The Means Which His Excellency Placed At My Disposal Were Well
Calculated To Attain The Object In View, And It
Is a matter of the most
sincere regret, that the nature and description of the country which we
passed through
Was for the most part such as to afford few interesting
objects of research or remark.
The botanical productions of the country have however in a great measure
been ascertained by Mr. Allan Cunningham, the King's botanist, who
accompanied the expedition.
With respect to the construction of the chart prefixed to this Journal,
it is thought proper to observe, that the situation of the principal
stations of Bathurst, and the depot on the Lachlan River, were
ascertained by celestial observations, and connected by a series of
triangles, commencing at the latter point, and closing at Bathurst. New
base lines were frequently measured, and any unavoidable errors which
might arise from the nature of the country were corrected at every proper
opportunity by observed latitudes; so that on the return of the
expedition to Bathurst, I had the satisfaction to find the connection of
the angles complete, the error in the whole survey not exceeding a mile
of longitude.
The instruments chiefly used were a small theodolite by Ramsden, and
Kater's pocket compass [Note: A most valuable instrument, combining all
the advantages of the circumferentor, without being so liable to be
damaged and put out of order by carriage.], with the addition of an
excellent sextant, pocket chronometer, and artificial horizon. I have
to lament that our mountain barometers were broken at an early stage
of the expedition; the height however of some principal points had been
previously obtained, and is marked on the chart; these in two instances
were verified by geometrical measurement, and the difference was found
to be too trilling to be noticed. The conveyance of such delicate
instruments is always attended with great risk, and in our case
peculiarly so, our means being only those of horseback. I am afraid
that a method of constructing those instruments, so as to place them
beyond the reach of injury by carriage, will always remain among the
desiderata of science. I have given to our thermometrical observations
the form of a chart, as affording the readiest view of the atmospherical
changes which took place during our journey. The winds and weather are
also more particularly noticed on the same sheet than in the narrative.
It may perhaps be not superfluous to mention, that it is the intention
of His Majesty's Government to follow the course of the Macquarie River,
and it is sanguinely expected that the result of the contemplated
expedition will be such as to leave no longer in doubt the true
character of the country comprising the interior of this vast island. It
would be as presumptuous as useless to speculate on the probable
termination of the Macquarie River, when a few months will (it is to be
hoped) decide the long disputed point, whether Australia, with a surface
nearly as extensive as Europe, is, from its geological formation,
destitute of rivers, either terminating in interior seas, or having
their estuaries on the coast.
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