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
During the whole of the day the river ran to the N.W. We stopped for
the night under some cliffs, similar to those we had already passed,
but somewhat higher. From their summit, mountains were visible to the
N.W., but at a great distance from us. I doubted not that they were at
the head of the southern gulfs; or of one of them, at all events. Our
observations placed us in 34 degrees 08 minutes south of lat., and in
long. 139 degrees 41 minutes 15 seconds; we were consequently nearly
seventy miles from Spencer's Gulf, in a direct line, and I should have
given that as the distance the hills appeared to be from us. They bore
as follows:--
Lofty round mountain, S. 127 degrees W.
Mountain scarcely visible, S. 128 degrees W.
Northern extremity of a broken range, S. 102 degrees W.
Southern extremity scarcely visible, S. 58 degrees W.
The country between the river and these ranges appeared to be very low,
and darkly wooded: that to the N.E. was more open. The summit of the
cliff did not form any table-land, but it dipped almost immediately to
the westward, and the country, although, as I have already remarked, it
was depressed, and undulated.
I walked to some distance from the river, across a valley, and started
several kangaroos; but I was quite alone, and could not, therefore,
secure one of them. Had the dogs been near, we should have had a fine
feast. The soil of the interior still continued sandy, but there was a
kind of short grass mixed with the salsolaceous plants upon it, that
indicated, as I thought, a change for the better in the vegetation; and
the circumstance of there being kangaroos in the valleys to the
westward was also a favourable sign.
FEAST ON A TORTOISE.
Beneath the cliffs hereabouts, the river was extremely broad and deep.
My servant thought it a good place for fishing and accordingly set a
night-line, one end of which he fastened to the bough of a tree. During
the night, being on guard, he saw a small tortoise floating on the
water, so near that he struck it a violent blow with a large stick,
upon which it dived: to his surprise, however, in the morning, he found
that it had taken the bait, and was fast to the line. On examining it,
the shell proved to be cracked, so that the blow must have been a
severe one. It was the largest we had ever seen, and made an excellent
dish. The flesh was beautifully white, nor could anything, especially
under our circumstances, have been more tempting than it was when
cooked; yet M'Leay would not partake of it.
The prevailing wind was, at this time, from the S.W. It blew heavily
all day, but moderated towards the evening.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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