The Horses Had Stopped At A
Cataract About Three Quarters Of A Mile Lower Down, And It Appeared That
The Rocky Shoal Extended To That Distance, When A Fall Of Five Feet Over
A Bed Of Rocks Would Have Stopped The Boats Altogether.
The horses were
immediately unladen and sent to bring the cargos of the two boats, which
being accomplished, we got them safely over the shoals by the cataracts;
when hauling them over land about two hundred yards, they were again
launched into deep water.
The country on either side during this days
journey was by no means so good as it had hitherto generally been, being
very brushy, and thickly timbered, chiefly with the species of
eucalyptus called box, and another kind appearing to be different from
those frequently observed. The banks of the river were very high; and,
notwithstanding the country was perfectly level, it was far above the
reach of any flood. The body of water falling over the cataract was
surprising, the low state of the river being considered, and this
incident instead of discouraging us increased our already sanguine
hopes, that its termination would not deceive the expectations we could
not avoid indulging.
June 19. - The boats during their progress this day did not experience
any obstruction, the river winding in fine though narrow reaches, over a
bottom of sand and occasionally rock; the depth from eight to sixteen
feet. The country still continued perfectly level, but generally of
excellent soil: two or three miles back from the river north-east, there
were several extensive plains, without any timber on them, and in many
places water was on the surface, probably occasioned by the heavy rain
on the 14th instant; since these flats, and indeed all the country we
had hitherto travelled over, were quite clear of any floods from the
river.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 184 of 354
Words from 49419 to 49727
of 95539
