Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume 2Sturt, Charles
History
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume 2
Sturt, Charles
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869
Captain Barker landed on the 21st on this rocky point at the northern
extremity of this bay. He had, however, previously to this, examined
the indentation in the coast which he had observed from Mount Lofty,
and had ascertained that it was nothing more than an inlet; a spit of
sand, projecting from the shore at right angles with it, concealed the
month of the inlet. They took the boat to examine this point, and
carried six fathoms soundings round the head of the spit to the mouth
of the inlet, when it shoaled to two fathoms, and the landing was
observed to be bad, by reason of mangrove swamps on either side of it.
Mr. Kent, I think, told me that this inlet was from ten to twelve miles
long. Can it be that a current setting out of it at times, has thrown
up the sand-bank that protects its mouth, and that trees, or any other
obstacle, have hidden its further prolongation from Captain Barker's
notice? I have little hope that such is the case, but the remark is not
an idle one.
BEAUTIFUL VALLEYS.
Between this inlet and the one formerly mentioned, a small and clear
stream was discovered, to which Captain Barker kindly gave my name. On
landing, the party, which consisted of the same persons as the former
one, found themselves in a valley, which opened direct upon the bay. It
was confined to the north from the chief range by a lateral ridge, that
gradually declined towards and terminated at, the rocky point on which
they had landed. The other side of the valley was formed of a
continuation of the main range, which also gradually declined to the
south, and appeared to be connected with the hills at the extremity of
the cape. The valley was from nine to ten miles in length, and from
three to four in breadth. In crossing it, they ascertained that the
lagoon from which the schooner had obtained a supply of water, was
filled by a watercourse that came down its centre. The soil in the
valley was rich, but stony in some parts. There was an abundance of
pasture over the whole, from amongst which they started numerous
kangaroos. The scenery towards the ranges was beautiful and romantic,
and the general appearance of the country such as to delight the whole
party.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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