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)
History
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
At four o'clock this day the thermometer stood at 97 degrees, the clouds
were cumulostratus and cirrus, and there was a good breeze from the
north-east.
CROSS THE RIVER AND PROCEED NORTHWARD.
January 21.
The cattle being much fatigued by incessant travelling during great heat
I left most of them at this camp with Mr. White and half the men of the
party, and I crossed the river with the other portion and some
pack-animals carrying a small supply of provisions, some blankets, etc.
The river was accessible to the cattle at only one place, the muddy bank
by the water's edge being so soft that they were everywhere else in
danger of sinking; the men were therefore obliged to carry the packages
across and load the animals on the opposite bank. This work was completed
by ten A.M. and we proceeded due north from the depot camp. We soon saw a
flock of eight emus. The country consisted of open forest which, growing
gradually thinner, at length left intervals of open plain. The ground
seemed to rise for the first mile, and then to slope northward towards a
wooded flat which was likely to contain water, although we found none
there. Penetrating next through a narrow strip of casuarinae scrub, we
found the remains of native huts; and beyond this scrub we crossed a
beautiful plain; covered with shining verdure, and ornamented with trees
which, although dropt in nature's careless haste, gave the country the
appearance of an extensive park. We next entered a brush of Acacia
pendula, which grew higher and more abundant than I had seen it
elsewhere.
A NIGHT WITHOUT WATER.
After twelve the day became excessively warm, and although no water could
be found we were compelled to encamp about two P.M., one of the party
(Burnett) having become seriously ill. As the country appeared to decline
towards some wooded hollows I hoped that one of these might be found to
contain a pool, especially as the wood appeared to consist of that
species of casuarina which, in the colony, is termed swamp-oak, and which
usually grows in moist situations. Subsequent experience however proved
quite the reverse; for, on exploring the deepest hollows and densest
thickets about our camp, not a hollow containing the least moisture could
be found. Thus the cattle were compelled to endure this privation once
more, after a hard day's work, and during an unusually hot evening.
MAN LOST.
To add to our distress The Doctor, as Souter was termed by his comrades,
having, as soon as we halted, set out in search of water, with the
tea-kettle in his hand, did not return.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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