Emus And Kangaroos Abound, And
There Is A Great Diversity Of Birds, Some Of Which Have The Most
Delightful Notes, Particularly The Thrush.
August 5.
- At three o'clock we were obliged to give up all attempts to
proceed farther this day; it was with the utmost difficulty we
accomplished six miles: for the last half mile, the horses were not on
their legs for twenty yards together. This, too, was in the middle of an
apparently dry forest of iron bark and cypress trees: the surface gave
way but little to the human tread, but the horses were scarcely on it
before the water sprang at every step, and the ground sank with them to
their girths. In this dilemma, it was agreed to rest for the night, and
in the morning endeavour to proceed to the nearest hill, which appeared
to be distant about two miles and a half, with very light loads upon the
best track we could find, and then return for the remainder of the
baggage and stores. A foreknowledge of the difficulties we should have
to encounter would certainly have prevented me from attempting to reach
these mountains; the nature of this country baffles all reasonable
expectation and conjecture, and that which appears one thing at a
distance, has a quite different form and aspect when more nearly
approached. Neither rivers, brushes, nor marshes, seem to make the least
difference in the vegetation of this singular tract: a dreary uniformity
pervades alike its geology and its botany.
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