Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume II Part 33

We next reached a deeper ravine where the land on each side was more open and also firmer, while a small rivulet flowing through it amongst bushes was easily crossed, and we ascended some fine rising ground beyond it.

Rich flats then extended before us and we arrived at an open gra.s.sy valley where a beautiful little stream resembling a river in miniature was flowing rapidly. Two very substantial huts showed that even the natives had been attracted by the beauty of the spot and, as the day was showery, I wished to return if possible to pa.s.s the night there, for I began to learn that such huts with a good fire before them made very comfortable quarters in bad weather.

NATIVES VERY TIMID.

We had heard voices in the woods several times this day but their inhabitants seemed as timid as kangaroos and not more likely to come near us. The blue ma.s.s of Mount Napier was visible occasionally through the trees, but I found as we proceeded that we were not so near it as I had supposed, for at three miles beyond the little stream we came upon one of greater magnitude, a small river flowing southward with open gra.s.sy banks in which two kinds of trap-rock appeared. The edge of a thin layer of the lowest, a nearly decomposed trap, projected over the stream; the other lay in rounded blocks in the face of the hill above, and appeared to be decomposed amygdaloid, princ.i.p.ally felspar. The river ran through a valley where the forest land was remarkably open, being sprinkled with only a few trees as in a park, and this stream appeared to fall into the head of the extensive swamp already mentioned. About a mile beyond the river (which I named the Shaw) we came upon the extremities of Mount Napier, for at least so I considered some rough sharp-pointed fragments of rock laying about in heaps, which we found it very difficult and tedious to ride over: indeed so sharp-edged and large were these rocks on the slopes of the terraces they formed that we were often obliged to dismount and lead our horses. In these fragments I recognised the cellular character of the rocks I had noticed in the bed of the Shaw. The rock here might have been taken for decomposed amygdaloid but, having found the vestiges of an old crater in the summit of the hill, I was induced to consider it an ancient lava. The reefs at Portland Bay consist of the same rock in rounded nodules, a more compact trap-rock consisting princ.i.p.ally of felspar lying above them, as was observable in the section of the coast. In some of the fragments on Mount Napier these cells or pores were several inches in diameter and, unlike amygdaloidal rocks, all were quite empty. The surface consisted wholly of this stone, without any intermediate soil to soften its asperity under the feet of our horses, and yet it was covered with a wood of eucalyptus and mimosa, growing there as on the open forest land between which and this stony region the chief difference consisted in the ruggedness of surface, this being broken as already stated into irregular terraces where loose stones lay in irregular heaps and hollows, most resembling old stone quarries. We travelled over three miles of this rough surface before we reached the base of the cone.

CRATER OF MOUNT NAPIER OR MURROA.

On the sides of it we found some soft red earth mixed with fragments of lava and on reaching the summit I found myself on the narrow edge of a circular crater composed wholly of lava and scoriae. Trees and bushes grew luxuriantly everywhere except where the sharp rocks shot up almost perpendicularly. The igneous character of these was so obvious that one of the men thrust his hand into a chasm to ascertain whether it was warm.

VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT.

The discovery of an extinct volcano gave additional interest to Mount Napier, but it was by no means a better station for the theodolite on that account; on the contrary it was the worst possible for, as the trees grew on the edge of the crater, no one station could be found to afford a view of the horizon until the whole circ.u.mference was cleared of the trees, and this was too great a work for us at that visit. Mount William and the Grampian range presented a n.o.ble outline to the northward. The sun had set before I could recognise distant points in the highly interesting country to be seen from this remarkable hill. The weather was also unfavourable and I descended to pa.s.s the night at its base in hopes that the next morning might be clear.

RETURN TO THE CAMP.

On reaching the spot where I had left the horses I found that our native friend Tommy Came-last could discover no water in any of the numerous hollows around the hill and, though the superabundance of this element had caused the chief impediment to our progress through the country at that time, we were obliged to pa.s.s a night most uncomfortably from the total want of it at the base of Mount Napier. The spongy-looking rocks were however dry enough to sleep upon, a quality of which the soil in general had been rather deficient, as most of us felt in our muscles. I perceived a remarkable uniformity in the size of the trees, very few of which were dead or fallen. From this circ.u.mstance, together with the deficiency of the soil and the sharp edge of the rock generally, some might conclude that the volcano had been in activity at no very remote period.

September 5.

