Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 1: With Descriptions of the Recently Explored Region of Australia Felix, and of the Present Colony of New South WalesMitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
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Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 1: With Descriptions of the Recently Explored Region of Australia Felix, and of the Present Colony of New South Wales
Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone), 1792-1855
Secondly. The continuous course of the Bogan into the Darling being thus
at length determined, Duck creek, a deeper chain of ponds in the level
country nearer to the Macquarie, could only be considered the final
channel for the waters of that river in their course towards the Darling;
and it only remained to be ascertained on our return at what point these
waters of the Macquarie separated during its floods from the main stream.
Thirdly. The non-existence of any swamp under Oxley's Tableland furnished
another proof of the extreme vicissitudes of climate to which that part
of Australia is subject. This spot had been specially recommended to
government by Captain Sturt as the best place for my depot, on account of
the water to be found there, whereas we had found that vicinity so dry
that had I relied too implicitly on the suggestion I must, as already
observed, in all probability, have lost the cattle.
Fourthly. The water of the Darling, which when discovered had been salt,
was now fresh, thus proving that there was on this last occasion a
greater abundance of water in the river; while the swamp dried up, proved
that less remained upon the surface than when this country had been
previously visited.
The geological character of the country was obvious enough, the hills
consisting of quartz rock and that fine-grained red sandstone which
characterises the most barren regions of New South Wales. Below this rock
granite appeared in the bed of the Bogan precisely at the place where
this river, after a long course nearly parallel to the Macquarie, at
length takes a remarkable turn westward towards the Darling.
FRIENDLY DISPOSITION OF A NATIVE.
May 29.
We this day completed the stockade and had felled most of the timber near
it; and I was glad to find that the blacks had already resumed their
usual occupations. One of those, whom I saw yesterday, while passing down
the river today on a piece of bark, perceived Mr. Larmer fishing, upon
which he approached the riverbank, and after throwing to him a fish which
he had caught, continued in his frail bark to float down the stream. This
was a most prepossessing act of kindness, and I begged Mr. Larmer to
endeavour to recognise the man again and show our sense of it by suitable
presents.
EMBARK IN THE BOATS.
May 30.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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