE MOONI TO THE BARWAN.--A +FLOOD IN THE BARWAN.--PASSAGE WITH THE BOATS.--MUSQUITOES NUMEROUS AFTER +THE RAIN.--STRAY HORSES JOIN OURS.--THE MAAL ALSO FLOODED.--CROSS IT WITH +THE BOATS.--THE MEEI CROSSED.--CROSS OTHER BRANCHES OF THE GWYDIR.-- +RECOGNISE MOUNT RIDDELL.--ENTER ON EXTENSIVE PLAINS.--SNODGRASS LAGOON.-- +A YOUNG SQUATTER.--LEAVE THE PARTY IN CHARGE OF MR. KENNEDY.--RIDE +HOMEWARDS. + +5TH to 9TH NOVEMBER.--These days I devoted to the protracting of angles +taken on the Victoria, and the last day to writing my despatch to the +Government; and on this morning (the 9th) I sent Mr. Kennedy, followed by +Corporal Graham and John Douglas, to examine the country in the direction +of the furthest point attained by me on my journey of 1831; that was on +the Barwan (Karaula) in latitude 29° 2' S., and bearing about 20° E. of +S. from this camp. A chain of ponds, called the "Mooni" ponds, were said +to water the intervening country, and I wished to ascertain whether they +were favourable for the connection of our recently explored route, with +the termination of that marked out by me in 1831, when my journey, +undertaken expressly with the same objects in view, was accidentally +frustrated. + +Corporal Graham was to go forward to the postoffice at Tamworth with the +despatches, when Mr. Kennedy, having ascertained the situation of the +Mooni ponds, should return. In the meanwhile, I continued to finish maps +and drawings, although suffering much inconvenience from excessive heat, +under a tent infested with numerous flies. The banks of the river were +gay with the purple flowers of SWAINSONA CORONILLOEFOLIA; FUSANUS +ACUMINATUS, produced its crimson-coloured fruit, which Yuranigh brought +us from the bush; the spotted bark tree, ELOEODENDRON MACULOSUM, was also +in these scrubs. A yellow-flowered herbaceous plant, has been determined +by Professor De Vriese to be identical with the Swan River GOODENIA +PULCHELLA. A salt plant, greedily eaten by the cattle, proved to be a +variety of the ATRIPLEX NUMMULARIS, observed in February on the +Macquarie. A species of GREWIA, in fruit, appeared to be the same as the +G. RICHARDIANA of Walpers. The TRICHINIUM FUSIFORME R. Br., was covered +with its globular, shaggy flower-heads, in the sandy open parts of the +forest. A very remarkable shrub, five or six feet high, with the foliage +of a Phyllirea, and spreading branches, was loaded with short racemes of +white flowers. It proved to be a plant of the natural order of Bixads, +and allied to MELICYTUS, but with hermaphrodite flowers.[*] A submerged +plant, in the water, was found to be a new species of MYRIOPHYLLUM, with +tuberculate fruit.[**] CASSIA CORONILLOIDES, a low shrub, was in +flower.[***] A shrubby MYOPORUM put forth sweet and edible fruit. A new +ELOEODENDRON, with small panicles of white flowers, formed a forest tree +twenty feet high, remarkable for its spotted bark.[****] A fir-leaved +CASSIA, with thin, sickle-leaved pods, formed a bush, from four to five +feet high.[*****] A new blue-flowered MORGANIA, decorated the river- +bank[******]; lastly, a new species of indigo[*******], completed the +list of plants we gathered at this season at the camp over St. George's +Bridge. + +[* M. ? OLEASTER (Lindl. MS.); glaberrimus, foliis lineari-lanceolatis +supra griseis subtus virentibus venosis racemis strictis multo +longioribus, floribus hermaphroditis.--OBS. SEP. 5. PET. 5 hypog. +imbricata. ST. 5 in margine disci magni inserta. OVAR. ovatum 1-loc. +plac. 3-par. STYLUS simplex. STIGMA parvum 3-dent. FRUCTUS ignotus, +verisim. carnosus.] + +[** M. VERRUCOSUM (Lindl. MS.); foliis submersis capillaceo-multifidis +emersis ternatim verticillatis ovatis pinnatifidis, floribus octandris, +fructibus tuberculatis.] + +[*** C. CORONILLOIDES (A. Cunn. MS.); ramis subangulatis petiolisque +minute puberulis, foliolis 8-10-jugis lineari-oblongis obtusiusculis +glabris, glandula cylindrica inter par infimum, racemis axillaribus 2-3- +floris folio multo brevioribus.--Very near C. AUSTRALIS, but the leaflets +are fewer and smaller, and the subulate glands of that species are +wanting.--G. B. M. DULCE (Benth. MS.); ramulis laevibus, foliis anguste +lanceolatis planis acutis uninervibus basi angustatis, laciniis calycinis +linearilanceolatis acutis brevibus, corollae limbo imberbi.--Intermediate +between M. TENUIFOLIUM Br. and M. DESERTI Cunn.] + +[**** E. MACULOSUM (Lindl. MS.); inerme, foliis linearibus obovatis +integerrimis obtusis, paniculis terminalibus ultra folia evectis.] + +[***** C. CIRCINNATA (Benth. MS.); glabriuscula, petiolis phyllodineis +lineari-subteretibus, foliolis nullis, racemis phyllodio plerumque +brevioribus 1-2-floris, legumine plano glabro cincinnato v. spiraliter +contorto.--Phyllodia one to one and a half inch long, resembling the +leaflets of C. HETEROLOBA. Pod like that of several PITHECOLOBIA, but not +yet ripe.] + +[****** M. FLORIBUNDA (Benth. MS.); dense glandulosa, caeterum glabra, +ramis strictis dense foliosis foliis linearibus rarissime dentatis, +pedicellis plerisque geminis folio florali multo brevioribus.--This is a +very distinct species which was also gathered by Sir T. Mitchell in 1836, +but my specimen was not complete enough to describe it accurately, the +branches are thickly covered with leaves and flowers. The lower leaves +are one to two inches long, the flowers blue, like those of M. GLABRA. +G.B.] + +[******* I. BREVIDENS (Benth. MS.) fruticosa, gracilis, pilis parvis +canescens, foliolis 6-10-jugis cum impari oppositis obovatis subplanis +mucronatis v. emarginatis utrinque strigosis, racemis multifloris laxis +folia vix superantibus, bracteis minutis, calycis villosuli dentibus +brevissimis obtusis, corolla pubescente, legumine strigilloso incurvo.-- +It has much the aspect of I. MICRANTHA (Bunge), but the flowers are not +quite so small, and the teeth of the calyx are very different.] + +15TH NOVEMBER.--Mr. Kennedy having been absent much longer than was +expected, at length appeared on the opposite bank of the river with +Douglas, both being on foot, and Douglas leading only one (strange) +horse. The information Mr. Kennedy brought me was favourable to the +project of uniting this route with that to the Barwan, and the (now) +settled district of the Nammoy. He had found that the Mooni ran nearly +north and south, and that its banks were occupied with cattle-stations to +within a day's ride of our camp. This ride of discovery had, however, +cost the lives of two of our horses, the bearing already mentioned as the +direction given for Mr. Kennedy's guidance having been TRUE and not +magnetic. Pursuing that bearing BY COMPASS, Mr. Kennedy had ridden almost +parallel to the Mooni, sixty-three miles, without hitting them, or +finding water. The heat was intense, one of the horses died, and the men +were very ill; when they at length reached these ponds. In returning, he +had travelled by the stations, and borrowed the horse brought back, from +the station nearest to us, occupied by Messrs. Hook. From these gentlemen +Mr. Kennedy had ascertained that Sir Charles Fitzroy was the new +Governor. + +17TH NOVEMBER.--The whole party crossed the Balonne by St. George's +Bridge, and I arrived, the same afternoon, with a small advanced party on +the Mooni, which we made in latitude 28° 17' 51" S. The channel was full +of water, and thus we completed the last link wanted to form a chain of +communication DIRECT FROM SYDNEY, to the furthest limits we had explored. +The ground was imprinted with the hoofs of cattle, and we already felt as +if at home. The day was one of extreme heat without any wind; the +thermometer stood at 104° in the shade. Yet the horses drew the carts +easily twenty-four miles and a quarter. We had passed over a country +covered with excellent grass, consisting chiefly of plains and open +forest, with scrubs of ACACIA PENDULA, and a soil of clay. In the scrubs +we found a new species of CANTHIUM, a shrub ten or twelve feet high; and +in the open forest ACACIA NERIIFOLIA was observed in fruit; HIBISCUS +STURTII Hook.; an Evolvulus related to SERICEUS; a new yellow +CROTALARIA[*] ; and a noble new species of STENOCHILUS, with willowy +leaves and large trumpet flowers.[**] Thermometer, at sunrise, rise, 62°; +at noon, 103°; at 4 P.M., 104°; at 9, 81°;--with wet bulb, 67°. Height +above the sea, 622 feet. (Camp 84.) + +[* C. DISSITIFLORA (Benth. MS.); herbacea, laxe ramosa, stipulis +setaceis, foliolis elliptico-oblongis rarius ovalibus obtusis supra +glabris subtus ramulisque pube tenui subcanescentibus, racemis erectis +oppositifoliis elongatis, floribus (ultra 20) distantibus, carinae rostro +brevi recto, ovulis numerosis, legumine breviter stipitato pubescente.-- +Very near to C. SENEGALENSIS among the LONGIROSTRES, but the habit is +more rigid, the leaflets rather larger, the beak of the keel shorter, and +the pod (which is only very young in the specimen) is borne on a short +stalk.] + +[** S. (PLATYCHILUS) BIGNONIAEFLORUS (Benth. MS.); glaber viscosus-foliis +longe lanceolatis linearibusve apice subuncinato, calycis foliolis latis +acutis, corollae glabrae ventricosae laciniis obtusissimis infima +dilatata subtriloba vix caeteris magis soluta, staminibus vix exsertis.-- +Leaves three to six inches long, two to six lines broad, thick and +clammy. Flowers above an inch long, remarkable for the broad divisions of +the corolla, and the general form much that of a BIGNONIA. This +difference in the form of the corolla, would perhaps justify the placing +it into a distinct genus instead of a mere section, especially as that +peculiarity which gave the name of STENOCHILUS does not exist, were it +not that the forms of the corolla are so different in different other +species, that they will not furnish generic characters where the habit is +similar.--G. B.] + +18TH NOVEMBER.--The teams came in very early, not having been above one +mile behind. I remained encamped there, in the expectation of some +decided change of weather. The night had been oppressively hot. The +season during which we had been beyond the Balonne, viz., that between +the 23rd April and 5th November, was the most proper for visiting the +tropical regions of Australia. + +Here we found TRICORYNE ELATIOR, a delicate yellow-flowered plant; a +species of the genus Fugosia near F. DIGITATA, a plant of Senegambia, but +less glabrous, and with the leaflets of the involucre much larger. +MORGANIA GLABRA, a little erect herbaceous plant, having the appearance +of being parasitical on roots; ACACIA VARIANS, in the open forest, in +rich soil. ANTHERICUM BULBOSUM, formerly seen on the Narran. In the thick +forest, a shrub six feet high with small white flowers, CATHA +CUNNINGHAMII[*] (Hook. MS.), and a new species of VIGNA very near V. +LANCEOLATA, though very different in habit.[**] Thermometer, at sunrise, +58°; at noon, 102°; at 4 P.M., 103°; at 9, 76°;--with wet bulb, 64°. + +[* C. CUNNINGHAMII (Hook. MS.); inermis, foliis lineari-lanceolatis +rigidis mucronato-acutis integerrimis subfalcatis superne latioribus basi +in petiolum perbrevem attenuatis, floribus axillaribus fasciculatis, +pedunculis simplicibus vel racemosis bracteolatis.] + +[* V. SUBERECTA (Benth. MS.); leviter pubescens, suberecta, ramosissima, +foliolis lato-lanceolatis basi integris vel hastato-trilobatis, +pedunculis folio subbrevioribus apice paucifloris, calycis pubescentis +campanulati dentibus tubo subaequilongis, carina rostrata acuta, legumine +puberulo.] + +19TH NOVEMBER.