From
A Hill On That Line We Saw That The Lake Was Much More Extensive Than It
Was First Supposed
To be, reaching in a southerly direction to the base
of the forest hills, which run a north-west line
From the next point of
south of Cape Hawke, and within a quarter of a mile of the beach. To the
north-west we could trace it upwards of twenty miles, winding among
forest hills and a generally fine looking country. The lake was studded
with numerous islands of forest lands, the interior of the lake being
apparently deep water with sandy beaches to the main and islands. The
whole appearance of the lake was extremely picturesque and beautiful.
October 28. - This day's journey afforded tolerably good travelling,
with the exception of the last two miles, when, quitting the beach,
we ascended a high hill over the lake, and again descended to a
small bay under a point of land south of Cape Hawke, where we halted for
the evening: having accomplished ten miles. Although we were obliged to
halt the greater part of the day, the extreme heat of the weather,
combined with the motion of the horse, rendered it impossible for our
poor wounded man to proceed. From this point Cape Hawke bore North Peak
on Ditto 357., highest part of the South Brother, N. 1. E.; North Brother,
N. 7. E.; line of coast westerly, N. 306.; a point N. 328 1/2 mile;
ditto N. 136 1/2. E.; ten or twelve chains islet of Sugarloaf Point,
N. 168. The rocks off ditto, N. 173. Sugarloaf Point, 174 1/2.
October 29. - The coast projecting into bold and perpendicular headlands
obliged us to keep at a distance from it, and travel over an elevated
range, from whence we saw that an extensive series of lakes, probably
forming one large one, continued at the back of the coast line nearly
as far as Blackhead. At five miles we descended from the range on a
small beach which terminated our day's journey; the nature of the
coast line preventing us from travelling along it. I therefore went
with two men to mark out a road for the horses to the beach on the
south-west side of Sugarloaf Point. The line we were obliged to pursue,
led us through a most miserable scrubby country, formed into irregular
steep hills of white sand, without a blade of grass, or herbage of any
kind; but with abundance of small black butted gums, red gums, etc. We
found the road across, to be too far for us to attempt this evening.
Indeed it was near sunset when I returned to the tent. The natives
are extremely numerous along this part of the coast; these extensive
lakes, which abound with fish, being extremely favourable to their
easy subsistence: large troops of them appear on the beaches, whilst
their canoes on the lakes are equally numerous. In the morning their
fires are to be observed in every direction:
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