The Country West And Southerly Of
The Brothers Consisted Of Low Forest Hills; And A Range Of Hills Of
Moderate Height, The Entrance Of Which Bore West-South-West Distant
Twenty Or Twenty-Five Miles, Ended Near Cape Hawke, The Country
Being To That Range Very Low With Marshes.
A strip of sandy land
half a mile wide bounds the shore, on which is good grass and water.
On the beach where we halted we found a small boat nearly buried in
the sand, but quite perfect.
It had belonged to a Hawkesbury vessel,
belonging to one Mills, which had been lost some time ago, and the
crew of which perished. We halted on the beach, the South Brother
bearing W. 32. N., and the Reef N. 53 1/2. E., and which we now saw
extended near three quarters of a mile north and south, and lying two
marine miles from the shore. It appears dangerous, since in fine weather
(as to-day) the north part of the reef only breaks occasionally.
October 19. - Proceeded on our journey up the coast: on attempting to cut
off a point of land which would have saved us a distance of some miles,
we found that the low part of the country was an entire fresh water
swamp, interspersed with thick barren brushes, in all respects resembling
the country between Sydney and Botany Bay. We therefore returned again on
the beach, and crossing nearer to the point in question found the remains
of a hut, which had evidently been constructed by Europeans, the saw and
axe having been employed on it. About four miles farther on the beach,
towards Cape Hawke, our progress was stopped by a very extensive inlet,
the mouth of which was nearly a mile wide. It was near high water, and the
sea broke right across with tremendous violence, affording us little hope,
circumstanced as we were, of being able to effect a passage. As we had
always experienced the difficulty, not to say impracticability of
attempting to go round such inlets as these. we stopped about half
a mile inside the entrance, on a spot affording good grass and water
for the horses, the greater part of which were entirely knocked up;
insomuch that I began to fear we would take very few of them to
Newcastle. It being early in the day, a party proceeded to explore
the shores of the inlet, to ascertain if it was possible for us to
proceed round it. After several hours' examination, and walking from
six to eight miles, we were obliged to give up all intention of
proceeding circuitously; and found that our efforts must be directed
to effect a passage near the entrance, since numerous fresh water
runs having their source in deep and impassable swamps or lagoons,
presented an insurmountable barrier to the horses. The main inlet
extended in two wide and extensive branches to the south-west and west,
the termination of which could not be seen, the water being apparently
deep; and the country to the westward rising into forest hills.
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