--The party moved off at an early hour. The tracks of +cattle and horses became more and more numerous as we proceeded, and the +channel of the little river was full of water, on which a large species +of duck was very plentiful. At length we came upon the track of wheels, +and followed them towards the station; which was not yet visible when our +young native, Dicky, fell a shouting and laughing, drawing my attention +to what certainly was a "RARA AVIS" to him. This was a white woman going +with pails to milk the cows, and the first white female he could ever +have seen. The jeering laugh of the young savage was amusing, as he +pointed to that swaddled, straw-bonneted object, as something curious in +natural history, to which my attention, as he thought, would be rivetted: +but the sight was, nevertheless, a welcome one to all the party. Soon two +comfortable stations, one on each side of the river, appeared before us; +and the neatly dressed mother of two chubby white children stood at the +door of one of them. I had a memorandum from Mr. Kennedy to call at the +other, to thank the owner for lending him a horse; and there I first +entered again under a roof, and a most agreeable cover it did seem to me +after living nearly a year under canvass, in houseless wilds. These were +cattle stations, and both appeared to be well-laid out for the purpose, +and upon a scale more substantial and worthy of it, than I had hitherto +seen in squatting districts. The placing of two such stations thus near +each other, is a good arrangement, not only affording better security +against the depredations of natives, but also as banishing that aspect of +solitude and loneliness such places in general present; and in the outset +of such a life, implanting, in the still uncultivated soil, the germs of +social union, on the solid basis of mutual protection. + +I continued to travel some miles beyond these stations, for the sake of +obtaining better grass for our cattle; and thus lengthened the journey to +near twenty miles, in very warm weather, the thermometer being 104° in +the shade. Thermometer, at sunrise, 58°; at noon, 102°; at 4 P.M., 104°; +at 9, 75°;--with wet bulb, 63°. (Camp 85.) Latitude, 28° 30' 51" S. + +20TH NOVEMBER.--Travelling south by compass, we found a tolerably open +forest, and the Mooni on our left, until we fell in with Mr. Kennedy's +track on riding back. Following this (as he had been guided back by an +experienced stockman), we at length crossed the Mooni, and fell into a +cart-track leading southward, and at a few miles beyond where we fell +into that track, we encamped on the left bank of the Mooni; a tree at +this camp being marked 86. Again we saw, in the woods about this camp, +the HYLOCOCCUS SERICEUS R. Br., a remarkable tree, with oblong leaves, +and fruit resembling a small orange. It is a curious genus, and belongs +to the poisonous order of Spurgeworts. We found here also, the +HELICHRYSUM SEMIPAPPOSUM D. C.; ACACIA SPECTABILIS; a new species of +BEYERIA, near B. VISCOSA, Mig.; the variety of CASSIA SOPHERA (Linn.) +cultivated in some botanical gardens, under the name of C. SOPHERELLA; a +beautiful tree with pinnate leaves and spreading panicles of large white +flowers, called THOUINIA AUSTRALIS; the EUCALYPTUS BICOLOR A. Cunn. MS., +a species closely allied to E. HOEMATOMMA Sm., but the marginal nerve is +not so close to the edge of the leaf (this is the "bastard box" of the +carpenters); a fine new large-flowered SIDA[*]; and it appears that the +"Yarra" tree of the natives here, is a new Eucalyptus, which Sir William +Hooker calls E. ACUMINATA.[**] + +[* S. (ABUTILON) TUBULOSA (All. Cunn. MS.); tota velutino-pubescens, +foliis cordato-ovatis (sinu profundo angusto) sublonge acuminatis +dentatoserratis, stipulis subulatis flaccidis, pedunculis axillaribus +solitariis unifloris folio brevioribus, calyce elongato tubuloso 5-fido +laciniis acuminatis, petalis (flavis) vix duplo brevioribus.--W. J. H.] + +[** E. ACUMINATA (Hook. MS.); foliis alternis petiolatis lanceolatis +longe acuminatis subaristatis penninerviis glaucis reticulatis nervis +lateralibus a margine remotiusculis, floribus umbellatis (4-6-floris), +umbellis pedunculatis, calycis tubo hemisphaerico in pedicellum gracilem +attenuato, calyptra conico-acuminato calycis tubum superante.] + +Just as we sat down here, rain came on; the wind changed to S. W. and the +sky looked more portentous of rainy weather than we had ever seen it on +this journey. Now this was the first country in which we had any reason +to dread wet weather, since we crossed the Culgoa about the beginning of +April. Here rain would render the ground impassable, and inundate the +country. The mercury in the barometer was falling, and so was the rain. +Thermometer, at sunrise, 61°; at noon, 62°; at 4 P.M., 57°; at 9, 53°;-- +with wet bulb, 53°. + +21ST NOVEMBER.--The wind had shifted from E. to S. W., and the rain had +set in,--to proceed was quite impossible. The coolness of a cloudy day +rendered the tent much more agreeable and convenient for finishing maps +in, than one under the extremely hot sunshine which mine had been +recently exposed to so long at St. George's Bridge. I had now, therefore, +a good opportunity of completing the maps. The great heat which had +prevailed during so many successive days there, portended some such +change as this; and we were thus likely to be caught in that very region +so subject to inundation, which I was formerly so careful to avoid, that +I endeavoured to travel so as to be within reach of a hilly country. For +that reason chiefly I had proceeded into the interior, by the circuitous +route of Fort Bourke. + +21ST NOVEMBER TO 7TH DECEMBER.--The sky resembled that in Poussin's +picture of the Deluge; and to one who had contended a whole year with +scarcity of water, in regions where this coming supply had so long been +due, the reflection would often occur, that this rain, if it had fallen a +year sooner, might have expedited that journey very much indeed; whereas +it was now very likely to retard the return of the party. This was the +only spot where such a rain could have seriously impeded our progress; +the waters of the great rivers were sure to come down, and we had still +to traverse extensive low tracts, where, in 1831, I had seen the marks of +floods on trees, which had left an impression still remaining on my mind, +that I thought it very desirable then, to get my party safe out of these +flats as soon as possible. + +On the 28th November, or eight days after the rains set in, the Mooni +waters came down, at first slowly, but gradually filling up the channel, +until they rose to such a height, as to oblige me to move three of the +drays. During the night, the rising inundation began to spread over the +lower parts of the surface back from the river; while the current came +down with such rapidity, and, judging from marks of former inundations on +the trunks of box-trees ("GOBORRA"), it appeared probable the water might +reach our camp. I therefore determined to move it by daylight to a sand- +hill, about a quarter of a mile back from the river. This was effected in +good time, and only in time. Between the camp beside the Mooni, and that +we afterwards established on the sand-hill, there was a hollow by which +the rising floods would pass to an extensive tract of low ground almost +surrounding our camp on the sand-hill, and which would, probably, render +our passage out of that position difficult, even after the waters had +subsided. I therefore employed the men in throwing up a dam across this +hollow, between our hill-camp and the river, so as to prevent the +inundation from passing that way. We had no better material than sand to +oppose to this water; yet, by throwing up enough, we succeeded in +arresting the waters there, although they rose to the height of two feet +four inches on the upper side of our dam, and gave, to the country above +it, the appearance of a vast lake, covering our old encampment; so that +the figures 86 cut on a tree, were the only traces of it that remained +above water. Our camp on the sand-hill was elevated above the sea 641 +feet, or about 80 feet higher than the river. The waters continued to +rise until the 2d of December, when they became stationary; and next day +they began slowly to subside. By the evening of the 5th, they had receded +from the dam; and the sky, which had been lowering until the 1st, began +to present clouds of less ominous form. Still the return of clear weather +was slow, and accompanied by thunder-showers. Plants put forth their +blossoms as soon as the sun re-appeared; amongst others, the DIDISCUS +PILOSUS Benth.; a pretty little umbelliferous plant. BOERHAAVIA was again +seen here; CARISSA OVATA, a shrub three feet high, with spiny branches, +and very sweet white flowers; the NEPTUNIA GRACILIS also, with the +appearance of a sensitive plant, was seen in the open flats. It was only +on the 7th that a crust had been formed on the earth, sufficiently firm +for the cattle to travel upon; and we embraced the earliest opportunity +of quitting that camp, where the superabundance of water had detained us +seventeen days. Musquitoes now tormented us exceedingly, and had obliged +us to tether the horses at night, to prevent them from straying. We this +day passed over the soil without finding the wheels to sink much, until +we arrived at Johnston's station, five miles from our camp, and where I +had been told the ground was firm. There, on the contrary, we encountered +the only two swamps at all difficult. Even the drays got through them, +however, and I gladly quitted the banks of the Mooni, taking a straight +direction towards the Barwan, and encamped ten miles from the former. +That central ground between the Mooni and the Barwan, had brigalow +growing upon it, was firm, and in some hollows we found water. A heavy +thunder-shower fell at sunset, but we were on such firm soil, that I was +under no apprehension that it would have the effect of retarding our +journey. + +8TH DECEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A.M., 69°. Height above the sea, 782 +feet. Having determined our position on the map, I now chose such a +direction for our homeward route, as would form the most eligible general +line of communication between Sydney and the Maranòa. It seemed desirable +that this should cross the Barwan (the Karaula of my journey of 1831), +some miles above the point where I had formerly reached that river; and +thus avoid the soft low ground upon the Nammoy, falling into my old track +about Snodgrass lagoon, or when in sight of Mount Riddell. With this +view, our latitude being 28° 57' 20" S., longitude 149° 11' E., I chose +the bearing of S.S.E. (or rather 23½° E. of S.), for my homeward +guidance; and this morning I travelled, over a good firm surface, for +sixteen miles in that direction, when we arrived at the bank of the +Barwan and there encamped. We had passed through some open scrub, chiefly +of the rosewood kind, and crossed several small grassy plains; saw one or +two patches of brigalow, but very little callitris. An improvement was +visible in the quality of the grass, when we came within the distance of +about two miles from the river; and open forests or plains of richer +soil, its usual concomitants, plainly enough indicated the presence of +the Barwan (or "Darling"). In the country we traversed, we saw no cart +tracks; but the deep impressions of a few stray cattle, apparently +pursued by natives, were visible throughout the scrubs. There was still a +considerable flood in the river, although the water had been recently +much higher, as was obvious from the state of the banks. Latitude, 28° +37' 20" S. Height above the sea, 590 feet. + +9TH DECEMBER.