The Ridges, Which Are Spurs Of Aldis's Peak And Expedition
Range, Disappear In The Level Country To The North-East.
Farther on to
the north-north-west, I passed some fine plains, having the black soil,
the vegetation, the dry creeks and watercourses, of Darling Downs.
Thick
scrub seems to extend all along the foot of the range, from Aldis's Peak
to Mount Nicholson. Both these mountains are composed of basalt,
containing numerous crystals of peridot.
Dec. 8. - I travelled with my whole party over the ground which I had
reconnoitred yesterday, and had to go a considerable distance farther to
find water. Along the scrubs there are generally chains of water-holes,
which retain the water for a long time, and are soon filled by heavy
thunderstorms; they are well puddled with clay, and, therefore, become
dry almost exclusively by evaporation. Our camp was about eight miles
N.N.W. from the last.
The feed was all parched up: the native carrot, which was so green when
we passed Darling Downs, was here withered and in seed. Immense stretches
of forest had been lately burned, and no trace of vegetation remained.
Partridge-pigeons were very numerous, and the tracks of kangaroos and
wallabies were like sheep-walks. Charley saw an emu; but an iguana and a
partridge-pigeon were the only addition to our night's mess.
The sky was covered by a thin haze, occasioned by extensive bush fires. A
fine breeze, which sprung up at eleven o'clock, from the northward, made
travelling very agreeable.
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