I Rode Five Or Six Miles Out, In Hopes Of
Finding Some Eminence On Which To Ascend, But Was Disappointed, The
Country Continuing A Dead Level, With Extensive Swamps, And Barren
Brushes.
The timber, dwarf box, and gum trees (all eucalypti), with a
few cypresses and casuarinas, scattered here and there:
Few traces of
the natives were seen, and none recent. Upon the swamps were numerous
swans and other wild fowl. In the evening we caught nearly a hundred
weight of fine fish.
May 3. - Proceeded down the river. We passed over a very barren desolate
country, perfectly level, without even the slightest eminence, covered
with dwarf box-trees and scrubby bushes; towards the latter part of the
day a few small cypresses were seen. I think the other side of the river
is much the same. We have hitherto met with no water except at the
river, and a few shallow lagoons, which are evidently dry in summer. I
do not know how far this level extends north and south, but I cannot
estimate it at less than from ten to twelve miles on each side; but this
is mere conjecture, since for the last three days I have been unable to
see beyond a mile: I have, however, occasionally made excursions of
five or six miles, and never perceived any difference in the elevation
of the country. To-day the course of the river has been a little south
of west: its windings are very frequent and sudden, fully accounting for
the apparent heights of the floods, of which marks were observed about
thirty-six feet above the level of the stream.
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