At Their Foot Sienite, Quartz Rock, And Leptinite, Were Observed.
After Turning Round The Field Of Lava To The Eastward,
We entered into a
large flat, with patches of narrow-leaved tea tree, with reedy swamps and
fine flooded-gum
Trees, and made our camp at a strong running brook,
without trees, but densely surrounded with reeds, ferns, and pothos. This
stream formed the outlet of some fine lagoons, which extended along the
steep slopes of the basaltic table land. I crossed the creek and its flat
to the opposite hills. The flat was one level sheet or floor of basalt,
here and there covered with a very shallow soil, but sometimes bare,
though clothed with a fair supply of grass and with scattered flooded-gum
trees. At the foot of the eastern hills, however, deep holes existed in a
water-course, with black blocks of basalt heaped over each other, on
which the fig tree with its dark green foliage formed a shady bower, most
delightful during the heat of the day. The hills were composed of a
lamellar granite, approaching the stratified appearance of gneiss, but
the leaflets of mica, instead of forming continuous layers, were
scattered. The east side of the narrow watercourse was of primitive rock,
the west side basaltic. Having passed over the hills, I made the river at
their east side. Its banks were open for access as far as the primitive
rock extended, but another field of lava commenced higher up, and
rendered any progress with our cattle impossible.
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