Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume II Part 23

July 9.

By continuing the same line of route we crossed several minor rivulets, all flowing through open gra.s.sy vales bounded by finely undulating hills.

At about three miles we came to a deep chain of ponds, the banks being steep and covered with gra.s.s. Keeping a tributary to that channel on our left, we pa.s.sed some low hills of quartz; and a little beyond them we crossed poor hills of the same rock bearing an open box-forest.

THE WOODS.

After travelling through a little scrub we descended on one of the most beautiful spots I ever saw: The turf, the woods, and the banks of the little stream which murmured through the vale had so much the appearance of a well kept park that I felt loth to injure its surface by the pa.s.sage of our cartwheels. Proceeding for a mile and a half along the rivulet and through a valley wholly of the same description, we at length encamped on a flat of rich earth (nearly quite black) and where the anthisteria grew in greater luxuriance than I had ever before witnessed in Australian gra.s.ses. The earth indeed seemed to surpa.s.s in richness any that I had seen in New South Wales; and I was even tempted to bring away a specimen of it. Our dogs killed three kangaroos, and this good fortune was most timely as I had that very morning thought it advisable to reduce the allowance of rations.

July 10.

Tracing upwards the rivulet of the vale we left this morning we pa.s.sed over much excellent gra.s.sy land watered by it, the channel containing some very deep ponds surrounded by the white-barked eucalyptus.

CROSS A RANGE.

A hill on its bank consisted of a conglomerate in which the ferruginous matter predominated over the embedded fragments of quartz. The ground beyond was hilly, and we at length ascended a ridge, apparently an extremity of a higher range. On these hills grew the varieties of eucalypti known in the colony, such as ironbark, bluegum, and stringybark. The lower grounds were so wet and soft, and the watercourses in them so numerous, that I was desirous to follow a ridge as long as it would take us in the direction in which we were proceeding; and this range answered well for the purpose. Its crest consisted of ferruginous sandstone much inclined, the strike extending north-north-west. I found the opposite side much more precipitous, and that it overlooked a much lower country. In seeking a favourable line of descent for the carts, I climbed a still higher forest-hill on the left, which consisted chiefly of quartz-rock. I not only recognised from that hill some lofty points to the eastward, and obtained angles on them, but I also perceived very rugged summits of a range at a great distance in the south-west. Having selected among the various hills and dales before me that line of route which seemed the best and, having taken its bearing, I returned to conduct the carts by a pa.s.s along one side of that hill, having found it in a very practicable state for wheel-carriages. At three miles beyond the pa.s.s we crossed a deep creek running westward which I named the Avoca, and we encamped on an excellent piece of land beyond it.

KANGAROOS NUMEROUS.

This day we had even better fortune in our field sports than on the one before for, besides three kangaroos, we killed two emus, one of which was a female and esteemed a great prize, for I had discovered that the eggs found in the ovarium were a great luxury in the bush; and afforded us a light and palatable breakfast for several days.

July 11.

At the end of two miles on this day's journey we crossed a deep stream running westward. The height of its banks above the water was twelve feet, and they were covered with a rich sward. The land along the margins of the stream was as good as that we were now accustomed to see everywhere around us, so that it was no longer necessary to note the goodness or beauty of any place in particular. At four miles we pa.s.sed over a forest-hill composed of mica-slate and, after crossing another good valley at six miles, I saw before us, on gaining a low forest ridge, other gra.s.sy hills of still greater height, connected by a rock that cost us less trouble to ascend than I expected.

THE EARTH BECOMES SOFT AND IMPa.s.sABLE, EVEN ON THE SIDES OF HILLS.

It was in the valleys now that we met most difficulty, the earth having become so soft and wet that the carts could be got through some places only by the tedious process of dragging each successively with the united strength of several teams.

DISCOVER A n.o.bLE RANGE OF MOUNTAINS.

