Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South WalesOxley, John
History
Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales
Oxley, John
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Oxley, John, 1783-1828
June 16.--Our day's route was as usual over a very flat though rich
country, thickly wooded with good timber of the eucalyptus and angophora
species, with some fine cypresses in the looser soils, and back from the
river. The country, although flat, appears considerably elevated, and is
neither flooded nor swampy; the opposite side apparently of the same
kind. We fell in with another small camp of natives; the women and
children withdrew before we came up with them: among the men (seven in
number) we recognised four whom we had seen on the last expedition at
Mary's Rivulet; the recognition was mutual, and they seemed highly
pleased with it: they accompanied us about eight miles farther to our
evening's encampment, where being gratified with some kangaroo, and
undergoing the operation of shaving, (at their earnest request, after
seeing one of their number disencumbered of an immense beard) they left
us
at sunset to join their families, which were probably at no great
distance. About four miles above our encampment, on the immediate banks
of
the river, we discovered a large mass of saponaceous earth; I at first
took it to be a fine pipeclay, but on examination, it appears to possess
all the valuable qualities of fuller's earth; and a piece of woollen
cloth
being partially greased, and then rubbed over with the earth, the grease
was perfectly extracted and the cloth left entirely clean. Among this
earth, small white pieces of a hard marly substance were found, and
appeared either to be pure lime, or to contain a very considerable
portion of it. On one of the beaches a small shell was found, which was
unanimously adjudged to be a marine production; at least, we had never
before seen any fresh-water shell resembling it. The river fell during
the
last night and the course of this day very considerably, and is, I think,
below its proper level; there is however an ample sufficiency of water
for our boats: the chief dangers are from stumps and branches of trees
in the narrows; and what previously to the great fall in the water we
could have passed over without difficulty, now occasions us some anxiety
and trouble. The course the river took to-day was considerably to
the north.
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