Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia, in Search of a Route from Sydney to the Gulf of Carpentaria (1848)Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
History
Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia, in Search of a Route from Sydney to the Gulf of Carpentaria (1848)
Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Queensland -- Discovery and exploration
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 deg.; at 4 P. M., 85 deg.; at 9, 70 deg.. (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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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