--All hands were busy this morning in making preparations +for crossing the Barwan. The boats were soon put together, and on +reconnoitring the river in one of them, I soon found a favourable place +for swimming the cattle and horses at, and which was effected without +accident. The unloaded drays were next drawn through the river at the +same place; which was about three hundred yards lower down the river than +that at which we had encamped, and which was marked by the number 87, cut +on a tree. My former camp on this river in 1831, for want of such a mark, +could not be recognised. According to my surveys, it should have been +found seventeen miles lower down the river. All our stores and equipment +were carried across in the boats. These looked well in the water; their +trim appearance and utility, then renewed my regret that I had not +reached the navigable portion of the Victoria, and that its channel had +been so empty. Perhaps more efficient portable boats never were +constructed, or carried so far inland undamaged. They were creditable to +the maker, Mr. Struth of Sydney. By their means, the whole party was +comfortably encamped this afternoon, on the left bank of the Barwan, just +before a heavy thunder-shower came down. The river had fallen several +feet during the day. Thermometer, at 6 P.M., 82°. + +10TH DECEMBER.--At 6 A.M. thermometer 68°. The mosquitoes were most +tormenting; as was well expressed by one of the men outside my tent, who +remarked to his companion, "That the more you punishes 'em, the more they +brings you to the scratch:" a tolerable pun for one of "the fancy," of +which class we had rather too many in the party. The horses, although +tethered and close spancelled, could not be secured, even thus. Some had +broken away and strayed during the night. It was ascertained by Yuranigh, +that four other strange horses were with ours, having come amongst them +and led them astray. These had broken loose from a neigh- bouring +station, whence a native came to the men I had left to await the horses +at the Barwan, and took back the strange horses. I had gone forward with +the party, still pursuing the same bearing, and came thus upon the +"Maäl," a channel not usually deep, but, at the time, so full of water, +with a very slight current in it, that here again we were obliged to +employ the boats. This channel was distant 5½ miles from where we had +crossed the Barwan. The bullocks were made to swim across in the yokes, +drawing the empty drays through, which they accomplished very well; "RARÎ +NANTES IN GURGITE VASTO." The loads were carried in the boats, and the +horses taken across, as before. The camp was established at an early hour +on the left bank of the "Maal," which camp I caused to be marked 88, in +figures cut on an iron bark tree. Latitude, 29° 1' 20" S. This seemed to +be the same channel crossed by me on 5th February, 1832, at a similar +distance from the main river. + +11TH DECEMBER.--Thermometer, at 7 A.M., 70°. We continued to travel +homewards on the same bearing; thus tracing with our wheels, a direct +line of road from Sydney to the northern interior and coast. The plains +were gay with the blue flowers of a new CYCLOGYNE[*]; a new CANTHIUM, was +in fruit[**]; and we found also a species of Malva, which Sir William +Hooker has determined to be MALVA OVATA (Cav.), or scarcely differing +from that species, except in the rather soft and short hairs to the calyx +(not long and rigid): the two ends of the curved carpels are equal or +blunt; but in M. OVATA the upper one is longer and attenuated into a +short beak. The same plant was found by Frazer along the Brisbane. The +THYSANOTUS ELATIOR was again found here; and a shrubby CRUCIFEROUS plant, +quite woody at the base, with very narrow linear setaceous pinnatifid +leaves,[***] and linear curved torulose silicules. A new HAKEA with stout +needle like leaves, was also found this day in the scrub. We met with no +impediment for eighteen miles, when I encamped, although without reaching +water enough for our cattle. I knew we could not expect to meet with any +watercourse between the Barwan and the Gwydir; which latter river I +wished to cross as soon as possible, in hopes then to meet with roads and +inhabitants. Even cattle-tracks had again become rare in this +intermediate ground, although the grass was in its best state, and most +exuberant abundance. We crossed much open plain, and passed through +several shady forests of casuarina. A curious provision of nature for the +distribution of the seeds of a parasitical plant was observed here, each +seed being enclosed within a sort of pulp, like bird-lime, insoluble in +water; the whole resembling a very thin-skinned berry. On this being +broken, probably by birds, the bird-lime is apt to attach the seed to +trees or branches, and so the parasitical growth commences. On the +plains, the blue flowers of a large variety of MORGANIA GLABRA caught the +eye: the rare and little known HETERODENDRON OLOEFOLIUM of Desfontaines, +a genus referred to Soapworts by Mr. Planchon. We found also this day, a +new POLYMERIA with erect stems, silky leaves, and pink flowers.[****] +Height above the sea, 554 feet. + +[* C. SWAINSONIOIDES (Benth. MS.); foliolis 8-11 anguste oblongis, +racemis laxis dissitifloris, carina spiraliter contorta.--Habit of a +SWAINSONIA or LESSERTIA. Flowers blue, as in the original Swan river +species (C. CANESCENS). That has not a spirally-twisted keel, but the +structure is indicated both by the circinnate apex of the style, and by a +slight curl at the summit of the keel.] + +[** C. OLEIFOLIUM (Hook. MS.); foliis obovato-oblongis obtusis glaucis +basi in petiolum gracilem attenuatis, stipulis parvis acutis, fructibus +didymis.] + +[*** H. LONGICUSPIS (Hook. MS.); rigida glaberrima, ramis junioribus +subpubescentibus, foliis bi-triuncialibus tereti-filiformibus rigidis +strictis longe mucronatis, perianthiis glabris, capsulis suboblique +ovatis lignosis glabris brevi-acuminatis.] + +[**** P. LONGIFOLIA (Lindl. MS.); erecta, foliis sericeo-nitentibus +linearilanceolatis auriculatis, pedunculis unifloris foliis multo +brevioribus.] + +12TH DECEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A.M., 67°. Passing over a similar sort +of country for some miles (and through a scrub, on first leaving the +camp), we at length came upon a more open country, where the ground +seemed to fall southward. Cattle-tracks were again numerous, and cow-dung +abundant, an article in much request with us just then, its smoke being a +valuable specific for keeping off the mosquitoes, when a little of it was +burnt before a tent. We next came upon more spacious plains than any we +had seen southward of the Balonne; and I recognised, with great pleasure +and satisfaction, the blue peak of Mount Riddell, distant 61 miles. This +seemed to peep through the obscurity of fifteen laborious years, that had +intervened since I had given a name to that summit. It now proved the +accuracy of my recent survey, appearing exactly in the direction, where, +according to my maps, I pointed my glass to look for it. Like the face of +an old friend, which, as the Persian proverb says, "brighteneth the +eyes," so this required clear eyes to be seen at all; even Yuranigh, +could not at first be persuaded that it was not a cloud. This fine peak +must always be a good landmark on these vast plains, and may yet brighten +the eye of the traveller from India, when emerging from the level regions +upon the Barwan. We next perceived at a distance, a cloud of dust raised +by a numerous herd of cattle, and came upon a water-course, or branch of +the Gwydir, called, I believe, the "Meei." As I wanted to cross the +Gwydir, I crossed this and continued; met with another deep ditch or +channel, four miles beyond the Meei; and, at three miles beyond that, +another: none of these resembling the Gwydir I had formerly seen. I had +ridden twenty-five miles, and hastened back to meet the carts, and +encamped them just beyond the first-mentioned of these two water-courses. +The heavy drays were, of course, far behind. Latitude, 29° 34' 41" S. +Height above the sea, 553 feet. + +13TH DECEMBER.--Thermometer, at 10 A.M., 70°. The drays joined us early, +having performed an immense distance yesterday. This being Sunday, rest +for the remainder of the day was both proper and necessary. I found we +were within a less distance of Snodgrass Lagoon, than we were from the +camp we had left the previous day. I expected to fall in with some road, +when we reached the country to which I had formerly led the way. At +sunset the sky seemed charged with rain, and the barometer had fallen 2½ +millimetres; much thunder, and but a slight shower followed, after which +the sky cleared up. Heavy rain there, must have caused much difficulty +and delay to the party, as we were upon low levels subject to inundation. +Height above the sea, 499 feet. Thermometer, at 6 P.M., 88°. + +14TH DECEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A.M., 76°. During the night, and at +day-break, heavy rain pattered on my tent, but a streak of the blue sky +appeared in the N.W., which increased; and before 7 A.M. the sun shone on +the ground, and dried it so that we could proceed. We crossed a channel +of the river, at three miles, which is called the "Moomings;" and still I +doubted whether we had not yet to cross the main channel of the Gwydir, +having seen no current in any of those channels I had crossed. I had +however already crossed the latitude of the river I had formerly seen; +and, coming soon to rising ground, and seeing before me the wide-spread +plains of my former journey, I was convinced that the late rains had not +extended to the Gwydir, and that this river had been crossed by us in +these several channels. At length, I arrived at the lagoon I had named, +in former times, after Colonel Snodgrass; thus terminating this journey, +having travelled in a direct line the last seventy-three miles of it, to +meet at this point the line from Sydney, traced by me thus far in the +year 1831. Height above the level of the sea, 545 feet. Thermometer, at 7 +P.M., 87°. The temporary occupation of the country by squatters, imprints +but few traces of colonization. Cattle-tracks were visible, certainly, +but nothing else. No track remained along the line which I had so many +years before laboured to mark out. Having ordered some of the men to look +out for a stockman, one was at length caught, and persuaded to come to my +tent, but not without some apprehension that the people he had come +amongst so suddenly were robbers. He was a youth, evidently of the Anglo- +Saxon race, in a state of transition to the condition of an Australian +stockman. His fair locks strayed wildly from under a light straw hat +about the ears of an honest English face, and the large stock whip in his +hand explained what he was about,--"in search of some stray cattle." He +had evidently never heard of exploring expeditions, past or present; nor +of such a name as "Snodgrass Lagoon." Mount Riddell was called "Cow +hill," according to him. Knew there was a road to Maitland, but of Sydney +he seemed to require some minutes to recal the recollection. He had come +from the station of Mr.----, where he was employed as stockman. Came out +from England about six years ago with a brother. When asked if his +brother was with him, he said "No." To my next question, as to the rest +of his relatives, a tear was the only reply, and I pushed my inquiries no +further. + +16TH DECEMBER.