Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume ISturt, Charles
History
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I
Sturt, Charles
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869
On a nearer approach, however, we observed our error, and corrected it
by turning more to the left; and we ultimately encamped about a mile to
the W.S.W. of the latter eminence. On issuing from the scrub we found
ourselves among reeds and coarse water-grass; and, from the appearance
of the country, we were led to conclude that we had arrived at a part
of the interior more than ordinarily subject to overflow.
As soon as the camp was fixed, Mr. Hume and I rode to Mount Harris,
over ground subject to flood and covered for the most part by the
polygonum, being too anxious to defer our examination of its
neighbourhood even for a few hours.
VESTIGES OF MR. OXLEY'S ENCAMPMENT.
Nearly ten years had elapsed since Mr. Oxley pitched his tents under
the smallest of the two hills into which Mount Harris is broken. There
was no difficulty in hitting upon his position. The trenches that had
been cut round the tents were still perfect, and the marks of the
fire-places distinguishable; while the trees in the neighbourhood had
been felled, and round about them the staves of some casks and a few
tent-pegs were scattered. Mr. Oxley had selected a place at some
distance from the river, in consequence of its then swollen state. I
looked upon it from the same ground, and could not discern the waters
in its channel; so much had they fallen below their ordinary level. He
saw the river when it was overflowing its banks; on the present
occasion it had scarcely sufficient water to support a current. On the
summit of the greater eminence, which we ascended, there remained the
half-burnt planks of a boat, some clenched and rusty nails, and an old
trunk; but my search for the bottle Mr. Oxley had left was unsuccessful.
A reflection naturally arose to my mind on examining these decaying
vestiges of a former expedition, whether I should be more fortunate
than the leader of it, and how far I should be enabled to penetrate
beyond the point which had conquered his perseverance. Only a week
before I left Sydney I had followed Mr. Oxley to the tomb. A man of
uncommon quickness, and of great ability, the task of following up his
discoveries was not less enviable than arduous; but, arrived at that
point at which his journey may be said to have terminated and mine only
to commence, I knew not how soon I should be obliged, like him, to
retreat from the marshes and exhalations of so depressed a country. My
eye instinctively turned to the North-West, and the view extended over
an apparently endless forest. I could trace the river line of trees by
their superior height; but saw no appearance of reeds, save the few
that grew on the banks of the stream.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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