After Travelling About
Five Miles Over A Flat, We Crossed A Broad Sandy Creek, Which We Did Not
Follow, Although Beaten Foot-Paths Of The Natives Led Down It, As We
Firmly Believed That A River Was Before Us.
At five miles farther, we
came to the foot of the range, which rose suddenly from the level
country,
And, although a small watercourse existed in the tea-tree flat,
our anticipated river proved to be like the Dutchman's "Cape Fly-away."
In ascending the range, our poor bullocks suffered severely, and, when we
reached the summit, they stood panting with their tongues hanging out of
their mouths; I therefore halted a short time, to allow them to recover.
The east slopes of all these ranges were steep, but to the north-west
they were very gentle, and covered with stringy-bark forest. A long
succession of similar ranges was seen to the north-west. A small
watercourse brought us to a creek containing large but dry water-holes.
Finding that it turned to the eastward, round the range we had just
crossed, and that it almost disappeared in the scrubby tea-tree flats, we
turned to the northward, passed several more ridges, and encamped long
after sunset, near a dry but promising creek, without water. I
immediately sent Mr. Calvert and Charley down the creek, in search of
water, and they returned, towards midnight, with the welcome intelligence
that they had found some fine pools.
I had been absent during the latter part of the stage, and most
unfortunately our kangaroo dog had been left behind, whereby this most
valuable animal was lost.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 422 of 524
Words from 113562 to 113834
of 141354