A thick fog hung upon the mountain until half-past 10 A.M. and when I ascended an extremity I could see nothing of the distance. I had however ascertained the nature of the country thus far, this having been the object of my visit and, as I had resolved from what I had seen to pa.s.s to the northward at no great distance from this hill, I returned with less reluctance, in hopes that I might have it in my power yet to revisit it during more favourable weather. The day was squally with several very heavy showers, the wind being from the south-west. We saw two natives at a fire when we were returning, and our friend Tommy readily advanced towards them but they immediately set up such loud and incessant cries that I called to him to come away. After a ride of twenty-six miles across swamps and many muddy hollows we reached soon after sunset the camp which I had directed to be moved back to near where the boats lay. I found that these had been drawn out of the swamp and one only brought forward as I wished to this camp and where I found all the carts once more ranged together. The alteration of the boat carriage required a little more time, and I accordingly determined to halt one day that we might also have our horses shod, several shoes having come off on the rough rocks near Mount Napier.

MR. STAPYLTON'S EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-WEST.

September 6.

This day I requested Mr. Stapylton to examine the country in a north-west direction. Some of the swamps crossed by me yesterday had appeared to fall westward and I wished to ascertain the situation and character of the ground dividing them from those discharging their waters eastward or towards the sea, as it was only by keeping on that dividing ground that I could hope to avoid them. Mr. Stapylton proceeded nine miles north-west, crossing many swampy flats, and at length a small rivulet, all falling westward. Beyond the rivulet he got upon some good hills connected with higher land. Our best line of route homewards was in a north-east direction, or at rightangles to the route of Mr. Stapylton.

THE SHAW.

The great swamp already mentioned, being the channel and recipient of the Shaw, was somewhat in my way, and my object now was to trace out the dividing ground as we proceeded, so as to avoid the swamps on both sides.

By sunset the single boat was mounted in the shortened carriage, the whole being now so manageable and light that the boat could be lifted out by hand without block and tackle; and when on the carriage she could be drawn with ease wherever the light carts could pa.s.s. Thus we got rid of that heavy clog on our progress over soft ground, the boats, by reserving but one; and we left the larger, keel upwards, at the swamp which had occasioned so much delay.

CONDUCT THE CARTS ALONG THE HIGHEST GROUND.

September 7.

Having chosen for a general line of route the bearing most likely to avoid the swamps according to the knowledge I had gained of the country, I proceeded as these and the soft ground permitted, and had the singular and indeed unexpected good fortune to come upon my horse's track from Mount Napier without having even seen the large swamp. The boat-carriage now travelled with the light carts, and we at length reached the first running stream at a short distance below where I had previously crossed it. The bottom was boggy and the water flowed in two channels, the ground between them being very soft. The whole party crossed it, with the exception of two carts which did not arrive, and we encamped on the bank beyond after a journey of about eight miles. Near this stream we found a pretty new species of Dillwynia, with plain yellow flowers, cl.u.s.tered on a long stalk at the end of the branches, and with curiously hairy heath-like leaves. It resembles D. peduncularis but proved, on examination, to be distinct.*

(*Footnote. D. hispida, Lindley ma.n.u.scripts; ramulis hispidulis, foliis linearibus patulis verrucosis obtusis hispidulis, corymbis longe pedunculatis terminalibus laxis paucifloris, pedunculo glaberrimo, pedicellis calycibusque p.u.b.escentibus.)

At this spot we found a very small bower of twigs, only large enough to contain a child: the floor was hollowed out and filled with dry leaves and feathers; and the ground around had been cut smooth, several boughs having been also bent over it so as to be fixed in the ground at both ends. The whole seemed connected with some mystic ceremony of the aborigines, but which the male natives who were with us could not explain. The gins however on being questioned said it was usual to prepare such a bower for the reception of a new-born child. Kangaroos were more numerous in this part of the country than in any other that we had traversed. I counted twenty-three in one flock which pa.s.sed before me as I stood silently by a tree. Two of the men counted fifty-seven in another flock, and it was not unusual for them to approach our camp as if from curiosity, on which occasions two or three were occasionally caught by our dogs.

September 8.

