McKinlay's Journal of Exploration in the Interior of AustraliaMcKinlay, John
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McKinlay's Journal of Exploration in the Interior of Australia
McKinlay, John
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; McKinlay, John, 1819-1872
I hope he will be able to get along. Our food now consists of
about 230 pounds of dry and salt beef, everything else in the shape of
food gone but I think we will have sufficient to carry us into the
settled districts of Queensland on the Burdekin River where we will be
able to get a fresh supply. We have a little salt and amongst the lot
about half a pound of soap.
Wednesday, June 11.
Camp 14. The bed of this branch here is one mass of concrete and
conglomerate, with small and large masses of ironstone, just as if it had
lately escaped from a furnace, with pebbles and pieces of quartz, some
sandstone, and sandstone in which is a mass of quartz. In many other
places it is quite a bed of sand its full width, and in other places
separated into different branches by bergues of alluvial deposit and
sand, with trees of different kinds and shrubs and reeds upon them. There
is a table-topped hill down on or near the north-west bank a few miles,
lightly wooded from north-north-east to south-west and apparently stony.
Not a breath of wind at daylight; afterwards in forenoon from
east-south-east. Started at 8.30 a.m. on bearing of 110 degrees, for
first few miles through open forest intersected with small creeks flowing
to west and south, some containing water with lagoons on the flat
occasionally, the drainage of the ranges to the eastward and north of our
course. The spurs coming down close on our left stony but well-grassed
and very lightly timbered, in fact nearly bald ridges. Over first stony
ridge at 10.10 and considerable-sized double creek at 10.17, dry at
crossing. Top of next high range at 11.15; five and a quarter miles. Very
extensive view. Spelled on top of hill waiting for the camels for
forty-five minutes till noon. Then started on bearing of 127 1/2 degrees
for south-west end of large range in the distance that would otherwise
come right across my original course. There is an immense large black
circular range from 127 1/2 degrees round by east to west-north-west,
with reaphooky faces and scrubby tops, and a number of detached conical
and coronet-topped hills. At 1 p.m. water in a rocky creek close to the
right. Watered the horses. Spelled ten minutes till 1.10. Crossed creek
at 1.15. Sandy, scrubby forest. Crossed another sandy creek at 1.57.
Crossed another sandy creek at 2.3. At 3.15 on top of rocky mulga hill
with granite and mass of quartz pebbles. Some difficulty in getting over
and down a rocky range (granite principally). Struck a small creek with
sufficient water for our use and good feed, and camped at 3.50 at
distance of ten and three-quarters to eleven miles on last bearing.
Distance travelled about sixteen miles. Course of the ranges close by,
the one that we last crossed and the one just close by before us, 40
degrees west of south with the drainage in same direction.
Thursday, June 12.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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