Part 42 (1/2)

Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 17 ust

Resue creek up to the south-east, and at 745 crossed it below a fine pool of water, above which the creek came from the south-west, in which direction the country consisted of low sandstone hills of barren aspect We then crossed a few miles of sandy tableland and descended at 1020 into a deep valley trending east This brought us to a sood water, on which we encamped at 1130 The country is very poor and rocky, thinly wooded with box-trees in valleys and white-guaroos are more numerous than in any other part of Australia yet visited by the Expedition, and as many as twelve or fifteen have been seen each day Early in the ht breeze from west; at 70 a fresh breeze froht air frorees 23 ust

At 630 am steered south-east and followed the valley of the creek till 80, when it turned to the north-east; continuing our course along the valley south-east, though there was noatercourse in it, at 1120 ca north-east, across the larger valley, and crossing a ridge of sandstone and basalt, ca pools of water fifteen to twenty yards wide Following this creek upwards to the south-south-east, as the valley widened the water ceased for some distance, but at 1240 p at the upper end Here we encarass The rock which formed the hills on this day's journey is a hard red-brown sandstone, the lower part thin-bedded, beneath which trap or basalt has been forced between the strata, and was exposed in the deep valleys excavated by the creeks The view at times extended twenty miles to the north-east over a level depressed country, beyond which were low ridges of hills The country generally was poor and stony, thinly wooded with eucalypti and acacia, except when the basalt was exposed, and by its decorass and very open in character

17th August (Sunday)

Grass and water being sufficient, reh, as several had to be shod, it was not altogether a day of rest to the party A fresh breeze from south-east cooled the air at noon, but died away towards sunset

Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 32 rees 51 ust

Collected the horses early, but two of therass, and I therefore delayed starting till 740 ae to the south-east and reached the tableland The soil was sandy with acacia scrub, paper-bark guybark, and bloodwood; at 100 the country becaradually ascended till the aneroid indicated an elevation of 1100 feet, and we appeared to be on a ridge parallel to the tableland of the interior and at a greater elevation; at 120 pm observed a clump of melaleuca in a deep rocky ravine, and steered south to it Here we found a spring with a few acres of grass around it, and encarees 40 minutes 31 seconds

BASALTIC RANGE 1300 FEET ABOVE SEA

19th August

At 645 ae of altered sandstone and trap or basalt, thinly wooded hite-gurevillia, triodia, and treraphis superseding the grass; at 730 the aneroid indicated the greatest altitude (1300 feet) which we had attained since leaving the Victoria River From this point the vieas extensive to the north and south Towards the interior the surface of the tableland, not being so elevated as our position, appeared like a vast level plain without any marked feature whatsoever To the north the country appeared to consist of low ridges of wooded hills gradually decreasing in height as they receded Southward our vieas intercepted by broken wooded hills of equal elevation with our position, while deep ravines trending to the south intercepted our route I therefore altered the course to 200 degrees netic, and descended a rocky valley in which was a sed into a considerable creek with large rocky waterholes The hills consisted of basalt and altered sandstone, which dipped 20 degrees to 60 degrees to the north-west, and by their outcrop forreat risk to our horses; at 1230 pes and entered a level valley extending thirty ranite rock was exposed on the bank of the creek, which now trended across the valley to the south-east, with a broad sandy bed froroith bushes; at 45 reached the hills which bounded the valley to the south-east, and the creek entering a deep gorge which, by concentrating its waters, had formed a fine pool, at which we enca the basalt hills, where the valleys ell grassed, was barren and useless sand, gravel, and rock

Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 53 ust

We left our ca the valley of the creek impassable, crossed the hills in an east-south-east direction, the country consisting of steep sandstone ridges covered with triodia and a few stunted eucalypti; at 30 pain attained the bank of the creek and carass for the horses

Latitude by Vega 17 degrees 58thishorses, followed the creek, which had now increased to a small river, to the east-south-east, and after two hours' travelling reached a srass and camped at 820 am; the bed of the river is nearly dry, only a few shallow pools re in the sandy channel, which is ten to fifty yards wide, with s a breadth of nearly 200 yards, dense clu banks of sand; large quantities of unio-shell, soth, are found on the banks of the river near the camps of the blacks; Bowman cos and swelling of the guh our yesterday's journey was only of two hours' duration, the horses appeared very weak and fatigued e started at 645 areat difficulty that Boco and Monkey could keep up with the rest of the horses; ere frequently compelled to leave the bank of the river and cross steep rocky ridges of sandstone rock; the country was very rugged and barren, producing little besides triodia and a few stunted gum-trees The bed of the river increased to 400 yards in width, consisting of sandy channels with narrow banks of sand covered with large melaleuca-trees between therass; procuring water from a sa 17 degrees 59 ust

Resuht bank of the river to the east-north-east; it soon passed between two steep rocky hills and turned to the north Continuing our course a short distance, rocky hills coain the banks of the river, following an ana-branch till 110 am, when it joined the main channel, which then trended north-east; at 1130 ca the banks of the river, and camped The valley of the river is now more open, but the country of very barren character, with stunted eucalypti and triodia on the hills, and rass, on the bank of the river The hills have decreased in height, the upper strata thick-bedded coarse sandstone with sandstone shale beneath; hard white sandstone exists in sorees 56 rees 22 h this was not a good spot for a day's halt, yet it was requisite the horses should have a day's rest, and, as it was Sunday, re the horses a native woman and child were seen at a distance, in the bed of the river; but on being approached hid therass was set on fire in several places by the blacks, they were not seen again

25th August