Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of South Australia By Eyre, Edward John
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- Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring,
situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of
water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15:
After my friend George Hamilton,
Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards
of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the
latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably
in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay
under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around
the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between
it and the sea was high and very rocky.
After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills
but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a
stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by
digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around
was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing
strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large
wombat holes - yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole
fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in
some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some
other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole
region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect.
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