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, 4th July, Last Water Hole in the Chambers. Started at 8.10,
course north-west, following up the river to its sources. At four miles
ascended a rise, which was very rough, composed of sandstone, ironstone,
and limestone, with ironstone gravel on the top. Descended on the other
side, and at about five miles came upon a nice running stream, but very
rough and stony round about it. After crossing several stony rises, in
which we had some difficulty in getting our horses over, arrived at a
nice broad valley with a creek running through it, course north-west. At
a mile it received a large tributary from the east of north, and the bed
seems sandy; melaleuca and gum-trees in it; also the bean-tree. The
valley is covered with grass from two to four feet high. There is a ridge
of rough sandy stone hills, with occasional ironstone on each side, from
the direction it was at first taken. I thought I was fortunate in meeting
with one of the sources of the Alligator or Adelaide River. After
following it for five miles, sometimes going west and south, it went
through a stony gorge, and seemed to run to the south, which is a great
disappointment. I ascended one of the hills to view the country, but
could see very little, it being so thickly wooded. To the north is the
appearance of a range running to the east and west that I must endeavour
to cross to-morrow if I do not find another creek running to the
north-west. There is one benefit I shall derive from following down this
creek a day; it will enable me to round the very rough sandstone range
that runs on the north side of the creek. It is so rough that I could not
take the horses over it. Camped at the gorge of this creek, which I
suppose, from the course it is now taking, to be another tributary of the
Chambers. The gorge is impassable for horses. It has a very picturesque
appearance; immense masses of rock--some thousands of tons in
weight--which had fallen from the top of the cliff into the bed of the
creek. Mr. Kekwick found a number of new plants, among them a fine
climbing fern. Light winds, east. Plenty of permanent water in the creek.
Latitude, 14 degrees 25 minutes 8 seconds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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