--I left the camp, accompanied by Mr. Kennedy, and, in +looking for my old route, we soon arrived at cattle stations. The lagoon +was full, and the first station we saw was on the opposite bank; but +having crossed some miles higher, we arrived at one, where the master and +some men were busy in the stockyard, and there we were hospitably +received. It was then about 2 P.M., and tea mixed with milk was set +before us, with a quart pot full of fine salt, and some hard-boiled eggs. +Having put into my tea a table-spoonful of the salt, mistaking it for +sugar, and there being no sugar, I had two strong reasons for not taking +much tea. Fortunately for me, however, I did eat one of the hard-boiled +eggs, for from that hour I was doomed to fast two days. There I bade Mr. +Kennedy farewell, leaving him in charge of the party, and proceeded along +a cart-track homewards, followed by John Douglas, and a led horse. Before +we could arrive at the station where I intended to halt, night overtook +us on a plain, with very heavy rain, and total darkness. The cart-track +was no longer visible, and, after groping on some way without it, we were +obliged to alight and sit in the mud, without the shelter of even a tree, +until day-break. Daylight exhibited the station not above two miles off, +but that did not avail us much; for, on awaking the inmates, and asking +them for some breakfast, the hut-keeper shook his head, and said he had +no provisions to spare. Once more I struck away from these "abodes of +civilized men," to look for my old track, which had been traced along the +base of the Nundawàr Range, where the bold outlines of Mounts Lindesay +and Forbes hung dimly, like shadows of the past, amongst clouds lighted +by beams from the rising sun. After having been long in unknown regions, +time and distance seem of little consequence when we return to those +previously known; and thus the whole day soon passed in looking for my +former track. But I sought it in vain; and was glad at night to turn +towards the banks of the Nammoy, in search of a cattle-station. Since I +had first explored that country to which my wheel-tracks marked and led +the way, station after station had been taken up by squatters, not by +following any line of route, but rather according to the course of the +river, for the sake of water; and in such cases, the beaten track from +station to station, no matter how crooked, becomes the road. Thus it is, +in the fortuitous occupation of Australia, that order and arrangement may +precede, and be followed only by "CHAOS come again." I arrived about +sunset, at Mr. Cyrus Doyle's station near the Nammoy, where I was +hospitably entertained by a man in charge of it, who rode eight miles in +twenty minutes only, to borrow some tea and sugar for me, and who lived +on very friendly terms with some old natives who remembered me, and my +first advance into that country. + +18TH DECEMBER.--At 6 A.M., Thermometer 75°. Height above the sea 750 +feet. Guided by one of these natives, I reached the "great road," saw +many wool drays upon it, before I arrived at Maule's creek; and I +endeavoured, for a considerable time, to pass two gentlemen in a gig, and +wearing veils, who were driving a lot of mares before them, and who +seemed to derive amusement from making their mares keep pace with my +entire horse. + +The road this day traversed the luxuriant flats of the Nammoy, one of the +richest districts in the colony, as the fat cattle on the banks of the +river sufficiently attested. The mountains behind, afforded equally +eligible runs for sheep. Nothing could surpass the beauty of the scenery, +amid abundance of water, umbrageous trees, cattle, verdure, and distant +mountains. I was most comfortably lodged that night at Mr. Wentworth's +station on the Nammoy, elevated above the sea 1055 feet, and next day I +reached the dwelling of a resident squatter, and saw a lady in a +comfortable house near the very spot, where, fifteen years before, I had +taken a lonely walk by the then unknown Nammoy, the first white man +permitted there to discover a "flowery desert."[*] I was most kindly +welcomed by this family; but I asked in vain, even there, to be favoured +with the perusal of a newspaper. When I expressed anxiety about my +numerous family, and spoke of my long absence of a year, I observed a +tear in the lady's eye, which I then thought the product of mere +sensibility; but I learnt subsequently, that she was aware the newspapers +she possessed, and out of sympathy withheld, would have apprised me of +the death of a son, which sad tidings were only communicated to me some +days after.[**] + +[* Three Expeditions, etc., vol. i. p. 54.] + +[** He died on the 16th July, at the age of eighteen, from the want of +medical aid, when surveying, in winter, the Australian Alps. His grave, +trodden by cattle hoofs, is in a desolate unconsecrated spot. He had +served the public, gratis, upwards of two years, as a draughtsman and +surveyor.] + + + +Chapter X. + +MR. KENNEDY CONDUCTS THE PARTY TO SYDNEY.--PROCEEDS OF THE SALE OF THE +CATTLE AND EQUIPMENT.--APPLIED TO THE REFITTING OF A LIGHT PARTY ON +HORSEBACK.--MR. KENNEDY'S INSTRUCTIONS TO TRACE DOWN THE VICTORIA.--Of +the aborigines.--CHARACTER OF YURANIGH.--IMPEDIMENTS TO THEIR +CIVILIZATION.--Of the Convicts.--THEIR USES IN THE COLONY.--CHARACTER OF +THOSE OF THE PARTY.--DIFFERENT CLASSES OF CRIMINALS.--THE UNFORTUNATE AND +THE DEPRAVED.--Of the present Colony of New South Wales.--NATURAL STATE. +--CAPABILITIES.--ITS TEMPORARY USES.--ULTIMATE COLONIZATION.--RETENTION +OF WATER.--NEW SYSTEMS OF AGRICULTURE REQUISITE.--GROWTH OF COTTON AND +SUGAR ALONG THE EASTERN COAST.--THE VINE AND THE OLIVE.--WHEAT CROPS.-- +DIFFICULTY OF ACCESS TO MARKETS.--ROADS.--PROJECTED RAILWAYS.-- +Conclusion.--ORIGIN OF THIS SURVEY.--ITS PRIMARY OBJECTS.--ULTIMATE +TENDENCY.--MY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT.--CO-OPERATION OF +THE COLONIAL LEGISLATURE.--FINAL REPORT.--GREAT GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES.-- +THE NATURAL DIVISIONS OF THE TERRITORY.--PORT BOWEN--CAPRICORNIA.--GULF +OF CARPENTARIA--AUSTRALINDIA. + +The party which I had left in charge of Mr. Kennedy near Snodgrass Lagoon +arrived in the neighbourhood of Sydney on the 20th of January, and the +new Governor, Sir Charles Fitzroy, kindly granted such gratuities to the +most deserving of my men as I had recommended, and also sent the names to +England of such prisoners as His Excellency thought deserving of Her +Majesty's gracious pardon. + +The sale of the cattle and equipment produced about 500L.; and as Mr. +Kennedy volunteered his services, when the proper season should arrive +(March), to trace down the course of the river Victoria with a light +party on horseback, I submitted a plan to Sir Charles Fitzroy, and +obtained His Excellency's permission to send this officer to survey the +river, and to apply the above-mentioned proceeds of sale in providing the +equipment of his party. Mr. Kennedy finally left Sydney about the middle +of March, with a party of eight men, all well mounted and leading spare +horses, with two light carts carrying a stock of provisions for fourteen +months. The following copy of his instructions will show what Mr. Kennedy +was required to do. + +* * * + +Surveyor-General's Office, Sydney, 22d February, 1847. + +"Sir, + +"His Excellency the Governor having been pleased to sanction my proposal +for the further exploration of the river Victoria with a small party to +be sent under your command; I have now the honour to enclose to you a +copy of instructions by which I was guided in conducting the late +expedition into the northern interior, and I have to request that you +will conform thereto, as much as the following particular instructions +for your especial guidance may permit. + +"You will as early as possible return by the road across Liverpool Plains +so as to fall into the return route of the late expedition before you +leave the settled districts, and in this manner you will recross the +Balonne at St. George's Bridge, take the route back to Camp (83), and +thence by the route along the Maranoa to Camp (XXIX), beyond which you +will proceed as hereinafter detailed, with reference to the accompanying +tracing of my survey. + +"You will cross the Maranoa at Camp (XXIX), and continue along my return +route until you reach Camp (75). I beg you will be particular so far in +looking for the track of my party returning, as you will perceive by the +map that many very circuitous detours may be thus avoided. But beyond +Camp (75), about seven miles, you will have to leave my return track on +your right, and not cross a little river there at all, but go along my +old advance track to Camp (XXXIV). Thence you will proceed by Camps +(XXXV) and (XXXVI), in order to approach the bed of the Warregò in the +direction of my ride of 14th June, in a general N. W. direction. It is +very desirable that you should keep my horse tracks there; but this I can +scarcely expect, and I can only therefore request that you will proceed +as closely in that direction as you can. The bed of the Warregò may be +looked for at a distance further on, equal to that of my ride of 14th +June. + +"You will next pursue the course of the Warregò upwards towards Mount +Playfair, which the accompanying map will be sufficient to guide you to. +You will follow up the Cùnno Creek, leaving Mount Playfair on your right +or to the eastward, and you will thus fall into the line of my horse- +track about the spot where I spoke to an old native female. I wish you +would then take some pains to travel in the direction of my track from +the head of Cùnno through the Brigalow, which is comparatively open, in +the direction of my bivouac of 11th September. + +"Keeping the direction of my track of next day, you will arrive at a low, +but stony, ridge (A) (across which you must be careful how you pass your +carts, but it is of no breadth), and you will descend into a flat, from +which you will ascend another stony ridge (B), of no greater height but +more asperity than the first, and covered with fallen timber. You will +have about a mile of that sort of difficulty to deal with on the higher +part, but by turning then to the right, you will fall into a well watered +valley, which will lead you to the Nive. In the whole of your route thus +far, you can meet with no difficulty in tracing it, guided by the map, +and following these instructions; but if Douglas should be with you, he +will no doubt recognize the country through which he passed with me. It +is very important that you should keep that route, as leading to the +Victoria in a very straight direction from Sydney, and a direction in +which, should your return be delayed beyond the time for which your party +is to be provisioned, it is probable, that any party sent after you to +your aid or assistance would proceed to look for you. After you shall +have reached the Nive and Camp (77), you cannot have any difficulty in +finding Camp (72) near the Gap, and from that valley you have only to +follow down the watercourse to be certain that you are on my track to the +Victoria, and, as you have been instructed to take an expert native with +you, you ought to find still my horse's track across the downs, cutting +off large bends of the river. But beyond Camps 16th September or 1st +October, you must keep by the river along my route back, and not follow +the circuitous track which I took through Brigalow to the westward. After +about four miles by the river, you will see, by the map, that my return +track again crossed the outward track over the downs, so that you may +fall into the route westward of the great northern bend of the Victoria. +I fear you must depend on the latitude, pace measurement, and bearings, +for ascertaining the situations of my camps of 29th September and 28th +September. You will see by the map how generally straight my journeys +were between these points, and how important it would be for you to know +the situation of the camp of 28th September, that you may thence set out +westward in the direction of my return route, instead of following the +main channel throughout the very circuitous turn it then takes to the +northward. Beyond the lowest point attained by me, or the point (wherever +that may be) to which you will be able to identify the accompanying map +with my track, of course it will be your duty to pursue the river, and +determine the course thereof as accurately as your light equipment and +consequent rapid progress, may permit. You may, however, employ the same +means by which I have mapped that river so far; and, for your guidance, I +shall add the particulars of my method of measuring the relative +distances. If you count the strokes of either of your horse's fore feet, +either walking or trotting, you will find them to be upon an average, +about 950 to a mile. In a field-book, as you note each change of bearing, +you have only to note down also the number of paces (which soon becomes