About Six Miles And
A Half Down The River It Was Joined By A Considerable Stream From The
Northward, Running Through A Fine And Spacious Valley.
The accession of
this water materially altered the appearance of the river, as it began to
form long and wide reaches, with alternate rapids over a shingly bottom.
The northern stream was named Forbes's River, in honour of the Marquis of
Hastings' nephew.
Although our proximity to the sea seemed to preclude
the probability of Hastings River being joined by any other considerable
waters; yet its present size made us a little anxious to find that it had
a serviceable discharge into the ocean. The ground over which we travelled
being very favourable to the weak state of the horses, we accomplished
between eight and nine miles. Kangaroos abounded; four were this day
killed. Marks of flood were observed to the height of sixteen feet,
but the river appeared now to be in its lowest state, and the sides of
the barren mountains showed that there had been no rain of any consequence
for a considerable time.
September 29. - The country we passed through is what is generally known
in New South Wales as open forest land, with occasionally small flats on
the river: steep hills sometimes ended on the river, and north and south
of us were detached ranges of a similar description. The whole face of
the country was abundantly covered with good grass, which, having been
burnt some time, now bore the appearance of young wheat. Six miles down
the river it was joined by a fine stream from the southward, apparently
watering a spacious valley. We crossed this, and named it Ellenborough
River, in honour of the Chief Justice of England. We proceeded about
three miles farther before we halted at the edge of a thick detached
brush [Note: Many very beautiful shrubs inhabit these shaded thickets,
of which the following may serve as a specimen. Tetranthera dealbata,
BROWN'S PRODR.; Cryptocarya glaucescens, BR., genera of laurinae.
The Australian sapota fruit, Achras australis, BR.; Cargillia australis,
a date plum. Myrtus trinervia of Smith, and Ripogonum album, BR.],
which came nearly down to the water's edge. In this brush was a
quantity of fine red cedar trees, affording us reason to hope, that this
valuable wood might, as we advanced to the coast, be found in yet greater
abundance. The timber generally might be termed heavy, consisting of blue
gum, stringy bark, and iron bark, with fine forest oaks. The stones on
the surface of the land were hard and splintery, being principally of
coarse quartz; some hard sandstone was also seen: the rocks in the river
were of a fine dark blue colour, singularly hard and slippery. Although
we had seen no natives, there were abundant signs of them. This season
probably is better calculated for them to procure their food on the coast
than in the woods.
September 30. - Our progress this day was greatly impeded by thick
brushes, which, covering the sides of the hills, ended on the river:
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 141 of 184
Words from 72749 to 73258
of 95539
