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
History
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
Monday, 21st November, Fanny Springs. Kekwick and I commenced chaining
the base-line from the top of Mount Charles, bearing 131 degrees.
Distance chained, four miles thirty chains. I ordered H. Strong to come
to me with two horses, which he did about 1.30 p.m.; we had finished the
line, and were waiting for him. I had seen some country that looked very
much like springs, to the north-east, a mile or so from the line; went to
examine it, and found some splendid springs--one in particular is a very
large fountain, about twenty yards in diameter, quite circular and
apparently very deep, from which there is running a large stream of water
of the very finest description; it is one of the largest reservoirs I
have yet seen, three times the size of the one at the Hamilton Springs,
with abundance of water for any amount of cattle; the water is running a
mile below it.
Tuesday, 22nd November, Fanny Springs. Engaged chaining the base-line to
north-west. Saw some more springs a mile or two to the east; too tired to
examine them to-day. It is dreadfully hot. Returned to the camp at
sundown.
Wednesday, 23rd November, Fanny Springs. Finished the remaining part of
base-line. The line is ten miles and forty chains long, crossing the top
of Mount Charles.
Thursday, 24th November, Fanny Springs. Fixing the angles of runs. Found
another batch of springs close to north-west boundary of large run,
covering four or five acres of ground, with an immense quantity of reeds;
they are not so active as the others. The ground round about is very
soft, and the water is most excellent. After fixing the north-east
corner, I proceeded to examine the country beyond the boundaries of the
runs in search of springs. Having gone several miles north, I saw the
appearance of a lagoon north-east, for which I started, but on my arrival
found no springs round it. Still continued on the same course for a
considerable distance further to a high sand hill, from which we could
see the Neale winding through a broad valley. One part of the creek being
much greener than the other, I went to examine it, and found the green
appearance to be caused by fresh gum-trees, young saplings, rushes, and
other fresh-water plants and bushes. The creek spreads over the plain in
numerous channels, four miles wide, but the main channel has only
gum-trees, with a chain of water holes, some salt, some brackish. By
scratching on the bank where the rushes were growing we got some
beautiful water in the gravel, a few inches below the surface. There was
plenty of feed, and the wild currant, or rather grape, grew in great
abundance, and was very superior to any I had tasted before. There were
two kinds; one grew upon a dark-green bush, and had a tart and saltish
taste, the other grew upon a bush of a much lighter colour, the fruit
round and plump and much superior to the former; in taste it very much
resembled some species of dark grape, only a little more acid. From this
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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