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
May 5.--Proceeded down the river, ascended the eminence mentioned
yesterday, and from the top of a cypress tree a very distant view of the
whole country was obtained: the opening through which the river
apparently runs bore S. 75 1/2 W.; the country to the south and
south-west extremely low. A range of hills, lying nearly east and west,
bounded the level tract on the other side of the river; these hills and
two or three detached hammocks excepted, there was nothing to break the
uniformity of the scene.
The country was in general poor, with partial tracts of better ground;
the hills were slaty, and covered as well as the levels with small
eucalypti, cypresses, and casuarinas. About a mile from this place we
fell in with a small tribe of natives, consisting of eight men; their
women we did not see. They did not appear any way alarmed at the sight
of us, but came boldly up: they were covered with cloaks made of opossum
skins; their faces daubed with a red and yellow pigment, with neatly
worked nets bound round their hair: the front tooth in the upper row was
wanting in them all: they were unarmed, having nothing with them but
their stone hatchets. It appeared from their conduct that they had
either seen or heard of white people before, and were anxious to depart,
accompanying the motion of going with a wave of their hand.
About three miles from our last night's halting-place we had to cross a
small creek, the banks of which were so steep that we were obliged to
unload the horses. I rode up the creek about three quarters of a mile,
and came upon those extensive plains before-mentioned; the soil of this
level appears a good loamy clay, but in some places very wet: it was far
too extensive to permit us to traverse much of it; we saw sufficient to
judge that the whole surface was similar to that we examined; it was
covered with a great variety of new plants, and its margin encircled by
a new species of acacia, which received the specific name of PENDULA,
from its resembling in habit the weeping willow. Low hills to the north
bounded this plain, whilst a slip of barren land, covered with small
trees and shrubs, lay between it and the river.
It appeared to me that the whole of these flats are occasionally
overflowed by the river, the water of which is forced up the creek
before-mentioned, and which again acts as a drain on the fall of the
water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account