Journals of Australian ExplorationsGregory, Augustus Charles
History
Journals of Australian Explorations
Gregory, Augustus Charles
Australia -- Discovery and exploration
The general course of the river during the day was very little to the
south of east, its banks still maintaining the same rocky and precipitous
character, marks of inundation being frequently observed at the height of
thirty feet above the present stream, which now was only running gently
in a channel not more than thirty yards wide, but when in flood occupying
the whole of the valley, which averages a quarter of a mile in width. The
larger pools are lined with flags and reeds, and contain numbers of small
fish resembling trout, similar to those found in the Lyons and Gascoyne
Rivers. A very handsome tree, resembling an ash, grew on the margin,
bearing a beautiful white flower, four to five inches across, having on
the inside a delicate tinge of yellow, and yielding a sweet scent like
violets. Several natives were met in the course of the day, but would not
come near us; in one instance, however, we came upon one so suddenly that
he had only time to jump into a pool to escape being surrounded by the
party. After calling for some time most lustily for his friends, he
gradually crept away amongst the canes and disappeared. Only one
tributary of any size was observed to join the river in the course of the
day's march, and that came in from the southward. At 5.20 p.m. halted on
the banks of a deep pool, surrounded by fine cajeput-trees and
flooded-gum, grass being plentiful for our horses. Camp 8.
ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT COUNTRY.
1st June.
There was a decided improvement in the appearance of the valley as we
continued to ascend the river, the deep pools were more continuous, and
grass more abundant; the high lands on either bank still, however,
retained their rugged outlines, and were clothed with little else but
triodia. Travelling along the bed of the river was nevertheless difficult
and dangerous for the horses, on account of the immense quantity of
rounded boulders of water-worn rocks that occupied a large portion of the
channel, and frequently jammed the horses into narrow passes, where they
could not be extricated without meeting with very severe falls, which
very soon crippled more than one of them; their shoes also began to be
wrenched off by being caught in the deep clefts of the rocks, very soon
expending all the extra sets brought with us. Just before coming to our
night's halt a large stream-bed, forty yards wide, was observed to come
in from the southward. Camp 9.
Latitude 21 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 31
minutes by account.
2nd June (Sunday).
Having abundance of feed and water, we gladly availed ourselves of it to
make it a day of rest; it also afforded me an opportunity to ascertain
the rate of the chronometer, which, as I had reason to expect, had gone
very irregularly since landing.
3rd June.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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