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
Spelling the camels and bullocks; taking off the shoes of the horses that
were shod in town, having stayed on remarkably well. The country soft;
not likely to shoe them for a time; appear in good condition; bullocks
tender-necked. Rather a strange circumstance occurred while staying here.
A pelican, in an attempt to swallow a perch about a foot long by about
five inches in diameter or twelve inches in circumference, was choked
after getting it halfway down his throat, and found in the morning quite
fresh and the tail of the fish out of its mouth. A considerable quantity
of clover or trefoil on this lake; and at the eastern end on the flooded
flat, grass but not abundant. The country in this part does not appear to
have been visited by any rain for very many months; indeed years must
have passed since any quantity has fallen in this sandy region; the
bottoms of the clay-pans are nearly as hard as bricks. A considerable
quantity of saltbush of various kinds around the lake and on the flats,
with some polygonum on the flooded flats; innumerable pigeons.
Tuesday, October 8.
Started from Pando Lake Camp at twenty minutes to 9 a.m., wind west and
cool, on a bearing of 285 degrees, two miles north-north-west, to
junction of Pando Creek till 10.37; in all about four and a quarter
miles. Creek is about 250 yards to 300 broad; on the south-west bank of
lake there appears to be layers of salty substance. Tipandranara Lake
bears from junction 294 degrees; our camp of this morning 117 degrees;
south-eastern portion of lake 106 degrees; apparent course of Pando Creek
340 degrees. Within two miles the creek contracts to less than 100 yards,
and at camp about six feet. All arrived at 4.10 p.m. on small Lake
Uppadae or Camel Lake; total distance fifteen miles. Travelled over a
miserable country, with saltbush of various description, and samphire,
and small stones occasionally. Upper entrance to lake bears 12 degrees
from outlet; length about one and a quarter miles by an average of
three-quarters of a mile, surrounded by sandhills and very little timber
round it, and that little of the most miserable description of box; a
considerable quantity of rushes and a little grass round the margin, and
lots of waterfowl. For the latter half of the day's travel we were
pursuing a course from North 20 degrees West to North 10 degrees West,
and as much as north at last.
Wednesday, October 9.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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