a +habit); and to keep count of these, it is only necessary to carry about +thirty-five or forty small pieces of wood, like dice (beans or peas would +do), in one waistcoat pocket, and, at the end of every 100 paces, remove +one to the empty pocket on the opposite side. At each change of bearing, +you count these, adding the odd numbers to the number of hundreds, +ascertained by the dice, to be counted and returned at each change of +bearing to the other pocket. You should have a higher pocket for your +watch, and keep the two lower waisctoat pockets for this important +purpose. + +"Now, to plot such a survey, you have only to take the half-inch scale of +equal parts (on the 6-inch scale in every case of instruments), and +allowing TEN for a hundred, the half-inch will represent 1000 paces. You +may thus lay down any broken number of paces to a true scale, and so +obtain a tolerably accurate map of each day's journey. The latitude will, +after all, determine finally the scale of paces; and you can, at leisure, +adjust each day's journey by its general bearing between different +latitudes; and, subsequently, introduce the details. You will soon find +the results sufficiently accurate to afford some criterion of even the +variation of the needle, when the course happens to be nearly east or +west, and when, of course, it behoves you to be very well acquainted with +the rate of your horse's paces, as determined by differences of latitude. +You will be careful to intersect the prominent points of any range that +may appear on the horizon; and the nature of the rock also should be +ascertained in the country examined: small specimens, with letters of +reference, will be sufficient for this. Specimens of the grasses, and of +the flower or seed of new trees, should be also preserved, with dates, in +a small herbarium. But the principal object of the journey being the +determination of the course of the Victoria, and the discovery of a +convenient route to the head of the Gulph of Carpentaria, the +accomplishment of these great objects must be steadily kept in view, +without regard to minor considerations. Should the channel finally spread +into an extensive bed, whether dry or swampy, you will adhere, as a +general rule, to the eastern side or shore, as, in the event of any +scarcity of water, the high land known to be there will thus be more +speedily accessible to you; and I am also strongly of opinion, that you +would cross in such a route more tributaries from the east than from the +west. On arriving at or near the Gulph of Carpentaria, I have +particularly to caution you against remaining longer than may be +unavoidable there, or, indeed, in any one place, in any part of your +route, where natives may be numerous. + +"Having completed (at least roughly) the map of your general route, it +will be in your power in returning, to take out detours, and cut off +angles, by previously ascertaining the proper bearings for doing so; and +when so returning, it would be convenient to number your camps, that the +route and the country may be better described by you, and recognised +afterwards by others. These numbers may be cut in common figures on +trees; and if, as I hope, you should reach the Gulph, you can commence +them there: you may prefix C to each number commencing with 1, thus +avoiding any confusion with the numbers of my numbered camps on the +Victoria. + +"On returning to the colony, you will report to me, or to the officer in +charge of the Survey Department, the progress and results of your +journey. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, + +"T. L. MITCHELL, SURVEYOR-GENERAL. + +"E. B. C. Kennedy, Esq. J. P. Assistant Surveyor, Sydney." + +OF THE ABORIGINES. + +There is no subject connected with New South Wales, or Australia, less +understood in England than the character and condition of the aboriginal +natives. They have been described as the lowest in the scale of humanity, +yet I found those who accompanied me superior in penetration and judgment +to the white men composing my party. Their means of subsistence and their +habits, are both extremely simple; but they are adjusted with admirable +fitness to the few resources afforded by such a country, in its wild +state. What these resources are, and how they are economised by the +natives, can only be learnt by an extensive acquaintance with the +interior; and the knowledge of a few simple facts, bearing on this +subject, may not be wholly devoid of interest. Fire, grass, kangaroos, +and human inhabitants, seem all dependent on each other for existence in +Australia; for any one of these being wanting, the others could no longer +continue. Fire is necessary to burn the grass, and form those open +forests, in which we find the large forest-kangaroo; the native applies +that fire to the grass at certain seasons, in order that a young green +crop may subsequently spring up, and so attract and enable him to kill or +take the kangaroo with nets. In summer, the burning of long grass also +discloses vermin, birds' nests, etc., on which the females and children, +who chiefly burn the grass, feed. But for this simple process, the +Australian woods had probably contained as thick a jungle as those of New +Zealand or America, instead of the open forests in which the white men +now find grass for their cattle, to the exclusion of the kangaroo, which +is well-known to forsake all those parts of the colony where cattle run. +The intrusion therefore of cattle is by itself sufficient to produce the +extirpation of the native race, by limiting their means of existence; and +this must work such extensive changes in Australia as never entered into +the contemplation of the local authorities. The squatters, it is true, +have also been obliged to burn the old grass occasionally on their runs; +but so little has this been understood by the Imperial Government that an +order against the burning of the grass was once sent out, on the +representations of a traveller in the south. The omission of the annual +periodical burning by natives, of the grass and young saplings, has +already produced in the open forest lands nearest to Sydney, thick +forests of young trees, where, formerly, a man might gallop without +impediment, and see whole miles before him. Kangaroos are no longer to be +seen there; the grass is choked by underwood; neither are there natives +to burn the grass, nor is fire longer desirable there amongst the fences +of the settler. The occupation of the territory by the white race seems +thus to involve, as an inevitable result, the extirpation of the +aborigines; and it may well be pleaded, in extenuation of any adverse +feelings these may show towards the white men, that these consequences, +although so little considered by the intruders, must be obvious to the +natives, with their usual acuteness, as soon as cattle enter on their +territory. The foregoing journal affords instances of the habits of the +natives in these respects. Silently, but surely, that extirpation of +aborigines is going forward in grazing districts, even where protectors +of aborigines have been most active; and in Van Diemen's Land, the race +has been extirpated, even before that of the kangaroos, under an agency +still more destructive. + +It would be but natural, even admitting these aboriginal inhabitants to +be, as men, "only a little lower than the angels," that they should feel +disposed, when urged by hunger, to help themselves to some of the cattle +or sheep that had fattened on the green pastures kept clear for kangaroos +from time immemorial by the fires of the natives and their forefathers; +but such cases have been, nevertheless, of rare occurrence, partly +because much human life has been sacrificed to the manes of sheep or +cattle. No orders of the local government can prevent the perpetration of +these atrocities. Government Orders have been put forth in formal +obedience to injunctions from home, and the policy of the local +authorities has not been influenced by less humane motives. + +It would ill become me to disparage the character of the aborigines, for +one of that unfortunate race has been my "guide, companion, councillor, +and friend," on the most eventful occasions during this last Journey of +Discovery. Yuranigh was small and slender in person, but (as the youth +Dicky said, and I believed,) he was of most determined courage and +resolution. His intelligence and his judgment rendered him so necessary +to me, that he was ever at my elbow, whether on foot or horseback. +Confidence in him was never misplaced. He well knew the character of all +the white men of the party. Nothing escaped his penetrating eye and quick +ear. His brief but oracular sentences were found to be SAGE, though +uttered by one deemed a SAVAGE; and his affection and kindness towards +the little native Dicky seemed quite paternal. The younger was the +willing servant of the elder; who obliged him to wash and clean himself +before he allowed him to sleep near him. Yuranigh was particularly clean +in his person, frequently washing, and his glossy shining black hair, +always well-combed, gave him an uncommonly clean and decent appearance. +He had promised himself and Dicky a great reception on returning to +Sydney, and was perhaps disappointed. Dicky had never before seen houses, +and Yuranigh took much delight in showing him the theatre, and whatever +else was likely to gratify his curiosity. The boy was all questions and +observation. I was at a loss how to make these natives comfortable; or +suitably reward their services. The new Governor kindly granted the small +gratuity asked for Yuranigh, and Dicky became a favourite in my family. +Both these natives loathed the idea of returning to the woods, as +savages; and, as if captivated with the scenes of activity around them, +both expressed a desire "to work and live like white men." This shows +that, when treated on a footing of equality, as these had been in my +party, the Australian native MIGHT be induced to take part in the labours +of white men; but at the first annoyance, the old freedom of the bush +seems to overmaster their resolutions, and attracts them back to it. +Yuranigh was engaged (for wages, and under regular agreement,) as +stockman to a gentleman who had cattle in the north, and he took an +affecting leave of my family. I carried Dicky to my house in the country, +with the intention of having him educated there with my children, +provided A TUTOR COULD BE FOUND, which seemed doubtful when I left the +colony. It has been long a favourite project with me, to educate an +aboriginal native, as a husband for Ballandella, and that their children +should form, at least, one civilized family of the native race, upon +which the influence of education and religious principles might be fairly +tried. + +This has never yet been done, although the experiment is one of much +interest. It seems scarcely practicable, except by withdrawing the +married couple to another country, where the children might be educated, +and kept clear of all predilections for a life in the woods. I thought of +sending such a pair to some congenial climate, such as the South of +Europe, where they should be taught the whole art of cultivating the +grape, fig, and olive, as well as the management of other productions of +similar latitudes in that hemisphere. They might return to Australia with +their family in ten or twelve years; when, in speaking a different +language from those about them, they would be less open to the influences +that interpose between the employers and the employed in that colony; +while the utility of their employment might be of some benefit to it. +Were this experiment to succeed, the decent and comfortable condition +afforded by industry might raise the aborigines in their own estimation, +and inspire them with hope to attain to a state of equality with the +white men, which, without having some such examples set before them, must +seem to them unattainable. The half-clad native finds himself in a +degraded position in the presence of the white population: a mere +outcast, obliged to beg a little bread. In his native woods, the "noble +savage" knows no such degrading necessity.