We were encamped in the shade of a fine
Erythrina; and the Corypha-palm, Tristania, the flooded-gum, the
silver-leaved Ironbark, Tripetelus, and a species of Croton, grew around
us. A species of Hypochaeris and of Sonchus, were greedily eaten by our
horses; the large Xeranthemum grew on the slopes, among high tufts of
kangaroo grass. A species of Borage (Trichodesma zeylanica), with fine
blue flowers, was first seen here; and the native raspberry, and Ficus
muntia, were in fruit. In the afternoon, I went with Brown up the range,
following the bed of our creek; and, having ascended a spur of sandstone,
with gullies on each side, we came to a large basaltic mountain, clothed
with fine open timber, and a great number of arborescent Zamias.
Dec. 10. - Accompanied by Charley, I went in search of a passage over the
range. We ascended several hills in order to obtain general views, and
found that the level country, over which we had travelled during the last
two days, was of less extent than I had anticipated. To the north-east by
east, ranges rise with the characteristic outlines of the basalt and
phonolite, - in peaks and long stretched flat-topped hills, with
undulations openly timbered extending at their base. One valley descended
to the north-north-east; another to the northward. The principal range
has a direction from south-west to north-east; it is flat on the top, is
well grassed and openly timbered; but, to the northward, it becomes
scrubby, and also changes its geological character. After having crossed
the range - without any great difficulty, with the exception of some steep
places - we came on gullies going down to the north-west; and, from the
rocky head of one of them, the whole country to the west and northwest
burst upon us. There was a fine valley, a flat country, plains, isolated
long-stretched hills, and distant ranges; the highest points of the
latter bearing 77 degrees E. and 76 degrees W.; and, as I hoped to reach
them by Christmas time, I called them "Christmas Ranges." Not being able
to discover a good slope on which our bullocks could travel, I descended
at once into the gully, and followed it in all its windings; knowing well
from experience that it is easier to find a passage up a mountain range
than down it. The gully had all the characters of those of the Boyd; the
same sandstone rock, the same abruptness, and the same vegetation;
excepting, perhaps, a new Grevillea, with pinnatifid leaves and
yellowish-white woolly flowers, which we found here. There was no water,
except in some small holes full of gum leaves, which had rendered it
unfit for use. After proceeding with great difficulty about three miles,
we found that the gullies opened into a broad flat valley; in which
fields of fat-hen, the Croton shrub, the native Tobacco, Erythrina, fine
specimens of flooded-gum, Tristania, and the Moreton Bay ash, were
growing in great abundance.
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