At 5 P.M. we had a thunder-storm from the
southward:
But little rain fell. It cleared up at seven o'clock; very
heavy dew in the morning.
Dec. 22. - We travelled to-day about five miles in a north-north-west
direction, and encamped at the creek where Charley and his companion had
seen the huts of the natives, which we found deserted. Our route lay
through a flat country, timbered with true box, (small Acacias forming
the underwood), along a fine lagoon on which were a number of ducks;
farther on, the Bastard box prevailed, with silver-leaved Ironbark, and
patches of Bricklow scrub, of Vitex and of the native lemon. A small tree
(a species of Acacia) was also seen about thirty or forty feet high, with
slightly drooping branches, and lanceolate deep green phyllodia about one
inch.
I reconnoitred with Charley, and found that the creek soon became
enveloped by scrub: to the west and south-west rose ranges of a moderate
elevation, parallel to which we travelled; plains frequently interspersed
with scrub, which became more dense as it approached the foot of the
ranges. From these appearances I determined upon sending my party back to
Brown's Lagoons, to secure water; whilst I should examine the country in
advance, in order to ascertain the extent of the scrub, in which we were
entangled.
Dec. 23 - During the night we had a tremendous thunder-storm from the
southward with much rain, which did not cease till after midnight, and
was succeeded by a hurricane from the east. We witnessed a remarkable
meteor, of a fine bluish colour, stretching from E.N.E. to W.S.W. almost
parallel to the thunder-clouds. The moon, a day from its full, to the
eastward, probably produced this phenomenon.
The bower of the bowerbird (Chlamydera maculata, GOULD) was seen in the
scrub; it is made of dry grass, and its approaches at either end were
thickly strewn with snail shells and flint pebbles, which had been
collected by the bird with great industry, but for what purpose we could
not determine. Among the shells we found a Helix of a brownish colour and
of an oval form, approaching that of Bulimus.
Whilst my companions returned to Brown's Lagoons, Mr. Calvert and Brown
remained with me to examine the country. The creek which I followed down,
almost entirely disappeared; but, five miles farther on, its channel was
again observed, as deep as before, and was joined by several
water-courses from the Christmas Ranges. The principal channel of the
creek was lined with a species of Melaleuca, with slightly foliacious
bark. Several species of sedges, and nutritious grasses, grew round the
holes in which the water was constant. At about fifteen miles from the
camp, the creek was joined by that which I had followed for some distance
on the 15th December, and, about three miles farther down, it receives
another considerable tributary; and, at their junction, it is a fine
sheet of water. Here the country begins to open, with large Box-flats
extending on both sides. Two small creeks come in from the scrubby hills
to the eastward, but, at a short distance beyond their junction, almost
the whole channel disappears. Soon after, we came to another creek, to
the left of the first; but it disappeared in the same manner as the
other. We came upon several lagoons, and found some very fine grass: the
scrub reappeared on the rising ground about six miles north from the
large sheet of water. A little farther on, we came to ridges of basaltic
formation, openly timbered with silver-leaved Ironbark, and richly
covered with young grasses and herbs, identical with those of the Darling
Downs. Water holes with fine water were found at the foot of the hills.
Mimosa terminalis was frequent; numerous flights of partridge pigeons
(Geophaps scripta) were also seen.
Dec. 24. - We returned towards the camp, but, through some inattention,
kept too much to the eastward, and passed through a country of an
extremely diversified character, and very different in appearance from
that we had just left. Here we passed an extensive Myal forest, the
finest I had seen, covering the hilly and undulating country,
interspersed with groves of the native lemon tree; a few of which were
still sufficiently in fruit to afford us some refreshment. Occasionally
we met with long stretches of small dead trees, probably killed by bush
fires, alternating with Bricklow thickets: and then again crossed small
plains and patches of open forest ground, which much relieved the
tediousness of the ride through thick scrubs, which we had frequently to
penetrate with both hands occupied in protecting the face from the
branches. We also crossed chains of water-holes surrounded by a coarse
stargrass; these now changed into creeks with deep and irregular beds,
lined with Melaleucas, and now again dwindled into shallow channels,
scarcely to be recognised amidst the surrounding scrub. A week before,
these holes were hopelessly dry; but a recent thunder-storm had filled
them; and had also made the ground soft and heavy, and had called into
life thousands of small frogs, which, by an incessant croaking, testified
their satisfaction at the agreeable change.
Dec. 25. - We returned to Brown's Lagoons, and entered our camp just as
our companions were sitting down to their Christmas dinner of suet
pudding and stewed cockatoos. The day was cloudy and sultry; we had had a
heavy thunder-storm on Christmas eve.
Dec. 26. - During the night, scud passed from the east; in the morning we
had some heavy showers without wind; it cleared up at ten o'clock, and we
took advantage of four hours fair weather to travel on. We again passed
the huts of the natives, and encamped about seven miles farther down the
creek. We were, however, scarcely housed, when heavy showers of rain
began to fall, and rendered the soil, which was a stiff loam, heavy and
boggy.
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