Much, Indeed The Greater Portion, Of
My Journey Had Been Occupied In Long Reconnoitring Rides; And He Who Is
Thus
Occupied is in a continued state of excitement, now buoyant with
hope, as he urges on his horse towards some
Distant range or blue
mountain, or as he follows the favourable bend of a river; now all
despairing and miserable, as he approaches the foot of the range without
finding water from which he could start again with renewed strength, or
as the river turns in an unfavourable direction, and slips out of his
course. Evening approaches; the sun has sunk below the horizon for some
time, but still he strains his eye through the gloom for the dark verdure
of a creek, or strives to follow the arrow-like flight of a pigeon, the
flapping of whose wings has filled him with a sudden hope, from which he
relapses again into a still greater sadness; with a sickened heart he
drops his head to a broken and interrupted rest, whilst his horse is
standing hobbled at his side, unwilling from excessive thirst to feed on
the dry grass. How often have I found myself in these different states of
the brightest hope and the deepest misery, riding along, thirsty, almost
lifeless and ready to drop from my saddle with fatigue; the poor horse
tired like his rider, footsore, stumbling over every stone, running
heedlessly against the trees, and wounding my knees! But suddenly, the
note of Grallina Australis, the call of cockatoos, or the croaking of
frogs, is heard, and hopes are bright again; water is certainly at hand;
the spur is applied to the flank of the tired beast, which already
partakes in his rider's anticipations, and quickens his pace - and a
lagoon, a creek, or a river, is before him. The horse is soon unsaddled,
hobbled, and well washed; a fire is made, the teapot is put to the fire,
the meat is dressed, the enjoyment of the poor reconnoiterer is perfect,
and a prayer of thankfulness to the Almighty God who protects the
wanderer on his journey, bursts from his grateful lips.
May 25. - We travelled about eight miles down the Lynd. The country was
very mountainous; granitic and pegmatite ranges bounded the valley on
both sides.
May 26. - We continued our journey over the most mountainous and rocky
country we had ever passed. The ranges formed the banks of the river
itself, and even entered its bed, which gradually enlarged and was
frequently formed by several channels fringed with large drooping tea
trees. At the end of the stage, basalt was found to have broken through
the granite.
May 27. - The river turned more to the northward, and, joined by many
gullies, wound its way between wild and rocky, though low ranges. At a
place where it left a range of rugged little peaks, basalt re-appeared at
its banks, and extended for some distance, now filling flats with its
rough and cellular blocks and pebbles, and again forming small hillocks
of black bare rock.
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