From a high forest-hill about a mile east of our route I first obtained a complete view of a n.o.ble range of mountains rising in the south to a stupendous height, and presenting as bold and picturesque an outline as ever painter imagined. The highest and most eastern summit was hid in the clouds although the evening was serene. It bore West of South 26 degrees 54 minutes; and the western extremity, which consisted of a remarkably round hill, bore 16 degrees 30 minutes South of West. Having descended from the range by an easy slope to the southward, we pa.s.sed through a beautiful valley in which we crossed, at a mile and a quarter from the hills, a fine stream flowing also westward; and in other respects similar to those we had already met. I named it Avon water and we encamped on its left bank.

CROSS ANOTHER STREAM.

July 12.

At two miles and a half from the spot where we had slept we crossed another stream flowing west-north-west which I named the Small-burn.

Beyond it the ground was good and gra.s.sy, but at this season very soft, so that the draught was most laborious for the cattle. At seven miles we crossed a wet flat with ponds of water standing on it, and beyond we entered on a clay soil altogether different from any hitherto pa.s.sed on this side the Yarrayne.

ANOTHER.

About eight miles from our camp we reached a fine running brook with gra.s.sy banks, its course being to the north-west. The bed consisted of red-sand and gravel, and the banks were about fourteen feet high, presenting fine swelling slopes covered with turf. On this stream, which I named the Dos casas, I halted, as it was doubtful whether some of the carts could be brought even so far before night, the ground having proved soft and rotten to such a degree, especially on the slopes of low hills, that in some cases the united strength of three teams had been scarcely sufficient to draw them through. It was night before the last cart arrived, and two bullocks had been left behind in an exhausted state.

GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.

July 13.

We had at length discovered a country ready for the immediate reception of civilised man; and destined perhaps to become eventually a portion of a great empire. Unenc.u.mbered by too much wood, it yet possessed enough for all purposes; its soil was exuberant and its climate temperate; it was bounded on three sides by the ocean; and it was traversed by mighty rivers, and watered by streams innumerable. Of this Eden I was the first European to explore its mountains and streams, to behold its scenery, to investigate its geological character and, by my survey, to develop those natural advantages certain to become, at no distant date, of vast importance to a new people. The lofty mountain range which I had seen on the 11th was now before us, but still distant between thirty and forty miles; and as the cattle required rest I determined on an excursion to its lofty eastern summit. Such a height was sure to command a view of the country between these mountains and the sea in the direction of Lady Julia Percy's Isles; and of that region between the range and those less connected forest-hills I had seen to the eastward.

PROPOSED EXCURSION TO THE MOUNTAINS.

When I first discovered these mountains I perceived that the land immediately to the eastward of them was very low and that, if I found it necessary, I might conduct the party in that direction to the coast. I was however more desirous to level my theodolite on that summit first, and thus obtain valuable materials for the construction of an accurate map of the whole country around it. I accordingly left the party encamped and proceeded towards the mountain, accompanied by six men on horseback, having previously instructed Mr. Stapylton to employ the men during my absence in forming a way down the bank, and a good ford across the stream in order that there might be no impediment to the immediate advance of the party on my return.

RICHARDSON'S CREEK.

Pursuing the bearing of 193 degrees we crossed, at three miles from the camp, a deep creek similar to that on which it was placed; and the first adventure of the morning occurred here. The fordable place was so narrow that the horse of one of the party plunged into the deep water with its rider who, while the animal was swimming, incautiously pulled the bridle and of course overturned it, so that they parted company in the water, the horse reaching one bank, the rider the other. The latter, who was my botanical collector Richardson, took his soaking on a cold frosty morning so philosophically, talking to his comrades as he made his way to the bank, partly swimming, partly floating on two huge portfolios, that I gave his name to the creek, the better to reconcile him to his wet jacket. We entered soon after upon one of the finest tracts of gra.s.sy forest land we had ever seen. The whole country recently crossed was good, but this was far better, having several broad and deep ponds, or small lakes, in the woods, and all full of the clearest water. At eight miles I perceived a forest-hill on my left (or to the eastward) and the country before us was so open, sloping and green, that I felt certain we were approaching a river; and we soon came upon one, which was full, flowing and thirty feet wide, being broader than the Yarrayne but not so uniformly deep. Unlike the latter river, reeds grew about its margin in some places, and its banks, though gra.s.sy and fifteen feet high, were neither so steep as those of the Yarrayne, nor so closely shut together.

