I Here Found It To Be The Large End
Of The Tap Root Of A Potamogeton, Or A Plant Nearly Allied To That Genus;
I Found It With Another Interesting Water-Plant, With Foliated Spikes Of
Blue Flowers, In A Small Water-Hole Near Our Last Camp.
April 23.
- We travelled about north-west to latitude 19 degrees 4 minutes
41 seconds, over a succession of fine flats; one or two of which were
almost exclusively timbered with poplar-gum, which always indicated a
sound stiff soil. These flats were separated by shallow gullies, and some
Casuarina creeks, which come probably from the dividing ridges of the two
rivers. Ridges and ranges were seen on both sides, at different
distances. The Casuarina became more frequent along the banks of the
river. It was rather remarkable that the Moreton Bay ash, which is so
abundant along the Burdekin, was altogether wanting at the Clarke.
Several lagoons were observed at the foot of the ridges; and near them we
saw two flocks of the harlequin pigeon (Peristera histrionica).
Talc-schiste cropped out in one of the deep creeks. Whilst travelling on
the Burdekin, with the exception of some ducks and a few kangaroos, we
had seen but very little game; but yesterday, when riding to the Clarke,
two flocks of kangaroos passed me: a proof that the country is not so
destitute of game as I had thought. The waters are inhabited by four
varieties of fish; one was probably a Gristes, about eight inches long,
and from one and a half to two inches broad, of a lanceolate shape, with
bright yellow spots all over the body; a second smaller than Gristes,
with dark stripes; a third about a foot long, and three inches broad,
belonging to the Percidae; and a fourth, a small fish, which seemed to be
allied to the Cyprinidae. Larger fish exist, probably, in the deep rocky
basins of water which we occasionally passed; but we never succeeded in
catching any; nor did we hear any of the splashing, which was so
incessant during the night at the Mackenzie. The shell and bones of the
turtle indicated its presence in the shady ponds fringed by drooping tea
trees. Large holes in the banks immediately above the water, were
probably inhabited by water rats or lizards. A common carpet snake was
killed. Whenever we passed through open Vitex scrub, with its stiff loamy
soil, we were sure of meeting a great number of the conical constructions
of the white ant: they were from one to three feet high, very narrow, and
tapering to a sharp point.
April 24. - To-day we travelled along the river over an open country,
intersected by some gullies; the course of the river was, for about four
miles, from north to south, and, at that distance from our camp, was
joined by a river coming from the northward, which I now take the liberty
of naming the "Perry," after Captain Perry, Deputy Surveyor-General, who
has most kindly mapped my route from the rough plans sketched during the
journey.
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