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
I set off, accompanied by my black guide mounted, for the top of Marga,
and we reached it this time by a route in which the native displayed the
usual skill of his race. Certainly I never ascended a hill of more
perplexing features, all these heights being also of extremely difficult
access, very steep and extending in the direction of 10 and 12 degrees
East of North. They consist of the sharp edges of inclined strata of hard
purple-coloured clay-slate. I was however rewarded for the fatigues this
hill had cost me, on two different days, not with a fine view, for the
summit was too woody for that, but with a sight of some important points
determined during my late journey; and others which I had then observed
only from the Canobolas but which I was now enabled to fix by angles
observed from this station. The most important point visible besides the
Canobolas was Mount Lachlan, by means of which I determined the true
situation of Marga and the neighbouring hill Nangar; which is rather
higher but more wooded, and 2 1/2 miles distant towards the south-east.
These two form the summits of an isolated mountain mass on the left bank
of Byrne's creek, the top of Marga being about 1000 feet above our camp
on its banks. I drew outlines (according to my usual custom) of all the
hills on the horizon before us, and took angles on them with the
theodolite. Descending by a shorter route I reached the camp in time to
protract my angles, whereby I ascertained to my great satisfaction that
both Marga and Nangar had been truly fixed from the Canobolas, as well as
other points observed in my former journey, the accuracy of which, by a
good angle with Mount Lachlan, I was thus enabled to prove without going
out of my way, besides establishing there a good base for extending the
survey southward.
March 24.
Our guide was now joined by some older natives, and one of them had been
examining the country ahead, being anxious about the safe passage of our
carts. His reconnaissance had not been made in vain, for he led us to an
easy, open pass through a range of which we had heard much from stockmen
as likely to trouble us because, as they said, its rocky extremities
overhung the creek. We crossed it with ease however, guided by the
native. It consisted of granite and evidently belonged geologically to
the ridge traversed by us on the second day after leaving Buree during
our last journey. On the range, green pine trees (callitris) and a
luxuriant crop of grass covering the adjacent country, multitudes of fat
cattle were to be seen on all sides. I had heard that, after crossing the
burnt up surface of the colony, I should see green pastures here, beyond
its limits.
CROSS BYRNE'S CREEK.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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