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
Mount Foster, somewhat higher than Mount Harris, on the opposite side
of the river, alone broke the line of the horizon to the North N.W. at
a distance of five miles. From that point all round the compass, the
low lands spread, like a dark sea, before me; except where a large
plain stretching from E. to W., and lying to the S.E. broke their
monotony; and if there was nothing discouraging, there certainly was
nothing cheering, in the prospect.
ILLNESS OF TWO OF THE MEN.
On our return to the camp, I was vexed to find two of the men, Henwood
and Williams, with increased inflammation of the eyes, of which they
had previously been complaining, and I thought it advisable to bleed
the latter.
In consequence of the indisposition of these men, we remained
stationary on the 21st, which enabled me to pay a second visit to Mount
Harris. On ascending the smaller hill, I was surprised to find similar
vestiges on its summit to those I had noticed on the larger one; in
addition to which, the rollers still continued on the side of the hill,
which had been used to get the boat up it. [Mr. Oxley had two boats;
one of which he dragged to the top of each of these hills, and left
them turned bottom upwards, burying a bottle under the head of the
larger boat, which was conveyed to the more distant hill.]
Mount Harris is of basaltic formation, but I could not observe any
columnar regularity in it, although large blocks are exposed above the
ground. The rock is extremely hard and sonorous.
MOUNT FOSTER AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD.
We moved leisurely towards Mount Foster, on the 22nd, and arrived
opposite to it a little before sunset. The country between the two is
mostly open, or covered only with the acacia pendula and dwarf-box. The
soil, although an alluvial deposit, is not of the best; nor was
vegetation either fresh or close upon it. As soon as the party stopped,
I crossed the river, and lost no time in ascending the hill, being
anxious to ascertain if any fresh object was visible from its summit, I
thought that from an eminence so much above the level of the
surrounding objects, I might obtain a view of the marshes, or of water;
but I was wholly disappointed. The view was certainly extensive, but it
was otherwise unsatisfactory. Again to the N.W. the lowlands spread in
darkness before me; there were some considerable plains beyond the near
wood; but the country at the foot of the hill appeared open and
promising. Although the river line was lost in the distance, it was as
truly pointed out by the fires of the natives, which rose in upright
columns into the sky, as if it had been marked by the trees upon its
banks.
To the eastward, Arbuthnot's range rose high above the line of the
horizon, bearing nearly due East, distant seventy miles. The following
sketch of its outlines will convey a better idea of its appearance from
Mount Foster than any written description.
[small sketch here--not shown in etext]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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