- Along the banks of these ponds, several transitory
encampments of the natives were found, but none that had been inhabited
within these four or six months; by all of them were found abundance of
the pearl muscle-shell so common on the Lachlan.
The soil, as far as we
examined round our tents, east of the ponds, was a good sandy loam. The
timber very open, and if the country had been divested of the numerous
acacia bushes with which the face of it was covered, it would be
impossible to wish for land more lightly timbered: the grass anthistiria
was very luxuriant. The ponds appear to have not been flooded for a very
considerable time, the water in many being of a milky whiteness, and the
dry channels are overrun with reeds and grass. These ponds were called
Coysgaine's Ponds, and by our observations the tent was in
lat. 32. 44. 29. S., long. 147. 46. 30. E., mean variation 7. 18. E.
August 12. - Proceeded on our course, which, as I hoped and expected we
were not far from the Macquarie River, was altered to north-east, for
the purpose of joining it lower down than our former course would have
done; being anxious to know as much of the country in the vicinity of
the river as our time and circumstances would permit. An open forest
country with tolerably good soil continued for nearly five miles, when
we suddenly came upon a large swampy plain surrounded by the acacia
pendula. Water was still remaining on several parts of it, and we had no
doubt from its whole appearance that it would lead immediately to the
river; from the south-west edge of this plain (which was six or seven
miles round), we had a distant prospect of a very lofty mountainous
range to the eastward, named Harvey's Range; the north extreme of which
bore north, and the highest part N. 94. This range was by far the
highest we had seen westward of the Blue Mountains. and its elevation
could be very little if at all inferior. Crossing this plain and
pursuing our north-easterly course, we entered a poor barren country
covered with box trees, and low acacia shrubs; our hope of meeting the
river was however disappointed. We travelled upwards of six miles
through this box scrub, when coming to two or three holes of good water
I thought it advisable to halt, rather than proceed a mile or two
farther, which was the utmost we could have done; and then in all
probability, be obliged to halt at a spot that would not afford us that
necessary article.
The inclination of the loftier trees, particularly the cypress trees,
for these two or three days past, denoted the strength and prevalence of
the south-west and westerly winds: this is more easily discernible from
the tops of low ranges; the western side of the tree being generally
deprived of its branches, and the trunk bent in a remark-able manner to
the north-east. This inclination and prevalence of the winds was not
observed in any particular degree westward of Mount Cunningham, and was
most remarkable in that elevated range of country lying between the
depot on the Lachlan and Bathurst; and which elevated tract continues
with little interruption to the western base of the Blue Mountain range,
on which there is not a single tree that does not denote prevalence of
the westerly wind.
August 13. - Again set forward, intending to keep a north-easterly course
through the day, when if we do not fall in with the river, our future
course will be directed more easterly; as we shall be then full seventy
miles north of Bathurst, and north of the parallel of Port Stephens. The
country through which our course led us to-day was of various
description, the first three miles and a half being indifferent forest
land, open with respect to timber, but much overrun with small acacia
bushes; at the end of this tract was a small stream of water in ponds,
having its course in the lofty range east-south-east of us, and which
was not very distant from us; this stream was named Allan Water, and its
stream was northerly. The next four miles north-east of this burn was
through a barren scrubby country, full of dry water-holes, and thickly
covered with the casuarina filifolia, box trees, and acacia bushes. The
cypress seemed to shun this kind of barren clayey soil, and was more
prevalent and flourishing on the open forest land where the soil was
light and loamy, and covered with luxuriant broom-grass; this was the
case for the last few miles, which consisted of a very good tract of
land. The cypresses here grew into very handsome timber, and indeed were
the only useful wood, as the box tree was usually stunted and crooked.
At the end of twelve miles we found a small spring of water that
supplied some ponds, which also run northerly. The grass being pretty
good, although old, we determined to halt for the evening, as the horses
were not all arrived having had a considerable detour to make in
crossing Allan Water. On the banks of that burn many heaps of the pearl
muscle-shells were found, and marks of flood about eight feet. We have
for several days past seen no signs of any natives being recently in
this part of the country; the marks on the trees, which were the only
marks we saw, being several months old, and never seen except in the
vicinity of water. Marks of the natives' tomahawks were to us certain
signs of approaching water.
August 14. - We had now come from the river Lachlan upwards of an hundred
miles in a north-east direction, without being so fortunate as to fall
in with the Macquarie; we were also near seventy miles north of
Bathurst, and much about the same distance west of it:
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