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 — John Shaqi
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
Mr. Stapylton conducted the party forward while I went to the summit of
Moriattu with the theodolite. Thence I saw Mount Granard, Yerrarar, and
Mount Torrens, also the various points which I had intersected from
Wallangome. A level plain appeared to extend southward in the midst of
the groups of ridges composing Macquarie and Peel's ranges. Coccaparra, a
range very abrupt on the eastern side, appeared to be Macquarie's range
of Oxley, and an elevated extremity of it, near the river, I took to be
Mount Porteous, and of which the local name is Willin.* To the northward
the most remarkable feature was a line of plains similar to those beside
the main channel of the river, and they appeared to border a branch from
it, which extended in a western direction under the base of a small hill
named Murrangong, and far beyond it. The hill on which I stood was the
most perfectly isolated that I had ever seen, low level ground
surrounding it on every side. It consisted of a variety of the same
quartz rock as Wallangome, but contained pebbles of laminated compact
felspar. This hill was abrupt and rocky on the west and north-west sides,
the best ascent being from the south-east.
(*Footnote. Willi, an opossum)
We overtook the party after it had crossed some extensive plains, where
we observed a species of solanum, the berries of which our native guides
gathered and ate.* Overseer Burnett made another search this day on
Coccaparra range for the wild bullocks; the party fell in with a herd but
it kept at a great distance and got off into scrubs. Their bedding places
and paths were numerous, and it thus appeared that the number of these
animals was considerable. We gathered on Coccaparra and Mount Porteous
several bulbous plants of a species quite new to me, the root being very
large. There also we found a remarkable acacia, having long upright
needle-like leaves among which a few small tufts of yellow flowers were
sparingly scattered.** We encamped on a pond of the river named
Burrabadimba, after travelling fifteen miles.
(*Footnote. S. esuriale, Lindley manuscripts; caule humili suffruticoso,
aculcis subulatis tenuibus in apice ramulorum et costa, foliis
lineari-oblongis obtusis subrepandis utrinque cinereis stellato-pilosis,
pedunculis subtrifloris, calycibus campanulatis pentagonis 5-dentatis
stellato-pilosis corollis tomentosis multo brevioribus.)
(**Footnote. This proved to be the rare A. quadrilateralis of De
Candolle.)
LEAVE THE LACHLAN TO TRAVEL WESTWARD.
April 20.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account