Part 7 (1/2)
We placed the cart under a gum-tree, in which the cockatoos we had alar into the creek had a nest These noisy birds (Plyctolophus Leadbeaterii) kept incessantly screeching to their young, which answered thes,else
On the 11th we left the creek, well satisfied with our night's occupation of it, as also, I believe, to the still greater satisfaction of our noisy friends For about two and a half or threecountry It was open, and in h at three miles it fell off a little, still the aspect on the northern side of the creek was, to a considerable distance, preferable to that on the south side At 11 aained the crest of the little stony hill we had seen the day before to the NNW, and fros, but to carry others forward We were fast losing sight of the hills, whose loftier summits alone were visible, yetfresh peaks to the north, which satisfied me that they continued in that direction far beyond the most distant one we had seen Froht fall on another creek, and so gradually, but surely, work our way to the NW
On descending from the little hill, however, we traversed an inferior country, and at two miles saw a few scattered Pine-trees Shortly afterwards, on breaking through a low scrub, we crossed a ridge of sand, on which nues then occurred in rapid succession, separated by narrow flats only; the soil being of a bright red clay covered with RhaGodiae, and having bare patches on theht over this kind of country became a serious hindrance to our movements, as it was very heavy, and the day excessively hot, the horses in the teaan to halt, and, with Mr Browne, rode forward in the hope of finding water, for he had shot a new and beautiful pigeon, on the bill of which so; wherefore we concluded that he had just been drinking at some shallow, but still unexhausted, puddle of water near us: ere, however unsuccessful in our search; but crossed pine ridge after pine ridge, until at length I thought it better to turn back to the cart, and, as we had already travelled so; rass on the sand ridges, and I did not apprehend that our horses would suffer ht have had of the character of the country into which we had penetrated, I certainly was not prepared for any so singular as that we encountered The sand ridges, some partially, some thickly, covered with Pine-trees, were frohty yards at their base, running nearly longitudinally frorass, which appeared to have been the produce of recent rains; and several very beautiful leguine that these ridges would continueto push on Our position was in lat 30 degrees 40 rees 51of the 12th we commenced our day's journey on a NW
course, as I had proposed to Mr Browne Flood had been about half awater before we rose, but was disappointed; the horses did not, however, appear to have suffered fro I requested Mr Browne to make a circuit to the NE for the same purpose, as we had observed many birds fly past us in that direction; and I sent Flood to the ard, but both returned unsuccessful Nevertheless, although we could not find any water, the country improved
The soil was still clay and sand, but we crossed some very fine flats, and only wanted water to enjoy coes ell clothed with grass, and the former had box-trees and hakeas scattered over them; but these favourable indications soon ceased
The pine ridges closed upon each other once more, and the flats becaly hot, and still an to flag At 2 pe had taken place Our vieas lihest trees, could we see any elevated land at that hour; therefore I stopped, as the cart got on so slowly, and as the horses would now, under any circumstances, be three days without water, I deter the well I directed Mr Broith Flood, however, to push on, till sunset, in the hope that hesatisfied that I had no hope of success in finding water so far fro back at so late an hour in the afternoon, it was past e froain stopped until dahen proceeding onwards, and passing a shallow puddle of surface water, that was so thick with ained the creek at half-past 4 pm Mr Browne and Flood joined us so ridden about 18 miles beyond the point at which we had parted, but had not noticed any change The sandy ridges, Mr Browne informed me, continued as far as he went; and, to all appearance, for miles beyond The day we returned to the creek was one of rees in the shade I had promised to wait for Mr Browne at the shallow puddle, but the sun's rays fell with such intense effect on so exposed a spot that I was obliged to seek shelter at the creek It blew furiously during the night of the 13th, in heated gusts froale continued with unabated violence, and eventually became a hot wind We were, therefore, unable to stir The flies being in suchIt is, indeed, iue they were during the whole of that day froht of the 14th it rained a little About 3 am the wind blew round to the north-west, and at dae had a s the te bearable The sun rose amidst heavy clouds, by which his fiery beae to the earth's surface Before we quitted our ground I sent Flood up the creek, to trace it into the hills, an intention I wasanxious to remain with the cart The distance between the two creeks is about 26country, it may not be necessary to notice it further I was unable to take es were enveloped in len at half-past 5 pe, preparatory to ascending the hills on the following day Flood had already arrived there, and informed me that he had not followed the creek to where it issued froes, but had approached very nearly, and could see the point froh them That he had not found any surface water, but had tried the ground in many places, and always found water at two or three inches depth, and that where the water was the most abundant the feed was also the most plentiful
