The Blue Gum
Trees In The Neighbourhood Were Extremely Fine, Whilst That Species Of
Eucalyptus, Which Is Vulgarly Called The
Apple tree, and which we had
not seen since we quitted the eastern coast, again made its appearance
on the
Flats, and of large size; as was the casuarina filifolia, growing
here and there on its immediate banks.
The day throughout was as fine as could be imagined, and it was spent
with a more cheerful feeling than we had experienced since we quitted
the depot on the Lachlan. The river running through the valley was named
Bell's River, in compliment to Brevet Major Bell, of the 48th Regiment;
the valley Wellington Valley; and the stream on which we halted on
Sunday, Molle's Rivulet.
August 20. - The day proved as favourable as could be wished, and the
observations placed our situation in lat. 32. 32. 45. S., and our
compared long. 148. 51. 30. E., the variation of the needle being
8. 38. 38. E. A valuable discovery was made in the course of the day by
the men who were out with the dogs, the hills bounding the east side of
Wellington Vale being found of the purest limestone, of precisely
similar quality with that found at Limestone Creek. We were never due
north of that place, and it is more than probable that the same stratum
extends on the same meridian through the country.
August 21 - At eight o'clock, accompanied by Mr. Evans and
Mr. Cunningham, set out on our intended excursion down the Macquarie
River. Crossing Bell's River in the valley, we came in a mile to where
the steep rocky hills forming the west side of the vale advance their
perpendicular cliffs directly over the river. These hills we soon
rounded, and entered the vale north of them: I shall not in this place
attempt to describe the rich and beautiful country that opened to our
view in every direction. Alternate fine grazing hills, fertile flats and
valleys, formed its general outline; whilst the river, an object to us
of peculiar interest, was sometimes contracted to a width of from sixty
to eighty feet between rocky cliffs of vast perpendicular height, and
again expanded into noble and magnificent reaches of the width of at
least two hundred feet, washing some of the richest tracts of land that
can be found in any country; the banks were in those reaches low and
shelving, and covered with pebbles, whilst even at the highest floods
secondary banks restrained the river from doing the smallest damage:
these secondary banks might be from six to eight hundred feet in width,
and I think the highest marks of flood did not exceed twenty feet
perpendicular. The rapids were usually formed by small stony islands,
which. dividing the stream rendered it shoaler in those places than in
others, but they never extended above one hundred yards, and were none
of them fordable. Limestone of the best quality and of various species
abounded; and it appeared to me to be as common as the other stone
forming the hills, which was a fine and hard granite. We passed through
this charming country for upwards of twelve miles, the course of the
river during that time being nearly north, and from appearances we
thought it must continue in that direction for a considerable distance
farther. A perpendicular limestone rock overhanging the river terminated
our excursion; adjoining to this rock (which was called Hove's Rock,
from its being covered with a beautiful new species of hovia), a
stratum of fine blue-slate was found. A little lower down, the bank on
the east side was formed of perpendicular red earth cliffs at least
sixty feet high, extending along the reach nearly three quarters of a
mile; this bank was named Red Bank: a fine grassy hill thinly covered
with wood rose eastward of it.
The timber was unusually fine, consisting chiefly of very large and
straight blue guns; beautiful large casuarina trees were occasionally
growing at the very edge of the water. The tops and sides of the rocky
precipices on the west side of Wellington Vale were clothed with cypress
trees, which had all the appearance of the pinus silvestris, that adorns
the mountains and glens of Scotland. It was nearly five o'clock before
we returned to our tent, highly gratified with our day's excursion.
Nothing can afford a stronger contrast than the two rivers, Lachlan and
Macquarie; different in their habit, their appearance, and the sources
from which they derive their waters, but above all differing in the
country bordering on them; the one constantly receiving great accession
of water from four streams, and as liberally rendering fertile a great
extent of country; whilst the other, from its source to its termination,
is constantly diffusing and extenuating the waters it originally
receives over low and barren deserts, creating only wet flats and
uninhabitable morasses, and during its protracted and sinuous course is
never indebted to a single tributary stream. The contrast indeed
presents a most remarkable phenomenon in the natural history of the
country, and will furnish matter in other parts of this Journal, for
such conclusions as my observations have enabled me to form.
August 22 - Among the other agreeable consequences that have resulted
from discovering the river in this second Vale of Tempe, may be
enumerated, as not the least, the abundance of fish and emus with which,
we have been supplied; swans, and ducks, were also within our reach, but
we had no shot. Very large muscles were found growing among the reeds
along some of the reaches; many exceeded six inches in length, and
three and a half in breadth. Traces of cattle were found in various
places as low as Hove's Rock, which are now doubtless straying through
the country.
Our horses have recruited themselves exceedingly within the last ten
days, and being lightly laden, I have great hopes of being enabled to
reach Bathurst before our provisions are altogether expended; we have
now left but four pounds and a half of flour, and the same quantity of
pork per man; our chief dependence must be on the success of our dogs
for any additional supplies, and in such a country as the present, we
have no fear of being in want of food.
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