McKinlay's Journal of Exploration in the Interior of AustraliaMcKinlay, John
History
McKinlay's Journal of Exploration in the Interior of Australia
McKinlay, John
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; McKinlay, John, 1819-1872
Camp 8. The heaviest dew last night I have experienced for many years,
accompanied by a dense fog till between 8 and 9 a.m. Wind from
west-north-west. Palmer attacked with same fever that the rest have. The
others very weak but I think a little better. Made a start this morning
at 9.20 a.m. on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees; at 10.14 lagoon on right; at
10.27 crossed creek with plenty of water from south-south-west; at 11.50
lagoon on right--all forest land with a greater number of the paper-bark
tree than any other; at 11.15 much spinifex; at 11.20 creek close on left
with plenty of water; at 11.35 crossed creek, it goes off into many
lagoons southwards and eastwards; good grass and plenty of water, not
much spinifex, the country rather too thickly wooded to be open forest.
Halted at lagoons on the left at 1.20 coming from south of east and
flowing to north of west. Although this country is rather too thickly
wooded to be called open forest it is still an excellent pastoral
country, the grasses sweet and plenty of water, the lagoons being covered
with nymphans or waterlily, and the soil sandy. We passed many patches of
burnt ground, some burnt earlier than the rest, having green grass nine
to twelve inches high. Stopped short today on account of the patients who
are very weak, Kirby in particular; distance travelled twelve and a half
miles. In the afternoon wind from west-north-west. Saw nothing of the
natives this morning before starting. Several palms seen through the
forest, a few close by this camp of no great height; the feed in general
is very dry except in the neighbourhood of the creeks or lagoons.
Tuesday, June 3.
Camp 9. Wind south; considerable dew but nothing to the night before.
There is a good deal of spinifex here and the timber is nothing like so
strong or good as around yesterday's camp and for miles on all sides of
it. Three creeks appear to rise here and join and become one, all from
the southward of east to north of west. Started at 9.8 a.m., the horses
having strayed some distance back to the burnt feed. Bearing 95 1/2
degrees, open forest with spinifex; at 10.30 crossed small creek (dry);
at 10.45 crossed small sandy creek (dry) water on the right; at 11.30
watered horses and then crossed creek from west-south-west to
east-north-east, small creek from south joins close by; at 1.25 crossed
creek with water; at 2.12 crossed sandy creek from north-east to south
and another close by, then scrub and rather thick forest till 5.50, then
camped no water; distance about twenty-six and a half to twenty-seven
miles. One of the horses (Harry) after being ridden into camp appeared to
blow a good deal and from little to more till at last he got seriously
ill and died at 9 p.m. He must have been poisoned or bitten by a snake.
Wednesday, June 4.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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