To Follow It
Farther, Therefore, Would Have Been Merely To Satisfy My Curiosity, And
An Unpardonable Waste Of Time.
Besides, the number of my bullocks was
decreasing, and prudence urged the necessity of proceeding, without any
farther delay, towards the goal of my journey.
I determined therefore to
leave the Mitchell at this place, and to approach the sea-coast - so near
at least, as not to risk an easy progress - and to pass round the bottom
of the gulf.
June 26. - We travelled, accordingly, about seven miles almost due west,
the latitude of our new camp being 15 degrees 52 minutes 38 seconds. On
our way we passed some very fine long water-holes; some of which were
surrounded with reeds, and others covered with the white species of
Nymphaea; groves of Pandanus spiralis occupied their banks. Some fine
plains, full of melon-holes, but well grassed, separated from each other
by belts of forest-land, in which the Pandanus was also very frequent,
were crossed during the day.
June 27. - We travelled eight miles W.S.W. over a succession of plains
separated by belts of forest, consisting of bloodwood, box, apple-gum,
and rusty-gum. Some plains were scattered over with Bauhinias. The holes
along the plains are probably filled with water during the rainy season;
dead shells of Paludina were extremely numerous, and we found even the
shield of a turtle in one of them. At the end of the stage, we skirted
some dense scrub, and encamped at one of the lagoons parallel to a dry
creek, which must belong to the Nassau, as its latitude was 15 degrees 55
minutes 8 seconds.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 296 of 524
Words from 79582 to 79859
of 141354
