We Several Times
Met With Fine Plains, Which I Called "Vervain Plains," As That Plant Grew
Abundantly On Them.
They were surrounded with scrub, frequently sprinkled
with Bricklow groves, interspersed with the rich green of the Bauhinia,
and the strange forms of the Bottle-tree; which imparted to the scene a
very picturesque character.
From one of these plains we obtained, for the
first time, a view of some well-defined ranges to the west-north-west.
The general course of the river, between the latitudes of 25 degrees 41
minutes 55 seconds and 25 degrees 37 minutes 12 seconds, was to the
northward; but, as it commenced to turn to the east, I was induced to
cross it, and to follow my former direction to the northwest. Between
those two latitudes, the river had commenced to run, which was not the
ease higher up, notwithstanding it was formed by long reaches of water,
upon which pelicans and ducks were abundant. Mr. Calvert and the black,
Charley, who had been sent back to one of our last camping places, had,
on returning, kept a little more to the north-east, and had seen a river
flowing to the northward, and a large creek; both of which, probably,
join the Dawson lower down. At that part of the river where it commences
to run, its bed was more confined, and was fringed by Melaleucas and
drooping Acacias.
Our provisions had been increased by an emu, which Charley shot; our
remaining two kangaroo dogs also succeeded in catching an "old man"
kangaroo on the Vervain Plains of the 14th November. I made it an
invariable practice to dry the meat which remained after the consumption
of the day's allowance, and it served considerably to save our stock of
dried beef, and to lengthen the lives of our bullocks. The utmost economy
was necessary; - for we were constantly exposed to losses, occasioned by
the pack bullocks upsetting their loads; an annoyance which was at this
time of frequent occurrence from the animals being irritated by the
stings of hornets - a retaliation for the injuries done to their nests,
which, being suspended to the branches of trees, were frequently torn
down by the bullocks passing underneath.
A large turtle was seen; and Mr. Gilbert caught two fine eels in one of
the lagoons. We had thunder-storms on the 12th and 13th of November: the
morning is generally cloudy, the clouds come from the north-east and
north, clearing away in the middle of the day; and the afternoon is
exceedingly hot.
Nov. 14. - A dense scrub, which had driven us back to the river, obliged
me to reconnoitre to the north-west, in which I was very successful; for,
after having crossed the scrub, I came into an open country, furnished
with some fine sheets of water, and a creek with Corypha palms, growing
to the height of 25 or 30 feet. The feelings of delight which I
experienced when, upon emerging from the more than usually inhospitable
Bricklow scrub, the dark verdure of a swamp surrounding a small lake
- with native companions (ARDEAANTIGONE) strutting round, and swarms of
ducks playing on its still water, backed by an open forest, in which the
noble palm tree was conspicuous - suddenly burst upon our view, were so
great as to be quite indescribable. I joyfully returned to the camp, to
bring forward my party; which was not, however, performed without
considerable trouble. We had to follow the Dawson down to where the creek
joined it; for the scrub was impassable for loaded bullocks, and, even on
this detour, we had to contend with much scrub as we proceeded down the
valley. It, however, became more free from scrub at every step, and
opened out into flats of more or less extent on either side, skirted by
hills, clothed with an open forest, rising into regular ranges. On my
RECONNAISSANCE I crossed the Gilbert Ranges, which were named after my
companion Mr. Gilbert, and came on waters which fall to the eastward, and
join the Dawson lower down. From the summit of an open part of the range,
I saw other ranges to the northward, but covered with Bricklow scrub, as
was also the greater part of Gibert's Range. To the east, however, the
view was more cheering; for the hills are more open, and the vegetation
composed of the silver-leaved and narrow-leaved Ironbark trees and an
open Vitex scrub. Several rocky gullies were passed, that were full of
palm trees. The valley of Palm-tree Creek extends about nineteen miles
from west to east The ranges which bound it to the south, I called
"Lynd's Range," after my friend R. Lynd, Esq. Gilbert's Range bounds it
to the northward: Middle Range separates the creek from the Dawson up to
their junction. Several large swamps are within the valley; one of which,
the small lake which first broke upon my view, received the name of
"Roper's Lake," after one of my companions.
Nov. 17. - We went about nine miles up the valley, on a south branch of
Palm-tree Creek, which derives its waters from Lynd's Range. The fine
water-hole which I selected for our camp, was not only shaded by stately
Coryphas and flooded gums, but the drooping Callistemon, the creek
Melaleuca, and the Casuarina, gave to it the character of the rivers and
creeks of the Moreton Bay district. It changed, however, into a shallow
waterless channel, communicating with one of the large swamps which
generally extend along the base of the hills. I rode up Lynd's Range,
passing plains similar to those I have before mentioned, composed of
black soil intermingled with fossil wood and decomposed sandstone, and
densely covered with Burr, (a composite plant) and Verbena, and scattered
tufts either of Bricklow, or of Coxen's Acacia, or of the bright green
Fusanus, or of the darker verdure of Bauhinia, with here and there a
solitary tree of a rich dark-green hue, from forty to fifty feet in
height.
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