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
We crossed some soft hollows during the first few miles, and then arrived
on the banks of a small and deep river with reeds on its borders, and
containing many broad and deep reaches. It was full and flowed, but not
rapidly, towards the north-east, and it was not until we had continued
along the left bank of this stream for a considerable way upwards that we
found a rapid where we could cross without swimming. The left bank was of
bold acclivity but grassy and clear of timber, being very level on the
summit; and I found it consisted of trap-rock of the same vesicular
character which I had observed in so many other parts of this southern
region. Beyond the river (which I then named the Barnard) we first
encountered a hilly country from which we emerged rather unexpectedly;
for after crossing a small rivulet flowing in a deep and grassy dell
where trap-rock again appeared, and ascending the opposite slope, we
found that the summit consisted of an open level country of the finest
description. It was covered with the best kind of grass and the immediate
object of our ride, the mountain, was now visible beyond these rich
plains. Some fine forest-hills arose in various directions to the right
and left, and indeed I never saw a more pleasing or promising portion of
territory. The rich open ground across which we rode was not without
slight undulations; and when we had traversed about four miles of it we
came quite unawares to a full and flowing stream, nearly on a level with
its grassy banks; the bottom being so sound that we forded it without the
least difficulty.
EMUS NUMEROUS AND TAME.
Emus were very numerous on the downs and their curiosity brought them to
stare at our horses, apparently unconscious of the presence of the biped
on their backs whom both birds and beasts seem instinctively to avoid. In
one flock I counted twenty-nine emus, and so near did they come to us
that, having no rifle with me, I was tempted to discharge even my pistol
at one, although without effect. Kangaroos were equally numerous. Having
proceeded three miles beyond the stream we came to another flowing to the
westward between some very deep ponds, and it was probably a tributary to
the first.
THE RIVER CAMPASPE.
At twenty-two miles from the camp, on descending from some finely
undulating open ground, we arrived at a stream flowing westward, which I
judged to be also a branch of that we had first crossed. Its bed
consisted of granitic rocks and on the left bank I found trap. We had
this stream afterwards in sight on our left until, at two miles further,
we again crossed it and entered a wood of eucalyptus, being then only
five miles distant from the mountain, and we subsequently found that this
wood extended to its base.
EFFECTS OF A STORM IN THE WOODS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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