--All there participate in, and +have a share of, Nature's gifts. These, scanty though they be, are open +to all. Experience here has proved, and the history of the aborigines of +other countries has shown, the absurdity of expecting that any men, "as +free as Nature first made man," will condescend to leave their woods, and +come under all the restraints imposed by civilisation, purely from +choice, unless they can do so on terms of the most perfect equality. +Surely it behoves the nation so active in the suppression of slavery to +consider betimes, in taking up new countries, how the aboriginal races +can be preserved; and how the evil effects of spirituous liquors, of +gunpowder, and of diseases more inimical to them than even slavery, may +be counteracted. + +OF THE CONVICTS. + +The prisoners who had hitherto formed the bulk of all the exploring +parties previously led by me into the interior of New South Wales, were +chosen chiefly from amongst men employed on the roads, who had acquired +good recommendations from their immediate overseers; but, on this last +occasion, the men forming the party were for the most part chosen from +amongst those still remaining in Cockatoo Island, the worst and most +irreclaimable of their class. + +The concentration of convicts in that island was intended, I believe, to +follow out the Norfolk Island system, keeping the men under rigorous +surveillance, and making them work at their respective trades, or as +labourers. Even there, so near to Sydney, that labour, so available to +lay the foundations of a colony, might have been employed with great +advantage, in constructing a naval arsenal and hospital for our seamen on +the Indian station, with a dry dock attached to it for the repair of war- +steamers. Such a dock has been long a desideratum at Sydney, and private +enterprize might, ere this time, have embarked in a work so essential to +an important harbour, had not the Government always possessed the means +of cheaply constructing such a work by convict labour, and been thus able +at any time to have entered into such competition as might have been very +injurious to a private speculator. At Cockatoo Island, blacksmiths, +shoemakers, wheelwrights, were at work in their various avocations; all +the shoes, for both the men and horses of the expedition, were made +there; also one half of the carts, which proved equally good as the other +portion, although that was made by the best maker in the colony, a +celebrated man. + +The eagerness evinced by all these men, so confined in irons on Cockatoo +Island, to be employed in an exploring expedition, was such that even the +most reckless endeavoured to smooth their rugged fronts, and seemed to +wish they had better deserved the recommendation of the superintendent. +The prospect of achieving their freedom, by one year of good behaviour in +the interior, was cheering to the most depressed soul amongst these +prisoners. All pressed eagerly forward with their claims and pretensions, +which, unfortunately for the knowing ones, were strictly investigated by +Mr. Ormsby the superintendent, and Captain Innes, the visiting +magistrate. The selection of such as seemed most eligible was at length +made, after careful examination of the phrenological developments and +police history of each; and it was not easy to find one without a +catalogue of offences, filling a whole page of police-office annals. +Still there were redeeming circumstances, corroborated by physical +developments, sufficient to guide me in the selection of a party from +amongst these prisoners. With them, I mixed one or two faithful Irishmen, +on whom I knew I could depend, and two or three of my old followers on +former journeys, who had become free. + +This party of convicts, so organized, with such strong inducements to +behave well, and so few temptations to lead them astray, may be supposed +to have afforded a favourable opportunity for studying the convict +character. It may be asked by some, how such a party could have been made +to yield submissive obedience for so long a period as a year, away from +all other authority, than mere moral controul. This was chiefly because +these men were placed in a position where it was so very clearly for +their own interest to conduct themselves properly. Accordingly, the +greater number, as on all former expeditions, gave the highest +satisfaction, submitting cheerfully to privations, enduring hardships, +and encountering dangers, apparently willing and resolved to do anything +to escape from the degraded condition of a convict. But still there were +a few, amounting in all to six, who, even in such a party, animated by +such hopes, could not divest themselves of their true character, nor even +disguise it for a time, as an expedient for the achievement of their +liberty. These men were known amongst the rest as the "flash mob." They +spoke the secret language of thieves; were ever intent on robbing the +stores, with false keys (called by them SCREWS). They held it to be wrong +to exert themselves at any work, if it could be avoided; and would not be +seen to endeavour to please, by willing cooperation. They kept themselves +out of sight as much as possible; neglected their arms; shot away their +ammunition contrary to orders; and ate in secret, whatever they did kill, +or whatever fish they caught. + +Professing to be men of "the Fancy," they made converts of two promising +men, who, at first, were highly thought of, and although one of them was +finally reclaimed, a hero of the prize ring, it was too obvious that the +men, who glory in breaking the laws, and all of whose songs even, express +sentiments of dishonesty, can easily lead the unwary and still +susceptible of the unfortunate class, into snares from which they cannot +afterwards escape if they would. Once made parties to an offence against +the law, they are bound as by a spell, to the order of flash-boys, with +whom it is held to be base and cowardly to act "upon the square," or +HONESTLY in any sense of the word; their order professing to act ever +"upon the cross." These men were so well-known to the better disposed and +more numerous portion of the party, that the night-guards had to be so +arranged, as that the stores or the camp should never be entirely in +their hands. Thus a watch was required to be set as regularly over the +stores, when the party was close to Sydney, as when it was surrounded by +savage tribes in the interior. + +Between the "flash men" and the other men of the party, there was a wide +difference: An old man to whom they once offered some stolen flour, +refused it, saying, "I have been led into enough of trouble in my younger +days, by flash friends, and now I wish to lead a quiet life." Convicts, +in fact, consist of two distinctly different classes: the one, +fortunately by far the most numerous, comprising those whose crime was +the result of impulse; the other class consisting of those whose +principle of action is dishonesty; whose trade is crime, and of whose +reformation, there is much less hope. The offenders of the one class, +repented of their crime from the moment of conviction; those of the +other, know no such word in their vocabulary. The one, is still "a thing +of hope and change;" and would eagerly avail himself of every means +afforded him to regain the position he had lost; the other, true to his +"order," will "die game." For the separation of the wheat from the chaff, +a process by no means difficult, the colony of New South Wales was +formerly well adapted. The ticket of leave granted to the deserving +convict was one of the most perfect of reformatory indulgences; each +individual being known to the authorities, and liable, on the least +misconduct, to be sent to work on the public roads. The colony of New +South Wales has been the means of restoring many of our unfortunate +countrymen to positions in which they have shown that loyalty, industry, +public spirit, and patriotism, are not always to be extinguished in the +breasts of Englishmen, even by fetters and degradation. It is to be +regretted that a more vigilant discrimination had not interposed a more +marked line between those convicts deserving emancipation, and those +whose services are still wanted on the roads and bridges of the colony. + +OF THE COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. + +There is no country in which labour appears to be more required to render +it available to, and habitable by, civilised men, than New South Wales or +Australia. Without labour, the inhabitants must be savages, or, at least, +such helpless people as we find the aborigines. The squatters' condition +is intermediate, temporary, and one of necessity. That country without +navigable rivers, intersected by rocky ranges, and subject to uncertain +seasons, is unfavourable to agriculture and trade; to social intercourse, +and to the moral and physical prosperity of civilised man. With equal +truth, it may be observed, that there is no region of earth susceptible +of so much improvement, solely by the labour and ingenuity of man. If +there be no navigable rivers, there are no unwholesome savannas; if there +are rocky ranges, they afford, at least, the means of forming reservoirs +of water; and, although it is there uncertain when rain may fall, it is +certain that an abundant supply does fall; and the hand of man alone is +wanting to preserve that supply and regulate its use. In such a clime, +and under such a sun, that most important of elements in cultivation, +water, could thus be rendered much more subservient to man's use than it +is in other warm regions, where, if the general vegetation be more +luxuriant, the air is less salubrious. Sufficient water for all purposes +of cultivation, health, and enjoyment, is quite at the command of art and +industry in this most luxuriant of climates. Thus, the peculiar +disadvantages Australia presents in her wild state, are such as would +greatly enhance the value of such a country under the operation of human +industry. In such a climate, for instance, an abundance of water would be +found a much greater luxury when retained, distributed, and adjusted, by +such means, to man's uses, than where an abundance is but the natural +product of cloudy skies and frequent rains. Where natural resources +exist, but require art and industry for their development, the field is +open for the combination of science and skill, the profitable investment +of capital, and the useful employment of labour. Such is New South Wales. + +But the age of such adaptations there is still to come. The future is too +much speculated upon; hence no system of agriculture has been yet +adjusted to the peculiarities of climate and soil. Instead of studying +and adopting the agriculture of similar climates, and the arts by which +deficiencies in similar latitudes have from time immemorial been +corrected: irrigation, for instance, has not been yet attempted; the +natural fertility of the soil has alone been relied on, to compensate, in +favourable, seasons, for the deficiencies of others, not favourable, +perhaps, for the growth of wheat or barley, but the best imaginable for +that of other kinds of productions. So generally available is the +structure of the country for the reservation of water by dams, that a +small number of these might be made to retain as much of the surface +water as might even impart humidity to the atmosphere. This is because +the channels of rivers are in general confined by high banks, within +which many, or indeed most of them, might be converted by a few dams into +canals. To such great purposes convict labour ought to have been applied, +had it been possible to have allowed