The Australian Explorers: Their Labours, Perils, and Achievements: Being a Narrative of Discovery from the Landing of Captain Cook to the Centennial YearGrimm, George
History
The Australian Explorers: Their Labours, Perils, and Achievements: Being a Narrative of Discovery from the Landing of Captain Cook to the Centennial Year
Grimm, George
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Explorers -- Australia
inhospitable, and an advance of seven miles was made through a track
which the axe had laid open. But the windings of the watershed now
appeared interminable, and the real progress, if measured in a straight
line, was small indeed. Yet it was only by this tedious course that the
mountains could be crossed, if crossed at all. The locality of the next
encampment was destitute of water, and what could be obtained in the
vicinity had to be carried up a precipitous cliff 600 feet in height.
The horses had to shift as they best could for that evening. To
aggravate matters, if such a thing were possible, a more serious
obstacle now rose in front of the intrepid explorers. The ridge, which
was their only hope, contracted to a width of 20 feet, and appeared to
terminate in a huge rock rising 30 feet directly in front. But
perseverance, which overcomes all things, brought them safely over this
barrier too. Wednesday, the 19th, was a red-letter day, for they now
reached the summit of the second elevation of the main range. The site
also was suitable for a camp, and offered a good supply of grass and
water. Next day a five-mile stage was accomplished, and the camp formed
on the margin of a lagoon with a small stream of water running through
it. Here the horses were left till the men had cut another day's march
through the scrub. Soon after the ridge began to widen, but proved to be
more rocky than ever. From the 22nd to the 28th the advance was made at
much the same rate and without any incidents calling for particular
remark. At last the pioneers had the inexpressible satisfaction of
finding themselves on the western fall of the mountains. But the slopes
facing the interior were exceedingly rugged, and a practicable descent
was nearly despaired of. After much difficulty a barely feasible one was
discovered, by means of which the party got clear of the mountains and
found themselves in a lovely valley, afterwards called the Yale of
Clwydd, and now well known as the site of the town of Hartley.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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