As I had anticipated, we had heavy rain all night, and in thethunder-stor the cart to push on for the rocky gully, Mr Browne and I proceeded to ascend soher peaks, which we had not had tily turned into a narrow valley, in the middle of which was the bed of a rocky watercourse, and on either side of it were large clusters of the Clematis in full flower, that, mixed with low bushes of Jas up this valley for about a ht across it, and obliged to turn back We were, however,the sue, on the very top of which we found large boulders of rocks, imbedded in the soil They varied in size, from a foot in diameter to less, and were rounded by attrition, just like the rounded stones in the bed of a river, or on the sea shore The hill itself was of schistose formation, the boulders of different kinds of rocks, and very sparingly scattered through the soil We had scarcely reached the summit of this hill, when it was enveloped in thick clouds, fro flashed, and the thunder pealed close to us, and crack after crack reverberated along the valleys It soon passed away, however, and left us well drenched, but the western horizon was still black with clouds Froht I had thought was of volcanic origin, but proved to be like the first, of schistose formation, and was covered with low scrub About 2 p back towards the plainstheretted that we had been forced to retreat before the rains set in
However, seeing that the country was now in a fitter state to travel over, I deterive Mr Poole an opportunity to pass to the point where I had been, whilst I should es, direct for the rocky gully, from the last hill we ascended, and rode past some very romantic scenery, but I had not tian had already arrived in the glen, and tethered out the horses in sorass At this place ere about 38 miles distant from the camp; but, as the cart could not travel so far in one day, I directed theof the 18th left them for the camp, with Mr Brohere we arrived at sunset But little rain had fallen during the day, still it was easy to foretell that it had not ceased The wind, for the last three days, had been blowing from the NW, but on the 19th flew round to the SE, and although no rain fell during the day, heavy clouds surrounded us Considering, however, the rapidity of evaporation in such a climate, and the certainty that the rains would be followed by extreme heat, I was anxious that Mr Poole should proceed on his journey without delay, he accordingly prepared to leave us on the 20th
The reader will have inferred, from what I have said on the subject, that my object at this particular time was to attain the meridian of Mount Arden, as soon as circumstances should enable me Had not this intention influenced me, on es; but I hoped, by taking a westerly course, that I should strike the NE angle of Lake Torrens, or find that I had altogether cleared it; added to this Mr Eyre had informed me that he could not see the northern shore of that lake; I therefore thought that it ht be connected with some more central body of water, the early discovery of which, in ress to the NW, would facilitate my future operations This was a point whereon I was most anxious to obtain information; but, as my horses were knocked up, it appeared to me, that Mr Poole, with fresh horses, would find no difficulty in gaining a distance sufficiently great to enable ht acquire of the distant interior
In my instructions to that officer therefore, I directed hieneral NW course, as the one most likely to determine the questions on the several points to which I called his attention ”Should you,” I said, ”reach the shores of Lake Torrens, or any body of water of unknown extent, you will endeavour to gain every information on that head; but if you should not strike any basin of either description, you will do your uttermost to ascertain if a westerly course is open to us, after you shall have reached lat 30 degrees to enable rees meridian, as soon as circumstances will permit Should the supply of water which the recent rains will ensure for a time, be likely to fail, or if the rains should not have extended so far as you would desire to go, and your advance be thus rendered hazardous, it will be discretionary with you to return direct to the ca the western flanks of the ranges, but you are on no account to endanger either yourself or party by an attempt to push into the interior, to a distance beyond that which prudence es you will exa me the fullest information as to the supply of water and feed Should you, on the other hand, discover any very extensive sheet of water, you will, after ascertaining its extent and direction, as far as your means will allow, return i the boat, many necessary preparations will have to be th of ti which the examination of the country to the north can be carried on with advantage
”You will select the men you would wish to accompany you, and will provide as well for your coions do not seem to be inhabited at the present moment, at least in that part from whence I have just returned, it will be necessary for you to be always on your guard, even although no apparent danger reatly recovered from his late indisposition, and as Mr
