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
In camp, drying horseflesh; the wind from east; dewy, and at daylight
foggy along the banks and valley of the river but soon clears off; we
have had splendid weather for drying our meat. Caught some very nice fish
but not sufficient to be of any real service. The timber is not anything
like as large or so good as it is further up the river. The bed of the
river here is from 400 to 500 yards wide. The horse Goliah has given us
fifty-two pounds dry meat. We have shot a few crows, a cormorant, and a
white eagle with blue back, to make a stew for breakfast, that with a
little salted hide and about two pounds dried meat will make a very good
meal as matters stand at present. The remainder of the dried meat and
what we may shoot I hope will last us as far as the Farming River, which
is about ninety miles from this, to which river I saw people start for
from Sydney upwards of twelve months ago, and they must certainly be
there now; perhaps we may be fortunate enough to meet them this side of
that. I have been quite disappointed at not finding the stations much
higher up the river even than where I now am.
Tuesday, July 15.
Camp 34. Dull morning; heavy dew; much sheet lightning during the night
to south and east, heavy clouds in that direction this morning. Started
at ---- a.m.; for the first half mile or more down the river bed east 8
degrees south; then crossed and on bearing of south 35 degrees east; the
river at crossing not more than 100 yards wide; first part through open
timber, and gentle ascent for one and a quarter miles to a basalt and
sandstone range, flat, well-grassed table-topped, and descended the same
at two and a quarter miles; the dip from the table-top to the slope only
a few yards; large boulders of basalt and sandstone; then well-grassed
but ridgy and occasionally scrubby country; crossed springy creek at
west-north-west (gum); at three and a quarter miles crossed fine gum
creek, running, with lots of palms (corkscrew) from west-south-west at
five miles; the country good till six miles, when it becomes more ridgy
and stony, with spinifex, but improves shortly after; at eight miles
crossed good creek; springs, etc., from south half east; close under
ranges towards the source of the creek the ridges open and apparently
well-grassed, though rather steep and stony; then over higher ranges and
stony ridges, well-grassed, and descended a very steep one, the river
close by on the left; at ten and a half miles rather rough, with ravines
at foot of the range running into the river; at eleven and a quarter
miles crossed a small creek from west-south-west with water in holes;
then rocky low ridges with but scant vegetation for a short distance;
then over rather flat travelling, well-grassed but indifferently
timbered, and a good deal of it inclined to be swampy in wet weather; a
good many poplar gums on it. The latter part rather rotten sandy ground.
Made the river at the point where it is forced by rocks on the opposite
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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