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
Saturday, 12th July, The Mary, Adelaide River. Started at 7.30; course,
north-west. At one mile and a half came upon a running stream coming from
the north-east; had great difficulty in getting the horses across, the
banks being so boggy. One got fixed in it and was nearly drowned; in an
hour succeeded in getting them all safe across. At six miles I ascended a
high, tall, and stony hill; the view is not good, except to the westward.
In that direction there is seemingly a high range in the far distance,
appearing to run north and south; the highest point of the end of the
range is west, to which the river seems to tend. My horse being so lame
for the want of shoeing, I shall strike in for the river and follow it
for another two miles, as it seems to run so much to the westward. I have
resolved to use some of the horseshoes I have been saving to take me back
over the stony country of South Australia. To enable McGorrerey to get
them all shod on the front feet before Monday, I have camped. There is
still a slaty range on each side of the river, with quartz hills close
down to it; the timber the same as yesterday. The country has recently
all been burned; but, judging from the small patches that have escaped,
has been well grassed up to the pass of the hills. The valley and banks
of the creeks are of beautiful alluvial soil. One new feature seen to-day
is the growing of large clumps of bamboo on the banks of the river, from
fifty to sixty feet in height and about six inches in diameter at the
butt. I am now on one of the tributaries of the Adelaide River. There
must have been a dreadful fire here a few days ago; it has destroyed
everything before it, except the green trees, to the edge of the water.
Slight winds, variable. Latitude, 13 degrees 35 minutes 58 seconds.
Sunday, 13th July, The Mary, Adelaide River. Shoeing horses. Wind blowing
strong; variable from all points of the compass.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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