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
All our attempts to construct a bridge during the day were fruitless, as
the flood was too violent to allow the trees to take firm hold: in
searching the banks of the stream for a proper place for our purpose, an
arm nearly as large as the main branch up which we had travelled was
discovered about a mile down the stream on the north side; it ran to the
north-north-west, and then apparently trended more westerly. Thus is this
vast body of water, all originating in the Eastern or Blue Mountains,
conveyed over these extensive marshes, rendering uninhabitable a tract
which they might reasonably be expected to fertilize.
Finding that in the present high state of the water we could not succeed
in crossing the river, at least near our present station, and that if we
returned lower down we should experience a farther difficulty in
crossing the north-west arm recently seen, it was judged best to try if
we could get over the branch on the south side, and swim the horses over
in the main stream near the mouth of the branch. We could not, however,
find any tree on this side that would reach across; although it was
quite dark before we gave over the attempt for the night.
July 25.--Every means was again employed in constructing the bridge over
the south-west branch. The stream had fallen but a few inches, and
continues to fall too slowly to permit us to entertain any hopes of
crossing it in this vicinity.
Our bridge was finished by one o'clock, but it being too late to cross
the horses and baggage this evening, I went in company with Byrne on
horseback to view the country to the southward. After going about two
miles and a quarter south of the tent, we were most agreeably surprised
with the sight of a very fine lake; we rode down to its shores, which on
this side were hard and sandy beaches. On the south side the shores were
bolder, being red clay cliffs. We now found that the creek or arm which
I had supposed to be the source whence Campbell Lake was supplied, had
not any communication with it, but supplied the lake we now saw: a low
ridge of hills, bare of trees except small cypresses in clumps, lying
between the two lakes, which were distant from each other two or three
miles. Finding I might obtain a better view by going to the point of
these bare hills about five miles westward, I rode thither along the
margin of the lake, but quitted it to ascend the hill, which was about
two miles and a half from it. The hill was but low in comparison with
Goulburn's Range and other hills in the vicinity, but was sufficiently
elevated to afford me the most varied and noble prospect I had seen in
New South Wales The expanse of water was too large and winding to be
seen in one point of view, but it broke in large sheets from east to
west for upwards of six miles; its medium breadth being from two and a
half to three miles: it was bounded six or seven miles from its eastern
extremity by a low range of hills connected with Mount Byng, and from
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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