The remainder of the heavy carts not having come up, I left the two with us to await their arrival that the men might a.s.sist the drivers with their teams in crossing this stream. On proceeding then with the light carts only I crossed several soft bad places, and one or two fine small rivulets, encamping at last where we again fell in with my horse's track, on an open s.p.a.ce about eight miles from Mount Napier. During the day's journey we traversed some fine open forest hills near the banks of rivulets. We generally found the south-eastern slope of such heights very indistinct, and the ground soft, boggy and covered with banksias. The rock in such places consisted of the same cellular trap so common on this side of the Grampians. Our camp lay between two swamps for no better ground appeared on any side. I hoped however to obtain a more general knowledge of the surrounding country from Mount Napier during clear weather, and thus to discover some way by which we might make our escape to the northward. The carts did not overtake us this day, and I determined when they should arrive to overhaul them and throw away every article of weight not absolutely required for the rest of the journey.

AGAIN ASCEND MURROA AND PARTIALLY CLEAR THE SUMMIT.

September 9.

Once more I set out for Mount Napier, followed by a party of men with axes to clear its summit, at least sufficiently for the purpose of taking angles with the theodolite. The night had been clear and the morning was fine, but as soon as I had ascended the hill rain-clouds gathered in the south-west and obscured the horizon on all sides; I could only see some points at intervals, but I took as many as I could after the men had cleared a station for the theodolite. I perceived two very extensive lakes in the low country between Mount Napier and the south-eastern portion of the Grampian range, which terminated in the hill that I had previously named Mount Abrupt. Between the largest of these waters (called by me Lake Linlithgow) and the mountains there appeared an extensive tract of open gra.s.sy land.

MOUNT ROUSE.

To the eastward at the distance of twelve miles I perceived a solitary hill, somewhat resembling Mount Napier, and named it Mount Rouse; but a haze still concealed the more distant country. On reaching the camp where we arrived in the dark, I found that the carts had not even then returned; but as the barometer promised better weather I did not much regret their non-arrival as the delay would afford me another chance of having a clear day on Mount Napier.

September 10.

I again proceeded to the hill and obtained at length a clear and extensive view from it in all directions. In the north the Grampian range, on all sides grand, presented a new and striking outline on this.

Far in the west I could recognise in slight breaks on a low horizon some features of the valley of Nangeela (Glenelg).

AUSTRALIAN PYRENEES.

Eastward the summits of a range I thought of naming the Australian Pyrenees were just visible over a woody horizon; and to the south-east were several detached hills and some elevated ridges of forest land, apparently near the coast. One isolated hill resembling a haystack was very remarkable on the seash.o.r.e. This I named Mount Hotspur being the only elevation near Lady Julia Percy's Isle (not Isles as laid down on the charts for there is but one, now called by whalers the Julian Island). To the southward I could just distinguish the Laurence Islands but a haze upon the coast prevented me from seeing that of Lady Julia Percy. Smoke arose from many parts of the lower country and showed that the inhabitants were very generally scattered over its surface. We could now look on such fires with indifference, so harmless were these natives compared with those on the Darling, and the smoke now ascended in equal abundance from the furthest verge of the horizon. It was impossible to discover the sources of streams or the direction of any ranges visible in the surrounding country; but upon the whole I concluded that the only practicable route for us homewards at that time would be through the forests and by pa.s.sing as near as possible to the base of Mount Abrupt, the south-eastern extremity of the Grampians. Several forest hills stood above the extensive level country extending from our camp to Mount Abrupt, but I could trace no connection between these hills, and was rather apprehensive that a soft and swampy country intervened.

CRATER OF MOUNT NAPIER.

I had this day leisure to examine the crater on this hill more particularly and found its breadth to be 446 feet; its average depth 80 feet. The cellular rocks and lava stood nearly perpendicular around one portion of it; but there was a gap towards the west-north-west, on which side the crater was open almost to its greatest depth. (See Plate 22.) Several deep tongues of land descended from it to the west and north-west, forming the base of the hill, and had somewhat of the regularity of water-worn features. No marks of decomposition appeared in the fragments projecting from the highest points, however much exposed.

