Acacia Farnesiana Grew In Low Shrubs Along The Plains, Stretching Its
Flexible Branches Over The Ground; Mimosa Terminalis (The Sensitive
Plant) Was Very Plentiful, And More Erect Than Usual; A Species Of
Verbena, With Grey Pubescent Leaf And Stem, Was Also Abundant.
The night
breeze had been exceedingly strong during the last four days.
At the camp
of the 4th of February my companions shot twenty-one pigeons (Geophaps
scripta), and five cockatoos; a welcome addition to our scanty meals. For
a considerable time previous, I had reduced our allowance of flour to
three pounds; but now, considering that we were still so far to the
eastward, it was, by general consent of my companions, again reduced to a
pound and a-half per diem for the six, of which a damper mixed up with
fat was made every day, as soon as we reached our encampment.
Feb. 6. - I brought my camp forward about six miles farther to the
north-by-east, to the water-holes I had found at the foot of the
sandstone ridges; and, after having settled my camp, I went with my two
Blackfellows in search of more water. About a mile and a-half north from
the camp we came to an isolated peak, which I ascended, and from its
summit enjoyed the finest view of the Peak Range I had yet seen. I
attempted to sketch it in its whole extent, and gave to its most
remarkable peaks separate names. A long flat-topped mountain I called
"Lord's Table Range," after E. Lord, Esq., of Moreton Bay; and a sharp
needle-like rock, which bore west-by-north, received the name of
"Fletcher's Awl," after Mr. John Fletcher, whose kind contribution
towards my expedition had not a little cheered me in my undertaking.
Towards the east and north-east, a flat country extended, in which the
smoke of several fires of the natives was seen, and, in the distance,
several blue ranges were distinguished.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 139 of 524
Words from 37310 to 37640
of 141354
