September 21. - We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, if
possible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of the
heavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses were
dreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up all
the riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get the
journey over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day our
course had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close under
the Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lake
on our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find no
permanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encamped
under, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supply
was rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had we
been a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude of
our camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S.
September 22. - This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawler
range, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over a
generally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; to
the north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consisting
apparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, and
entirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon the
surface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para.] were without either timber or
shrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, and
covered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in various
directions, but no indications of fresh water or springs.
[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast,
is singularly applicable to the Gawler range - He says, Tom. III. p. 233.
"Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pas
un arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence de
queque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous les
efforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu'
elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes."]
It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhat
better, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under the
hills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. for
twenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but without
water. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few days
ago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged to
order the horses to be watched during the night.
To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing in
between the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leaf
was like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with a
rich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex side
outwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, the
flowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those of
sweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of the
prettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia.
September 23. - Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub and
prickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a course
of E. 20 degrees N., encamping early in the afternoon close under them,
and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascended
another of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain no
clear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge still
appeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we were
travelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills at
intervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed from
a porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all over
the front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32
degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S.
September 24. - Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil of
sandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, but
decreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At about
eight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and at
once halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended a
high peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills on
every side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched to
the northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detached
to the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste around
them.
September 25. - Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, and
travelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting for
the night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for our
horses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hill
near the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the range
on the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea of
level scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no very
great size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of which
I took bearings, and then descended to the camp again.
