We were again fortunate enough to kill an emu, a most acceptable
supply, since continued exercise gives us appetites something beyond
what our ration can satisfy.
July 5. - Independently of the nature of the country rendering it
altogether uninhabitable, the noxious vapours that must naturally arise
during the heats of summer from these marshes (should the present
surface of land on which we are now travelling be then free from water),
would render the whole tract peculiarly unhealthy. Even during the short
space of a fortnight, when it might be presumed that the winter's cold
had in a great degree rendered the effluvia innoxious, every person in
the expedition was more or less affected by dysenterical complaints; and
the putrid sour smell that constantly attended us was symptomatic of
what would be its effects when rendered active by the powerful heats of
summer.
Although there was no grass out of the marshes for the horses to feed
upon, yet they appeared to live very tolerably upon a species of
atriplex which covered the plains, and being extremely succulent was
eaten with avidity by them; they certainly preferred it to the grasses
which the swamps produced.
Our route lay over the same unvarying plain surface as on the preceding
days, and after travelling about five miles, we again saw the line of
trees growing on the banks of the stream; and having performed about ten
miles more, we halted on the immediate banks of it. These were
considerably lower, being about six feet above the water; the current
was almost imperceptible, and the depth did not exceed four feet, and
was extremely muddy; the trees growing on the banks were neither so
large nor so numerous as before, and a new species of eucalyptus
prevailed over the old blue gum. The north-east side was precisely of
the same description of country as the south-east. A very large sheet of
water or lake lay on the north-west side, opposite to the place where we
made the river. The horizon was clear and distinct round the whole
circle, the line of trees on the river alone excepted. From the marks on
these trees, the waters appear to rise about three feet above the level
of the bank; a height more than sufficient to inundate the whole
country. This stream is certainly in the summer season, or in the long
absence of rain, nothing more than a mere chain of ponds, serving as a
channel to convey the waters from the eastward over this low tract. It
is certain that no waters join this river from its source to this point;
and passing, as it does, for the most part, through a line of country so
low as to be frequently overflowed, and to an extent north and south
perfectly unknown. but certainly at this place exceeding forty miles, it
must cause the country to remain for ever uninhabitable, and useless for
all the purposes of civilized man.
These considerations, added to the state of our provisions, of which, at
the reduced ration of three pounds of flour per man per week, we had but
ten weeks remaining, determined me to proceed no farther westward with
the main part of the expedition; but as the state of the greater part of
our horses was such as absolutely to require some days' rest and
refreshment, before we attempted to return eastward, I considered that
it would be acting best up to the spirit of my instructions to proceed
forward myself with three men and horses, and as we should carry nothing
with us but our provisions, we should be enabled to proceed with so much
expedition, as to go as far and see as much in three days as would take
the whole party at least seven to perform.
My object in thus proceeding farther was to get so far to the westward
as to place beyond all question the impossibility of a river falling
into the sea between Cape Otway and Cape Bernouilli. In my opinion, the
very nature of the country altogether precludes such a possibility, but
I think my proceeding so far will be conclusive with those who have most
strongly imbibed the conviction that a river enters the sea between the
Capes in question, which was certainly an idea I also had entertained,
and which nothing but the survey of a country, without either hills or
permanent streams, could have destroyed.
I must observe as a remarkable feature in this singular country, that
for the last fifty miles we have not seen a stone or pebble of any kind,
save two, and they were taken out of the maws of two emus. I am now
firmly persuaded that there are no eminent grounds in this part of the
country, until these low sandy hills [Note: From Encounter Bay to this
slight projection (Cape Bernouilli), the coast is little else than a
bank of sand, with a few hummocks on the top, partially covered with
small vegetation, nor could any thing in the interior country be
distinguished above the bank. Flinder's Voy. Vol. I. p. 197.] which
bound the south-western coast-line are reached; and these, in my
judgment, are the only barriers which prevent the ocean from extending
its empire over a country which was probably once under its dominion.
July 6. - A fine and pleasant morning; one of the horses was found dead,
the greater part of the others in a very weakly state.
July 7. - At eight o'clock, taking with me three men, I proceeded to
follow the course of the stream; I attempted in the first instance to
keep away from the banks, but was soon obliged to join them, as the
morasses extended outwards and intersected my proposed course in almost
every direction.
