The
Difference Between The Sandstone Country And The Basaltic Plains And
Ridges, Is Very Striking In Respect To The Quantity Of Water They
Contain:
In the latter, rain is immediately absorbed by the cracked
porous soil, which requires an immense quantity of moisture
Before it
allows any drainage; whereas the sandstone forms steeper slopes, and does
not absorb the rain so quickly, so that the water runs down the slopes,
and collects in holes at the foot of the hills parallel to the creeks.
Scrubs are frequent round the low rises of sandstone; and, where the
country is level, and the soil loamy, the hollows are often filled with
water by the thunder-storms. The moist character of this description of
country is probably the cause of the vegetation being more dense than it
is in the rich black soil of the plains; in which latter, the seeds of
the grasses and herbs lie dormant, until the first rain falls, when they
instantly germinate and cover the plain with their rapid and luxuriant
growth, as if by enchantment; but which, from its nature, is incapable of
maintaining the growth of scrubs and trees.
Feb. 3. - The dew was heavy through the night; and, in the morning, loose
rainy clouds gathered from the east and north-east, which, however,
disappeared about eleven o'clock. Charley went back to the camp, to bring
it on, and I continued to reconnoitre to the north-west. After passing a
sandstone ridge, I came to a creek, which went to the north-west, and
which was supplied with water by the late thunder-showers.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 137 of 524
Words from 36731 to 36998
of 141354
