Journals of Australian ExplorationsGregory, Augustus Charles
History
Journals of Australian Explorations
Gregory, Augustus Charles
Australia -- Discovery and exploration
A few miles nearly north brought us to where a considerable tributary
joins the Murchison from the north, the river trending first north-east,
then east, and finally towards the afternoon it came from the southward
of east, our bivouac being only seven miles north of the previous night,
while we had made nearly eighteen miles of easting. The bed of the river
had gradually become more rocky as we ascended, gneiss with quartz dykes
passing through it and yielding a large quantity of salt, rendered the
running water of the river scarcely drinkable; the only fresh water was
found in the back channels filled by the late inundations. The ranges
which ran parallel to the river to the westward terminated some miles to
the north of the bend. Another range, apparently granitic and broken up
into detached peaks, commencing a little to the eastward of its
termination, runs east for about twenty miles at the distance of six or
seven miles from the north bank of the river.
To the eastward an elevated range with two conspicuous summits, which
were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, terminated the view
in that direction, while to the south only a few detached peaks were
visible.
To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we
afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more
than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important article
of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and measure from two to
three inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, deepening to
a rich purple at the centre, with a pale green convolute ribbing on the
outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the kennedya. Mr.
Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it an important
discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable addition to our
Australian esculents.
A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance about the
size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but they were not
ripe; in other respects it much resembles the cultivated varieties.
The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an elevation of
1,240 feet above the sea.
LEAVE THE MURCHISON FOR THE GASCOYNE RIVER.
30th April.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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