colonization and transportation to +work together. But the undulations of the land present everywhere +facilities for constructing reservoirs, which heavy showers would fill, +and thus afford means sufficient for the purposes of irrigation, were not +labour now too scarce there, to admit of the progress of colonization in +a manner suitable to the spirit of the age, and character of the nation. + +The rich lands along the eastern coast, under a lofty range which +supplies abundance of water for the purposes of irrigation, are well +adapted for the cultivation of cotton and sugar, and, with labour, +nothing could prevent these regions from being made extensively +productive of both articles. Of the vine and the olive[*], it remains to +be ascertained whether some parts of the country may not be made as +productive as Andalusia, for instance, is, in the same parallel of +latitude, in the opposite hemisphere. The want of hands alone retards the +development of every branch of production derivable from industry in +these regions. + +[* Five months ago, soon after my return to England, I gave to the +Society of Arts two bottles of olive oil, the first samples ever +produced, I believe, in Australia. The oil was made by Mr. Kid, +superintendent of the Botanic garden at Sydney, from olives grown there, +and seemed very clear and good.] + +Settled districts, back from the coast, at elevations of 1000 feet and +upwards, have produced abundant crops of wheat of very superior quality; +and, but for the non-completion of the roads between these districts and +the capital, in consequence of the withdrawal of convict labour, the +progress of agriculture in its adaptation to the soil and climate, and, +as a field for the employment of British immigrants, had been much more +advanced than it is there. + +The roads which were opened by the above means, or proposed to be opened, +have become almost impassable, or remain wholly so; and it is, therefore, +the less surprising that the colonists look to the possible introduction +of railways with much interest. In a country like that around Sydney, +where extensive tracts of inferior land must be traversed by roads in +order to arrive at lands which are productive and settled, the value and +importance of a railway would be greatly enhanced; and calculations have +been made to show that a railway between Sydney and the southern +districts would pay, even from the traffic at present along that line. +The town of Goulburn, 124 miles from Sydney, in an open undulating +country, at a considerable height above the sea, is rapidly growing into +importance; and, by making either a good road or a railway, between that +town and Sydney, access would be gained to very extensive tracts of +valuable territory, easily traversed, and to which Goulburn is a sort of +centre. + +On the whole, it may be said that the difficulty of access to the best +lands, from the want of good roads to them from the principal port, has, +of late years, greatly impeded the introduction of immigrants to the +rural districts, and added to the population of Sydney many individuals +who had been brought to the colony at the public expense, for the +assistance of settlers in the country. + +CONCLUSION. + +The employment of convicts on useful public works was, twenty years ago, +a primary object with the government of New South Wales. The location of +settlers on their grants by the measurement of their farms, then much in +arrear, and the division of the territory into counties, hundreds, and +parishes, in order to complete the deeds of grant to settlers, altogether +rendered necessary a general survey of the colony, which work I commenced +in 1827, EX OFFICIO, and, pursuant to Royal Instructions, sent to the +colony in 1825. The time between the years 1827 and 1837 was the most +prosperous in the history of the colony of New South Wales, when convicts +made good roads, farms were measured up, and the country was surveyed and +divided into countries. Colonization extended rapidly to the shores of +the southern ocean, and Australia Felix was made known to the British +public. + +The survey touched the limits of the then unknown country, for the +direction of great roads from a centre could not be considered permanent, +however limited the colony, without such consideration of their ultimate +tendency as could only be given with a knowledge of the whole intervening +country. My plans of exploration have been governed by these views and +objects, and the journey recorded in these pages was intended to complete +the last of three lines radiating from Sydney. One led across the Blue +mountains to Bathurst and the western interior as far as the land seemed +worth exploring; another by Goulburn to Australia Felix and the southern +coast; and, lastly, this, the third general route, to the northern shores +at the nearest point, the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria,--from which I +trust that by this time my assistant Mr. Kennedy will have returned to +Sydney. + +Held responsible by the Government for the performance of such a duty[*], +I have endeavoured to work out its views with that unity of plan which +must result from a mathematical principle, and which has enabled me to +bring to a satisfactory conclusion, after the lapse of many years, and in +the face of considerable difficulty, an undertaking commenced at the +command of my Sovereign, and under the auspices of the British +Government. That the Royal Instructions were originally intended for the +benefit of the colony of New South Wales is best evinced by the fact that +this journey of survey and exploration has been undertaken on the +petition of the Legislative Council of the Colony, and performed wholly +at the expense of the colony of New South Wales. + +[* Appendix, Letter No. 30/1252., page 431.] + +It now remains for me to submit my final "Report," or, in other words, to +point out how the geographical knowledge thus acquired may be available +for the economical extension of that colonisation which the expansive +energies of this great nation seem to require. New South Wales may be +benefited, it is true, by the establishment of any additional market on +the eastern coast, for her produce; and by a road to the Gulf of +Carpentaria; but a timely knowledge of the structure of the interior was +necessary to enable the Government to determine on the sites most +eligible for centres of colonisation required along the coast. It is now +ascertained that a great range separates the coast settlements from the +open pastoral country of the interior, as far as the parallel of 25° +south. That there it breaks off at the lofty plateau of Buckland's Table +Land, which overlooks a much lower country in the north;--a country but +lightly wooded, watered by good rivers, and which affords an easy access +to extensive pastoral regions in the interior, without the intervention +of any such formidable barrier between that interior open country and the +coast, as the great range nearer the actual colony. Precisely on that +part of the coast, to which the united channels of the water lead, a +harbour has been surveyed and approved of by competent naval officers. +These geographical facts, therefore, render it easy to define one +situation more favourable than any other that might be found along that +coast, for the nucleus of a colony, and which would divide almost equally +the whole coast line between Sydney and Cape York. I allude to Port +Bowen, near Broad Sound; and the river Nogoa, which has been (I believe) +called lower down, the Mackenzie. A port on that part of the coast, at +the entrance within the reefs, would be advantageous to steam navigation. +The occupation of the fine country on the rivers Victoria, Salvator and +Claude, must depend on some such sea-port for supplies; and on the +occupation of that back-country must again, in a great measure, depend +the establishment of a direct line of communication between Sydney and +the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +At the head of that gulf, admitting that a practicable and direct line of +route can be opened to it, the country, and the sea adjacent, may soon +require attention. By timely examination and good arrangement, a +commodious place of embarkation may be established there, which might, by +degrees, become an important town; where horses might be shipped and +conveyed by a short passage to India, free from the hazards of Torres +Straits. It would appear from the brief but intelligible description by +Captain Flinders, that Wellesley Islands, or Sweer's Island, being both +higher than the main land, might be connected with it, by some permanent +work, and thus afford a good port for steamers, and shelter and anchorage +for other ships. According to the interesting narrative of Captain +Stokes, the temperature is remarkably low, and convict labour might there +be very usefully employed upon such works. The head of the Gulf of +Carpentaria, being that part of the Indian Ocean nearest to Sydney, has +appeared of more importance to the colonists, since steam navigation +became regular between England and the Indian archipelago. Then it became +more desirable for the colonists to know the nature of the interior +country between their capital and that northern coast. The interior has +been found very open and accessible; the fine country at the head of the +Victoria must soon be occupied, and thus divide the whole distance into +two equal parts, each of these not much exceeding the distance between +Sydney and Melbourne, in Australia Felix; between which places mail- +carriages now run twice a week. Thus, while, by the extension of +geographical research, the proper fields for colonization are laid open +for selection, and prepared for timely arrangements on the part of the +Imperial Government; the colonists of New South Wales have promoted the +general interests of their fellow subjects at home, by the developement +of the resources of the territory around them. + +He "who measured out the sea in the hollow of his hand, and weighed the +earth in a balance," has determined, by the condition of these two +elements, the situation of the Gulf, and that of the great break in the +East Coast range--the one affording the nearest access to an important +sea, the other the easy way to a rich interior land. I would, with +deference to Him, "who led Israel like a flock," and me in safety through +the Australian wilds, distinguish the two regions by timely descriptive +names on the map I now lay before the public; Capricornia, to express the +country under the tropics, from the parallel of 25° South, where nature +has set up her own land-marks, not to be disputed: Australindia, the +country on the shores of the most southern part of the Indian +archipelago; which two regions may be made conterminous according to +natural limits, when such limits can be accurately ascertained. + +APPENDIX. + +The Colonial Secretary to the Surveyor-General of New South Wales. No. +30/1252. Colonial Secretary's Office, October 28. 1830. + +Sir, + +I have the honour, by the direction of His Excellency the Governor, to +inform you that the Right Honourable the Secretary of State has been +pleased to signify the King's instructions for the discontinuance of the +office of the Commissioners appointed to survey and value the lands of +the Colony, and His Majesty's commands that the performance of their +duties is for the future to be entrusted to the Surveyor-General, who, +with the aid of the Assistant Surveyors, will be held responsible for all +arrangements connected with the survey and division of the territory. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, + +ALEX. M'LEAY. + +To T.L. Mitchell, Esquire, Surveyor-General. + +* * * * * + +A SYSTEMATICAL LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL PLANTS COLLECTED IN THE FOREGOING +JOURNEY. + +THOSE MARKED * ARE NEW. + +[numerals refer to page numbers in the book] + +FERNS. + +Adiantum hispidulum, 204, 212. ----assimile, 204. 