At Ten I Was Fortunate Enough To
Fall In With The Horses About Eight Miles From Our Camp; Returned With
Them, And Prepared Every Thing For Setting Forward To-Morrow Morning.
In
one of the brushes an emu's nest was found, containing ten eggs; our
dogs also killed two small birds.
Mr. Evans returned about three
o'clock, having seen nothing remarkable: the country was very thick and
brushy, and he was much impeded by creeping vines.
Mr. Cunningham here planted the seeds of quinces, and the stones of
peach and apricot trees.
May 31. - Fine weather as usual, and at nine o'clock we set off with
renewed hopes and spirits. Our first nine miles afforded excellent
travelling through an open country of very indifferent soil. The trees
thin and chiefly cypress, with occasionally a large sterculia, but no
water whatever: at the ninth mile we entered a very thick eucalyptus
brush, overrun with creepers and prickly acacia bushes. We continued
forcing our way through this desert until sunset, when, finding no hopes
of getting through it before dark, we halted in the midst of it, having
travelled in the whole nearly twenty miles, and for the last mile been
obliged to cut our way with our tomahawks.
Both men and horses were quite knocked up, and our embarrassment was
heightened by the want of water for ourselves and them, as this desert
did not hold out the slightest hope of finding any. No herbage of any
kind grew on this abandoned plain, being a fine red sand, which almost
blinded us with its dust. It was with some little hesitation that we
affixed a name to this brush; but at length nothing occurred to us more
expressive of its aspect than EURYALEAN. This was the first night which
we had passed absolutely without water.
June 1. - A cold frosty morning. The weather during the might changed
from very mild and pleasant to extreme cold; the thermometer varying
24. At daylight we loaded the horses and set forward to get out of this
scrub, and endeavour to procure water and grass for the horses, which
we were obliged to tie to bushes, to prevent them from straying. After
going about two miles farther we cleared the thickest of it: but the
country was only more open, and not in any degree more fertile. We
proceeded on towards the south-east end of Peel's range until twelve
o'clock, when, having gone nearly eleven miles, the horses were unable
to proceed farther with their loads. There was nothing left for us but
to unload them, and separate in every direction in search of that most
precious of elements, without tasting a drop of which both men and
horses had now existed nearly thirty-six hours.
Water was found in three holes in the side of Peel's range sufficient
for all our necessities, and a most grateful relief it proved,
particularly to the poor horses, who were nearly famished for the want
of it: one of the best of our animals was so exhausted that it was with
some difficulty he could be taken to the water. I wish the grass had
proved equally good, but there is nothing for them but dead wire-grass
(IRA). We saw no game, with the exception of three or four kangaroo
rats: many beautiful small parrots were observed; and, barren as the
scrub appeared to us, yet our botanists reaped an excellent harvest
here; nothing being more true than that the most beautiful plants and
shrubs flourish best where no grass or other herbage will grow.
June 2. - Fine and clear as usual, the nights cold. One of our best
horses, mentioned yesterday as having fallen repeatedly under his load,
was this morning extremely ill, having entirely lost the use of his
hind quarters. Finding that he was quite unable to accompany us, and in
fact unfit to do any more work, it was with extreme reluctance that I
caused him to be shot, since it would have been no mercy to suffer him
to linger in his present miserable condition. Observations were taken to
ascertain our situation, and they placed us lat. 34. 8. 8. S.,
long. 146.03. E., the variation of the compass being 7. 18. E.
The hills to the southward of us are curiously composed of pudding-stone
in very large masses, the lower stratum being a coarse granite
intermingled with pieces of quartz, and a variety of other stones.
June 3. - Set forward on our route, passing over a rugged, barren, and
rocky country for about four miles and a half, when we ascended a hill
upon our right which promised a view in all directions. To the
southward, south-west, and even west, the country was a perfect plain,
interspersed with more of those dreadful scrubs which we had passed
through. In coming from Mount Aiton to the south-east were some low
ranges, with a level barren country between us and them; this hill was
named Mount Caley, and the termination of Peel's range to the southward,
a lofty rocky hill, was called Mount Brogden. On descending the hill, I
had the mortification to find that one of the horses, who had hitherto
performed well, now sunk under his load, and was unable to proceed
farther: in short, all of them appeared so debilitated, that the utmost
we could promise ourselves was their proceeding three or four miles
farther in search of grass and water. Directing the man to stay by his
load, we proceeded towards some burnt grass which had been seen from
Mount Caley, and after going about four miles farther we stopped upon
it. As the ultimate success of the expedition so entirely depended upon
the capability of the horses to perform the journey, it was judged
advisable that they should have two or three days rest before we
attempted to penetrate farther; and as we were now on a spot that at
least afforded them a mouthful of fresh wire-grass, I determined, if
water should be found, to remain here until Friday morning.
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