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.
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