212. Nothochlaena +distans, 212. Grammitis rutaefolia, 212. Cheilanthes tenuifolia, 212. +Doodia caudata, 212. Platyzoma microphyllum, 236. + +GRASSES. + +Aristida calycina, 33. Arundo Phragmites, 124. * Anthistiria membranacea, +LINDL. 88. ----australis PASSIM. ----sp. 97. Andropogon sericeus, 62. +----bombycinus, 378. ----sp. 117. Bromus australis, 61. * Chloris +selerantha, LINDL. 31. ----acicularis LINDL. 33. Dactyloctenium radulans, +88. Danthonia pectinata, 319. ----* triticoides LINDL. 365. Erianthus, +fulvo aff. 62. Imperata arundinacea, 60. 349. Lappago biflora, 364. +Neurachne Mitchelliana, 33. Perotis rara, 139. Panicum laevinode 60. AND +PASSIM. Pappophorum gracile, 319. ----* avenaceum LINDL. 320. ----* +virens, LINDL. 360. ----* flavescens, LINDL. 34. * Stipa scabra, LINDL. +31. * Sporobolus pallidus, LINDL. 187. Triodia pungens, 177. 340. +Triraphis mollis, 88. + +SEDGES. + +Cyperus, sp. bulbosa. 124. ----sp. 120. Kyllinga monocephala, 100. + +MISCELLANEOUS ENDOGENS. + +Damasonium ovalifolium, 31. Xerotes laxa, 361. ----leucocephala, 198. +Cymbidium canaliculatum, 378. * Pterostylis Mitchellii, LINDL. 3 +Commelina undulata, 347. Thysanotus elatior, 347. Tricoryne elatior, 387. +Laxmannia gracilis, 365. Dianella rara, 366. ----strumosa, 341. + +GYMNOGENS. Zamia, 209. Callitris sp. n. 187. ----glauca, 298. ---- +pyramidalis, 93. + +SPURGEWORTS (EUPHORBIACEAE). + +* Adriania acerifolia, HOOKER, 371. ----* heterophylla, HOOKER, 124. +Beyeria, sp. n. 390. Bertya oleaefolia, 290. Euphorbia hypericifolia? +265. ----* eremophila, A. CUNN. 348. Hylococcus sericeus, 389. * +Micrantheum triandrum, HOOKER, 342. Phyllanthus simplex? 106. + +CUCURBITS. + +Cucumis pubescens, 110. + +BIXADS (FLACOURTIACEAE). + +* Melicytus? oleaster, LINDL. 383. + +FRANKENIADS. + +* Frankenia scabra, LINDL. 305. ----* serpyllifolia, LINDL. 305. + +CAPPARIDS. + +* Capparis umbonata, LINDL. 257. ----* loranthifolia, LINDL. 220. ---- +lasiantha, 102. ----Mitchellii, 36. Cleome flava, 127. + +STERCULIADS. + +Brachychiton populneum, 355. * Delabechea rupestris MITCHELL, 155. + +BYTTNEBIADS. + +* Keraudrenia integrifolia, HOOKER, 341. + +MALLOWWORTS. + +Hibiscus Lindleyi? 260. ----* Sturtii, HOOKER, 363. Fugosia digitata? +387. ----sp. 64. Malva ovata, 397. * Sida Frazeri, HOOKER, 368. ---- +pisiformis, 362. ----* virgata, HOOKER, 361. ----filiformis, A. CUNN. +361. ----tubulosa, CUNN. 390. ----sp. n. 103. + +LINDENBLOOMS (TILIACEAE). + +Grewia Richardiana, 383. + +MILKWORTS (POLYGALACEAE). + +* Comesperma sylvestris, LINDL. 342. + +SOAPWORTS (SAPINDACEAE). + +Thouinia australis, 390. * Dodonaea acerosa, LINDL. 273. ----* filifolia, +HOOKER, 241. ----* hirtella, 191. ----* mollis, LINDL. 212. ----* +peduncularis, LINDL. 340. 361. ----* pubescens, LINDL. 342. ----* +tenuifolia, LINDL. 248. ----* trigona, LINDL. 236. ----* triangularis, +219. ----* vestita, HOOKER, 265. + +DILLENIADS. + +Pleurandra ericifolia, 362. ----* cistoidea, HOOKER, 363. Hibbertia +canescens, 339. + +CROWFOOTS (RANUNCULACEAE). + +Clematis stenophylla, 368. Ranunculus plebeius, 362. ----sessiliflorus, +361. + +PITTOSPORADS. + +* Bursaria incana, LINDL. 224. * Pittosporum salicinum, LINDL. 97. ---- +lanceolatum, 272. + +EPACRIDS. + +Leucopogon cuspidatus, 226. + +CITRONWORTS (AURANTIACEAE). + +* Triphasia glauca, LINDL. 353. + +RUEWORTS (RUTACEAE). + +* Boronia bipinnata, LINDL. 225. ----* eriantha, LINDL. 298. * Eriostemon +rhombeum, LINDL. 293. * Geijera parviflora, LINDL. 102. ----* latifolia, +LINDL. 236. ----* pendula, LINDL. 251. Heterodendron oleaefolium, 398. * +Pilotheca ciliata, HOOKER, 347. * Phebalium glandulosum, HOOKER, 199. * +Zieria Frazeri, HOOKER, 339. + +CRANESBILLS (GERANIACEAE). + +Geranium parviflorum? 362. Erodium littoreum? 360. + +PURSLANES (PORTULACACEAE). + +* Calandrinia balonensis, LINDL. 148. ----* pusilla, LINDL. 360. + +BUCKWHEATS (POLYGONACEAE). + +Polygonum acre, 149. ----junceum, 85. + +NYCTAGOS. + +Boerhaavia mutabilis, 362. + +AMARANTHS. + +Amaranthus undulatus, 102. Alternanthera nodiflora, 35. ----sp. 341. +Nyssanthes? 360. * Trichinium semilanatum, LINDL. 45. ----Janatum, 33. +88. ----* conicum, LINDL. 363. ----fusiforme, 383. ----alopecuroideum, +88. 91. + +CHENOPODS. + +Ambrina carinata, 127. * Atriplex nummularia, LINDL. 64. ---- +elaeagnoides, 29 Atriplex semibaccata, 23. * Chenopodium auricomum, +LINDL. 94. Enchylaena tomentosa, 102. Kochia brevifolia, 33. 67. ----* +thymifolia, LINDL. 56. ----* lanosa, LINDL. 88. ----* villosa, LINDL. 91. +Rhagodia parabolica, 53. Salsola australis, 24, etc. Seleroaena uniflora, +72. * Suaeda tamariscina, LINDL. 239. + +FICOIDS. + +Mesembryanthemum, sp. 315. + +DAPHNADS. + +Pimelea linifolia? 340. ----* trichostachya, LINDL. 355. ----colorans, +362. Exocarpus aphylla, 118. ----spartea, 135. + +PROTEADS. + +* Conospermum sphacelatum, HOOKER, 342. * Grevillea Mitchellii, HOOKER, +265. ----* juncifolia, HOOKER, 341. ----floribunda, 212. ----* +longistyla, HOOKER, 343. ----sp. 276. * Hakea longicuspis, HOOKER, 397. +----* purpurea, HOOKER, 348. + +DODDER LAURELS (CASSYTHACEAE). + +Cassytha pubescens, 362. + +LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. + +Acacia conferta, 174. 289. ----Cunninghamii, 204. ----doratoxylon, 289. +----delibrata, 258. ----decora, 359. var. 223. ----* excelsa, BENTH. 225. +----Farnesiana, 256. ----falcata, 221. Acacia holosericea, 256. ---- +Simsii, 256. ----leucadendron, 258. ----* longespicata, BENTH. 298. ---- +ixiophylla, 204. ----leptoclada, var. 95. ----* macradenia, BENTH. 360. +----neriifolia, 386. ----pendula, PASSIM. ----pennifolia, 361. ---- +podalyriifolia, 221. ----* pinifolia, BENTH. 342. ----stenophylla, 81. +----spectabilis, 353. ----salicina, 56. ----triptera, 291. ----* varians, +BENTH. 132. ----* Victoriae, BENTH. 333. ----* uncifera, BENTH. 341. ---- +viscidula, 340. * Aotus mollis, BENTH. 236. * Bossiaea carinalis, BENTH. +290. ----rhombifolia, 294. * Cassia circinata, BENTH. 384. ----* +coronilloides, CUNN. 384. ----* zygophylla, BENTH. 288. ----sophera, 390. +----occidentalis, 378. ----heteroloba, 251. * Crotalaria dissitiflora, +BENTH. 386. ----* Mitchellii, BENTH. 120. * Cyclogyne swainsonioides, +BENTH. 397. * Daviesia filipes, BENTH. 363. * Erythrina vespertilio, +BENTH. 218. * Gompholobium foliosum, BENTH. 348. Hardenbergia monophylla, +236. Hovea lanceolata, 212. ----* leiocarpa, BENTH. 289. * Indigofera +brevidens, BENTH. 385. ----hirsuta, 122. * Jacksonia ramosissima, BENTH. +258. ----scoparia, 339. * Kennedya procurrens, BENTH. 365. Labichea +rupestris, BENTH. 342. * Labich ea digitata, BENTH. 273. * Leptocyamus +latifolius, BENTH. 361. * Lotus laevigatus, BENTH. 62. ----australis, +var. 348. Neptunia gracilis, 362. * Psoralea eriantha, BENTH. 131. +Sesbania aculeata? 106. * Swainsona phacoides, BENTH. 363. Vigna, an +capensis? 339. ----* lanceolata, BENTH. 350. ----* suberecta, BENTH. 388. + +ROSEWORTS. + +Rubus parvifolius, 351. + +LOOSESTRIFES (LYTHRACEAE). + +Lythrum Salicaria, 62. + +RHAMNADS. + +Alphitonia excelsa, 201. Cryptandra propinqua, 223. * Ventilago +viminalis, HOOKER, 369. + +SPINDLE TREES (CELASTRACEAE). + +* Catha Cunninghamii, HOOKER, 387. * Elaeodendron maculosum, LINDL. 384. + +STACKHOUSIADS. + +Stackhousia muricata, 362. + +DOGBANES (APOCYNACEAE). + +Carissa ovata, 393. Tabernaemontana, sp. 341. * Doobàh, 85. + +LOGANIADS. + +* Logania cordifolia, HOOKER, 341. + +GENTIANWORTS. + +Erythraea australis, 366. + +OLIVEWORTS. + +Notclaea punctata, 352. + +NIGHTSHADES (SOLANACEAE). + +Nicotiana suaveolens, 64. Solanum ellipticum, 215. ----furfuraceum, 212. +----biflorum, 362. ----violaceum, 365. ----sp. 85. + +BINDWEEDS. + +* Polymeria longifolia, 398. Convolvulus erubescens, 353. Evolvulus, +sericeo aff., 386. ----linifolius, 339. + +LEADWORTS. + +Plumbago zeylanica, 219. + +RIBWORTS (PLANTAGINACEAE). + +Plantago varia, 352. + +JASMINWORTS. + +* Jasminum suavissimum, LINDL. 355. ----lineare, 94. ----* Mitchellii, +LINDL. 365. + +EHRETIADS. + +Halgania, sp. 24. + +BORAGEWORTS. + +* Trichodesma sericeum, LINDL. 258. + +BRUNONIADS. + +Brunonia sericea, 341. ----simplex? 360. ----* simplex, LINDL. 82. + +LABIATES. + +Ajuga australis, var., 236. 347. * Mentha grandiflora, BENTH., 362. +Moschosma polystachya, 137. Plectranthus parviflorus, 347. * Prostanthera +odoratissima, BENTH., 291. ----* ringens, BENTH., 363. ----* +euphrasioides, BENTH., 360. Teucrium recemosum, 31. ----argutum, 198. +Salvia plebeia, 366. + +VERBENES. + +Chloanthes stoechadis, 298. Vitex, sp. n., 212. + +MYOPORADS. + +* Eremophila Mitchelli, BENTH., 31. * Myoporum dulce, 253. ---- +Cunninghamii, 214. * Stenochilus pubiflorus, BENTH., 273. ----* +salicinus, BENTH., 251. ----* curvipes, BENTH., 221. ----* +bignoniaeflorus, BENTH., 386. + +BIGNONIADS. + +Tecoma Oxleyi, 291. + +ACANTHADS. + +Justicia media, 31. 89. 361. ----ascendens, 97. Ruellia australis, 353. + +FIGWORTS (SCROPHULARIACEAE). + +Morgania floribunda, 62. 384. Veronica plebeia, 360. + +GOODENIADS. + +Dampiera adpressa, 339. Goodenia pulchella, 339. ----* flagellifera, DE +VRIESE, 378. ----coronopifolia, 359. ----geniculata, 72. * Linschotenia +bicolor, DE VRIESE, 340. 345. * Velleya macrocalyx, DE VRIESE, 258. + +COMPOSITES. + +Brachycome, heterodontae prox., 62. * Calotis scapigera, HOOKER, 75. ---- +cuneifolia, 28. * Calocephalus gnaphalioides, HOOKER., 378. * Eurybia +subspicata, HOOKER, 293. Eurybiopsis macrorhiza, 359. Erechthites arguta, +225. * Ethulia Cunninghami, HOOKER, 62. * Flaveria australasica, HOOKER, +118. Helichrysum bracteatum, 79. ----* ramosissimum, HOOK., 83. ---- +semipapposum, 389. ----odorum? 362. Helipteres anthemoides, 349. ----* +glutinosa, HOOK., 361. Minuria heterophylla, 64. Monenteles redolens, +263. * Myriogyne racemosa, HOOK., 353. Ozothamnus diosmaefolius, 347. +Podolepis acuminata? 289. ----rugata? 362. ----longipedunculata, 362. +Pycnosorus globosus, 353. Rutidosis helichrysoides, 78. ----* +arachnoidea, HOOK., 341. Senecio carnosulus? 360. ----Cunninghami, 45. +----brachylaenus, 62. Sphaeranthus hirtus 212. + +HIPPURIDS (HALORAGACEA). + +* Haloragis aspera, LINDL., 306. ----* glauca, LINDL., 91. * Myriophyllum +verrucosum, LINDL. 384. + +MYRTLE BLOOMS (MYRTACEAE). + +Angophora lanceolata, 81. * Callistemon nervosum, LINDL. 235. Eucalyptus +sideroxylon, 339. ----* acuminatus, HOOK. 390. Eucalyptus pulverulento +aff. 91. ----* melissiodorus, LINDL., 235. ----* citriodorus, HOOKER, +235. ----* populifolius, HOOKER, 204. ----bicolor, 390. ----* viminalis, +HOOKER, 157. * Leptospermum sericatum, LINDL. 298. * Melaleuca +trichostachya, LINDL. 277. ----* tamariscina, HOOKER, 262. Schidiomyrtus +tenellus, 340. * Tristania angustifolia, HOOK. 198. + +CINCHONADS. + +Canthium sp. 386. ----* oleifolium, HOOKER, 397. Pomax hirta, 340. + +STELLATES. + +Asperula? 360. + +UMBELLIFERS. + +Actinotus Helianthi, 345. Daucus brachiatus, 235. Didiscus pilosus, 593. + +SANDALWORTS (SANTALACEAE). + +Fusanus acuminatus, 105. Santalum oblongatum 101. + +LORANTHS. + +* Loranthus linearifolius, HOOK. 102. ----* aurantiacus, HOOKER, 101. +----* subfalcatus, HOOKER, 224. ----* nutans, CUNN. 158. + +[* The routes of the party advancing are coloured red (long-short-short- +long) on the maps; those by which it returned, blue (short-short-short).] + +LONDON, FEB. 15. 1848. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journal of an Expedition into the +Interior of Tropical Australia In Search of a Route from Sydney to the +Gulf of Carpentaria (1848) by Lt. Col. Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell Kt. D.C.L. (1792-1855) Surveyor-General of New South Wales, by Thomas Mitchell + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION *** + +***** This file should be named 9943-8.txt or 9943-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/9/9/4/9943/ + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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