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
almost exhausted (the sun being likely to approach the tropic line before
we could return to it), I was determined to carry the exploration so far,
with whatever means could be spared from the party, even had it been
necessary to have travelled on foot, or to have lived, like a native, on
opossums, in order to investigate that point. Thermometer, at sunrise,
45 deg.; at noon, 63 deg.; at 4 P. M., 63 deg.; at 9, 47 deg.;--with wet bulb, 44 deg..
20TH AUGUST.--Heavy clouds promised more rain, but a crust had been
formed on the surface which enabled us to proceed. The day cleared up,
and we encamped within two miles of Camp LX.; much of the ground passed
over having been sandy and dry. We now found water in every hollow, a
great blessing brought by the rain, and affording some prospect of relief
from one great difficulty for some time to come. At 10 minutes past 10
P.M. a very extraordinary meteor alarmed the camp, and awoke every man in
it. First, a rushing wind from the west shook the tents; next, a blaze of
light from the same quarter drew attention to a whirling mass, or
revolving ball of red light, passing to the southward. A low booming
sound, accompanied it, until it seemed to reach the horizon, after which
a sound like the report of a cannon was heard, and the concussion was
such that some tin pots, standing reversed on a cart-wheel, fell to the
ground, and the boat on the dray vibrated for some minutes. The sky was
very clear. Fahrenheit's thermometer 46 deg..
21ST AUGUST.--Following our former route, the track led us through
hollows, formerly clear of the fallen brigalow, but now rendered
impassable by water, a new impediment. I was, however, most thankful for
the glorious abundance of that element, the want of which had hitherto
confined my route, and retarded the exploration of the country. We
cheerfully sought round-about ways to avoid these new ponds. Our journey
was accomplished very satisfactorily, having made two cuts to avoid the
former camp (LX.), which formed an angle in the route, and much bad
brigalow near Camp LIX., where we again encamped, for the sake of a piece
of good grassy plain near it. The weather was most pleasant, temperate,
and Englishlike, though we were still within the tropics. A sweet breeze
blew from the S. W., and the degree of temperature was between 50 deg. and
60 deg. of Fahrenheit, the most agreeable, I believe, of any, to the human
frame. There was abundance of water, and young grass was daily growing
higher; many trees were also beginning to blossom. We were retiring,
nevertheless, RE INFECTA, from these tropical regions, and I was
impatient to arrive at the great range once more, to resume my
explorations. At this camp, we found a plant, which was a wild carrot,
tasting exactly like parsley. The men did not like to eat it, from the
effects they had recently experienced from eating the large pea already
mentioned--violent vomiting and purging; but I had no doubt whatever,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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