Explorations in Australia: The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to SeaStuart, John McDouall
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Explorations in Australia: The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to Sea
Stuart, John McDouall
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Stuart, John McDouall, 1815-1866
Friday, 27th April, East Side of Mount Denison. Sent Kekwick to the
south-west to a remarkable hill which I hope may yield some water, with
orders to return immediately if he should find any nearer, so that we
might get some for the horses. I waited till past 12, but he did not
return, so I started, intending to go to the top of the mount. On getting
to the north-east side of the ranges, I liked the appearance of the
country for water, and seeing that the top of the mount was still some
distance off, and that it would make it too late to return, I set to work
myself to look for water. After an hour's search I was successful,
finding some rain water in a gum creek coming from the hills. The natives
must have been there quite recently, as their fires were still warm; and,
as I had left the camp and provisions with only one man, I hurried back,
had the horses saddled and packed, and brought them down to the water,
leaving a note for Kekwick to follow in a west-north-west direction to a
gum creek about three miles distant. Kekwick's search was also
successful; he found permanent water under the high peak to which I sent
him, and which I have named Mount Leichardt, in memory of that
unfortunate explorer, whose fate is still a mystery. I have seen no trace
of his having passed to the westward. Kekwick describes the water he has
found as abundant and beautifully clear, springing out of conglomerate
rock much resembling marble; its length is upwards of a quarter of a
mile, falling into natural basins in the solid rock, some six feet in
depth and of considerable capacity. The country round the base of the
range is covered with the most luxuriant grass and vegetation. Mount
Leichardt and the range are composed, at their base, of a soft
conglomerate rock in immense irregular masses, heaped one on the other;
the higher part where the spring appears is of the same conglomerate, but
broad and solid, having smooth faces, which makes the ascent very
difficult.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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