Poole intiness to accoof the 20th it still continued to rain, insomuch that I was anxious Mr Poole should postpone his departure, but clearing up at noon, he left , however, we had heavy and violent showers; all night it poured in torrents with thunder and lightning, but theof the 21st was clear and fine A vast quantity of rain however had fallen The creek was overflowing its banks, and the ground in such a state that it would have been impossible to have h the therrees at half-past 2 pm the hottest part of the day Such a teland, but in a clies are so sudden, they are more severely felt Only a few days before the therrees in the shade, thus at once causing a difference of 42 degrees and 51 degrees, and I areeable On the 22nd I coround was hardly then in a condition to bear the weight of the drays We were indeed obliged to keep on the banks of the creek as they were higher and firmer than the plains, but after all we only made seven miles and halted, I had al the recent rains, there was not a drop in the bed of the creek, nor could we get any other than a scanty supply by digging; Jones, however, one of the bullock drivers, found a shallow pool upon the plains to which the cattle were driven
On the way I ascended a small hill composed of mica slate, and on its su point of water on this hill was 210 degrees, the therrees
On the 25th we crossed the little dividing range connected with Lewis's Hill, which last I again ascended to verify s, as we had erected three pyrae that were visible froress of the drays, to ascend a hill at soher than any of those near it, and was amply rewarded for my trouble by the extensive view it afforded
Our specily limited, nor did there appear to be any i them The most numerous of the feathered race were the owls, (Strix flaht, and kept the ca at that tienerally sat on a branch near the hole in which they had been hatched, and set up a most discordant noise about every quarter of an hour, when the old ones returned to the the thermometers, one on Lewis's Hill, and the other on the Black Hill, I found that they boiled at 209 degrees and 208 degrees respectively
On the 26th Jones was unfortunate enough to snap the pole of his dray, and I was consequently detained on the 27th repairing it I was theanxious to push over the ranges and gain the plains, in order to prevent Mr Poole the necessity of re-ascending them
I felt satisfied that I should find a sufficiency both of water and feed at the gorge of the Rocky Glen, to enable e of the country could be gained, whilst by enca at that place I should save Mr Poole a journey of 63 es I observed that all the water I had seen glittering on the plains had disappeared; I found too that the larger water-hole in the glen had rather fallen than increased during the rains
The fact however was, that the under-drainage had not yet reached the lower part of the gully
We were now about 24 miles from the second creek Mr Browne and I had crossed on our recent excursion, and from Flood's examination of it afterwards, I felt assured that unless a party was sent forward to dig a large hole for the cattle I could not prudently advance any farther for the present; but being anxious to push on, and hoping that the late rains had increased the supply of water in the creek, I sent Flood on the 28th with two of thea tank in the most favourable spot he could select, and followed hi however to examine the country a little to the ard, I desired the men to keep on the plains about two es, until they should strike the creek or Flood should join theht o'clock
Flood then told me that he had been to the place where he had before foundthe rains, it was all gone He had tried the creek doards, and had at length sunk a tank opposite to a little gully, thinking that it e The tank was quite full, and continued so for two or three days after, when, without any great call upon it froth dried up, and we should have been obliged to fall back, if in tracing up the little gully we had not found a pond that enabled us to keep our ground It often happened that we thus procured water in detached localities when there was not a drop in thepoint of the therain pretty nearly on a level with the ocean, although ere at the time distant from it more than 480 miles
At this period we had frequent heavy winds, with a heated tes, did not suffer much The sheep, it is true, would sometimes refuse to stir, and asses took shelter in wa their heads out, would bark at their charge to very little purpose It was evident, indeed, that the heat was fast increasing, and e had already experienced was only an earnest of that which was to follow
Mr Poole had now been absent thirteen days, and I began to be anxious for his return Our ain shortened his homeward journey 70 miles, and as I felt assured he would cross the creek at the point where we had dug the well, I stuck a pole up in it, with instructions, and on the 2nd December he rode into the caued, as well as their horses I had been engaged the greater part of the day fixing the points for another base line, as I was fearful that the angles of our first were too acute, and found that the party had got back on my return to the camp
Mr Poole infor e, he had pushed on That on the 24th he left my cart tracks as they turned to the NW, and continued the NNW course as I had directed On that day he encaood water-hole, as the horses had travelled fast; the country thereabouts had becoly scarce On this day he ascended a se bore SSE