On the contrary all the stringy twisted marks of fusion were as sharp and fresh as if the lava had but recently cooled. One species of moss very much resembled the Orchilla, and I thought it not impossible that this valuable weed might be found here as it occurred on similar rocks at Teneriffe. Just as I reached the highest summit this morning a bronze-wing pigeon arose from it; a circ.u.mstance rather remarkable considering that this was the only bird of that species seen on this side the mountains besides the one we saw on Pigeon Ponds on the 3rd of August. On returning to the camp I found that the carts had arrived soon after my departure in the morning; but the men had the misfortune to lose two bullocks in crossing the swampy stream where we had been previously encamped. One was suffocated in the mud, and the other having lain down in it could not be made to rise. By observing the stars alpha and beta Centauri I ascertained the magnetic variation to be 3 degrees 2 minutes 45 seconds East, and by the sun's alt.i.tude observed this day at Mount Napier I found the lat.i.tude of that hill to be 37 degrees 52 minutes 29 seconds South.

September 11.

In order to lighten the carts as much as possible I caused the packsaddles to be placed on the spare bullocks, and various articles carried upon them; thus lightening to less than eight hundredweight each the loads of two of the heavy carts which had narrow wheels and sunk most in the ground. The old cover of the boat carriage was also laid aside, and in its place some tarpaulins which had previously added to the loads were laid across our remaining boat. A heavy jack used to raise cartwheels was also left at this camp, and some iron bars that had been taken from the boat-carriage when it was shortened. Thus lightened we proceeded once more into the fields of mud, taking a northerly direction.

For several miles we encountered worse ground than we had ever crossed before yet the carts came over it; but broad swamps still lay before us.

SWAMPS HARDER THAN THE GROUND AROUND THEM.

Despairing at length of being able to avoid them, I impatiently galloped my horse into one and the carts followed, thanks to my impatience for once, for I do not think that I should otherwise have discovered that a swamp so uninviting could possibly have borne my horse, and still less the carts. After this I ventured to pursue a less circuitous route.

AGAIN REACH THE GOOD COUNTRY.

About that time a yellow flower in the gra.s.s caught my eye and, remembering that we had seen none of these golden flowers since we left the beautiful valley of the Wannon, I ventured to hope that we were at length approaching the good country at the head of that stream. Such was my anxious wish when I perceived through the trees a glimpse of an open gra.s.sy country, and immediately entered a fine clear valley with a lively little stream flowing westward through it and which I named the Grange.

This was indeed one of the heads of the Wannon and we had at length reached the good country. The contrast between it and that from which we had emerged was obvious to all; even to the natives who for the first time painted themselves in the evening and danced a spirited corrobory on the occasion. This day Piper had seen two of the native inhabitants and had endeavoured to persuade them to come to me, but all to no purpose until at length, enraged at the unreasonable timidity of one of them, he threw his tomahawk at him and nearly hit him as he edged off; an act of which, as I told him in the strongest terms, I very much disapproved.

September 12.

The course of the little stream being to the northward, I proceeded along its right bank this morning until it turned to the north-west; but we soon after came to another to which the former seemed to be but a tributary. Its course was almost due west, and the valley in which it flowed was deep and boldly escarped. The stream thundered along with considerable rapidity over a rocky bottom consisting of the same sort of trap or ancient lava. I had little doubt that this was the princ.i.p.al head of the Wannon, a river crossed by us on the 11th of August. Meeting next an important branch falling into it from the south-east and being obliged to cross this, we effected the pa.s.sage even with the carts, although the horses were nearly swimming. We proceeded next along a continuous ridge of fine firm ground covered with excellent gra.s.s, and soon after we saw before us a smaller stream flowing under a broad gra.s.sy vale and, having crossed it also without difficulty, we encamped in one of the valleys beyond, where this tributary appeared to originate. A finer country could scarcely be imagined: enormous trees of the mimosa or wattle of which the bark is so valuable grew almost everywhere; and several new varieties of Caladenia were found today. The blue, yellow, pink, and brown-coloured were all observed on these flowery plains.

MOUNTS BAINBRIGGE AND PIERREPOINT.

The sublime peaks of the Grampians began to appear above the trees to the northward, and two lower hills of trap-rock arose, one to the south-west the other north-west of our camp. That to the northward I named Mount Bainbrigge, the other on the south Mount Pierrepoint.

September 13.

We broke up our camp early this morning and on reaching the highest ground we discovered a large lake on our left: it was nearly circular, about half a mile in circ.u.mference and surrounded by high firm banks from which there was no visible outlet; I named it Lake Nivelle. At a few miles beyond this lake the cheering sight of an open country extending to the horizon first appeared through the trees; and we soon entered on these fine downs where the gently undulating surface was firm under our horses' feet and thickly clothed with excellent gra.s.s.

MOUNT STURGEON.