Narrative Of The Overland Expedition Of The Messrs. Jardine, From Rockhampton To Cape York, Northern Queensland By Frank Jardine And Alexander Jardine
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- The march to-day is described as being through the
most abominable country that can well be imagined, being a
continuation of loose white sandy ranges, thickly covered with low
bush from three to eight feet in height, broom, fern, grass-tree
('Xanthoraea'), pandanus, and "five-corner" bushes, being thickly
matted together with prickly vine. Not a tree relieved the monotony
of this waste, and what was worse, not a blade of grass was seen for
miles. Several deep creeks were crossed, all running strongly with
clear pelluced water to W. and N.W. The timber when it occured was
bloodwood, stringy and iron-bark on the ridges, banksia, grevillia,
and several kinds of tea-trees in the gullies, which were
honey-combed and boggy. Two new kinds of palm were seen. The bush
which seems to be what Kennedy alluded to as "heath," could only be
got through by leading a horse ahead, the others following slowly
behind him, the cattle then following in their track. A straight
course was impossible, as all the boggy creeks and gullies had to be
run up to their heads before they could be crossed. A general
course, however, was kept of N. by E. The packs were continually
being knocked off the horses, occasioning great delay, so that only
12 miles were accomplished. Some black perch were caught in one of
the creeks, and scrub turkeys were seen. Poor "Nell Gwynne's" foal
knocked up to-day, after having kept up bravely since the mare's
death.
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