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)
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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
Being now close under the mountain, we dismounted and sent our horses
back for the sake of food to the bank of the last-mentioned river. The
first part of our ascent, on foot, was extremely steep and laborious,
although it was along the most favourable feature I could find. Above it
the impediments likely to obstruct our further ascent were two high and
perpendicular rocky cliffs; but I had observed before ascending those
crevices and intervals between rocks where we might most easily effect an
ascent; and through these we accordingly penetrated without much
difficulty. The upper precipice consisted of cliffs about 140 feet in
perpendicular height. Fortunately the ablest of the men with me was a
house carpenter and, being accustomed to climb roofs, he managed to get
up and then assist the rest.
CLOUDS COVER IT.
Having gained the top of this second precipice, we found winter and
desolation under drizzling clouds which afforded but partial and
transient glimpses of the world below. The surface at the summit of the
cliffs was broad and consisted of large blocks of sandstone, separated by
wide fissures full of dwarf bushes of banksia and casuarinae. These rocks
were inclined but slightly towards the north-west and, the bushes being
also wet and curiously encrusted with heavy icicles, it was by no means a
pleasant part of our journey to travel nearly half a mile upwards, either
on the slippery rock or between fissures among wet bushes. At length
however we reached the highest point and found that it consisted of naked
sandstone. The top block was encrusted with icicles, and had become hoary
under the beating of innumerable storms. At the very summit I found a
small heath-like bushy Leucopogon, from six inches to a foot high. It was
in flower although covered with ice.* Also a variety of Leucopogon
villosus, with rather less hair than usual, and another species of the
same genus, probably new. Near the highest parts of the plateau I found a
new species of eucalyptus with short broad viscid leaves, and
rough-warted branches.**
(*Footnote. L. glacialis, Lindley manuscripts; ramulis pubescentibus,
foliis lineari-lanceolatis erectis contortis acutis ciliatis margine
scabris, floribus terminalibus solitaririis et aggregatis, pedicellis
pubescentibus distanter squamatis, calcibus glabris.)
(**Footnote. E. alpina, Lindley manuscripts; ramulis brevibus rigidis
angulatis, foliis alternis petiolatis ovato-oblongis viscosis basi
obliquis, umbellis axillaribus paucifloris petiolis brevioribus, operculo
hemisphaerico verrucoso inaequali tubo calycis turbinato verrucoso
breviore.)
A NIGHT ON THE SUMMIT.
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