CROSS A FINE STREAM FLOWING IN THREE SEPARATE CHANNELS.

We swam our horses across, but our progress had scarcely commenced again on the other side when it was impeded by another similar stream or channel. In this we managed, with Piper's a.s.sistance, to find a ford but, at less than a quarter of a mile, we met a third channel, more resembling the first in the height of its banks and velocity of the current, and also from its flowing amongst bushes. This we likewise forded, and immediately after we ascended a piece of rising ground which convinced me that we had at length crossed all the branches of that remarkable river.

It is probable we came upon it where it received the waters of tributaries, and some of these channels might be such.

A RIDGE OF POOR SANDY SOIL.

We next fell in with some undulating ground different in many respects from any that we had traversed during the morning. The soil was poor and sandy; and the stunted trees and shrubs of the Blue mountains grew upon it, instead of the novelties we expected at such a great distance from home. We also recognised the birds common about Sydney. On reaching the higher part of this ground (at nine miles) I again saw the mountain which then bore 196 degrees. The intervening ground seemed to consist of a low ridge rather heavily wooded, its crest presenting a line as level as the ocean. At eleven miles I supposed we were upon the dividing ground between the sea-coast country and that of the interior, and on what appeared to be the only connection between the forest mountains to the eastward and the lofty ma.s.s then before us. We found upon this neck huge trees of ironbark and stringybark; some fine forest-hills appeared to the eastward and distant only a few miles.

CROSS SEVERAL FINE STREAMS.

At the end of sixteen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, and twenty-three miles we crossed small rivers, all flowing westward, and the third over sandstone. After pa.s.sing the last or fifth stream, we halted on a very fine open, dry and gra.s.sy flat. We found a large fallen tree which we set on fire and pa.s.sed the night, a very mild one, most comfortably on the ground beside it, with the intention of renewing our journey at daylight in the morning.

TRAP-HILLS AND GOOD SOIL.

July 14.

On leaving our bivouac we crossed some hills of trap-rock which were lightly wooded and covered with the finest gra.s.s in great abundance. The scenery around them, the excellent quality of the soil, the abundance of water and verdure, contrasted strangely with the circ.u.mstance of their lying waste and unoccupied. It was evident that the reign of solitude in these beautiful vales was near a close; a reflection which, in my mind, often sweetened the toils and inconveniences of travelling through such houseless regions. At the foot of the last hill, and about a mile on our way, we crossed a chain of deep ponds running to the south-west. Beyond them was a plain of the very finest open forest-land, on which we travelled seven miles; and then came upon a river with broad deep reaches of very clear water, and flowing towards the north-west. We easily found a ford and, on proceeding, entered upon a tract of white sand where banksia and casuarinae were the chief trees. There was also some good gra.s.s but it grew rather thinly upon it. The next water we crossed was a small mountain-torrent hurrying along to the eastward in a deep and rocky channel overhung with bushes.

ASCEND THE MOUNTAIN.

Being now close under the mountain, we dismounted and sent our horses back for the sake of food to the bank of the last-mentioned river. The first part of our ascent, on foot, was extremely steep and laborious, although it was along the most favourable feature I could find. Above it the impediments likely to obstruct our further ascent were two high and perpendicular rocky cliffs; but I had observed before ascending those crevices and intervals between rocks where we might most easily effect an ascent; and through these we accordingly penetrated without much difficulty. The upper precipice consisted of cliffs about 140 feet in perpendicular height. Fortunately the ablest of the men with me was a house carpenter and, being accustomed to climb roofs, he managed to get up and then a.s.sist the rest.

