After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the
Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters,
upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one
of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water
was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills,
the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by
the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case
with all the waters emanating from Flinders range.
Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the large
watercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since named
the Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and at
nineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs rising
among rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, though
drinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we were
encamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourse
to search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channel
or its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of the
camp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S.
August 27. - Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott and
a native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather a
rounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named Mount
Serle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, by
the Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the country
after Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto met
with; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height above
our present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likely
point from which to obtain a view to the eastward.
The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feet
above the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometer
had sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unable
to fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining the
height with accuracy.
In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to the
northward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; this
was not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us in
our view from the height above the depot.
At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanating
from the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under its
western aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it.
