Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2: 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 2: 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
June 30.
Having seen the party on the way and directed it to proceed on a bearing
of 215 degrees from North I ascended the rocky pyramidic hill, which I
found arose to the height of 300 feet above the plain.
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY SEEN FROM IT.
Its apex consisted of a single block of granite, and the view was
exceedingly beautiful over the surrounding plains, shining fresh and
green in the light of a fine morning. The scene was different from
anything I had ever before witnessed either in New South Wales or
elsewhere. A land so inviting and still without inhabitants! As I stood,
the first European intruder on the sublime solitude of these verdant
plains as yet untouched by flocks or herds, I felt conscious of being the
harbinger of mighty changes; and that our steps would soon be followed by
the men and the animals for which it seemed to have been prepared. A
haziness in the air prevented me however from perceiving clearly the
distant horizon from that summit, but I saw and intersected those
mountains to the southward which I had observed from Mount Hope.
The progress of the party was still visible from that hill, pursuing
their course over the distant plains like a solitary line of ants. I
overtook it when a good many miles on; and we encamped after travelling
upwards of fourteen miles in one uninterrupted straight line. Our camp
was chosen on the skirts of a forest of box, having a plain on the east
covered with rich grass, and where we found some small pools of
rainwater.
July 1.
Proceeding still on the bearing followed yesterday we reached at three
miles from our camp a fine chain of ponds. They were deep, full of water,
and surrounded by strong yarra trees. Passing them we met a small scrub
of casuarinae which we avoided; and we next entered on a fine plain in
which the anthisteria or oatgrass appeared. This is the same grass which
grows on the most fertile parts of the counties of Argyle and Murray and
is, I believe, the best Australian grass for cattle: it is also one of
the surest indications of a good soil and dry situation.
DISCOVERY OF THE RIVER YARRAYNE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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