CLOUDS COVER IT.

Having gained the top of this second precipice, we found winter and desolation under drizzling clouds which afforded but partial and transient glimpses of the world below. The surface at the summit of the cliffs was broad and consisted of large blocks of sandstone, separated by wide fissures full of dwarf bushes of banksia and casuarinae. These rocks were inclined but slightly towards the north-west and, the bushes being also wet and curiously encrusted with heavy icicles, it was by no means a pleasant part of our journey to travel nearly half a mile upwards, either on the slippery rock or between fissures among wet bushes. At length however we reached the highest point and found that it consisted of naked sandstone. The top block was encrusted with icicles, and had become h.o.a.ry under the beating of innumerable storms. At the very summit I found a small heath-like bushy Leucopogon, from six inches to a foot high. It was in flower although covered with ice.* Also a variety of Leucopogon villosus, with rather less hair than usual, and another species of the same genus, probably new. Near the highest parts of the plateau I found a new species of eucalyptus with short broad viscid leaves, and rough-warted branches.**

(*Footnote. L. glacialis, Lindley ma.n.u.scripts; ramulis p.u.b.escentibus, foliis lineari-lanceolatis erectis contortis acutis ciliatis margine scabris, floribus terminalibus solitaririis et aggregatis, pedicellis p.u.b.escentibus distanter squamatis, calcibus glabris.)

(**Footnote. E. alpina, Lindley ma.n.u.scripts; ramulis brevibus rigidis angulatis, foliis alternis petiolatis ovato-oblongis viscosis basi obliquis, umbellis axillaribus paucifloris petiolis brevioribus, operculo hemisphaerico verrucoso inaequali tubo calycis turbinato verrucoso breviore.)

A NIGHT ON THE SUMMIT.

All around us was hidden in mist. It was now within half an hour of sunset, but the ascent had cost so much trouble, and the country this summit commanded was so interesting to us that I was unwilling to descend without trying whether it might not be clear of clouds at sunrise. We had not come prepared in any way to pa.s.s the night on such a wild and desolate spot, for we had neither clothing nor food, nor was there any shelter; but I was willing to suffer any privations for the attainment of the object of our ascent. One man, Richardson, an old traveller, had most wisely brought his day's provisions in his haversack, and these I divided equally among FIVE. No rocks could be found near the summit to shelter us from the piercing wind and sleet.

NO FUEL.

The thermometer stood at 29 degrees, and we strove to make a fire to protect us from the piercing cold; but the green twigs, encrusted with icicles, could not by our united efforts be blown into a flame sufficient to warm us. There was abundance of good wood AT THE FOOT OF THE CLIFFS--huge trees of ironbark, stringybark and bluegum but, had we descended, a second ascent might have appeared too laborious on a mere chance of finding the summit clear; so we remained above. The men managed to manufacture some tea in a tin pot, and into the water as it boiled I plunged a thermometer which rose to exactly 95 degrees of the centigrade scale. We got through that night of misery as well as might have been expected under the circ.u.mstances, and we succeeded in keeping the fire alive although, while twigs were blown into red heat at one end, icicles remained at the other, even within a few inches of the flame. In order to maintain it through the night we divided, at eleven o'clock, the stock of branches which had been gathered before dark into eight parcels, this being the number of hours we were destined to sit s.h.i.+vering there; and as each bundle was laid on the dying embers we had the pleasure at least of knowing that it was an hour nearer daylight. I coiled myself round the fire in all the usual att.i.tudes of the blacks, but in vain; to get warm was quite impossible, although I did once feel something like comfort when one of the men gave me for a seat a flat stone on which the fire had been blown for some hours. Partial cessations in the fall of sleet were also cheering occasionally; but the appearance of stars two hours before daylight promised to reward our enterprise and inspired me with hope.

VIEW FROM IT AT SUNRISE.